Scottish Mag

Its ok though as the wonderful DOF set up will see Wise getting to blow more money on another Xisco who for some reason or another wont get a game and we will be left watching Shola and Carroll. Go Team Ashley!

They get a letter. Aye getting told to be grateful as we have seen worse... They are fucking cowboys...

Spending 15 million on Viana and Bramble

No, I don't think Brown did a good job. I don't think Shepherd did either. Nor do I think frugality is the way to save the economy. We need to spend our way out of it. Now you see fundamnetally I agree that in both the economy and for the Toon that spending is needed for the long term good of both. However my view (again on both points) is that money should be directed at rebuilding infrastructure, be that roads, schools, hospitals, communications or the academy, buying younger players with room to develop and training facilities. Of course some money needs to be spent on the here and now, money in the pocket of the man on the street (interest rate cuts, VAT cuts (wrong move but its happened so I can include it..), or investment in the first team. If you can balance out the cost of improving the here and now with proceeds from clearing out the dross then its all good. I've said it before, but with the exception of Given we've replaced every player who has left the club with one of better quality or of a similar standard but at lower cost. That. Is. Good. Business. It could even be argued that we didn't need to replace Given directly anyway. The summer is pivotal, we're running out of dross with any sort of resale value and desperately need to improve the centre of midfield and in all likelyhood replace Owen. A Left Back would be nice to push Enrique on, unless one of the reserve players is ready to step up to provide this. the more he leaves it, the longer it costs to get back. It's just more proof in my eyes that he hasn't got a clue, or doesn't have the desire. I don't accept that rebuilding means creating a situation whereby your best and most important players want to leave the club for career reasons and ambition, this tells you pretty much everything. When you say "best and most important players" I take it you mean the singular Shay Given. We got an exceptional deal for Charles N'Zogbia. For the first time in years we have a player who can get a corner past the first man in Ryan Taylor, and we scored from a corner too, something not seen in eons with Newcastle. We definitely seem to have got the better deal there. Who else has left that you can name as a "best and most important player"? Not James Milner, most people where whinging about him last season, and £12 million is a steal for him too. Michael Owen? How he is meant to score from the physio's table is beyond me. If we replace him with a competent and fit striker we will be laughing again. I was never Milners biggest fan but what good is that 12 million when it was not reinvested and we are left with Duff playing on the right wing. I didnt think he was a worldbeater but we would be a hell of a lot better with him on the park than having 12 million in the bank.

Exactly. This is not like last time (although we're not out of the woods yet). But the situation is more under control than the last time that Hughton was thrust into it. Situation is not perfect, but better than last time. I do wonder if they are NOT hiring a proper manager, so that they can start afresh during the summer without an incumbent in the way. That's the only explanation that makes sense. They'll leave it until the last minute, make what they'll describe as a generous offer for a quality manager the Friday before the season gets going. Then when they're rebuffed they'll flounder around, shocked, and eventually hire Kinnear again and vow that everything was done to get the best manager they could. Aye thats the only offers we will be putting in... I have been saying for a while now that I don't think its any coincidence that our last two managers have been appointments that meant having to pay no compensation.

He may be a poor manager but that is simply because he isn't one. He hasn't asked to be in charge of the team, and I think your being harsh with that description of him. It's not his fault he's had to cover for our ill/stroppy/banned managers when they've pissed off. Hughton seems to work so f***ing hard for this club, he's been employed doing caretaker care quite a lot, it seems to be just him and Kinnear doing training, and he seems to be getting a raw deal. Has he complained? Has he hell, he's gotten on with the job. I agree with the fact he's poor at managing the team, but now he's broken his duck, and also with Calderwood on board (managerial experience, albeit at a lower level) I'm not as pessimistic as some. Regardless of what division we're in next season, Hughton deserves a f***ing massive bonus and a medal. I consider the guy a bit of a coward tbh, could have exerted himself and really made a go of it first time round but instead said he really didn't want the job after the Hull game and had the team playing like they didn't give a s***. It took Kinnear absolutely laying into them at HT against Blackburn to get them playing with conviction when in reality Hughton should have been doing it for weeks Do you honestly believe the reports of Kinnears "magical" teamtalks?

If he came I would want Eric Black to come with him..

Venables was a fine coach, capable of doing a fine job previously. Having turned down the job via The Sun last time round I doubt he'll be offered the job again. in the eighties. Fixed your post.

If he is interested in giving him the job he should just use some of the money we have got from the recent sales to get Bruce and maybe he will get us out of this mess, as I have no confidence JFK will...

We badly needed midfielders FFS. No shit Sherlock, I am not saying we don't. I ws commenting on the crap that ever changing crap that the club keeps spouting..

So Kinnear wanted an experienced Centre Half and a Striker but we bid for 2 midfielders, there is some amount of shit coming out the club...

You would think so. I will not be surprised if we pull of a deal for him once the Keane deal is done.

Looks like Bents going somewhere then...

That Blackburn journo...

That would constitute a major overhaul of the first team and squad. Can't see us making that many changes without a number of departures. Guess there'll be some departures then. I'm still hopeful of Alan Smith leaving. Geremi maybe. Duff hopefully. Time for positive thinking Dave don't ruin this. If we are in for another striker I would not be surprised if Smith does go to the likes of Boro. You would have thought after the midweek game he would have at least made the bench yesterday.

Pompey in talks for Dos Santos (7 million)

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2009/01/30/newcastle-and-wigan-battle-for-derby-star-kris-commons-115875-21081959/

Sky Daily Mail

JFK totally clueless again... Beeb Sky

Did he not say something about having been out the game for 18 months when really it was something like 4 years. He probably doesnt even know what fucking day of the week it is, hes fucking doolally..

Five live are meant to have said 6 weeks for Owen and 10 for Barton?

Not sure if its been posted on here, apologies if it has... Happy Face over on TT http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2418/managersnc0.jpg

Surely anyone but Amdy Faye?

More assists than anyone in our team last season..

Having paid up front last year on Direct Debit for this season (the offer that gave us free cup games) surely I should not have to pay extra if I cancel as this was all bought and paid for before the 450/500/550 carry on this summer?