macphisto

Made me laugh, what Thai fans think of Mitchell leaving 😂

Dream team with Tom Moore's daughter who could help with building the new stadium and training ground.

Saw this in the Athletic, "Following Dan Ashworth’s departure in February 2024, this will be the fourth consecutive summer window in which a different figure is leading Newcastle’s summer strategy." Is that Charnley, Staveley, Ashworth, and Mitchell? Hard to believe we were still under Ashley four seasons ago. How times have changed.

I'd say Liverpool, lesser extent Brighton?, is the model people want to follow in terms of expenditure v success. DoF is crucial to Liverpool's success and interesting to note they brought back their former DoF and others once Klopp said he was off.

I could see Nickson and Bunce working together in more prominent roles.

Not fussed about him leaving in terms of transfers as they look after themselves to a certain extent through our scouting system and role of agents. More concerned that we need someone in place to oversee infrastructure development, academy, medical department and women's team, etc.

He's made 90 + appearances for Liverpool. I can't think of one player at a top team with that number of appearances and is not a regular starter, who has gone to another top team and done well. Same would apply to Rashford, Grealish, etc. Maybe a player moving from one country to another but not within England.

Don't get me wrong, I'd be very happy with that too but I look at the team, mentality of the group and manager and we will be in a great position should we get this summer right.

Every squad is lacking in depth. Admittedly we lack more than most but if we made 4 signings like we did two seasons ago (2 first team players/two top youngsters) then with a bit of luck, with injuries, we could do it. I'm not saying we will but the other teams are no great shakes and are also screwed if they get key injuries. Look at our form the the past half season and mental toughness of the team, it's entirely possible.

Get the window right and I think we could win the league next season.

I get the first part but not the second as football's role in the world doesn't bother any fans, what does that mean in reality? All you care about is your club. Look how many of us, myself included, welcome Saudi Ownership of our club.

Am I right in thinking no one was too fussed when they changed the badge in the past, same with moving the stadium to Leazes Park in the 90's ( apart from environmentalists)? Is it people were not bothered or rather that the Internet didn't exist? Any one remember articles in fanzines criticising the club?

Would people be happy with the same transfer window as 23/24, 2 first team players in Tonali and Barnes, 2 top youngsters in Hall and Livramento (I know Hall was a loan)? Looking back on that window, I'd be delighted with the same again.

If we get Champions League next season then it will be interesting to see how we approach the cup competitions. Winning the cup this season was incredible but to challenge long-term I'd sacrifice the cups early on to again qualify for the Champions League. Two consecutive seasons in the Champions League would transform the club.

I100% agree with you but does that not apply to all of the top teams? Who replaces Sala, Haaland and look at Arsenal up front at the moment? As I say, I agree with you but a lot of teams go with this high risk strategy. Some of these clubs are taking too big a risk but at the same time I wonder if fans are a little stuck in the past with big squads, say Yorke, Cole, Sheringham and Solskjær? That depth just doesn't exist anymore. Shows how the game has changed.

I could easily see clubs making a lot of money when broadcasting is brought in-house and they launch a Premier League "Netflix" for fans all over the world. Only issues there will be how you distribute the income and if the money will go straight through the clubs to players and agents.

I'd definitely sell him but if it's decided to keep him then I'd give him a new contract if his current one runs out in 2027. One thing we can not do with PSR is risk a saleable asset under 30 years old leave on a free in a few years time. Situation changes a lot once you get into the final 12 months of a contract which is why this summer is so important regarding Willock.

No one is against a squad, but this is where you'd want Mitchell to have an impact at the club. A lot of people have criticised the club for being poor sellers and in Willock we have an asset we could sell, for hopefully decent money, to then reinvest in new and better players with the aim of building the squad. When people say the club are bad at selling players, surely it's players like Willock they're referring to? We'll not get much for him after this summer as he'll be in the final year of his contract.

This season, our management of injuries has been excellent. To be any better, we'd have had no injuries.

I'd be very surprised if he's not sold in the summer. What I could see online, his contract expires in 2027 so this will be the optimum time to get the most for him. Hopefully stays fit and makes a decent contribution until the end of the season to attract clubs. When people say we need to be better at selling players, surely Willock is a prime example?

Can you judge a stadium by TV?

Anyone read the Athletic article about Spurs? This stood out, "Spurs’ financials dove into the red in sync with the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, and while both the virus and other matters since have contributed to a half-decade of loss-making, the bulk of those deficits have been driven by a single line item: the accounting cost of depreciating the recently built Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (THS)." I thought infrastructure had nothing to do with PSR?

I've had similar experience and often wonder if it goes back to their Bedouin tradition? Almost like Life of Brian in that they need to barter. You have to remember that it's only within the last 100 years that they've gained their wealth.

Agree, good team but not excellent. Excellence belongs to teams like Man City in the past few years. You can't be excellent when you're in 7th with a +6 goal difference. I'd also say a team has to have a few world class players to be in that bracket too.

Is it really mind boggling? Was he not Chelsea's player of the season for a few years running and also an England regular? I ask the above, even though I never rated him as a player!