OzzieMandias

It'll be crap for me. My only currrent option where I live is an Irish pub that shows Sky matches. I've been wondering whether relegation would mean that online Radio Newcastle or Century FM match commentary might get unblocked to non-British IP numbers, but I'm guessing it won't.

"Why are Premier League teams so dominant in the Champions League?" http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/mar/10/the-question-champions-league-premier Interesting analysis.

I wonder how they expect to "get involved in the ownership" of a private company owned by a man they spend their entire time slagging off.

This final paragraph kind of hints at the alternative to Ashley's strategy, which is a speculate-to-accumulate policy of forking out for established players in the hope that you can then recoup the outlay by success on the field. Aside from the fact that we have Leeds as an example of what can happen with a run of bad results, is this a strategy that can work in the present climate ? With the gap between the top four and the rest being so large, and the huge cost, in fees and wages, of attracting the best players to a non-Champions League team, you could easily end up spending £50 million and end up with a team that's in the relegation zone. Even a few years ago, it was a risky strategy, but now it seems completely unrealistic. I get bored of Leeds being trotted out as a cautionary tale to everyone in the league. One example of a club that speculated and failed....but let's not forget they are still living to tell the tale. "Doing a Leeds" isn't the end of a club. It's highly likely they'll be in the same division as us next year ffs, even with all our frugality. What we did in the 90's shows that speculation works. The same as Villa are doing now. Look at the bottom five.... Newcastle Portsmouth Blackburn Middlesbrough West Brom What have they got in common? None of them have a net spend of more than £6m over the past two years. Look at the next nine up... West Ham Man City Wigan Fulham Bolton Tottenham Sunderland Hull Stoke Only Bolton and Wigan have managed to get in this position with a net spend less than £10m in 2 years. In football, the speculators DO accumulate. Current league position is dependent on spend over the previous 2 years? Even if the league table continues to reflect those positions at the end of the season, the myriad of interconnecting factors that determine league position are far more complex than just something as simplistic as that. We should have spent more money in January, you dont need a statistical fallacy to persaude anyone of that. Yeah, I've not done a thesis on it, found the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient or owt. Interesting trend though, no? And I did 2 years, because that's how long Wor Mike has been here. In that it tells us we needed to spend more money in January? We didnt really need it to know that. bobyule did. He said we could easily do a Leeds if we spent more. I was just pointing out Leeds are the exception. Not the rule. I'm sure there's another club that spent a load of money on players, had a brief flirtation with the Champions League some time ago, and is now struggling as a result of overstretching themselves in the attempt to "speculate to accumulate". What are they called again? It's on the tip of my tongue. Begins with an "N"... Not that brief. We were in Europe 8 years out of ten before Big Mike arrived. They managed a couple of years. I spoke of the Champions League. We were in that once about eight years ago, and one other time about 12 years ago. Since the Champions League began in 1997, only 6 English clubs have qualified for it and played in it. What do you think of the fact that 85 clubs have had NO "flirtation" with the Champions League ? The Champions League began in 1992, not 1997. Seven English clubs have qualified, not six. But you're correct, surprisingly, that 85 clubs have never been involved in it -- which means that you can't subtract six from 92. And our brief flirtation is still a "brief flirtation".

This final paragraph kind of hints at the alternative to Ashley's strategy, which is a speculate-to-accumulate policy of forking out for established players in the hope that you can then recoup the outlay by success on the field. Aside from the fact that we have Leeds as an example of what can happen with a run of bad results, is this a strategy that can work in the present climate ? With the gap between the top four and the rest being so large, and the huge cost, in fees and wages, of attracting the best players to a non-Champions League team, you could easily end up spending £50 million and end up with a team that's in the relegation zone. Even a few years ago, it was a risky strategy, but now it seems completely unrealistic. I get bored of Leeds being trotted out as a cautionary tale to everyone in the league. One example of a club that speculated and failed....but let's not forget they are still living to tell the tale. "Doing a Leeds" isn't the end of a club. It's highly likely they'll be in the same division as us next year ffs, even with all our frugality. What we did in the 90's shows that speculation works. The same as Villa are doing now. Look at the bottom five.... Newcastle Portsmouth Blackburn Middlesbrough West Brom What have they got in common? None of them have a net spend of more than £6m over the past two years. Look at the next nine up... West Ham Man City Wigan Fulham Bolton Tottenham Sunderland Hull Stoke Only Bolton and Wigan have managed to get in this position with a net spend less than £10m in 2 years. In football, the speculators DO accumulate. Current league position is dependent on spend over the previous 2 years? Even if the league table continues to reflect those positions at the end of the season, the myriad of interconnecting factors that determine league position are far more complex than just something as simplistic as that. We should have spent more money in January, you dont need a statistical fallacy to persaude anyone of that. Yeah, I've not done a thesis on it, found the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient or owt. Interesting trend though, no? And I did 2 years, because that's how long Wor Mike has been here. In that it tells us we needed to spend more money in January? We didnt really need it to know that. bobyule did. He said we could easily do a Leeds if we spent more. I was just pointing out Leeds are the exception. Not the rule. I'm sure there's another club that spent a load of money on players, had a brief flirtation with the Champions League some time ago, and is now struggling as a result of overstretching themselves in the attempt to "speculate to accumulate". What are they called again? It's on the tip of my tongue. Begins with an "N"... Not that brief. We were in Europe 8 years out of ten before Big Mike arrived. They managed a couple of years. I spoke of the Champions League. We were in that once about eight years ago, and one other time about 12 years ago.

But I have claimed no such thing. If you want to debate with me -- and I note that it was you who initiated this exchange -- please confine your comments to things I have actually said and refrain from trying to put words into my mouth.

This final paragraph kind of hints at the alternative to Ashley's strategy, which is a speculate-to-accumulate policy of forking out for established players in the hope that you can then recoup the outlay by success on the field. Aside from the fact that we have Leeds as an example of what can happen with a run of bad results, is this a strategy that can work in the present climate ? With the gap between the top four and the rest being so large, and the huge cost, in fees and wages, of attracting the best players to a non-Champions League team, you could easily end up spending £50 million and end up with a team that's in the relegation zone. Even a few years ago, it was a risky strategy, but now it seems completely unrealistic. I get bored of Leeds being trotted out as a cautionary tale to everyone in the league. One example of a club that speculated and failed....but let's not forget they are still living to tell the tale. "Doing a Leeds" isn't the end of a club. It's highly likely they'll be in the same division as us next year ffs, even with all our frugality. What we did in the 90's shows that speculation works. The same as Villa are doing now. Look at the bottom five.... Newcastle Portsmouth Blackburn Middlesbrough West Brom What have they got in common? None of them have a net spend of more than £6m over the past two years. Look at the next nine up... West Ham Man City Wigan Fulham Bolton Tottenham Sunderland Hull Stoke Only Bolton and Wigan have managed to get in this position with a net spend less than £10m in 2 years. In football, the speculators DO accumulate. Current league position is dependent on spend over the previous 2 years? Even if the league table continues to reflect those positions at the end of the season, the myriad of interconnecting factors that determine league position are far more complex than just something as simplistic as that. We should have spent more money in January, you dont need a statistical fallacy to persaude anyone of that. Yeah, I've not done a thesis on it, found the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient or owt. Interesting trend though, no? And I did 2 years, because that's how long Wor Mike has been here. In that it tells us we needed to spend more money in January? We didnt really need it to know that. bobyule did. He said we could easily do a Leeds if we spent more. I was just pointing out Leeds are the exception. Not the rule. I'm sure there's another club that spent a load of money on players, had a brief flirtation with the Champions League some time ago, and is now struggling as a result of overstretching themselves in the attempt to "speculate to accumulate". What are they called again? It's on the tip of my tongue. Begins with an "N"...

Yeah, bring back Andy O'Brien, Garry Brady, Stephen Glass and Wayne Quinn! or Craig Bellamy, Laurent Robert, Kieron Dyer, Gary Speed, Dietmar Hamman, Jonathon Woodgate, Micheal Owen, Jermaine Jenas, Gary Speed, Duncan Ferguson, Hugo Viana, Oba Martins, Scott Parker........you've got a good handle on the club, with a good view from Berlin there. My point, which was a reply to Jayson, stands. It's nonsense to maintain that Nolan or Ryan Taylor wouldn't have been good enough for us in the past, given that we signed and fielded plenty of players who were just as mediocre, or worse. I could have listed more. Naming better signings doesn't change that fact. And I fail to see what my current geographical location has to do with it. the point being - which I'm not sure you realise but nor do I care - is that you need SOME top quality players in your side, and pay the going rate for them if you want to be a top clb. The Ashley way so far is to sell our best players and replace them with cheaper. Which is nothing other than the actions of a 2nd rate selling club. Anyone who has experienced this, can see it quite clearly. We buy an inferior player from a club like Wigan, [losing a better one who wants to leave and sign for Wigan] and you are trying to justify it ? Says everything. Yes, I believe many of us have heard you make this point once or twice before. And of course everyone would like us to have the best players possible. That surely goes without saying. My point was different. It was that it is nonsense to say that Nolan and Ryan Taylor would not have been good enough for us in the past. You seem here ("I've no problem with Nolan who is a decent player and has a lot of spirit and leadership about him") to be agreeing with me, and yet you confusingly claim to be "absolutely" agreeing with Jayson too. you think we are making good signings then, of the calibre of Bellamy and Robert etc who shot us into the Champs League ? I'm sorry, but where did I say that?

Yeah, bring back Andy O'Brien, Garry Brady, Stephen Glass and Wayne Quinn! or Craig Bellamy, Laurent Robert, Kieron Dyer, Gary Speed, Dietmar Hamman, Jonathon Woodgate, Micheal Owen, Jermaine Jenas, Gary Speed, Duncan Ferguson, Hugo Viana, Oba Martins, Scott Parker........you've got a good handle on the club, with a good view from Berlin there. My point, which was a reply to Jayson, stands. It's nonsense to maintain that Nolan or Ryan Taylor wouldn't have been good enough for us in the past, given that we signed and fielded plenty of players who were just as mediocre, or worse. I could have listed more. Naming better signings doesn't change that fact. And I fail to see what my current geographical location has to do with it. the point being - which I'm not sure you realise but nor do I care - is that you need SOME top quality players in your side, and pay the going rate for them if you want to be a top clb. The Ashley way so far is to sell our best players and replace them with cheaper. Which is nothing other than the actions of a 2nd rate selling club. Anyone who has experienced this, can see it quite clearly. We buy an inferior player from a club like Wigan, [losing a better one who wants to leave and sign for Wigan] and you are trying to justify it ? Says everything. Yes, I believe many of us have heard you make this point once or twice before. And of course everyone would like us to have the best players possible. That surely goes without saying. My point was different. It was that it is nonsense to say that Nolan and Ryan Taylor would not have been good enough for us in the past. You seem here ("I've no problem with Nolan who is a decent player and has a lot of spirit and leadership about him") to be agreeing with me, and yet you confusingly claim to be "absolutely" agreeing with Jayson too.

Yeah, bring back Andy O'Brien, Garry Brady, Stephen Glass and Wayne Quinn! or Craig Bellamy, Laurent Robert, Kieron Dyer, Gary Speed, Dietmar Hamman, Jonathon Woodgate, Micheal Owen, Jermaine Jenas, Gary Speed, Duncan Ferguson, Hugo Viana, Oba Martins, Scott Parker........you've got a good handle on the club, with a good view from Berlin there. My point, which was a reply to Jayson, stands. It's nonsense to maintain that Nolan or Ryan Taylor wouldn't have been good enough for us in the past, given that we signed and fielded plenty of players who were just as mediocre, or worse. I could have listed more. Naming better signings doesn't change that fact. And I fail to see what my current geographical location has to do with it.

Yeah, bring back Andy O'Brien, Garry Brady, Stephen Glass and Wayne Quinn!

It doesn't have any other name except "The Emirates".

Yeah, like Shepherd's finally going to put some money into the club now he's no longer anything to do with it.

It ain't going to happen. There aren't enough local companies with the kind of national or international reach who'd benefit from such expensive publicity -- Sage already have a concert hall, Northern Rock already have the shirt and are anyway in trouble. The Gregg's Stadium? Can't see it. This kind of money is in any case going to become more and more difficult to access as the recession deepens. Companies have better things to spend their money on. And the kind of sportswear companies that depend on marketing -- Adidas or whatever -- are unlikely to be interested in strugglers like us.

unlucky. Erm...you've highlighted my point. He accept we want to hear from him direct, but he's not going to make it happen. Ashley's carrying too much excess fat IMO. He's portraying a bad image of the region as a bunch of toon fatties. Add that to your list of gripes, I'm going to mail the NUSC to see if they can include it on the agenda for the next meeting.

This has long been my contention about the current situation. Things look bad, but they'd look a fuck of a lot worse if we didn't have someone willing and able to pump enough into the club to keep us going. Yeah, the squad badly needs investment. Yeah, we badly need a better manager. Yeah, they're not very good communicators, appointed Keegan without realising how much they'd have to spend to keep him happy, and failed to predict or deal effectively with the mass hysteria that followed his departure. But they're right to try and get the finances under control because, for clubs other than the regular CL qualifiers, it's no longer going to be possible to live on credit and hope for the best. Be interesting to see how many clubs fail to find new shirt sponsors in the immediate future.

I live in Berlin, and didn't notice any inflation of food or booze prices for World Cup 2006. In fact, my local gave a free beer to everyone in the place, regulars and visitors alike, every time Germany were playing. I didn't try to buy any tickets outside the stadium, but a friend of mine got into several group matches that way, and didn't have to pay massively over the odds.

The first chancellor to introduce monetarist policies was Denis Healey, FWIW.

I was mercilessly unsympathetic to acquaintances who support Leeds, Coventry, Sheffield Wednesday, Forest etc, so I have zero right to complain should anyone dish the same stuff at me.

Well, let's face it, if you had the opportunity to do so, you'd be giving it back in spades -- and then they'd all be scowling with thirst. Or something.

As Ashley is putting money into the club and not taking any back out, the answer is clearly nothing.

I think the fuss over the survey is nowt but a storm in a teacup, frankly.

The whole of the club's website is piss-poor, though, not just the survey, and that is nothing new.

"Cockney Surveys Outt!!1!"