Teasy

Yeah if that is the case then it would make it worth it.

Agree 100% I actually think in this instance, relegation is probably the best thing we could have hoped for. A year to gain togetherness, focus and get used to Rafa and for him to put his stamp on the team. Enormously excited about the season ahead. I think he had already started to bring in a sense of togetherness in the last half dozen games of last season and that would have continued if we'd stayed up. We'd also have had the funds to completely reshape the squad if we'd stayed up. Our budget now will be very limited and the money we'll lose will unfortunately still be holding us back a bit when we come back up. The only positive in relegation IMO is if its forced Ashley's hand in agreeing to Benitez demands on full control. That could genuinely have made it worth it if he really is getting more power now than he would have had in his initial contract.

Aye, I mean who would want to manage this club?, nobody

It is fitting like, and because he's made such a laughing stock of himself and we're so close to a real top class manager I can look at it without being pissed off, its just funny as fuck

You mean if Benitez doesn't stay right?

Playing much shiter teams every week would do it. Last time out our home and away form were both donkey shit but we quickly turned that around in the Championship. At least this time around our general form has already improved massively, joint second in the form table in the last 6 matches.

Aye, why would Benitez trust their word?, I wouldn't. He'll want it all signed before he commits publicly.

He'll be 30 at the start of the season and has never risen above the Championship. The idea of signing players who are proven at a lower level is similar to bringing in a manager who's proven at a lower level, its a bit short sighted. Surely £10m can get someone better, whether proven at Championship level or not.

Erm no.

Fucking hell

I did want Shearer to stay, but I still knew it was going to be a gamble, he had by no means proven he had any ability as a manager. With Benitez you just know he's top class and will absolutely bring success if given the chance.

apart from the fat c*** releasing a statement saying that asking shearer to be manager was the best move he'd made, despite relegation. Aye, yet he still didn't so much as return Shearers calls let along have a meeting with him AFAIR, just sound bites for the fans. This is far more concrete. If it does go wrong then that's it for me, won't even be following the club anymore, and I hope thousands do the same.

I can't remember their being any real indication that Shearer would stay that summer. No meetings between him and the club and no noises at all from the club suggesting they wanted him. So while I agree they need to get a move on I don't think its anything like that situation.

People said the same about Barton when he got himself sent off at the end of our last relegation. But in the end you don't want just nice lads when you have to scrap your way out of the Championship. Think Mitrovic would be lethal in that division.

We start to get decisions our way once we're already relegated..

Fucking liability Tiote man, he's done it three or four times in this game already and given them two great chances because of it. Its not even weakness, its the fact he's determined to spin and twist away with the ball all the time, there's players right there to pass to you thick twat!

Agreed, Rafa out Haha nah, obviously he's got my support 100%. I don't have to agree with every single thing he does though.

Well I care in as much as it would be nice not to have to see some of the worst offenders in our relegation on the pitch again.

Looks like their is no other option to Taylor looking at the bench. Would have liked to see Perez and De Jong start though, obviously he's not just treating this as a friendly and wants to win, but Wijnaldum shouldn't still be getting in the side regardless.

The £13m limit for the 2015/16 season is in line with the losses permitted under the new regulations which will permit a maximum loss of £39m over a rolling 3 season timeframe (compared to an equivalent figure of £105m in the Premier League). A club that moves between the Premier League and Championship will be assessed in accordance with the permitted loss in the relevant divisions played in during the three-year period in question. For example, a club that had played two seasons in the Championship and one in the Premier League would have a maximum permitted loss of £61m, consisting of one season at £35m and two at £13m. So it's no issue then. With the 80m we get despite relegation plus sales of players off currently out on loan plus any extra sales, we'll still probably break even The parachute is £38.7m next season, not £80m.. He's referring to the money we'll get for being in the Premier League this season, though I'd assume that will come in right at the end of the current financial year rather than the start of next.

Do you genuinely believe we won't ask him to take a wage cut? If they do then they deserve us all to stop supporting them. What we'd save from him taking a pay cut is insignificant. His wage will be a few percent of our total wage bill, yet his worth is immeasurable.

Khazri with a flying karate kick, both feet off the ground, nowt even said..

Should have shook him by the hand and thanked him for keeping us in the Premier League for 5 seasons and taking us to a UEFA Cup quarter final. Mark Bright did that?