Cronky

Yes, very quick and agile for a 6'6" beanpole. I imagine we won't be the only ones interested, but having said that, we would probably be able to give him games very soon if not right away. I like his attitude too.

I think my last post in reply to DC Magpie answers some of that. At the Premier League level, it's difficult to find players that excel at both aspects of the game - athletic and technical. Coaching makes a difference but players still operate within a certain profile. Eddie achieved a lot with players of a more athletic aspect, and there really wasn't much choice considering that he took over a side who were rock bottom. However, there's no reason to think that he doesn't want more technical players eg Isak, Hall.

I think this summer we are going to see a transition to a more versatile kind of game. However, technical players who are near to or at the finished product will tend to end up at the likes of Arsenal or Man City. That's the grim reality that we found last summer when we went for the likes of Joao Pedro and Cunha. We will probably have to focus on the younger, developing part of the market, which will make a top five position more difficult in the short-term. Whether the supporters will be patient and supportive through that is another matter though. Expectations have been raised. Eddie probably isn't out of the woods yet, and will need the backing of the owners. Where we differ is whether the current position is suggestive of incompetence on Eddie's part. I don't think it is at all.

We don't have the players to play a possession-based style. Is it realistic, when we've won our first major trophy for 70 years and we've had two CL campaigns by playing a certain way, to have another group of players at at the ready who can effectively play an alternative style? Get real.

For all your talk about formations and tactics in this and your previous post, you seem to be ignoring the most significant factor in our poor form - namely the relentless fixture demands, and the difficulty of overcoming some much improved Premiership teams after a midweek game. Of the teams playing in Europe, ourselves, Spurs, Palace, Forest, Chelsea and Liverpool clearly underperformed in the league - some badly so. Arsenal and Man City were okay, but their squads consisted of two first teams rather than a first team and a back-up. You may see Villa as the exception, but the Europa League is now a cakewalk for the PL sides. It is more than two years since any English team was knocked out of it by a Continental side. Forest would probably have won it this time round if they hadn't met Villa. The issue of conceding late goals and throwing away leads has been discussed on here. For me, the explanation is simple - the players were knackered.

I don't agree with your analysis, but I've already posted at some length on what I see as the causes of our problems this season, so I won't repeat myself. I have to take issue with you on this idea that our top targets chose to join other clubs because they disliked Eddie's tactics. Cunha, Mbeuno and Sesko went to Man United. Joao Pedro went to Chelsea and Ekitike went to Liverpool. They all went to clubs who would pay higher wages and who had a better overall record of success. Even since the Saudis arrived, we have yet to win a transfer battle with any of the 'big six'. People sometimes cite Bruno, but we put in an offer and Arsenal didn't. Maybe they'd have put in an offer in the summer, maybe not. Whatever, I think your theory is fanciful. I do also wonder about the effect that Gordon has had on morale in these latter stages. It looks like he has already agreed terms with Bayern and we will be stuck with a fait accompli in the same way as Isak. For whatever reason, Eddie has kept him on the bench for several games. Gordon has already decided, it seems quite brazenly, that he can do better than us. That can't have been a help to team morale. And let's not pretend that he's choosing Bayern for anything other than the usual reasons of money and success.

I wish that the NO threads from that era were still available. If so, you would see that the vast majority of members were calling for his sacking. I had got to the position that, although I wanted him to stay, the atmosphere had grown so toxic that his job had become impossible. He was under attack not only from the Geordie supporters, but also the Geordie media, the Geordie Chairman and his Geordie captain. The issue that Freddie Shepherd completely mismanaged was Shearer's future. There was the tentative expectation that Shearer would take over from Sir Bob. As the Geordie hero, the heir apparent and the hope for the future, he was in far too powerful a position for a player. The reality was that his successor on the playing field should have been in place two seasons before his retirement, and there should have been no sense of Sir Bob keeping the managerial seat warm for him. In practice, I think Shearer was always wary of the enormous 24/7 demands and pressure of management, and was only stalling to keep his options open. The relationship between Sir Bob and his captain became very tense, and could not have been helpful for the team. Freddie was a starry-eyed fan and backed the wrong man. It became difficult to recruit a new manager because no-one who wasn't desperate would want to take a post where the previous guy had been sacked after three top-five finishes, and where it looked like they might just be keeping the seat warm for the captain. Shearer the player by that stage had become undroppable. So we ended up with Mr Desperate - something like our 5th choice in the shape of Souness. At the time, I was disgusted at the foolishness that had operated at all levels of the club. I sent Sir Bob a letter of support and received a letter in reply. I hoped never to see something like that again, and as I've said, the thought that it might happen to Eddie - the best manager we've ever had in my 60+ years of being a supporter - just fills me with dread.

I don't know the other contenders, but if you put a bit of context to Osula's goal, then it must be right up there. The team was struggling in the last minute of the 90, to hold on with 10 men against a top side, and then an unfancied rookie intercepts the ball in his own half, charges up field, beats a man and hits an unstoppable shot right in the corner. It was so unexpected, so unreal, that I was laughing in shock.

There have been a number of posts which question Eddie's ability when it comes to identifying and signing players, but his overall record is very good. Things went awry last summer, but I don't think that was his fault. Eddie took over a team that was firmly in the relegation zone, without a win, and looking like they were going to go down with about 20 points. The signings that were made saved us from the drop, but they were limited in quality because we couldn't afford anything like top drawer, and many players weren't going to sign for a club is so much trouble. The exception was Bruno, but even in his case we were the only ones in for him. Arsenal were humming and hahing about a move in the summer, and that was about it. Eddie took us from that position to Champions League the next season, and our first major trophy for 70 years two years after that, along with another top five place. That was rightly hailed as a bit of a miracle of over-achievement. Yes, there were some good signings - notably Isak and Tonali - but even then we were the only ones after them at the time, and I think that both have played the best football of their careers under his management. Last summer's window was a bit of a shitshow, but that was largely caused by the absence of a DOF and CEO. In order to replace Isak, we went after Cunha, Mbeuno, Ekitike, and Sesko. None of them turned us down, but we were used as a backstop in case their preferred move to a 'big six' club failed to materialise. Perhaps we were naive, but you never know until you try. We hung on to the possibility of Isak re-signing for too long, and then we had to over pay for two replacement strikers at the last minute. None of that is Eddie's fault. Our specialist recruitment service was non-existent. Woltemade and Wissa haven't worked out, at least so far. I thought they were good signings at the time, but you can never tell completely in advance. It is lunacy for four seasons of excellent work in the transfer market to count for nothing because of one season of failure. We deserve to fail if we don't back Eddie at this point. As I've said, thankfully the people at the club seem to be doing that. But it can't help Eddie's morale if he hears lots of moaning from the stands. Keep the faith.

Just to be clear, when I said he should be given a 'clean slate', I wasn't suggesting that his past achievements shouldn't count for anything. Just that all the external problems that have hindered him this season should not cloud our judgement. I don't think the owners are hesitant out of fear of making things worse. I think Yasir in particular has great faith in Eddie and intends to back him through any hard times, keeping focused on the long-term. And on the same subject, I really likely Yasir. I think there was an assumption in the media that the Saudis would be impatient and ruthless and ditch Eddie at the first sign of a setback. Instead, it seems to me that they've kept very calm and measured.

Saying that he's in the last-chance saloon now implies that he's at fault for this season's problems. I don't think he is, and he should be starting next season with a clean slate. If we end up struggling again, then any decision will depend on what the reasons are for that new setback. But let's not heap pressure on the guy at this stage. That won't help. I hated the final months of this season, not because of the results, but because of the reaction to those results, in the media and amongst many supporters. I'm haunted by the memory of what happened to Sir Bob. He took us from the relegation zone to 4th and 3rd place, and then when we slipped to 5th everyone seemed to be calling for his head. They got their way, but what a fantastic decision that turned out to be. Many years ago, as a teenager, I read Arthur Hopcraft's 'The Football Man' - still the best book about football that I've ever read. In the section on Managers, this statement leapt out at me at the time - 'past success is only briefly a glad memory; it quickly becomes an accusing finger'. That's what happened to Sir Bob and I'm reliving the nightmare of it potentially happening to Eddie. I console myself with the thought that our Saudi Chairman has a good grasp of the situation and isn't just giving Eddie 'another chance'. I think he knows the value of what he has and is giving him his full support.

Bloody hell, guys. One crap season and Eddie is second-rate and the owners are only it for the money. My take on it is that the players are not actually that good, and Eddie has overachieved with them. This season, there have been other pressures which have brought us down - principally the relentless fixture list, the quality of the opposition in the Premier League, the disruption caused by Isak's exit, the recruitment issues with no DOF and CEO, and not least the absence of Bruno at a crucial stage. We have been very lucky with him. He has barely missed a game since he arrived. He is a very important player and we felt his absence acutely. Saying that Eddie is in the last-chance saloon is not a well-considered appraisal of his record or ability. It is a knee-jerk reaction to a disappointing season.

This is a bit embarrassing. Woltemade has improved but still doesn't look strong enough for the Premier League. Wissa hasn't settled at all - maybe it's the pressure of playing for a bigger club. Thiaw and Elanga have had their ups and downs. The only signing that I feel securely positive about is Ramsey. We were operating in the summer with no CEO or DOF, and a yawning gap between the Manager and the Owners, who are not that experienced. Somehow we got through it, but maybe we could have focused on more realistic targets earlier - easier in hindsight though.

What this season has shown is that the overall standard of even moderate teams in the Premiership has gone up. Clubs like Fulham and Brentford can compete with the major overseas clubs for talented players. Unless you have quality in depth within your squad, you are going to struggle in the PL with all the extra fixtures that European football entails. It's not just we that have suffered. The teams just above the relegation zone - Spurs, Forest and Palace - were all playing in Europe. Palace are in a final, and Forest got to a semi. We were in danger until the Brighton win. I think a similar factor has also contributed to Liverpool and Chelsea's underachievement, and Man U have benefitted from being out of Europe. Arsenal and Man City have only been able to handle the situation by effectively having two first teams rather than a first team and a back-up. So I think the lesson is that the Premier League has to be given some priority, and that in order to move on to the next phase we need to build up a squad of quality. That will mean continuing to develop our young talent, and being patient because it may well look like we're marking time. I do think that those who want Eddie out are missing the big picture. Let's bear in mind that, in addition to the European fixtures (which included a two-leg play-off), we had cup runs to a Fifth Round and a two-leg Semi-Final. Overall, I don't think Eddie has taken us as far as he can. No way. The guy is top class. However, this team has peaked and we need to rebuild.

He has natural pace and strength, but at first I didn't think he had enough else in his game to make the grade. I daresay it's testament to his application and the quality of the coaching he's received, that he now looks effective at this level. I think it means that we don't need to try and buy a similar player like Delap any more. He's really starting to bully defenders. We need another striker as well, and the player who has recently caught my eye is Christian Kofane at Leverkusen. However, I fear that he's being chased by clubs that are, let's say, more advanced in their development than us. Big Nick is showing some nice touches, but I don't think he's quite strong enough for the Premier League.

Still a bit clumsy and naive, but he's now a threat at Premier League level. His emergence makes the task of rebuilding the attack a fair bit easier. And PS - that goal against Man U is well inside my top 10 of Newcastle moments.

I'd be quite happy to miss out on Europe. We seem to be in a cycle of Champions League one season, followed by mid-table the next, and I'd settle for that. The CL used to be a step up in quality, but, apart from the very best opposition, that's not the case any more. Even the smaller PL clubs now have the financial muscle to build strong first teams. Our CL group games were generally much easier than the League games. Unless you have a really great squad, it's almost impossible to compete in Europe without it affecting results in the Premier League. I think ourselves, Forest, Spurs, Chelsea, Liverpool, Villa and Palace have been affected by the extra fixtures. The danger now isn't just mid-table mediocrity, it's relegation. I also think our team has peaked and now needs an overhaul. By all accounts, this is the thinking within the club as well. It's best to do that without European competition. In the unlikely event of us qualifying for Europe, I'd use it to give experience to younger players.

It’s hard to know what to make of David Hopkinson's comments. Overall, it’s unlikely to boost team morale if there’s uncertainty about Eddie’s future. When Paul Mitchell was DOF, it came across that Eddie is a manager that wants a major say over incoming and outgoing transfers. He may have registered this viewpoint with Ross Wilson, with the underlying message that he may walk if the projected squad overhaul doesn’t go as he’d like. It may be Eddie’s commitment that is unclear, rather than the owners’. I do think the squad needs an overhaul. While I don’t think Eddie has taken our club as far as he can, I do think that the current team has peaked. According to the gossip columns, other clubs are willing to pay big fees for some of our players. Cashing in on their current value can be sensible if the price is right.

At least we had a go and attacked Barca. For a game and a half, we matched them, but then we ran out of steam. Ever since Eddie arrived, I've marvelled that we haven't conceded as many goals as I'd have expected. We don't have a defensive midfield player, and our back four aren't great as individuals. I can only think it's down to good organisation. However, in the second half, that area of our game was exposed. Long-term, if we're ever going to make that jump to the elite, perhaps this needs to be addressed.

My take would be that unless we win it, it's not worth bothering with, and of course winning would only be a 50% chance at the very best. A team that is capable of winning the League Cup is also capable of winning the Champions League. Only the very best European teams can compete with the likes of Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool etc, and we've proved that we can beat them in knockout competition. There's no reason we shouldn't aim high.

The League Cup is a far more difficult competition to win than the Europa League, simply because the best teams enter it. In the 11 seasons prior to us winning it, it was won 6 times by Man City, twice by Liverpool, twice by Man U and once by Chelsea. It's not a third-rate competition any more and of course entering into it is automatic anyway. As for prestige, does the Europa League really count for much? Spurs won it last season and their manager got sacked soon after. We've already seen how the physical demands of extra European games affects our league form. We haven't yet got the squad to absorb the extra strain with no cost. If we compete in Europe, I want it to be worth our while, and a team in the Champions League can attract better players than either of the other competitions can.

As far as I'm concerned, the Champions League is the only European competition worth entering. The other two have all the hassle of extra fixtures and few of the rewards. In terms of recruitment, are good players really motivated to join a new club by the dream of playing in the Europa League or Conference? I doubt it.

I've just watched Eddie's press conference. He's really up for this one. If he can transmit that energy to the players, we're in with a chance. And I think we deserve a break.

Just thought I'd share something with you all. I was talking to a Man U supporter a few days ago, and when I told him I supported Newcastle, he said, 'Oh hard luck'. Now in my 60 years of following our club, I've often had to take that comment on the chin and smile gamely. Not this time. I told him we weren't losers any more and that I was looking forward to the future. It was a spontaneous, natural response and I put it down to our great manager.