Northern Monkey

Schevchenko was record-breakingly expensive, though ? and of course has made all the difference to Chelsea's challenge for the top.

 

one season, for a manager who didn't want him, in fairness.

 

Still doesn't add up to proof that "record-breaking transfers" are any key to success, however much trophy signings may excite some sections of our support.

you won't find many successful clubs nowadaya that don't spend big.

not sure on the very very good manager thing: he's good enough for us, certainly, at the moment. Beynd that? I really don't know.

 

He does tick most boxes and when you sit and analyse what the likes of Mourinho and Rafa are good at - two similar managers in their approach and methods - he is equal in many respects. He lacks their experience and pedigree of course but I'm hoping that will come with managing Newcastle. He certainly has the right tools to prove himself in their company if you like not only within himself but through the club too with our fanbase, finances and untapped potential. I think we have a good one here and he might just be the one. Fingers crossed.

definately fingers crossed.

I just get a bit scared whrn the "we'll be 4th now" brigade start.

Wasn't Ballack free? Some record.

 

mackems.gif

 

the NUFC expert hits the stand

 

You laughed that hard over Michael Ballack being free? It wasn't that funny.

 

wrong. You ARE that funny.

 

Riiiiiiight. You're still wrong though.

twice. Cos you aren't actually that funny.

Excellent performance by Young, the sort of attacking performance that Milner will NEVER put in.

 

Young is in a totally different league to Milner that is beyond debate.

 

Btw Milner put in that sort of performance at SJP last season against a much better Chelsea full-back in Paulo Ferreira. Short memories.

 

And you might want to ask Brummie about how well Milner did at Villa for them.

 

He done well in a s*** Villa team in the same way he dome well in a s*** Newcastle team last year, mainly because of his 100% attitude which other players don't have.

 

He will never be a top player though and won't be good enough for our first team if we've got serious ambitions about becoming a top team again, personally I'd have sold him in the summer and tried to bring someone like SWP in.

 

Hold on, you said he would never put in the kind of performance Young did EVER, yet I just pointed out to you he already has done, err, against the same top team, Chelsea.

 

I agree he isn't good enough to be playing regular for a top four side but then I don't believe Young would be either or Lennon, and SWP who you advocate us replacing Milner with, hasn't exactly performed for Chelsea, one of the big four, has he.

 

That said, I believe Milner is better than Pennant who currently plays for the team at the top of the table and I wouldn't be as quick as you are to write his whole career off just yet.

 

Love how you use almost anything to justify your dislike of Milner though, even ignoring facts and concrete proof such as Milner's performance against Chelsea last season that pretty much flies in the face of your entire argument that a) he can't perform against such sides and b) that he's never going to be good enough for a top 4 side, despite the player you want us to replace him with having proved he actually isn't.

 

I'm sorry but this time you are talking rubbish...Milner is good but not the same class as Young, SWP and even Penant and do you know why ? The same reason you think it is not important...SPEED and lots of it...

 

IF YOU ARE A WINGER YOU NEED SPEED...Even silly to discuss this...

Penant? Do me a favour.

excellent signing. experienced premierleague player for 2 million!! i think he'll be a bargain. can play several positions. and no doubt i pick him before rampage and edgar for cb. every good player is an improvement to our squad, cause everyone knows that we'll be number one in injuries.

faye and beye signings = worldclass

jebus.

the bastards didn't show us Beye being introduced to the crowds. 

and they would for why?

Oh, and a thought thats been in my head for a while...

 

 

Replace the programme with a detailed weekly NUFC/North East sports newspaper.

 

Fill it with news, in depth previews/reviews, interviews, guest comments, the lot.

 

Basically expand on the programmes to make it more of a rounded NUFC product than a match product.

 

Could replace the Ronnie in no time as the primary source of NUFC related info

but only let people in the north east read it.

I think Shola is the classic example of where you can be tall and still sh*t at heading the ball!

thats harsh. He's shit at kicking it most of the time, as well.

Its called building a squad.

 

2 million in todays market isn't a great deal and we are getting a premiership experienced player who as you've outlined can operate at centre-back and central midfield.

 

Anyways at the moment i'd say he is better than taylor, edgar and ramage (who is out for most the season anyways), making him at least our 3rd best centreback.

 

you're wrong about Taylor.

 

agree, lots of people on here are saying Taylor isnt very good

He will eventually brake into englands starting 11 within 2-3 seasons

also he is young and doesnt make many mistakes anymore

 

anyone actually watching Taylor play, on and off the ball, can see that he has removed a lot of the problems he caused himself in the past, even as recently as the start of last season. he's a first team starter for me, shoudl have been captain as well, above Geremi, who can't even be given the excuse of being new to the PL for soem of his dismal showings so far.

Come on...Taylor is OK but captain...Please he is JUST A KID you know...

 

Better - in my opinion - than the current captain. and in fact, the best option for captain we had apart from Lil' Mikey.

 

Personally i think Barton would make a good captain.

really? thats an interesting idea.

Also, you can guarantee every player we've bought he knows all about them, their strengths, their weaknesses, which will hopefully limit the chances of failure among one or two of them. And if one or tow do flop, they won't have cost big money or be on serious wages to hurt us that way ala Luque or Boumsong.

 

I've rated him for a while and badly wanted him here but Allardyce has exceeded my own expectations and hopes from him this summer while we've made a start I wasn't too sure we would.

 

This is why I was banging on about him all the time, I think we've got ourselves a brilliant manager capable of even more and hope he and NUFC are a fixture for many a year as that will mean success.

 

He's the boy alright. blueyes.gif

 

Told yous

 

And the best is yet to come, although there are a few things that we won't like around the corner.

 

Mick, aye, it will be very interesting to see how he handles a bigger budget and what kind of players he'll go for. I think if the money is available he'll be in for Diouf in January, look to offload Ameobi, will maybe listen to offers for Martins and spend big on a more mobile striker to fill the role Viduka currently occupies in the forward 3.

This for me has been the best summer ever in terms of players in and out, almost all the bad apples have gone and we got big money for two of them, making a profit. While those that have come in have strengthened the first team and with it the squad, making the 2007-08 Toon one of the strongest we've had on paper for many a year.

 

In terms of percentages I'd say 90% of what was needed done in the summer has been done, which is staggering when you consider all the previous wasted windows that never got close to addressing anywhere near 90% of what needed done under all those previous windows.

 

All this while undergoing a takeover and on the back of our worst ever spell in the top-flight post Premiership inception.

 

At the start of the window we needed a new defence and now we really only need a creative player and some depth for the flanks, what a turn around.

 

He's no Hitzfeld, though...

 

 

He's not but he has the ability to be as good a manager as he is, although achieving the levels of success Hitzfeld has will be a tall order for most regardless of their ability. In my defence Big Sam was second on my list to Hitzfeld as ideal managers to take over and I'd have been equally as delighted had we appointed him then as we have done now. I badly wanted Hitzfeld because, well, he has that pedigree few have, that class, but on reflection I'm not so sure he would have been the right man for the job after all, not at that given time anyway, the club was in more mess than we all imagined and for a foreign manager who would bring huge expectations due to his name and CV, that could be a potential minefield. Great manager though and any club worth their salt should aspire towards such managers to lead them. How are Bayern doing btw under him again?

 

I'm happy with Sam and for once I can say with certainty we have a very very good manager running the show once again which is all that matters.

not sure on the very very good manager thing: he's good enough for us, certainly, at the moment. Beynd that? I really don't know.

few points id raise

 

1) make sure alan oliver isnt allowed to continue to be a mouth piece for the clubs dirty dealings

 

2) lets fall in line with other clubs with regards to league cup games and pricings

 

3) more than what is seeminlgy one line to get through to the box office when things like fa cup tickets are on open sale, because that 5 hour wait and hearing an engaged tone gives you a headache

 

4) more player interaction with fans to build morale and a good image with the media and other clubs. I remember leeds under O'Leary used 2 go out 15 minutes before a warm up and sign autographs for fans, this really gave a feel good feeling to fans and boosted support, also could turn our "shit club" reputation round around the country.

1 and 4, especially.

Oh, and fans to be expelled from the ground if they sing that "we are the Geordies/the Geordie Bootboys" shite.

And get rid of Carling from the bar. Its rank.

get a job, hippy!!

It makes me laugh when a big striker gets played and people automatically assume he must be good in the air or if a defender isn't 6.5 or whatever he must be shite in the air. Doesn't work like that. Speaking of heading I've always found it to be the hardest aspect of football to get right from a playing perspective, and truly admire those good in the air and I'm not just talking about players like Terry who stick a head out, I'm talking about your clever players who use their head to play the ball and not just clear it. Owen falls into that category.

 

shearer had the right place/right time/making space knack down to a tee, for me.

 

Aye, and added bravery and desire too. One of the best headerers of a ball I've seen. Sir Les wasn't bad either.

big forhead, Sir Les. And impeccable timing.

Its called building a squad.

 

2 million in todays market isn't a great deal and we are getting a premiership experienced player who as you've outlined can operate at centre-back and central midfield.

 

Anyways at the moment i'd say he is better than taylor, edgar and ramage (who is out for most the season anyways), making him at least our 3rd best centreback.

 

you're wrong about Taylor.

 

agree, lots of people on here are saying Taylor isnt very good

He will eventually brake into englands starting 11 within 2-3 seasons

also he is young and doesnt make many mistakes anymore

 

anyone actually watching Taylor play, on and off the ball, can see that he has removed a lot of the problems he caused himself in the past, even as recently as the start of last season. he's a first team starter for me, shoudl have been captain as well, above Geremi, who can't even be given the excuse of being new to the PL for soem of his dismal showings so far.

Come on...Taylor is OK but captain...Please he is JUST A KID you know...

Better - in my opinion - than the current captain. and in fact, the best option for captain we had apart from Lil' Mikey.

Schevchenko was record-breakingly expensive, though and of course has made all the difference to Chelsea's challenge for the top.

 

one season, for a manager who didn't want him, in fairness.

 

nah, the only chairman who interferes with the managers transfer dealings, according to the mackem WUM,  was Shepherd  mackems.gif

 

He could have bought that Stephen Spence though, cracking player, apparently  mackems.gif

yes, i forgot that only our former chairman was involved in transfers. 

Wasn't Ballack free? Some record.

 

mackems.gif

 

the NUFC expert hits the stand

 

You laughed that hard over Michael Ballack being free? It wasn't that funny.

i think his bank manager thought it was fucking hilarious.

It does worry me yes, but I would get just as worried if someone like the Zog was playing great and then missed out again.

 

this.

 

Then he'd inevitable start thinking about raising his profile through (different) club football.

 

Didnt the French FA try and tell the under 21's and senior squad not to pick Zoggy because of the way he left Le Harve. Im sure they were really pissed at us and him for the way he left and Le Harve didnt even get much money.

i think so. i blame Souness.

Schevchenko was record-breakingly expensive, though and of course has made all the difference to Chelsea's challenge for the top.

one season, for a manager who didn't want him, in fairness.

It makes me laugh when a big striker gets played and people automatically assume he must be good in the air or if a defender isn't 6.5 or whatever he must be shite in the air. Doesn't work like that. Speaking of heading I've always found it to be the hardest aspect of football to get right from a playing perspective, and truly admire those good in the air and I'm not just talking about players like Terry who stick a head out, I'm talking about your clever players who use their head to play the ball and not just clear it. Owen falls into that category.

shearer had the right place/right time/making space knack down to a tee, for me.

Incidentally, Roman flouncing off, and Ellis's shit-eating grin as he shook his hand on the way out ...... the old fucker has been the bane of my life, but fair play to him on this one.

 

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/599/dougsmilexj3.jpg

 

PS European Cup winning goalscorer sat behind him.

looks like Ellis is stroking out there.

There's nothing in that sentence that should have changed my post Mr Janitor..  Anyway I agree with Northern Monkey, it would have been nice if my original posts could just have been taken for what they were.  Then we could be discussing wether the Luqinator will be good or s*** for Ajax, which is slightly less sad then the current discussion.

 

Agreed. Let's roll!

 

I hope Luque is fucking mint for Ajax as I have nowt against the bloke personally and it should provide some good craic on here if he is. I blame Souness and Roeder, personally.

Luque never got the 400 consecutive games he needed to prove himself. tbh.

It does worry me yes, but I would get just as worried if someone like the Zog was playing great and then missed out again.

this.

Then he'd inevitable start thinking about raising his profile through (different) club football.

Young and abhonloghor (or whatever his name is) were both excellent yesterday against chelsea, played "complete" football and had the upper hand on the wings mnost of the game..

i thought Young was owned by Beletti on a number of occasions. he lost that battle (but they won the war, of course).

I think Young is clearly still developing, but he's going to be good, very good.

Its called building a squad.

 

2 million in todays market isn't a great deal and we are getting a premiership experienced player who as you've outlined can operate at centre-back and central midfield.

 

Anyways at the moment i'd say he is better than taylor, edgar and ramage (who is out for most the season anyways), making him at least our 3rd best centreback.

 

you're wrong about Taylor.

 

agree, lots of people on here are saying Taylor isnt very good

He will eventually brake into englands starting 11 within 2-3 seasons

also he is young and doesnt make many mistakes anymore

anyone actually watching Taylor play, on and off the ball, can see that he has removed a lot of the problems he caused himself in the past, even as recently as the start of last season. he's a first team starter for me, shoudl have been captain as well, above Geremi, who can't even be given the excuse of being new to the PL for soem of his dismal showings so far.

I feel Jim Smith would rectify the lack of flair we have at the moment:)

with the added bonus of looking like he's very recently had a heart attack.