Dokko

True, which also makes any rumours even more unbelievable than usual, they might as well speculate on SA's position and job security, and as the days pass by, and more points are lost, they can then speculate he's been given no cash because they are saving it for the next manager...Shearer...etc...

And this would be based on what exactly? On the fact he was a shit footballer of course.

There are always good players available this time of year and i hope we go for them, but i can fully understand if we only sign kids for the future while SA fails to impress at SJP.

Woodgate?

Is Elano out?

How on earth could Martins be seen as our worst player this season? Sigh. deserves to be just for his performance against derby As opposed to the rest of the team who were just great? His performance was one of the worst ive ever seen from a player in a newcastle shirt and ive had a season ticket for 30 years. IMO he is overrated by far too many newcastle supporters and i believe he should be sold So the 1978 part in your email is nothing to do with your birthdate? Unless you've had a season ticket since you were inside your mothers stomach, which would be canny!

Are you still in the anti David Moyes camp To be fair Moyes changed after the booing last season against someone I can't remember now. He has been a lot more offensive minded and it is good to see him playing 2 strikers now where possible. It was against Spurs when the scores were level at 1-1 and Tottenham there for the taking late on. The game was crying out for a striker so he puts Tony Hibbert on at right back. It's probably the loudest booing I've ever heard for a substitution. Then ten seconds later we conceded and lost 2-1. I was against the boring, cautious management of that period and felt a change was needed. Since that game he's changed a lot so a new man isn't necessary. Some of the football we've played this season has been lovely to watch and only Arsenal and Man Utd have scored more goals than us. That booing was one of the best things to ever happen to David Moyes. A manager with ears, and something of substance between them.

Yeah, our home game against Liverpool is an example of how well we play against the big clubs. mackems.gif I wouldn't necessarily say we play well against the big teams, but we definitely play shit against the crap teams. For years we have been dragged down. That i do agree with!

Yeah, our home game against Liverpool is an example of how well we play against the big clubs. mackems.gif

And on that spot on note, i must bid you fantastic gentleman a good day, and give you my deepest wishes of you having a fantastic night and a great New Year as i'm off now to celebrate the end of mine. Goodbye 2007, you shit bastard, hello 2008, you even bigger bastard!

His first task will of course be to get the team focused on improving their ranking within the premiership.

That's a bizarre thing to say. Possibly. Be honest: is this anti-Sam feeling just based on the past 6 months or is there more to it, i.e. Allardyce being an outsider, or worse...an ex-mackem? Its none of that, its just the club wont move on from Shearer anytime soon.

If you think Shearer's shadow still doesn't lurk of SJP then you are sadly mistaken. It was certain under FS, its a possibility under Ashley, but the possibility lingers in the players mind and the fans mind, and comes to the front when things go badly. There is only one way to stop it, well two, one would be to be successful, and since SA is hellbent on not doing that the only other way to keep the wolf from the door is to invite him in and let him take charge. If he fails, you take him out back and shoot him; he wont bother you again. Was that meant to refute or agree with what I said btw? Not sure tbh. Just some thoughts i've been having over the last week, in fact it stemmed from a post on here, but not intentionally, the club will never be happy until Shearer has a crack at the job, i think thats probably right and right now SA is suffering big time by him, players wondering, fans wondering, board possibly wondering, and the media certainly pushing for it. Once that is out of the way and he's had a shot, its gone for good. Its something i've thought about, and i can see some good reasons to why this isn't such a bad idea. The club could finally move on from him regardless of the outcome.

That's a bizarre thing to say. Possibly.

If you think Shearer's shadow still doesn't lurk of SJP then you are sadly mistaken. It was certain under FS, its a possibility under Ashley, but the possibility lingers in the players mind and the fans mind, and comes to the front when things go badly. There is only one way to stop it, well two, one would be to be successful, and since SA is hellbent on not doing that the only other way to keep the wolf from the door is to invite him in and let him take charge. If he fails, you take him out back and shoot him; he wont bother you again.

I for one hope he does meet the chairman's 'wequirements' and keeps the club in the 'pwemiership'

The second reason explains is fairly well. If he fails, at least he's out of the way, and the next manager will be given a lot more time, patience and probably backing.

He could come out and say he isn't ready...Which is the truth basically. How do you know though? Know what? That he isn't ready. I can't know can I. Nobody can predict the future we can only look at the information in front of us and give an opinion. If you want him to take over tell us why...Feel free. 2 great reasons, if he took the job he'd only do it if he was backed, if he fails at least he's out of the way and our next manager would get more time. Its not that bad a thing tbh. I'd rather be failing under Shearer than failing under SA.

He could come out and say he isn't ready...Which is the truth basically. How do you know though? Know what? That he isn't ready, although if he was i'm sure FS would of had him in this season instead of SA.

Good well balanced post. I would totally agree with this but for the fact that last season our 13th place was unrealistic. We were far, far worse than that. I can remember some very fortunate results. How we beat Villa at SJP, how we beat Spurs at WHL. The matches against Man City and Sheff Utd at SJP were awful. We were appalling last season and imo any assessment of Allardyce should take those performances into account. We were crap. That's where we're starting from. The football we played last season was rubbish. We're no worse off now and Allardyce isn't simply spending loads, he's changing loads of the ways we do things. He needs time Thats a good point, one i've never really taken into account. But sometimes you make your own luck, and the players were fighting last season, they simply arn't under SA. I don't agree with the fighting part, that's one of the things they are doing imo. Who do you think isn't pulling their weight compared to last year? Who is? Zoggy is back but even so, out of position, Butt is about the same level, Milner still working hard although off form, i'd struggle after that. Martins is playing within himself and for himself, Carr is even less interested than ever, Taylor not bouncing back, totally unmotivated, Ameobi has given up the chance for a 1st team spot and Ramage & Duff have been out injured. Then its to his signings, which obviously none were that last season and Owen is a crock on injured shite so we can't comment on.

Good well balanced post. I would totally agree with this but for the fact that last season our 13th place was unrealistic. We were far, far worse than that. I can remember some very fortunate results. How we beat Villa at SJP, how we beat Spurs at WHL. The matches against Man City and Sheff Utd at SJP were awful. We were appalling last season and imo any assessment of Allardyce should take those performances into account. We were crap. That's where we're starting from. The football we played last season was rubbish. We're no worse off now and Allardyce isn't simply spending loads, he's changing loads of the ways we do things. He needs time Thats a good point, one i've never really taken into account. But sometimes you make your own luck, and the players were fighting last season, they simply arn't under SA. What I can say is that some of the joy has gone out of it. Allardyce is so focused on imposing his management system that he forgets we need some pleasure from it all in the meantime. I was despondent after Wigan. He's a pig headed stubborn fool, but a one that knows that he can stick to how he wants to play is regardless. If it works he knows what he's doing and he's got it right, if he gets it wrong, he still walks away with the same amount of coin, and for a man who wants to retire within 5 years (or something like that, i can remember him saying in his last season at Bolton he didn't want to manage forever and is looking to retire sooner rather than later) its not a bad thing if his reputation takes a hit, especially now as he's never going to get near the England job and Capello's appointment and his problems with the BBC.

Good well balanced post. I would totally agree with this but for the fact that last season our 13th place was unrealistic. We were far, far worse than that. I can remember some very fortunate results. How we beat Villa at SJP, how we beat Spurs at WHL. The matches against Man City and Sheff Utd at SJP were awful. We were appalling last season and imo any assessment of Allardyce should take those performances into account. We were crap. That's where we're starting from. The football we played last season was rubbish. We're no worse off now and Allardyce isn't simply spending loads, he's changing loads of the ways we do things. He needs time Thats a good point, one i've never really taken into account. But sometimes you make your own luck, and the players were fighting last season, they simply arn't under SA.

I agree with some points and do wonder if Shearer would take over he management when he's potentially on a hiding to nothing. mackems.gif

You added this bit yourself That's canny fuking sad by any standards. I'd take him for £12-13m, nothing more, average to good form striker.

Why? You can still sign players, they just cannot play until January. It's also difficult to back it with action in January. Nobody wants to sell. You're not seriously pissed off with Mort's comments are you? Is he really talking shit? I'd rather have action, show us he is backed. Anyone can dish out nice words of support, then sack that person only days later. It happens all the time. Does this count as 'the dreaded vote of confidence'?