Montey

The publicity claim is laughable. Staveley is a deal maker, the worst publicity she could possibly have is failing to complete a deal. Worse for PCP would be knowingly assisting in a sham takeover exercise. If it was found out that PCP was an active participant in such a fraud, Staveley would struggle in future deals because she would be perceived as untrustworthy (just another player like Ashley). So I put no stock in the idea that she is knowingly participating in one of Ashley's fraudulent acquisitions. This leaves the option that Ashley is just using Steveley as an unwitting pawn in his own games. If Staveley found out that she was duped she would be very concerned that this would impact her standing in the business/finance community. Steveley would likely sue Ashley for not acting in good faith and for fraudulent business practices - and she would likely win some decent compensation for costs incurred and for reputation damage. Consequently I think this is also unlikely. Ashley may be being a dick to get the best price possible, but the civil lawsuit consequences of allowing PCP to invest so much time and resources would be too great for Ashley to just be stuffing around. The only way Ashley gets out of a deal happening is if there is an aspect of the sale the parties can't agree on - and that has to be reasonable otherwise Staveley and PCP will sue him.

My takeover theory(hope) is as follows: - The takeover has been agreed, with at most just some minor quibbles over wording of the agreement. - Stories about major differences between the parties are just part of the game to keep people off the scent. - We will get in to January without an announcement being made. - Our first player acquisitions will be made prior to any takeover announcement, but will be strangely ambitious given no announcement. - Mid-way through January the takeover will be announced, with it being confirmed the announcement was delayed to keep selling clubs from jacking up their prices for a now cashed up NUFC. - That the reason Rafa is apparently so calm in the face of our current form is he knows and has orchestrated all of this, and he knows what is transfer kitty looks like.

Because ice-cream hears better when it's used as Christmas wrapping paper!

This is interesting.

The relegation refund term is almost certainly a tactical sacrificial term. When proposing a deal such as this you almost always include things you are prepared to give up so you have a better chance of keeping the things you want to keep. It's also possible the relegation clause is there in case the penalties from any tax findings result in a relegation of the club (e.g. if the case goes against the club and the FA enact a points penalty that sends the club down).

There is every prospect that Crystal Palace could force NUFC to allow Townsend to discuss terms by making a formal offer that meets a buy-out clause, but then Townsend's only words to Pardew are "fark orf!"

One of the problems of having a 2nd-rate manager is it allows everyone around them to think they are better and that they know more, from this they start running their own agendas which creates conflicting directions within the club. By having a 1st rate manager (e.g. Benitez) it is clear to everyone who is top-dog and those around them will work to his agenda rather than their own.

I am now confident that Rafa is going to stay, even if we go down (please let me be right). My massively increased confidence has come from an article in the Chronicle saying that Marveaux and Obertan have been released and that this has been done before the end of the season. My reasoning is that if you were a club that didn't know what league you were going to be in next season and were unsure who your manager was going to be you would not be allowing players that you might need leave. Yes Obertan & Marveaux are not Premier League quality players, but they'd be perfectly useful in the Championship. Additionally, it would be a bastard of a current manager who would let such players go before the end of the season when he had no plans to stay and the club might need those players the next season due to relegation, and I am confident that Rafa is not a bastard. Based on all this I think Rafa has told the club that regardless of what happens he is staying and that regardless of what happens Marveaux and Obertan are not going to be required. (PLEASE LET ME BE RIGHT!!!!!)

To be honest, if Rafa was locked on to stay and he had the authority within the club that he wants, I would be satisfied to be relegated. It would give Rafa the time to clear the club out with the reduced pressure of lowered expectations and to ensure that when we finally return to the Premier League we would be doing so with a well run club, a winning attitude, and a squad of players who are desperate to perform well for their manager, their club, and their supporters.

Elliot Mbemba Lascelles Janmaat Anita Wijnaldum Shelvey Perez Townsend de Jong Mitrovic

oh aye, that's when they're going to sack him like I didn't say they would sack him, I said "I don't understand how McClaren can justify keeping his job."

If we lose this (or even fail to thump them) I don't understand how McClaren can justify keeping his job. The whole purpose of this game, surely, is to inspire confidence and cohesion in the team (after all, why bother playing such a low level team if not to thump them); if we lose, or even draw, this our confidence will be lower than ever and our cohesion will be non-existent.

I'd rather have Carver. Carver I only consider to be not good enough. Redknapp I consider to be a total and utter gob-shiteing cunt!

What influence could Graham Carr have on the recruitment of a new manager? If he had a high level of influence on the selection of a new boss, would this not make it more likely we get someone in who can get the best out of the players that Carr has identified for the club?

Welcome to what its like being a supporter in Australia. This is what its like every week, or worse when the games start at 4am instead!

"There's nothing up here that can help you!"

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120129204450/southpark/images/thumb/c/c1/Joozian3.png/500px-Joozian3.png

There is no point having grand ambitions about buying more players. We've brought in some quality players over the past 3 years. The problem is that they all start off with talent, enthusiasm and effort but progressively just fade away. Until we fix our management (which won't happen under Ashley) then NUFC is just the club where good players come to waste away!

I just can't get over how weak we are on the ball. The number of times we simply fell over in the face of a challenge, or they just pinched the ball off our toes was unbelievable. Anita is so small and so weak that he looks like a 12 year old. Sissoko may be physically large, but he's made of marshmallow. Ben Arfa just seems to like a good lie down every now and then.

When was the last time he had "his day"? When was the last time we said "Cisse won us that match"?

I think Ashley has seen how much money the Kardashians are making from their reality TV show. Next week, NUFC will announce an ITV deal for the creation of a new reality TV series called United&Divided.

I am now on the Pardew Out band wagon.... but.... not until the day after the season closes. I am reasonably confident that there is sufficient crap below us in the table to keep us from the drop, but its only dumb luck that gives us that barrier. I think Ashley needs to now have the wheels well and truly in motion to find a replacement manager, a serious contender with a serious resume, not someone who is cheap but with dubious credentials. The search now needs to be in full flight so that -very- shortly after the season ends the announcement can be made that Pardew is gone (or "promoted" out of his current position) and that new manager <insert name> is to start immediately. This will give the new manager a full summer of preparation and the opportunity to reshape the team knowing they will also not be burdened by European competition next year. I have decided that last season was actually not Pardew's result, but was actually Hughton's. That Chris Hughton had the team operating so well when Pardew came in that the team essentially knew what they needed to do from week to week, knew that they could win and went out and did it in spite of Pardew, not because of him. Once sufficient time had passed and changes had been made Pardew was found out as having the tactical and strategic capabilities of a gerbil, and the motivational capabilities of syphilis. Pardew has to go, but it must be properly managed and not knee-jerked in a way that would guarantee relegation this season.

I just watched a bunch of highlight YouTube videos for Bony. Am I the only one a little concerned that most of his goals have come from massive opposition defensive fuck-ups? or am I reading the videos wrong? What I was seeing, in most but not all cases, was the opposition standing well off Bony, or Bony making unmarked runs in to spaces that shouldn't have been there when he shouldn't have been unmarked. My concern is that when he's in a league with much better defenders that he wont be anywhere near as potent and may have a high chance of being a flop. I only saw 2 goals that were genuine finesse and/or under pressure from the defence. I am hoping I am seeing this wrong, but I am concerned.

Haha. As if you're an NUFC fan. At as late as 5am in the morning it sure seems like I'm watching/listening to the games for some reason (almost every game for over 20 years). Not like those soft types in the north east of England who have to wait until daylight to watch a game of football. Wouldn't you rather get up at 5am for a cup final, pet? Sure would.... but Division 2 doesn't get broadcast. So I'd rather get to watch/listen to seasons worth of games from the Premier League than only 6 games from the FA Cup.

Haha. As if you're an NUFC fan. At as late as 5am in the morning it sure seems like I'm watching/listening to the games for some reason (almost every game for over 20 years). Not like those soft types in the north east of England who have to wait until daylight to watch a game of football.