madras

i think that may have been the formation allardyce would like to use but not the personnel,even from the current squad

for those picking solano,do you think he'll be in the starting 11 enough next season to make him penalty taker?. with our squad as it is i'd be having geremi at right back and milner wide right IF playing 4-4-2.

we have £45mill ?

has anyone worked out if he'll be full time chairman,full time chairman for a year while on sabbatical or what,nothing mentioned on freshfields site

Well said. People are forgetting we finished 13th last season and that'll linger in some players' thoughts when deciding on whom to join. I'm actually looking forward to the remainder of this window, could be quite a few twists and turns just yet.... yet they jump to join west ham because they think money is being spent so we may be on to something.

I didn't hear Ashley say he was going to bankroll managers, did you ? Has he had any previous experience of owning football clubs so we can judge him ? If you did, please show me a link. I wouldn't have liked that hedge fund though, and quite a lot of chairman at other premiership and big city clubs around the country either. can i take it you would have preferred fred had stayed and ashley never took over then ? please don't answer anything about seeing what ashley does as what he does in the future has sod all bearing on feelings now. I think you should find where I say that or anything like it. Please explain why anyone should have a judgement on Ashley's intentions or ambitions, when he has not ran a football club before, nor told anyone what his intentions and ambitions are ? I'm a bit surprised that you appear to be believing in fairies like numerous other people, I thought you were more pragmatic than that to be honest. Nobody here has any idea at all what Ashleys intentions are, you are only saying he will spend his money because you want him to, we all want him to. Unfortunately, you can't demand that or expect it. Its his money and its up to him. Please don't you - or anyone else - say that he should just because he's the new owner and you want him to, because he doesn't. Significantly, he is a businessman, he can make small profits without being hugely successful, whereas if he was a keen football supporter, or better still a Newcastle supporter, he would have more urge to succeed on the pitch. I said this once before and was slightly slaughtered for it. And has been said by someone else, the money he has bought the club with is irrelevant, because he can just sell the club on in due course if he wants to do so. so you have no judgement on it,because you cannot see into the future you have no judgement on it. i wonder if you thought the same when the hall's took over from the previous regime ? not believing in fairies mate,but taking a punt where i think it may do us good. i'm giving up now as you won't answer a simple either/or question that everone else understands (as do you). i wish we could all live in the world you wish to believe in,only making decisions when the outcomes are known and certain. mackems.gif when the Halls etc took over the club, the only way really was up.# To remind you, as you clearly weren't there, otherwise there is no way in a million years you would even mention such a thing.....the club had sold ALL its best players for years, were staring at the old 3rd division, were playing in front of a half empty 30,000 ground that was nothing more than a s*** heap, had qualified for europe 4 times in over 30 years, had finished in the top 5 once during this period, on the brink of going bankrupt and out of existence, and appointed a journeyman manager like Jim Smith - the EIGHTH choice [for those who think we appoint only s*** managers that nobody else wants], followed by a complete tosser straight out of the clowns book of managers ie Ossie Ardiles, that the chairman Forbes laughingly thought would bring the good times back to the club, in the form of challenging for promotion to the 1st division and that was the limit of ambition as it always was under such complete tossers, when the Halls and Shepherd took over the club. I was almost believing you had half a brain lately, as you had been raising some objective and interesting points, but this completely ridiculous post puts you among the micks of this world. Go back to jail, go, or Old Kent Road, or somewhere, because you quite clearly don't have a clue. yes i was there,that season i missed about half a dozen games home and away,probably and perversely the most fun i've had following nufc.(the tales from a lot of those trips are legendary in our circle). you've also put nothing in your post you haven't posted a hundred times before and i agree about the position we were in yet no-one mentioned going to the wall,until hall took over and if you remember he was always a bit overdramatic. but anyway,the question was about now,and like all questions about now you have to make it not knowing what the future holds,so would you prefer fred was still in charge or take the risk with ashley ?

that can be looked at in oh so many ways! Have any of those clubs bar Spurs, bought anyone who would really have wanted though? Portsmouth got Distin but he was past the post by the time Allardyce got here. The reason he isn't here has more to do with past failings than present. That's not really the point though is it? I don't think anyone is expecting Sunderland and Fulham to bring in the sort of players we have in the past. In the past we were playing in Europe not struggling in mid-table. It's a bit unrealistic to expect us to compete with Liverpool or even Spurs right now. Remind me again where we came in the league the season before we signed Owen, Luque, Emre, Solano and Parker. Only Owen out of that lot is a top tier player. He came because there were no better options available. Don't think it would be different for any of the others mentioned there either. We were competing with Everton for Emre and Parker, no one for Solano and Luque far as I'm aware. all of them came because there were no better options available,that includes practically every player before and since. Fine. But then people need to factor this into their expectations. No we won't get Heinze ahead of Liverpool for example. No we won't rush to sign Baines just in case Sunderland get him instead. If Allardyce considered Baines good enough he'd be here already. And if he was that good Liverpool would have snapped him up instead of pursuing Heinze IMO. not necessarily,there are players who it takes a good manager to find and shows he is a better player than he was originally given credit for,we'll call it "the wenger scenario"

shola will probably play as much as solano next season and is a surprisingly decent penalty taker (couple i remember being very tidy),don't think either will start enough to be a regular penalty taker so viduka would probably be my choice.

that can be looked at in oh so many ways! Have any of those clubs bar Spurs, bought anyone who would really have wanted though? Portsmouth got Distin but he was past the post by the time Allardyce got here. The reason he isn't here has more to do with past failings than present. That's not really the point though is it? I don't think anyone is expecting Sunderland and Fulham to bring in the sort of players we have in the past. In the past we were playing in Europe not struggling in mid-table. It's a bit unrealistic to expect us to compete with Liverpool or even Spurs right now. Remind me again where we came in the league the season before we signed Owen, Luque, Emre, Solano and Parker. Only Owen out of that lot is a top tier player. He came because there were no better options available. Don't think it would be different for any of the others mentioned there either. We were competing with Everton for Emre and Parker, no one for Solano and Luque far as I'm aware. all of them came because there were no better options available,that includes practically every player before and since.

There has to be a reason why we ("but not at the moment") are not buying the players we need (at his time) to fill the obvious gaps in the team. People can give many reasons for this, but the only one that I can see that is credible, is the one I mention. Why do you see this only credible (logical) reason, as a smokescreen? A smokescreen for WHAT? Ashley would have known the bottom line before he bought the club. He doesn't need to wait for people to count pencils and paper clips. Parky, I agree wholeheartedy with that. However, that is not what the (strategic) review will be about. That sort of thing is 'low level'. What Mort will be doing is high level stuff. His report to Ashley (in my personal opinion) will all be about "where the club is in the football world" / "where can it realistically be in the football world" / "what do we need to do to get there, and when can we get there" / AND ALL THE FINANCIAL DATA TO BACK IT UP. This sort of thing determines investment types and levels. Takes time does that, examining data and information on football clubs (football businesses) from all around the UK and Europe (possibly the world). Speculation (on all of that sort of thing) takes TEN MINUTES (or less). You and I could do that! But, real research and evidence and data and provable analysis - takes a LOT longer. Oh, and there will be a 'procedural review' into paperclips type-of-thing, going on at the same time, no doubt!! wouldn't a "football" man be better at assessing this than a sports lawyer ?

There has to be a reason why we ("but not at the moment") are not buying the players we need (at his time) to fill the obvious gaps in the team. People can give many reasons for this, but the only one that I can see that is credible, is the one I mention. Why do you see this only credible (logical) reason, as a smokescreen? A smokescreen for WHAT? Ashley would have known the bottom line before he bought the club. He doesn't need to wait for people to count pencils and paper clips. Not true I'm afraid. Ashley bought the club without any period of due diligence if my memory serves me correct. i don't believe thats what parky means by "the bottom line"...........he'd know the basic state of play and knows if we drop further back in this window how much harder it will be to attract the players to get us back where we like to think we belong.

that can be looked at in oh so many ways! In my view the key words are "but not at the moment". While this "Strategic Review" is going on, I do not think Ashley is going to release any real money. My personal opinion is that once it has concluded, real money WILL be released - otherwise the whole thing (Ashley buying the club) just makes no sense at all! So I am not worried about that. My main worry is TIME. Just 'when' will that review be concluded and the results analysed by Ashley. That is my main concern. Hopefully it will be by the end of this month??? Leaving us one whole month to get on with real business. Later than I would have liked, for obvious reasons, but lets hope that I am right . . . August could be fun! chasing our tails now with the "waiting for the review" thing

needs a fucking lot then as he says he also needs 3 to 4 defenders pronto

The same thing you've said about what might have happened under Shepherd and Allardyce doesn't always go as planned, it didn't under Dalglish and Gullit. but at least he gave a simple answer to a simple question,he didn't try to twist and wriggle out of it.

"well he would say that, wouldn't he"--mandy rice davies

Exactly, nothing to do with fans doubting he could take the club much further forward. People are obviously happy that we've been taken over as the possibility of us getting back up around the CL places is exciting for the club, however there's a good chance we're not going to crack the big 4, if we don't will the takeover have been much of an improvement on the pitch? To compare that to a time when the club nearly folded is ridiculous. the comparisson was in response to NE5's idea of being unable to decide now because of what may happen in the future.strangely enough at the time of the hall take over nobody was mentioning the club going to the wall,we were in the s*** and headed for relegation,not sure we'd have gone under though,it wasn't even mentioned at the time. baggio,will you answer the question i posed to NE5? What question is that. would you prefer fred was still in charge or take the risk with ashley ?

Exactly, nothing to do with fans doubting he could take the club much further forward. People are obviously happy that we've been taken over as the possibility of us getting back up around the CL places is exciting for the club, however there's a good chance we're not going to crack the big 4, if we don't will the takeover have been much of an improvement on the pitch? To compare that to a time when the club nearly folded is ridiculous. the comparisson was in response to NE5's idea of being unable to decide now because of what may happen in the future.strangely enough at the time of the hall take over nobody was mentioning the club going to the wall,we were in the shit and headed for relegation,not sure we'd have gone under though,it wasn't even mentioned at the time. baggio,will you answer the question i posed to NE5?

I agree From what I am picking up on this board is that too many people expected an instant fix and the immediate signing of a whole new squad of 20 players and because its not happening, the doom and gloom is starting to decend again. We have to stop thinking like this and remember where we were at the end of the season. No way was this going to be fixed quickly. in the interview he mentions being patient about the long term stability etc....he also says day by day more players are slipping away,doesn't sound like he is being too patient to me. If SA wants to be honest, what would really help us is to explain why they are slipping away. If its because they are going to clubs that are simply offering them more money then it would help us fans. I think most people on this board agreed with SA when he said that we only want players who want to play for the club. If money is there perogative then we have to support SA/Board in not begging them to come. Eventually we will get the right players and will have taken the first steps towards becoming a stable club. Watch what happens to West Ham or Fulham or Wigan if they are relegated next season. Totally f*****. I would rather didnt just chuck money at anyone just for the sake of it. It bothers me that without knowing anything, all of a sudden its all Sams and Ashleys fault. nobody has laid any blame,we are trying to work out if there is money why isnt it being used if the manager is thinking players are slipping away day by day. the money/palyers who want to play here bit is very naive IMO

theres nothing on the freshfields site saying anything about him leaving,last news item was dated 20 july mind.

I agree From what I am picking up on this board is that too many people expected an instant fix and the immediate signing of a whole new squad of 20 players and because its not happening, the doom and gloom is starting to decend again. We have to stop thinking like this and remember where we were at the end of the season. No way was this going to be fixed quickly. in the interview he mentions being patient about the long term stability etc....he also says day by day more players are slipping away,doesn't sound like he is being too patient to me.

they are spending money on the assumption that if they don't improve (get in better players) they are even stronger relegation candidates. all clubs spend money in the hope of improving.

that can be looked at in oh so many ways!

I didn't hear Ashley say he was going to bankroll managers, did you ? Has he had any previous experience of owning football clubs so we can judge him ? If you did, please show me a link. I wouldn't have liked that hedge fund though, and quite a lot of chairman at other premiership and big city clubs around the country either. can i take it you would have preferred fred had stayed and ashley never took over then ? please don't answer anything about seeing what ashley does as what he does in the future has sod all bearing on feelings now. I think you should find where I say that or anything like it. Please explain why anyone should have a judgement on Ashley's intentions or ambitions, when he has not ran a football club before, nor told anyone what his intentions and ambitions are ? I'm a bit surprised that you appear to be believing in fairies like numerous other people, I thought you were more pragmatic than that to be honest. Nobody here has any idea at all what Ashleys intentions are, you are only saying he will spend his money because you want him to, we all want him to. Unfortunately, you can't demand that or expect it. Its his money and its up to him. Please don't you - or anyone else - say that he should just because he's the new owner and you want him to, because he doesn't. Significantly, he is a businessman, he can make small profits without being hugely successful, whereas if he was a keen football supporter, or better still a Newcastle supporter, he would have more urge to succeed on the pitch. I said this once before and was slightly slaughtered for it. And has been said by someone else, the money he has bought the club with is irrelevant, because he can just sell the club on in due course if he wants to do so. so you have no judgement on it,because you cannot see into the future you have no judgement on it. i wonder if you thought the same when the hall's took over from the previous regime ? not believing in fairies mate,but taking a punt where i think it may do us good. i'm giving up now as you won't answer a simple either/or question that everone else understands (as do you). i wish we could all live in the world you wish to believe in,only making decisions when the outcomes are known and certain.

has he the temprement to handle being told "you're gonna be a left back" ?

pace and athleticism ?...........did you miss last season when emre got further forward than box to box parker and got further back than box to box parker.agreed about no startling pace but which centralmidfielders have ? I think I must have missed that. almost every game at home in which they both played.