Mowen

I agree with your sentiment Parky, as things stand I'd say we've got the second best (probably just behind Spurs, although not by as much as the media would lead us to believe) base to break into the top 4 at the moment in the shortish term (anything up to 5 years from now is my guess) - although the depends on how much Villa and Pompey will have to spend I guess. If our next manager works for us, and if it is Big Sam I'd be surprised if he didn't, then we will certainly close the gap - I've not been overly impressed with Pool or Arsenal this season, although the Scousers may have unthinkable money now. As NE5 correctly said, the club with the best managers and the best backing will do best, as we showed when we broke into the top 4 under SBR. This appointment is very crucial - if it turns out well we could be on our way to top 4 within a few years - if not we've no chance. The gap is big, but it is bridgable.

I'd be hoping for a top 8 finish realistically. It's hard to say though - I'd probably rather we were consistently 'quite good' and hovered around 8th all season and finished there that start horrendously but go on a good run and finish 7th a la last season. What I'd really be looking for in the first season is a progression - after that expectations can begin to go up some.

Maybe not good enough - depends what the immediate aim is. If it's top 4 then no. Top 6 - possibly. Don't forget that Reading are only 2 points away and he's been their best CM this season. He's better than Parker though, and we could probably get a fair few £££ for Parker if we wanted - he is stil in the England squad afterall. If we got back what we paid for him and brought in Sidwell on a free and almost certainly less wages that would be an excellent piece of business imo. There's really ony stupid NUFC fans who think that the likes of Dyer and Parker are real England players, though. Most teams wouldn't be swayed by that. I'm not certain he IS better than Parker. And i meant top 6/7 - there's no way we have anywhere near a squad for the top 4, and we're not particularly a big enough club to consider that at this point. It's not just NUFC fans who think that Parker and Dyer are England players - it's England managers as well. I doubt very much we'd have got as much as we did for Jenas had he not been in the set up. Also, whether or not he is better than Parker is one that can be argued, but there's no way that Parkers enough better to be worth £6.5m more and (guessing, but approx) £20kpw more. Also, for a top 6/7 club I think that Sidwell would be good enough: if we had him, Butt, Emre and addressed our need for a real creative CM that wouldd be good enough for that position in the league imo.

Maybe not good enough - depends what the immediate aim is. If it's top 4 then no. Top 6 - possibly. Don't forget that Reading are only 2 points away and he's been their best CM this season. He's better than Parker though, and we could probably get a fair few £££ for Parker if we wanted - he is stil in the England squad afterall. If we got back what we paid for him and brought in Sidwell on a free and almost certainly less wages that would be an excellent piece of business imo.

I wouldn't disagree with this. However, I really don't think we're in much of a position to hire a manager who has proven he can manage a 'big' club well - for all this talk of Sven club football has changed drastically since he was involved. The reason I'm quite pleased with the idea of Sam is that (I'd imagine similarly to most people) he's pretty much the best we could have hoped for, especially if he's installed as soon as it seems he will be. He's not ideal, but he has a lot of attributes and will hopefully take us in the right direction. If he can't at least get us going then fuck knows who could tbh.

What was that twat called that used to defend Souness again? You remind me of him! I've got a feeling his name was something like John Mikel....

Yorkie, while you're here when will people get it into their heads that Roeder's going to be here next season man?!? They're all losing the plot around here, silly mo'fos

Genuinely a bit sad about it. Few clubs in the prem do as much for their fans - they may be a small club without many fans to look out for but it's really good to see a team that actually do.

Pleased for a numbeer of reasons. He's probably the best person we could have realistically appointed at this moment in time, and it's happening at the perfect time in the season which is obviously an added bonus. If this gets confirmed in the next couple of days it will be a dramatic improvement and a refreshing change from the last two manager turnovers. I can already begin to feel quietly confident about my £2 a point bet with a Pompey fan next season!

no, i was right first time. What makes you think Pearson is a clown? for one, he wasn't even good enough for sodding west brom. oh, and the fact that he's been sat next to that cockney wanker doing fuck all for how long?? aye, he's fucking class, him. Never said he was good.... Just seems a slightly harsh criteria that working for Glenn Roeder makes you a clown by definition. Thought he was meant to be a fairly well regarded defensive coach? I'd be amazed if anyone could do anything with Titus, Stevie and Rampage tbh. I'd guess the real test will be if he's kept on when we bring a new man in.

no, i was right first time. What makes you think Pearson is a clown?

Amazed that people would turn their nose up at Hughes. Has done well in the transfer market, got a cheap team playing good football and punching above their weight. I bet he does well in the long run - he's too early into his career to suggest just how well he would do, but he'd probably be my number one choice here, shading ahead of BS. Obviously I'm talking in realistic terms, rather than the mentalist who wants Mourinho, Ramos, Hiddink, Hitzfeld and probably wouldn't mind taking a punt of Shankly or Clough.

As with most people in this thread I disagree with the OP. This is absolutely the right time for Roeder to go; but we need to capitalise on that by getting in the man we want soon. A full pre-season with the new manager is pretty much perfect, and we should hit the ground running.

Wouldn't surprise me. Would certainly please me. EDIT: Would please me in so much as we would be a much, much better team than we are now. Not saying it's ideal by any means.

Why's that then?

I agree. Hughes for me.

hmmmmm Mclaren, Erickson, the media, Liverpool scouts who tried to buy him for 2 seasons running, Phil 'Pinocchio' Thompson who constantly has orgasms over him when he's on soccer saturday. Hope that helps That certainly suggests he should be part of any overrated players list Exactly my thoughts!

1. So that's what you are hoping me to say? Do me another favour. Please dispute the merits of my points instead of the merit of me as a person. 2. Hypocrite. On what basis do you believe Simpson is a better prospect than Bardsley?

I may be a bit behind the times here, but has it been confirmed that Sib is staying for another season? I've heard he will be, but not seen anything official.

I agree. He'd take us a long way forward; I don't see how anyone could not think that appointing Sam above Roeder would make a worthy impact. Many people believe Babayaro needs replacing (for example) and that £5m would be well spent on a LB. It is without doubt that upgrading to Allardyce from Roeder would be of more benefit to NUFC than that. Agreed. I expect some people oppose Allardyce on the basis he doesn't produce entertaining football. I just want to see us progress but then I'm not the one forking out £500+ for the privilege of a seat I'm not even sure he would necessarily provide bad football. When they're comfortable Bolton pass the ball around quite nicely; and you have to bear in mind that no team with Bolton's budget is ever going to be doing as consistently well as them whilst paying football that's pleasing on the eye: players that can do that cost big money.

Martins has done well imo. He's not been brilliant, nor even the best signing we could have made but he has done well. Add to that the fact that if we sold him this summer it'd definitely be for a profit. He has his deficiences, most of which are fairly obvious, but in a more organsied and better coached team he will do very well.

I agree.

I agree. He'd take us a long way forward; I don't see how anyone could not think that appointing Sam above Roeder would make a worthy impact. Many people believe Babayaro needs replacing (for example) and that £5m would be well spent on a LB. It is without doubt that upgrading to Allardyce from Roeder would be of more benefit to NUFC than that.

Heinze isn't. It was reported he was and Fergie quashed it by coming out and saying he's under contract until 2009. Can't be bothered to find the link but I'm sure that's true.

What's the answer that will satisfy you? That what you mean is that he's a better prospect on FM. On what basis do you think he's a better prospect, if not that?