BottledDog

We all do. I just have absolutely no idea what next season will bring, we could progress, but just as likely a few bollocks dropped in the transfer market and we could tumble down the leagues again. It would be bloody miracle the way things have been going for a fair few years now, to just get the whole way through without a change of manager. I think just that bit of stability would be a plus for me.

Gah, can't even log in it's so slow. Fkn .cock. /Re: posts above, er... cheers like.

On a day where an obviously a piece of good news has been announced, your first two comments were "Why have they done it now? Should have waited until the summer." and "What are win going to do if Chelsea bid £18 million for him. Carroll situation all over again", you can surely understand why people are being frosty with you. But it's not like I'm saying he shouldn't have been offered a new contract, or got a wage rise ... just think we should have waited until the summer to offer it. If that's worthy of being called a negative bastard etc etc then well, I'll keep any thoughts that question the actions of the hierarchy of this club to myself. Why though? While others have given reasons for doing it now, you still haven't given us any decent explaination of why we should have waited until the summer. I have actually. I would have waited until the end of the season as it is closer to the transfer window opening. The point I'm trying so hard to make is that - As we saw with Carroll, players signing a long-term contract make little difference to clubs with a lot of cash that want their man. Carroll signed a 5 year contract at his hometown club, did that deter a club from making an offer only 3 months later (as well as others showing interest?) And nobody has suggested otherwise. It is an arguement that has been used countless times against those who bang on about us suddenly becoming 'a selling club' because a mad bid came in for Carroll. What people have argued is that an increased contract both ups his price (therefore protecting the player against leaving on the cheap), and that the increase in wages means there is less chance of having his head turned by wages offered by other clubs, but keeps him within the structure we have in place. So this is the core of your arguement. Trying to tie him down during the madness of the summer window, in what may look like desperation, sends out a stronger signal to other clubs than showing faith enough in him to get things sorted as soon as possible? Well, I couldn't disagree more.

On a day where an obviously a piece of good news has been announced, your first two comments were "Why have they done it now? Should have waited until the summer." and "What are win going to do if Chelsea bid £18 million for him. Carroll situation all over again", you can surely understand why people are being frosty with you. But it's not like I'm saying he shouldn't have been offered a new contract, or got a wage rise ... just think we should have waited until the summer to offer it. If that's worthy of being called a negative bastard etc etc then well, I'll keep any thoughts that question the actions of the hierarchy of this club to myself. No, we (or at least I) want to hear those thoughts, but simply want you to explain the reasoning behind them.

On a day where an obviously a piece of good news has been announced, your first two comments were "Why have they done it now? Should have waited until the summer." and "What are win going to do if Chelsea bid £18 million for him. Carroll situation all over again", you can surely understand why people are being frosty with you. But it's not like I'm saying he shouldn't have been offered a new contract, or got a wage rise ... just think we should have waited until the summer to offer it. If that's worthy of being called a negative bastard etc etc then well, I'll keep any thoughts that question the actions of the hierarchy of this club to myself. Why though? While others have given reasons for doing it now, you still haven't given us any decent explaination of why we should have waited until the summer.

It has alreadly been spelled out for you why there is sod all wrong with the timing. If you can't show an arguement against people, at least show some semblance of an ability to absorb this stuff in. Simply put, players will always leave the club, but now it's a lot more difficult for a buying club to purchase a him or offer him significantly better wages, it's a sign of intent before the madness of the summer, it removes any doubts for Tiote and we have a happy player. How the fuck can you find fault in this news? How the fuckity fuck? It's fair enough having a healthy cynicism, and a craving for activism Colocho, but at least give us some credible logic to go with it.

Half time.

Think it just comes accross badly in print, I'm assuming he means players have be brought in who have had past success and once they came were more likely to go backwards than have things to prove and develop further. /making a few assumptions there though.

COOOOOOOOMON!

Very dissapointing so far. You can tell the lads are playing for a move not working as a team after the Carroll sale. That is, at least, what I think the Bet 365 in game stats are telling me. Can't argue with stats. I hope to see our odds shortning in the second half or there'll be trouble.

Man, I'd love to have seen Chris Hughton at a Dr. Who exhibition. For some reason I get the impression he took Carroll so he could hide behind him when they walked through the Darlek Display.

Is that from the official site? Might give it a go.

To be fair, apparently Hughton took him to the Doctor Who exhibition at the Life Centre (seriously). Not sure whether Boyzone are a step up or down.

Rekon we can catch the highlights here later - http://www.youtube.com/ViareggioCup2011

Nah, can't find anything on .co.uk sadly. /Nowt on 5 Live or even Real either. Useless tossers.

KICK OFF! LETS DO FIORENTINA UP THE SHITA!

you truly are a child of the times aren't you. i fucking hate,loath and detest the turning of the most banal and mundane things into "experiences". Aye, much more of a browsing and purchasing adventure cum escapade to be fair.

Nope, and I do recall someone, possibly Hughton (or may have just been some journo spouting knowing my memory), saying there was a certain amount of flexibility in the wage packages they were able to offer. More of a guideline rather than a hard and fast rule imho.

I heard JC talking about this the other day Joined in Jan, and works with the first team. Not sure of his full name, but its 'Ben S' or something. Seems we've been hiring a lot of backroom staff over the last few months (new fitness, development coaches too). There have been a few blokes hanging around the dugout on matchdays that I haven't got a scooby about. Was guessing they might be some new backroom staff. Good stuff if that's the case (and they're half decent of course). Glad we're investing.

See that's something Esland could get onto. Especially as just by making it look less trampy, it's bound to bring in more dosh in ultimately. PR that pays!

+24%

Noone to my knowledge has said HBA signing is soley down to Pardew, nor has anything said taken away from Hughton having any sort of role in his arrival. However, Wullie saying that he was a Hughton signing despite his signing a 4 and a half year contract when another manager is in the job is just barmy. If anything, and if there is to be no credit given to Pardew, it (not unusually) simply suggests that signing for the club is the more important factor than any particular manager in charge at the time.