Theregulars

As much as I loved Keegan here, and I hate Dennis Wise not because of his London background but because he was a nasty rat turd of a player, I find myself agreeing with their transfer policy. I love Keegan's ambition to get us going again very quickly by spending huge amounts, but that's a risky strategy, it's not guaranteed and there are not that many bottomless pits of wealth. Abramovich and City aside, it's still a rarity. Ashley isn't a limitless source of money. He has had the club analysed from a business point of view, and thanks to Shepherd we were going down the toilet. If ensuring that this doesn't happen means slow building and buying lesser known, still talented players then I hate to disagree with Keegan but I do - I agree that it's wrong to do so behind his back, if that's the case then he had every right to fight back, and Wise is an odious twat as it is. But if Keegan thinks we can just throw a ton of money and buy huge name players then he's sorely mistaken. I am behind the board's attempts to offload Smith and Barton. I understand Keegan wanting to keep them as the squad was not big enough, and I am also in support of those who argue that the board has not adequately addressed the issue of our thin squad. However, we need to build slowly to achieve in the future. I don't despise Ashley, I think some of his actions are ill-informed and infuriating, but if anything I'm intrigued to see what his next move is. I think we are now being run as a business, as Ashley's business, but what's going to make him the most money? Buying young players and selling them on and alienating fans or slowly building a strong wide with prospects of success in the future? Our success = his financial success. He's not a tit, he knows that. While his methods are not popular at the minute, hate him or not Wise has bought some good young players to this club. The squad's still thin but it's better than it has been for a while. There are issues they need to resolve - Owen's contract for starters, as well as improving communication with the fans, not least securing a mutually acceptable and forward-thinking manager - but at this point to say we are relegation fodder and going down the toilet is unnecessary. If nobody gets hired for a while, we lose our next 5 games, players want to leave and nobody else is signed up in January, then I'll join in saying I have no faith in this set up whatsoever. As it is now, we have bought in 6 players who have made our squad look significantly more useful, although we've lost a manager we loved and trusted. There is clearly a downside and upside to the situation. I won't go to Shearer's Bar or buy club merchandise because it's a pile of shit anyway, the only thing I want is me shirt which I will continue to wear with pride at all games and everytime I play footy, and I agree with letting the board know that we are concerned with progress. But I'm prepared to wait until the new manager is bedded in and see how the team is playing. Who knows, in a few years, Wise's transfer policy could see us in the Champions League, you just don't know. I hate what they did to Keegan as much as the next man, I hate that he's not our manager. But I love Newcastle United more than both of those feelings.

The only thing that stands out there is the Euros. AC Milan didn't go far, Gala/Fener win everything in Turkey and one cup final appearance is something that mediocre managers can achieve - read Steve McLaren and the UEFA Cup with Boro.

One reprocussion which hasn't really been discussed with all the debate about what we the fans will do as a reaction is what's going to happen to the squad. There's a whole host of them that I can't see staying. If the papers are to be believed, Barton is effectively gone as Keegan was the only one who wanted him here, same with Smith (good). Owen will leave, I reckon he will have had enough of this nonsense and the only man pushing for him to get his new contract is gone. Can see players like Nicky Butt, Shay Given, Steven Taylor becoming seriously disillusioned. A To be honest, if any half-decent or bigger club comes in for any number of our players bar the new recruits I think they'll want to leave.

To be fair to the lad he's going to be one of a very small group of players who will actually still want to play for us, so I think he'll be pretty key for the future.

Only one from an available crop I'd want is Rijkaard. Doesn't mean I think he'd be successful here.

Hooray. Sense. Exactly! Disappointed that he's sided with Wise and Llambias over Keegan, but how much of this is just pantomime hero v villain based on extreme local bias? It's a strange sign that our net spend this summer resulted in profit for the club, but it's one thing to jump to the conclusion that he's using us for a business when it is clear that he has cleared us of massive debt.

Don't fool yourselves, it's going to be Wise/Poyet. This week has showed a) how much power the board has and b) how little the fans needs matter. This is club is being run as a business, nothing more. All they'll want in is a man happy to pick up his over-inflated paycheck, accept players hei s given, develop them and farm them out for an inflated price a few years later. There is no good manager who in their right mind would take this job, no manager who will make up for our loss and no self-respecting man who would put up with a board like ours. It's going to be a puppet.

If you're all so worried, go and do something else. Sitting on this forum like lemmings and talking about your worries/ideas for a solution, which may be credible but are in effect completely useless, aren't going to benefit you in anyway. It looks like he'll still be our manager, but there's going to be a nasty taste left in the mouth for some time.

A lot of people are leaving Viduka out. If he's fit, KK will start him, fact.

The saddest and dumbest thing about this whole fiasco is that it seems the argument is between two sides who think they're doing the best for our club - Keegan wants to control players, thinks he knows best and wants immediate first team impact signings, the others want the club to move to a continental style system, based on youth development and signing players with potential that they can develop. Surely some calm head in a position of power can see this?

Those players who were supposedly to be sold will have heard the rumour. I'm sure they'll be looking for clarification. It's all very well Keegan saying he wants to keep them, but I dare say it will be a strange feeling knowing that the board wanted to flog you. The only way for this to move forward is to accept that it will take time to forget about it. Both parties need to come out, admit that there were issues, and give a definite statement that they have been resolved definitely and for the long term.

One way of thinking is that in order to get his way in future Kev threatened to walk/leaked that he was resigning, knowing that it would prompt a huge reaction amongst the fans and show the board that he couldn't be messed around. Might be reading too much into it but if that's the case the man's an outrageously courageous genius.

I don't like the fact that transfer business is going above KK's head, but I'm not going to pretend that I'm not keen on the players they have bought for him - it's the wrong way of doing it, but it seems to be getting us good enough players. A different what if would be what we would look like with the players Keegan wants - if it's true he wanted Schweinsteiger, I'd be more pleased with him alone than Xisco and Gonzalez combined. However, this is about principle - Ashley hasn't necessarily done anything wrong, he's done something foolish that goes against Keegan's character and desires completely. He clearly doesn't understand Keegan and hasn't really done his homework on him. I like the idea of having a good scouting team - think Wise is a twat but if he's responsible for players like Jonas and Colo, then I thank him for it. I think there is a case to say Keegan needs to calm down a bit and understand that football is different, the way clubs run is different, but Ashley also needs to understand that by installing Keegan, he has effectively hamstrung himself and cannot mess around with a man so adored by his footballing public. Both need to back down a bit and compromise a bit, ideally, but I don't see it happening. It's a clear-cut choice between a clean break - a very risky strategy as fans will be disillusioned to say the very least - and a compromise solution, again risky as it is not a god foundation on which to run a football club. I blame Ashley and co for the mess as it is clear that they have told Keegan things which are not true and given him assurances on which they haven't delievered. I like Ashley and hate all this paper shit about him being a beer-swilling incompetent buffoon, but he certainly needs to change his position on this matter.

Obviously I hope he stays, but is it really for the best? Keegan's only good at a job which his heart is devoted to - I don't believe for a single second that a compromise solution is going to be a solid enough foundation for Keegan to take this team forward. I hope I'm wrong. Furthermore, where will the whole affair leave Ashley and co? Will he be happy knowing that he is no longer "just one of the fans" and knowing that he is effectively hamstrung by what we want? As much as a compromise needs to be reached and I'd give anything for him to stay, the whole situation does not bode well for our club. Maybe in future Keegan will now be given more say over transfers, especially as he now has the bargaining hand of our backing... but by fuck the tension's not going to go away. Over to you, NUFC.

If Wise is in charge of transfers I think he's done a fair job this summer.

As much as I love Keegan, I back Ashley entirely for wanting rid of Smith and Barton.

Take this how you will, I know ITK bollocks is all usually useless. I work at the England Cricket Board, and my manager, the director of corporate communications, used to do the same job at the FA, and basically at the request of Paul Collingwood and Steve Harmison he put a call into some people over there to try and find out: Keegan went mental re: the attempted sale of Barton and Smith behind his back. Nobody tried to sell Owen, that was never on the agenda, we were simply waiting until after deadline day to sort that out. He was furious as he'd said we shouldn't sell either with lack of adequate replacement. However, Ashley, Vetere, Jimenez and Wise considered Xisco and Gonzalez to be adequate replacement for both so went ahead with it, without consulting KK, and thus a complete fiasco ensued - in the end they said they wouldn't sell either but KK being a man of principle refused to back down, especially as Milner was essentially sold behind his bacl - despite public utterings to the contrary he was almightily unhappy about it. The current state of affairs: Keegan acte dout, heated arguments ensued in the meetings with him threatening to walk and the others threatening the sack. Keegan then said he was leaving and walked out but the rest have since realised his value to the club and are now doing their utmost to bring him back/persuade him that this wasn't done over his head, this is what they thought he wanted. He's let down as he does not have complete control over transfers, doesn't know the two new players and feels players are being offered to other clubs behind his back, and thus, as a man of principle, feels his position is untenable. Club reiterated they wouldn't sack him, but are now in the process of convincing him not to leave. My opinion: Barton and Smith have played a big role in this coming to the surface, which is a crying shame as both have been fairly dogshit since arrival. Forecast: Keegan will remain as manager, gaining new guarantees about his primacy over transfers.

Christ on a bicycle. Ashley's not a goon, he's clearly got some business sense, and he'll know that losing Keegan will be a massive blooper. I really, really don't think he will sack him, especially as he's so very keen to promote himself as one of the fans. There's clearly something up and they're trying to resolve it - more likely Keegan threatened to walk in the wake of those above him going behind his back/not being true to their word. I really think that the reason these talks are so long is that they're trying to hash out a compromise. If someone is leaving, it's normally done and dusted relatively quickly and an announcement made re: "mutual consent". There's clearly some sort of uncertainty about his tenure right now and discussions are ongoing.

We've clearly seen that Ashley isn't an idiot. He will realise the potential damage of losing Keegan and it won't be a decision he takes lightly. Hence the long talks.

Pretty sure I'll carry on supporting us as usual, but feel disappointed for a few weeks. The worst thing will be that the press had the stories of behind the scenes unrest correct from the start.

The same people moaning now were the same people moaning about the boring, long ball brand of Allardyce football. Now, a bunch of sigings have been made, primarily hispanic/south american, who will probably ensure that this is not the case, and they're still moaning! I just don't believe that players are signed/sold over Keegan's head - he may object to certain things, but he'll always be consulted/have a say. As much as I love Keegan, it's not the case at our club that he has total sway over everything and I think it's probably a good enough idea. Let's look at the window: The only major players we lost were: Rozehnal, Emre, Faye and Milner. Rozehnal wasn't up to much/had a poor attitude, although I still think he could have been good but it's not a massive miss. Emre was a favourite of mine but even I'll admit he just didn't turn up enough and was constantly injured. Milner is distinctly average and, while a good squad player, he saw himself as more and you don't turn down £12m for somebody like him, that's just stupid. Everyone bangs on about how he's good enough for England - fact: if he was good enough, he would have been named in the squad. Players like Walcott, Wheater and now Bullard have been named, clearly everyone gets a chance. In my opinion the big loss is Faye, I'm disappointed that he's gone as I don't think Cacapa and Bassong are as good as him (or Rozehnal either, in my opinion) and we could have done with another defender to boost the squad. However, fact is that our first choice pairing will be Taylor and Coloccini, and he would not have played that much. Overall, these are losses that aren't too big. In: Jonas - has looked great so far. Guthrie looks a good player and I think can kick on. He's not the finished article yet but I think with regular football (evidently what we're going to give him) he can really develop. Coloccini is a class centre back, immense in Spain, great for Argentina, has looked good so far. Better than Faye, so makes up the loss, although again leaves a bit lacking in depth. Bassong looks to be adequate cover and hasn't seemed lost at sea and out of place when he's been thrown in, so clearly a good enough squad option. I'm excited about Xisco - think the scouting team have done their homework so far and am willing to trust them. Also, 9 goals in 14 starts for Depor is a good record last year, and while a bit of a risk I'm willing to bet my mortgage that he's better than Ameobi and Smith combined. Nacho is unknown, but he's a regular international for Uruguay and Valencia see enough in him to sign him and want an option on him for the future, so I'd say he's likely got something about him. Overall, therefore, I believe that the squad has been improved. Not majorly, but we are looking at a better first team which will play a better brand of football than last year. This is what people asked for, the window may have been chaotic and evidently we've lost out on a few targets who would have been great, but the fact of the matter is we'r enot in Europe nor do we have megabucks to attract huge name players. I think we've done well (could have been better, but could have been much, much worse) and think we've got enough for top 8. The top 4 have better squads than us, I think Villa have a better first team than we do (although I'm keen to see Milner disappoint them all) and Man City in theory are going to be pretty awesome, but I don't believe that anybody really saw what happened to them this summer coming. I don't think Everton will be as good as they were last year, Portsmouth will probably be there or thereabouts but losing Muntari was a blow and I'm not sure they will be as good again this year. If their strike partnership kicks off they could be, mind. Overall, good but could have done better - I think it's probably the case for the vast majority of Premier League teams. I think Liverpool have had a particularly poor window and I think Riera was very low down on their list of wingers to choose from - if Milner was apparently ahead of him, then he's not going to be a world beater. City have had a good window, as have Spurs, and Villa have strengthened a bit but not outrageously. We'll be fine.

Do you not think that they've lowered his odds based on all the paper bullshit about how he's not happy....? If Keegan had resigned they'd say something. There have been constant rumours of him being unhappy and everybody falling out. I just don't think it's true, we've seen before people like this have no idea what is going on at our club. He's not going to walk out.

I will wait to see the two newbies play to pass judgement, but I don't think it's been a bad window. We've cleared out the deadwood, we now in theory have 4 good strikers which should mean Smith and Shola don't play, defence looks good although in my opinion could use one more player who could play CD/LB just to toughen up, midfield could be better. However, everyone was moaning about Guthrie and Jonas being unknown, as well as Bassong, and along with Coloccini they all look good enough, so I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I'm sure the others will be good enough too. Another central midfielder/right winger would have been nice along with the defender, but neither are massive problems at the minute if you ask me. Also, fuck James Milner.

One chance. Ameobi gets in Owen's way.

Ranger squeezes into the camera shot - a good luck omen if ever there was one.