James

Harry - Keegan spoke on BBC Radio Newcastle this morning to say that he wouldn't be bringing anyone in before the end of July, he doesn't want to pay wages for players who aren't playing - looks like you'll have to wait! Did he really say that? Pretty sure he didn't.

Good mix of teams.

Georgina?

You sure Skirge?

Yeah, if it wasn't clear from my earlier post I am also offended.

Because we want to win?

Ironic that this thread remains at the top of the pile thanks to the complaints of a poster about this thread being at the top every time he logs in.

FYP

Aye, but he was still head and shoulders above them from what I've seen, although the only full Brazil game I've seen is England vs Brazil 1970. One man team was the wrong way to put it. Star player or focal point would be more appropriate.

That's all I reckon we are getting off Keegan. Didn't recall it being posted last week.

http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=49066.50

There was something I found bizarre and cagey with unclear context on Friday. Not sure we'll get much more right now.

Dave, what has become of you, hoping for something of interest from Oliver? You really must be a broken man.

From BBC; some direct quotes from his current club manager. That was one of the things I was trying to say the other day, I didn't see him bothering to hold a particular position on the pitch and this is important when defending the ball. A big club may sign him but not get the best of him without compromising in other areas, whereas Newcastle could stick two defensive players into the midfield and build the team around his individual brilliance. He is in the Le Tissier, Kinkladze, Berkovic, Juninho category. Brilliant, but not one for a bigger team. I couldn't disagree more he is one of the best players I have seen in the last 10 years and is in a different class to any of the guys you have named. Ok in football you have to defend but you also have to give the opposition something to worry about and Arshavin with his pace, passing, dribbling, crossing ability does this in abundance. If you look at England this is where we fall short yes we are well organised and work hard but with the exception of Rooney (on occasion) who do the other teams fear when they have the ball? In a different class to Juninho? You sure? Yes as much as I enjoyed watching Juninho I can't remember him being the difference for Brazil in a major tournament the way Arshavin has been for Russia. Holland were the team everyone was talking about and rightly so with very good players like Schnejder, VDV, Robben, Van Persie, RVN, Arshavin out performed them all on the night and was the difference, it remains to be seen if he can do it in the semi and hopefully in the final (having put a bet on Russia before the Euros started) but I love the way he plays and really think that he will go onto be a truly massive player for the next few years. Very much the case that Juninho played for Brazil whom had better players, and therefore Juninho had to play in a reduced team role to be included. Whereas Arshavin plays in a Russia side that is built around him. As for the mention of the likes of Pele, Maradona, Best, Cruyff, Zidane, Ronaldo you've pretty much listed players that played in one-man teams just like Arshavin does for Russia. He isn't at the same level to be part of a one man team for Brazil, Argentina, Manchester United, Holland, Barcelona. He may struggle if he isn't a team's focal point.

Yep.

Woooooo, we have a new ITK

From BBC; some direct quotes from his current club manager. That was one of the things I was trying to say the other day, I didn't see him bothering to hold a particular position on the pitch and this is important when defending the ball. A big club may sign him but not get the best of him without compromising in other areas, whereas Newcastle could stick two defensive players into the midfield and build the team around his individual brilliance. He is in the Le Tissier, Kinkladze, Berkovic, Juninho category. Brilliant, but not one for a bigger team. I couldn't disagree more he is one of the best players I have seen in the last 10 years and is in a different class to any of the guys you have named. Ok in football you have to defend but you also have to give the opposition something to worry about and Arshavin with his pace, passing, dribbling, crossing ability does this in abundance. If you look at England this is where we fall short yes we are well organised and work hard but with the exception of Rooney (on occasion) who do the other teams fear when they have the ball? Perhaps he is better than the players I've named, but in my view, Dick Advocaat's view, the view of Zenit's ex-captain, he is an individual, a maestro, just like the players I've named. you'll get the best out of Arshavin by making him the first name on the teamsheet and getting the rest of the side to play around him. At the larger clubs, his value as an individual is diminished and he'll be expected to play as part of the team/unit, and I do not think that will have any positive impact on his performances. As I see it, Arshavin is worth over £15m to us, Everton, Manchester City, yet he is worth less than half than that to the Top Four. This doesn't mean that he won't sign for a bigger club, but it would be a big mistake for both him and the purchaser.

Richard Money's appointment as Academy Director has been confirmed.

From BBC; some direct quotes from his current club manager. That was one of the things I was trying to say the other day, I didn't see him bothering to hold a particular position on the pitch and this is important when defending the ball. A big club may sign him but not get the best of him without compromising in other areas, whereas Newcastle could stick two defensive players into the midfield and build the team around his individual brilliance. He is in the Le Tissier, Kinkladze, Berkovic, Juninho category. Brilliant, but not one for a bigger team.

You talk about expectations of others then mention Ashley beating the best finishes under Shepherd. Do they not have to beat the first four years before going onto the best years? You know, the ones when we finished 13th twice followed by 11th twice. Shepherd was never the major shareholder or owner. Ashley has never been the chairman. bump. Ashley wasn't the chairman, and Shepherd was never the major shareholder or owner I realise it has to be put in fairly simplistic terms for you, even after all this time. Shepherd never owned the club, he was never able to make decisions on his own. Ashley can. Understand ? [somehow I doubt it very much that you will or admit you do] So for those left with half a brain........... If you think that Shepherd was clueless and shite, then what does that make the major shareholders for putting him in charge of their multi million pound business without having any input ? For those who are still left with more than half a brain........consider this........who is going to say the new owner of the club will match their first 5 years against the first 5 years of the old owners/major shareholder , with the same manager ? Any takers ? Your first question: That is why refer to the "old board" rather than singling out Shepherd. Second question: Different environment in the footballing world this time around, so you can't expect the same results. Now answer Ozzie's sodding question! At least you have had the bottle to reply, unlike some others I suspect. Its not an answer though. My reply is that, as I said, you have to put the owners against the owners. Do YOU think the new owner will match the old owners first 5 years, with the same manager Answer the question. I answered the question. Last time, there was less money in the game, and the league remained very domestic. It was easy for Newcastle to sign Ginola. If a Ginola became available today, we would find ourselves behind many other clubs just due to the changes in the ways transfers are conducted these days. Furthermore, if a club looked like breaking the top four monopoly, that club could spend £40m on three players to keep themselves there, and we couldn't compete. So the answer is no, but you can't blame the owners for the changing football environment.

You talk about expectations of others then mention Ashley beating the best finishes under Shepherd. Do they not have to beat the first four years before going onto the best years? You know, the ones when we finished 13th twice followed by 11th twice. Shepherd was never the major shareholder or owner. Ashley has never been the chairman. bump. Ashley wasn't the chairman, and Shepherd was never the major shareholder or owner I realise it has to be put in fairly simplistic terms for you, even after all this time. Shepherd never owned the club, he was never able to make decisions on his own. Ashley can. Understand ? [somehow I doubt it very much that you will or admit you do] So for those left with half a brain........... If you think that Shepherd was clueless and shite, then what does that make the major shareholders for putting him in charge of their multi million pound business without having any input ? For those who are still left with more than half a brain........consider this........who is going to say the new owner of the club will match their first 5 years against the first 5 years of the old owners/major shareholder , with the same manager ? Any takers ? Your first question: That is why refer to the "old board" rather than singling out Shepherd. Second question: Different environment in the footballing world this time around, so you can't expect the same results. Now answer Ozzie's sodding question!

Allardyce's 21 games vs identical 21 games under Roeder in 06/07: Allardyce P21, GS=27, GA=33, Points=26 Roeder P21, GS=24, GA=20, Points=30 Keegan vs Roeder: Keegan P16, GS=18, GA=26, Points=17 Roeder P16, GS=14, GA=25, Points=13 So in other words, Allardyce got beaten by his own benchmark of bettering the previous season's results, while Keegan helped a failing team do better than they had done the previous season with the games he had left.

I remember in the early stages of last season, we'd just beaten Spurs 3-1, and everyone was euphoric and convinced that things had changed for the better, and I came in with a thread comparing our record against the clubs we'd played so far with the results in those games the previous season and pointed out that we were actually doing worse and people told me to fuck off Come January, Allardyce was probably well behind the Roeder record that saw us 6 points ahead of relegation, although I never had the heart to check.

I would have though that too had I not seen the interview, but he seemed so confident that something better was going to come up in the next few months, I'm not so sure. Either he jumped before getting officially rejected by Blackburn and is confident that the first PL side to sack their manager next season will be his new destination, or Shepherd wants him to manage Mallorca.

Shepherd and Allardyce to Mallorca tbh.