Theregulars

I think that’s us and Shelvey gets more minutes when he’s back. 

Sounds like a sensible combination of having a backup not being paid much who can then study off trippier over course of a few years and take over for him having learned precisely how we play. Save wages by moving Krafth and Manquillo, allocate elsewhere. It’s good squad and money management first and foremost IMO, but also has a hint of “the Brightons” in a tiny fee for someone who could next a lot more than that in return for some good coaching even if he gets frustrated waiting for his turn and moves on. 
 

One query I have is the flip side of that: he’s leaving West Ham, as I understand it, due to lack of first team opportunities. There aren’t going to be many here in the short-term beyond rotation and injuries to trippier.
 

19 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

They've done it in bad taste.

Like there’s no way that’s his name, right? Wondered how long it would take until footballers started taking artist names. All started with that weirdo “Jonas”. 
 

To be clear I love Jonas and always will.

7 minutes ago, manorpark said:

 

So we will get him in Summer then.

So yeh that’s what my argument was saying, we have to be an elite club first to attract him first in my view. We’d also only be a newly elite club, our name doesn’t yet have the same goodwill in the average player’s head as longer-term CL teams / clubs that have won and competed recently. We’d probably have to pay a premium to get round that (probably to the player).

I think he’ll have his pick of clubs in the summer; for better or worse he seems like the next off the production line to an elite club. He’ll have a choice of different destinations that offer CL football, so unless Arsenal or Manchester City offer big money now, both he and Leicester would be daft to pull that trigger (not least because they’re still close to the bottom and have looked woeful at times this year, especially recently without him). In our advantage here is that we might be a CL club by then, and might have the money to do it. I think we’d have to finish 4th at least to get into a serious conversation. 

44 minutes ago, Rich said:

He’s not Edwards 

 

He has to have some link, though, because the defence of him is far too much otherwise.

He is my lover true. 
 

I don’t think he’s a particularly nice man or anything, just think he gets it right sometimes and everyone always piles in whatever he says. Just find it a bit weird and think it’s important to be able to be wrong and say that, as opposed to bullishly repeat your view over and over again despite facts not being in your favour. Big problem in our society at the minute.

46 minutes ago, Ben said:

Did he post last night after this ? 

No, I was out. Afraid that I’m not he; I have a luxuriant head of hair and work for ITV. 

13 minutes ago, et tu brute said:

Trying to cover his arse as he's been proved wrong again. Bit like his stupid statements about only a 50 million transfer budgets (both last January and the Summer)!and taking the piss out of fans who were questioning him. Bloke is an absolute joke.

Or just owning his mistake.

Can’t help the helpless, I suppose.

2 hours ago, The Prophet said:

The party line seems to be that could well be that for this transfer window.

 

Whether that's educated guesswork or a club briefing, who knows.  Either way I wouldn't be shocked if we were active on deadline day.

What’s different about your statement there to that for which you criticise Edwards? 
 

Very much meant as a genuine question - I rate your posts and value the insight you provide.

3 minutes ago, et tu brute said:

Fucking idiot as usual. It's the rumour thread, but I don't know how anyone can give credence to any of the north east reporters after they were left scratching their balls on both the Isak and Wood deals. This bald prick takes it to another level mind. 

I think it takes quite a lot to publicly admit that, fair play to him.

4 minutes ago, Ben said:

If you keep with this line of sticking up for Edwards I'm afraid I'm going to have to ak that you be put in N O jail for a period lasting no longer than it takes for you to see the error of your ways

I'd say I'm more just sticking up for the facts, Edwards did call this and it appears to have happened. 

... So guess Edwards was, to a significant extent, correct then? Hrm.

Love that this thread was genuinely started to wind people up.

12 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

Just to play devil’s advocate. Trossard is 6 years older, had 6-18 months left on his contract depending on what was believed with his extension and of course he isn’t English. So no daft premium to pay. 
 

Gordon only signed a decent £45k a week 5 year contract only last year, didn’t he. I suppose he was also

pushing to leave, mind. 
 

Would have rather had Trossard. But I can see why Howe would want Gordon and thinks he can fit the system. Plus Arsenal are a more attractive club to join at this stage. 

Yeh, I think these are all good points - especially on wages, you'd imagine. I always find the English premium so strange, I'd have thought there would more be a PL experience premium more than English-specific. I think other posters have correctly pointed out that we're also paying for long-term potential, but it's not like Trossard doesn't have time and room to grow. I'd imagine we inquired given Ashworth's connections. 

Absolutely agree re: attributes Gordon has which attract Howe. Good post.

3 minutes ago, dinotheprehistoricgeordie said:

£45 million

 

What the fuck are we doing. Talking about needing to think about financial fair play then spending £45 million on Gordon, I don't get this at all.

FFP concern is with wages-to-turnover ratio, not as much with purchase price. 

1 minute ago, PauloGeordio said:

I hope he’s in the squad for Tuesday. Looking forward to his progression under the best manager in the league! 
 

Isn't he cup-tied?

8 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

We do also have to recognise that there are some clubs who players still prefer to sign for if they are in for the same ones we are looking at. Arsenal are one of them.

Oh, absolutely. Was just saying I wish we'd have been interested - maybe we were but never got far as he knew Arsenal were keen. I reckon Arsenal pounced quickly, and rightly so, great addition to the squad. 

9 minutes ago, Rich said:

 

Six months left though, innit?

Yes, good point. I wonder if we were ever interested.

One point I'd also make is that (while I don't yet know the structure of the deal and what amount is payable depending on things happening), Arsenal got one hell of a deal on Trossard by comparison (if all figures to be believed). I'd have definitely paid the same amount for Trossard.

I suspect we're not adding a midfielder because Shelvey is about to be fit and Howe rates him.

It's also worth remembering, aside from the other clubs interested, that he was given game time by Ancelotti and Rafa (regularly by the latter) as well as being wanted by Howe. That's some endorsement.

1 minute ago, Scotty66 said:

 

The takeover was always going to happen one way or another. Even if it meant making a court decide. 

 

Edward said they walked away for good and wouldn't not be returning. He also said a nice man called Henry Maurice was about to buy the club.

Honestly, he's the absolute worst Newcastle reporter there is and constantly winds up the fans offering nothing but his poor opinion and fake rumours. 

 

 

I'm not sure I agree - it wasn't going to happen until the piracy issue was sorted with Qatar and the PL agreed to let it through, and there was a significant stretch of time when the Saudis did not want to concede on the piracy issue (as I understand it). 

Again, I am not saying what he writes is always accurate, nor am I saying that he's a particularly good writer or journalist. I also don't love that he was cosy with Bruce (but you can understand why, with it literally being his job to write about the club, that it would have been smart strategy at the time). However, my point is that a lot of people on the forum dismiss and automatically mock everything he says, even where it's objectively accurate or not particularly negative or even provocative. 

For what it's worth, I mainly start believing stuff when it's reported by the Athletic - they don't seem to have the same sensationalist / clickbait drive as English papers. I do, however, think the likes of Edwards and Hope can be a useful barometer for direction of travel. 

I guess what I am trying to say is let's not all just be in an echo chamber, and try to think for ourselves based on the facts as they play out and become available. If we do that, I don't think Edwards is any less accurate or reliable than most others. And, to clarify, I despise the publication he writes for, so don't tend to read anything he writes in detail.

5 minutes ago, Ben said:

The Saudis paid off Qatar then the takeover happened, the Premier league just rubber stamped it once permission was given

Right - so until that point, the takeover wasn't happening, so what Edwards was writing was accurate contemporaneously. 

22 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I could literally write that without speaking to anyone at NUFC and there’s a good chance I would be correct. And if I’m not nobody cares anyway. Best job in the world. 

But that's only on the basis of what other people have said and written, right? Like it or not, he does have some contacts somewhere which give him information which has sometimes been accurate and sometimes hasn't; that's all I'm trying to say. He's no different to any modern sports journalist. I can see the issue of him winding up fans, but to be honest having spent a lot of time interacting with some of our fans here and in person, I can sort of understand how you'd end up winding them up. A significant portion of our fanbase is very binary in its outlook, very myopic and worryingly alarmist.