James

I'm in the middle of an interesting project. I'm counting up the players in the current or most recent squad in the international teams of the Top 25 ranked countries, EURO2008 participants, WC2006 participants and ANC and Copa America Semi finalists. Domestic clubs score points based on the world rankings of the international sides the players represent. Done ten nations so far, not looking very good for NUFC and Spurs right now.

What if he comes back, doesn't play, and no-one else wants him, and we have to pay however many thousand a week? This possibility of this must be considered.

Only agree to some extent. Another missed pre season though could mean he isn't anywhere near his best until March once again. Assuming we now have to sign someone to make up for this, we'd hope to sign better players, therefore legitimately cancelling Barton's contract to cut the wage bill on a player no-one will want and can't get into our team. Surely you either agree or disagree. What I'm trying to say is that a decision on Barton should be made on footballing reasons, as it could be too costly for us to get rid no matter how badly he has behaved. Footballing wise, we have to consider how long it took him to get fit after missing pre-season. Wasn't anywhere near good enough until March. With that in mind, we need to get a direct replacement. It is possible that we are looking to sign additional players in midfield too. If we get these players, a half fit Barton definitely shouldn't get in the team for all of next season and after another round of signings the following summer, he could be even more in the cold. If we believe this to be true, then we need to consider whether anyone else will pay more than peanuts for him. If they won't what good is having a player on his wages going to do for us financially. In which case, everyone would be better off if we cancelled his contract while we have legitimate grounds. However, if Keegan realistically believes that he'll be better than anyone else once he finds fitness again, we should keep. However, the latter scenario probably means that we haven't done too well in the transfer market....

So was this for Dabo incident, or McDonalds incident?

Only agree to some extent. Another missed pre season though could mean he isn't anywhere near his best until March once again. Assuming we now have to sign someone to make up for this, we'd hope to sign better players, therefore legitimately cancelling Barton's contract to cut the wage bill on a player no-one will want and can't get into our team.

What are you on about, was that the terms of the deal ? The pieces gleamed from the transfer (some definite, some less definite) are that: We offered Dinamo and Modric more money No club was allowed to speak to Modric in person. Dinamo owned him like a slave. Dinamo owners, the Mamic brothers chose where he was going. We wanted to terminate this slave contract and make Peter Harrison Modric's agent. Spurs wanted to do the same. Mamic brothers didn't want this, and Spurs agreed to throw in a minimum fee clause and a sell on clause as conditions meaning that Spurs will have to sell in a couple of years if a bigger club comes sniffing, and the Mamic brothers will get the profits from this sale. We wouldn't do this. So Mamic brothers made him go to Spurs.

NE5, Assume that the speculation that Modric had no control over where he went is true, and that Spurs only tied up the deal because they agreed to insert clauses that are financially favourable to Modric's controllers, but mean that Spurs will have to sell up with minimal profit in a couple of years. Would you have matched Spurs with those clauses to clinch the deal?

Take away Alan Sugar and add not signing Damien Duff and that is about right.

Maybe in the World cup qualifiers? 01-02/06/08: Uganda v Niger 01-02/06/08: Angola v Benin 06-08/06/08: Niger v Angola 06-08/06/08: Benin v Uganda 13-15/06/08: Niger v Benin 13-15/06/08: Uganda v Angola 20-22/06/08: Benin v Niger 20-22/06/08: Angola v Uganda Angola would be the only game against half decent players. Though are Wise/Keegan/Vetere/Hughton properly vaccinnated for a trip to Africa?

Sessegnon scored though in that match - surely that warrants some praise? Not for a defender.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2008/05/19/top-toon-duo-on-french-talent-watch-72703-20931038/

Didn't Oliver say that Wise and Hughton watched Le Mans on Saturday, but the player they came to see didn't impress so they are going to have to look again?

Give 40,000 seats to the Toon Army, and Wembley would have much higher regard amongst TV viewers in my opinion.

Walking up the drab, grey, cheap and shitty concrete staircases to the gods is an absoloute nightmare. For the money it cost and the more than half a decade we had to wait for it I want the stairs fucking carpet finished for fucks sake! I was on the lower tier so didn't have to worry about stairs. One other thing I did notice though is how dry the place is in terms of licensed premises. Don't think I saw a noticeable drunk when I was there. Oh, and the white horses intimidated the fuck out of me, I think the riding police thought it was Bolton 1924 or whatever all over again.

Best stadium I've been to in the way you arrive at Wembley Park, walk down Wembley Way, get through the turnstiles really quickly, and walk through the tunnel into the light and the wall of noise. The best parts crowdwise are in the higher tiers and at the back of the lower tier especially in the corners and behind the goal. I spent a bit of time prematch towards the front though, and you feel really out in the open and on your own. Its therefore quieter close to the microphones, while the cameras point at the deadest parts of the stand.

The actual .cock says its got to be the reported initial fee only. Think that takes Milner off the list.

Don't think Keegan has had much time, what with trying to save the club from relegation. To be honest, I think that assuming we could beat the likes of Everton to anyone is thekind of arrogance that will lead to splattenned faces and kneejerk disappointment.

Gomis?

Aye but he's not exactl;y massively rich in comparison to say Ashley although his family probably are. Ashley's richer, but it is tied down in his businesses. Gaydamak earns a more steady amount of hard cash each year.

Gaydamak doesn't run Pompey as a business so doesn't worry too much about wage bills and the like.

Think we signed Emre subject to work permit, and although it was inevitable, some of the knee jerkers got freaked out by 'lack of news'

Turan looks like some sort of NUFC football cloning experiment using Edgar and Taylor.

What did these Englishmen look like?

Why? Just out of interest. That is a good question, tbf. With Chez living in/near Paris and Gomis just having a game in St. Etienne yesterday. With the sighting on Sunday, and the game on Sunday, would be easy for Gomis to go places.

Average league position over five years prior to Shepherd becoming chairman: 6.8 Average league position over five years prior to Shepherd departing as chairman: 8.6 During his time, he took us backwards, not forwards.