Belfast Boy

If ever a smilie was made for a situation surely it is time for ManorPark to come along with a big

Really wanting this all to be crap, but fearing the worst now. Why does it always have to be us? Starting to wonder if Keegan had decided to leave last week, and this is the 'different direction' the club is going in.

Do you think there are staff at the club hearing all this reaction, wondering if they should knock on the boardroom door and tell them they had really better see this? lol

you utter c**t Dave

All ifs and buts, but if Keegan had agreed to sell Barton, I wonder if they had a replacement lined up for him? No way we could afford to lose any of the current squad without new faces, but the irony is, the FA could be about to take him out the squad for a few months anyway.

I am clinging to the hope that this is all based around a daily mail story so far, combined with a current board meeting.

latest update on 5 live is 'they understand Keegan is currently meeting with the board to discuss his future' Sources claim manager is frustarted by lack of control over transfers and lack of players brought in. They understand there was an argument last night over whether or not to sell Barton.

Not read the whole thread, but what sort of a forward is he? I'm hoping he's more of a target man to front the attack, but from what I remember of the thong song he's only about 5'2 isnt he?

From that freekick I think Ashley was following Charlies lead.

Not allowed to say which site I am on I'm afraid.

Rumours around that Veloso is heading to Arsenal for £15m.

Just went back to page one to look at our bench, really wish I hadn't now.

On a positive, think of it as selling Milner for £9m and Krul for £4.5m. Still makes me smile when I think we got £12m.

There goes another million onto Warnocks price.

If he has to go it should be on loan, or at least get some decent money for him.

With Jonas on the pitch we have some hope here, just hope he cottons on quickly not to pass to Shola.

Franz Beckenbauer, Allan Simonsen, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Paolo Rossi, Michel Platini. Throw them in with Keegan and you have 10 years of winners of European player of the year. Any there you haven't heard of? Didn't think so, of course footballers know who Keegan is.

I understand the 'defensiveness' towards criticism of our club, I have reacted like that a million times (perhaps 10 million times) before - but we are in a mess. Denying it, getting upset about it, making comparisons to 'times in the past', and sticking your head in the sand generally, doesn't help! There is something wrong at our club, there is something very "smelly" going on there (can't think of a better way to describe it) - quite simply, all is not as it should be. Look at their faces and the words and body language. I have seen organisations like this before - ill at ease with themselves and with eachother. Things not happenning, significant progress not being made in the way that it should be. I do not know what can be done now (a few last minute - even BIG - signings will not cover up the cracks). And, how likely is that (even) to happen. Keegan's man-management skills with the players has helped get us some reasonable performances - not great performances - and some decent results from those performances . . . so far. When the injuries and suspensions come in with our tiny squad though - we will struggle. We shouldn't even be considering 'struggling' - we should be taking steps to PROGRESS. That is what is wrong with the club, but the reasons WHY it is so wrong at the club at the moment - we are not privvy to, we can only speculate. But, lets not hide from the truth . . . Yes our squad needs additions and yes I am a little uncomfortable with the role of Wise and him being based in London etc. but really, I don't think things are anywhere near as bad as you put it. The team we have fielded this season is strong, and we have Viduka and Carroll still to add to that. With 2 or 3 more good signings I will happy with the squad until January at least. Look at Liverpool, they are supposedly challenging for the title and Champions League on top of what we are playing for, they only have one first teamer currently injured, and look at their bench the other night: Cavalieri, Dossena, Agger, Plessis, Spearing, El Zhar, Babel.

I would imagine the fact they are in a group with Real Madrid and Juve would soften the blow of him having to stay at Zenit.

RE: the bold bit, unfortunatley I think the FA are waiting until he is available to play again before acting.

Surely he must be getting close to fitness, what has he been doing all summer? It's disgraceful the way the FA are waiting until he is ready to play again before deciding on a ban. He should be named in the squad for this weekend, if for no other reason than to force them into a decision.

Complete Kneejerk after watching hime for 2 games I admit, but I like the look of Standard Leige's young captian (DeFour?). I think he is only 20 and he ran the midfield for two games against Liverpool. Out of Europe now too, but cuptied, maybe putting other clubs off him. Long term replacement for Butt.

Reminds me of a few years ago when tranmere had a good cup run or two and there were parts of the press calling for their fullback to make the england team purely for his long throws.

Do you think Ranger is the sort who will be badgering Keegan on the bench, telling him he'd score 7 or 8 with all these chances?

great goal, who was it who gave the ball away after about 20 passes?