BottledDog

Was half asleep, but pretty sure when listening to the Times podcast last night Patrick Barclay said Shearer as manager is a disaster for Newcastle. A DISASTER!!!! /Also reiterated that Owen has been Newcastles worst ever signing also iirc. //not sure i can argue to much with that one to be honest.

http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2009/05/keep-joey-bartons-offence-in-perspective.html

Yes i did, they were asked to play at HT, i'm out on Thursday night with 2 of the band so can confirm whether or not they're doing it. I hope they don't play at half-time, or I'm going home, they're rubbish. I don't think downbeat indie shite's going to get the crowd whipped into a frenzy. can we not get some kind of ridiculously aggressive band to play to give everybody a total bloodlust?! Bit of metal or something, lets get AC/DC in, they're on tour and the Brian Johnson's a Geordie. Imagine AC/DC at half-time?! What a belta! Have to agree with the bit in bold. Toss band imho. /good luck to them if they do it though //anything's better than cheerleaders.

Fair enough, I agree with that. I just dont get the impression that he sits at home or in his office, thinking things through and about what is next in his steps to develop NUFC. The Shearer appointment smacks of the way it will always be with him - desperate decisions at the last minute because his hand has been forced. See, I don't think that is his job particularly. Very few owners are hands on and as Robson stated he doesn't interfere, just sets out that he is willing to invest an extra £20 million over whatever the club can generate every year (not set in stone though to be fair as he has already gone way over that due to the club currently running at a loss) and puts the people in place to run the club and set out the 5, 10, whatever year plans. His main failing as I see it has been that those people he has put his trust in and appointed have advised badly, appointed badly, and not halted the slide where it mattered, on the pitch. That being the case, and unlike others seeing no genuine malice in any of his actions and thinking he does have a genuine interest in the club as well as an obvious interest in his investment, I see no reason that he can't turn it around if he learns from his mistakes and gets the right people on board and he plows some more money in. So far this has been painfully slow, but at least has shown the willingness to listen and change things and that is positive (small I grant you, but it's something to hold onto at least). The barrier that will always be there though is the fact that he initially underestimated the debts and how much of a money pit the club had become. I simply don't think he has enough money any more to turn the club around in the short term. He was at least quick to realise this and put the call out to local business men to get involved and invest early on last year but it doesn't look like anyone is there to answer the call. Basically he fucked up in the advisors he appointed and with his dwindling fortune he'll be stretched now to start over and move the club forward. If he cuts and runs, fine fuck off and I hope we get in a new owner who can hit the ground running. But (in the absence of any serious alternatives) if he strikes it lucky with Shearer, keeps learning, and feels he can find the money to cover the losses while also heavily investing in the team, then, yes... ...he has my support.

Long for the return of Shepherd?

Shearer's had his chance and we're still in a relegation spot. Svennis in!

Came accross pretty well there. Think they had to use pretty delicate diplomacy to bring someome else in after Kinnears insistance of still having a say from his armchair in the first place, and he knows there will be another nightmare decision to make end the end of the season. How we do in the next 8 games are all that matters for now. Agreed.

you know what the system is ? Not a clue. But considering he said he wouldn't work under the structure (i.e. quotes in the OP), either the structure/system has changed, or Shearer's just changed his mind. Or Shearer knew no more than he had gathered from the press, the odd contact left at the club, or God forbid, the rampant speculation on message boards. Question marks galore though. Who knows. Still can't get over the fact that its April the first. Not a massive worry granted, but I wonder where this leaves Kinnear.

you know what the system is ? Not a clue. But considering he said he wouldn't work under the structure (i.e. quotes in the OP), either the structure/system has changed, or Shearer's just changed his mind. Or Shearer knew no more than he had gathered from the press, the odd contact left at the club, or God forbid, the rampant speculation on message boards.

Why?

You know fuck all to be fair.

The choice of Kinnear gets criticised a lot, but there were particular circumstances. Keegan had walked, Ashley had decided to sell up in order to appease the fans, and we needed someone who was prepared to step into what seemed a very temporary position. There weren't going to be too many willing candidates. It boils down to who you consider to be at fault for bringing about that desperate situation in the first place. But that's another debate. Appointing Kinnear as temporary manager was understandable, perhaps even wise. Keeping him on after deciding not to sell was questionable. Offering him a long-term contract despite the fact that he's almost dropped dead is inexcusable idiocy. Can't disagree with any of that. I thought as a short term appointment it was a canny choice, but the decision making since then has shown Ashley and friends might be good at balancing the books but their football knowledge is pitiful. I have no idea if their footbal knowledge is pitiful or not, just think it would come down to a monumentally bad decision on our part if Kinnear stayed on. Quinn just confirmed he wants Sbragia to be there next season and you would have thought he was a pretty clued up fella.

Seriously, what are you guys getting so narked off about. The only quote i can possibly think you are getting upset about is the one that says Shola is good (not great not the best, not a soulution to our problems now or in the future, not even higher than Oba, Owen or Viduka), not even good enough to dispace the usuals, but just good enough to (as he says) have a part to play in the run in. Forgive me for thinking that is not far off realistic, and harldy the what would reasonably be classed as utter shit.

Good to hear. Hope he is right.

What the club stands for? The club stands for its ingrained history and the city. It's about sticking by your team, for me that is local pride, my town, my roots. For others it's about choice but even then I would be surprised if anyone outside the odd fickle cretin would switch to another club. He's saying this club is starting to not represent the city any more, that's his point. I'd agree with the idea that if Ashley/Llambias take it down the route of hyper-commercialisation and hyper sterilise the place so as to make it 'fit for consumers', then it wouldn't stand for the city, it would just stand for a business registered with Companies House. A new club would then more likely possess the soul of Newcastle United. (I'm not getting into whether this is what Ashley/Llambias are doing - just talking about the principle). Forgive me, but bollox would it possess the soul of Newcastle United. Lets forget the usual overeaction that this thread seems to be embracing, Newcastle United has always had its ups and downs and has been in far lower troughs and always pulled through. It is that history that has made Newcastle United what it is today. When the good times roll, that's grand, but it means more to most, to the area, than just some entertaining nose powder for the likes of Fading Star. Do you understand that that's what fs is going on about, now, at least? You both agree the club should represent the city, culture, history and any of that shit. He's just arguing that it could not do at some point, and you're saying that's impossible. It doesn't make him fickle if he thinks the best way he can support the tradition of Milburn, Gallagher et al is by not doing it through Ashley's business - taking him at his word, he's seen worse performances/finances/football; that's not what's lacking. As ever, I hope you're right on the last point. I expect you are, too. Ozzie makes a valid point. Tron misses the point. The tradition of Milburn, Gallagher et al is intrinsically linked to NUFC. The club has lost three players (each I might add demanding a move, and each one making similar noises long before our 'recent decline') and is not getting results on the pitch we might hope for. We have a chairman yet to earn our trust and a current crop of players who are not living up to their names. Cue this gnashing of our collective teeth and this idea of jumping ship to some 'real fans club' to keep alive some bullshit ideal. Maybe Fading Star feels that he is not getting his fix at the moment, and that if the club was reflecting the city then the city is a shithole, but forgive me for not going with that. Not having fun? Fine, go elsewhere. While it may be Asley's business at the moment, that does not affect why we are here. Stick by the club, give the owner a chance, if it all fucks up he'll be gone and we start again. NUFC will rebuild, there's no need for some poxy FC United fighting for some misguided duisgruntled mission to save the cities soul.

What the club stands for? The club stands for its ingrained history and the city. It's about sticking by your team, for me that is local pride, my town, my roots. For others it's about choice but even then I would be surprised if anyone outside the odd fickle cretin would switch to another club. He's saying this club is starting to not represent the city any more, that's his point. I'd agree with the idea that if Ashley/Llambias take it down the route of hyper-commercialisation and hyper sterilise the place so as to make it 'fit for consumers', then it wouldn't stand for the city, it would just stand for a business registered with Companies House. A new club would then more likely possess the soul of Newcastle United. (I'm not getting into whether this is what Ashley/Llambias are doing - just talking about the principle). Forgive me, but bollox would it possess the soul of Newcastle United. Lets forget the usual overeaction that this thread seems to be embracing, Newcastle United has always had its ups and downs and has been in far lower troughs and always pulled through. It is that history that has made Newcastle United what it is today. When the good times roll, that's grand, but it means more to most, to the area, than just some entertaining nose powder for the likes of Fading Star.

What the club stands for? The club stands for its ingrained history and the city. It's about sticking by your team, for me that is local pride, my town, my roots. For others it's about choice but even then I would be surprised if anyone outside the odd fickle cretin would switch to another club.

2 FA cup finals eh. Besides Butt doesn't think Owen is desperate for a move. “I just feel he’s at the club and he’s not unhappy. When players want to leave you can tell straight away. “Shay (Given) got to the point where it was time for him to leave — it was right for him. That’s the good thing . . . you don’t see that with Michael.” Shay Given had been edging closer to a move away before Ashley turned up, as had the Zog. Shame about Given in a way, but couldn't give a flying fuck about N'Zogbia, and neither have moved on to bigger and better clubs.

That's crazy, the word generate means to produce, that covers every penny which comes into the club. He is willing to put £10-15m of his own money in every year, but the rest of the money, for transfers and so on, has to be generated by the club’s own business activity For. No From. FFS can’t you read? Money from Mike goes into bank account A. Money for transfers comes out of bank account B. And never the twain shall meet? f***ing hell He's a complete loon. cockbrain If you'd prefer. A Google image search for cockbrain, turned up this. http://www.huehner-info.de/huefo/images/avatars/avatar-1576.jpg Fair enough. But bizzarely, this also came up on the first page of results. http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/ashleyout.thumbnail.gif Odd.

That's crazy, the word generate means to produce, that covers every penny which comes into the club. He is willing to put £10-15m of his own money in every year, but the rest of the money, for transfers and so on, has to be generated by the club’s own business activity For. No From. FFS can’t you read? Money from Mike goes into bank account A. Money for transfers comes out of bank account B. And never the twain shall meet? Fucking hell He's a complete loon.

Worst name related insult since Pee-gan.

One of the bits i didn't agree with!! Fair enough.

Mess this up at your peril?

Get a grip. The utter bullshit spouted on here is getting beyond a joke.

I'm trying to find a post in this thread which connects to yours. EDIT - you mean the NUFC board? It was a response to the original post. I mean the people on this forum who still think we need to relax and give Ashley time to fix the problems at the club. So my first point stands then. Absolutley. You'll get no disagreement from me that Ashley and Shepherd are as ugly as each other. f*** that for a box of pennies, I'd nosh down on Ashley's cock WAY before Freddy's. Why is that? Serious question. Is the politics/finances of the club more important to you than what happens on the field. Freddy and John might have fattened the golden goose to feed themselves, but Mike is just letting the Goose waste away. At least we as fans got something from the previous regime. Are you saying you'd prefer bottom half mediocrity, balanced books and an owner who only takes back what he puts in over European football, debts comparable with other clubs and an owner creaming off some of the profits? Cutting off your nose to spite your face if you ask me. ... I just think Ashley probably washes better. The last thing you want is muck under the hood. (Slash... I think Freddy managed us horribly irresponsibly and had we continued on under his control, we would have become Leeds 2 in a matter of years. So while the politics/finance aren't directly more important to me, they will inevitably affect the results on the field. As s*** as we are now, we're not languishing in League One with Leeds and there is little chance of that happening in reality). Our February 17th (today) points total is currently lower than it was at any point under the chairmanship of Freddy Shepherd, so I don't see how you can say he had us closer to Championship football than Ashley does. It's far more realistic now than it has been previously. The rate of our downfall under the previous board was alarming, and we were headed down at a great speed. The only positive thing Ashley has done is to soften the drop and we will hope that he will bring that drop to a grinding halt. Just. Then we can start to build again. Though we were in the UEFA cup in Shepherds last season at the club. Another meaningless stat in the context of the actual reality of the situation. I'll be amazed if Ashley gets us into europe at any point. The thing about Shepherd was, he was a twat for hiring some shite managers. For sacking some good ones. For doing it at the wrong times. For taking millions out of the club in dividends and for spouting some shit in the press and on tape....but even with all that, there were only 2 seasons in 10 that Newcastle didn't get into Europe. He didn't accept mediocrity. He was well-meaning and had big ambitions no one has ever argued that. Spending big and fighting relegation is a recipe for disaster, and we were doing that more and more in the last 3-4 years, whatever stats you throw at it. As a club we weren't structured from top to bottom for fighting relegation. Now we are. Woo hoo. How are we suddenly now structured from top to bottom to fight relegation? What on earth does that even mean?