midds

I get the fact seeing other clubs make moves we're unable to is slightly frustrating but the angst is canny disproportionate like, sorry

So we're at the point in the summer whereby we're not only inventing alternative realities but also getting annoyed by said invented alternative realities too? Sound

Definite change in attitude now the fixtures are out. For the last few weeks they've been bullish as fuck but seeing them absorb the list of fixtures they've got to play has definitely knocked them back. They're (technically) the poorest team in the division so every single game looks tough as fuck and reality has bitten hard today. Few of them moaning about their December fixtures as they, apparently, have to play loads of teams in the same division as they're now in and it's "a fucking joke". This is what they cheered and wanted in May and now they've actually got it they don't fucking like any part of it. They're going to get absolutely fucking battered

Not even long sleeves and a CL patch saves that imo

Think I'm good tbh

The whole thing is best taken for what it actually is - a huge charade to distribute as much wealth as possible to a few carefully selected clubs. Not one of the teams want to be there, not a single player wants to play the games, the ticket prices are irrelevant, the attendances don't matter and the fact it's being broadcast for free tells you how much 'the product' is actually worth. It's been arranged with the sole intention of pumping more Saudi cash into the sport in order to exert power and influence over future decisions FIFA will make in the next 20+ years. Anyone taking it seriously needs to take a few steps back, take off the normal glasses and fuck the whole thing off. It's a piece of jewel-encrusted shit of a tournament

And all over a lad who definitely, definitely doesn't rattle them. At all

I know the saying "never accept the first bid" stands as a little life lesson but if anyone goes to £10m+ then I'd be accepting it. I'd not want to run the risk of them walking away from the deal

Fuck off, I'm just putting the answer

That's roughly about a half

You can sit in the Gallowgate and be about 450m from Grey's Monument. It's about as city centre as it's possible to get tbh It's why Newcastle (A) is many fans' favourite awayday on the calendar. Off the train/bus and bosh - city centre, great food, drinking options, no fucking about with taxis and getting about and it's also a fucking mint city to be in even on the worst of days

Struggling to think of anything more tedious and insipid as an England friendly. May as well televise some of the training sessions instead, its so dull and lacking any edge at all

Sunderland interested

That's a tragic Dortmund shirt mind. This is 35 years old and it kicks the absolute fuck out of it:

In this day and age of financial transactions being scrutinised more than ever before why are clubs allowed to sign players for 'undisclosed fees'? How can clubs do that in 2025? What are they hiding and why shouldn't every single penny of the deal be made public? Talking about the overall fee, the agents cut, the signing on fee, and the basic wage structure of the player etc. Obviously the basic + bonus wage will change from month to month and that's a little more personal and private to the player but the huge sums of money exchanging hands when a big deal goes through should be made public and I can't understand why it doesn't happen given the limits of PSR these days

I have noticed that they've already assumed that they're banking the whole fee, ignored the currency it's being paid in and all of the add-ons have automatically been triggered too before he's actually signed the deal. It's almost like they need to pump the fee to make themselves feel a bit better And yes, I'm sure loads of our idiots have done the same thing with the Lloyd Kelly transfer too. Football fans are ridiculous at times

Easy to forget that other than the goal they got this save was the only one they made Pope make in the whole afternoon. Palm that one in and it's a different story completely

I think the fact he was away negotiating getting away from the club as soon as he possibly could, despite promotion, speaks volumes about what he thought about them. Doesn't reflect particularly well on him either imo. Other clubs will just raise their prices regardless of the wage thing too tbh, they'll all ask top dollar now

Yep, his lifestyle issues mean it's a hard no

They've done well to get that much out of Dortmund for him I must admit. Only problem is that they're now significantly richer but much weaker, this means they have the double headache of having to replace important players (relatively speaking) and other clubs will know they've just bagged a load of cash to spend. The prices they're going to be quoted will be increased - it's not a Sunderland specific problem, it's just the way things work, all clubs doing similar would be in the same position. Can't complain about clubs taking advantage by raising prices when they've just done the exact same thing to Dortmund, can't have it both ways

Looks like he was sent over by Jan Molby

I think if we're realistic about it then we're going to have to shift a few big names for a few big fees if we're going to catch up. Everyone on here wants to keep on adding to the group and none of us want to see Isak or Tonali move on as we all enjoy watching them play. However, as we're seeing this summer PSR is allowing the clubs we're trying to catch to simply buy their way back into the picture and that's not something we can compete with. We've caught them up on the pitch but we've gone 3 windows without really strengthening and now we have the chance to spend and close the gap we find out the rest of them can match us. Don't want to lose Tino, I think he's class but IF we did shift him for a monstrous fee of £90m (or whatever, don't think he's worth that but no harm in asking for a number like that if we've accepted it's happening) then we could use every single penny of it and that would turbocharge our ability to get another 5 players of similar level. Spurs did it with Bale and Kane, Liverpool flipped Coutinho, Villa with Grealish, it's not unprecedented. We're getting to the point where our first raft of signings (Pope, Tripps, Burn etc) will also need to be replaced soon, this is on top of the shite that's still clogging the squad up. I'd hate it but we may need to bite the bullet eventually with our favourite players

Then they all applauded him as he finished his shift?

Got to admit it's a mistake to just keep him around the place, he needs to be moved on. It's not the end of the world by any stretch and it's not going to cost a lot of money but the message it sends out isn't great imo. He's struggled to make any kind of impact in any of the games he's played appeared and he's been rewarded with the offer, albeit on a lower wage, of a new contract. Love Howe but he does seem to have this blindspot when it comes to being ruthless about letting players go at the right time. I can understand the logic of filling the dressing-room with 'good lads' but not when they're appearing at the expense of our developing players AND producing zero on the pitch. Any contract he's offered shouldn't be based on what he's done but it should be based squarely on what he's offering right now and for the next 12 months and that, right now, is very very little

Think I'll check on capology for the truth