TRon

It's like QPR. Richest owners you could possibly hope for, and Warnock is bleating on today that Routledge wanted to go to them but the couldn't afford a deal. Seriously? Why did they buy the club? To make a profit clearly.

You'd like to think that when Liverpool eventually pitch in with an offer close to being acceptable a couple of days before the transfer deadline we'd tell them unless we can get a replacement in at short notice Enrique won't be leaving. That would be the way any normal club with standards to maintain would deal with it. I really hope this time round we don't end up capitulating like a pimp on crack and instead tell them to go fuck themselves.

Huh? Why does that matter? Read the previous posts. It's the difference between the Gosling/Ben Arfa deals and this. We aren't paying Barnetta's market value. Last year of his contract, ain't it? I'd imagine you'd pay at least double that otherwise, so it's the perfect Mike Ashley signing. N'Zogbia just went for 9m+ I'd say Barnetta would be going for €10m if he wasn't in the final year of his contract. So in that sense it's not his true market value, be another great piece of scouting if we get him. On the flip side it will be another opportunity missed if we don't. The way things have been going I wouldn't put too much faith in us tying this one up, especially as I am pretty sure we won't sign him unless Barton leaves.

Like Colocho says, it seems to me that Pardew would probably go along with getting rid of Barton but he is now thinking "what's the chances of a replacement coming in?" No wonder he's hedging his bets at this moment.

That's a good interview by Pardew but I feel sorry for the bloke. He has held the corner well for his bosses but it's time they showed him similar support and give him the players he needs. I don't really care how it's done, which wage structures are flexed or which shitface agents are bunged. Just fucking do it.

Are you listening Mike? Old grievances are going to get multiplied and explode even on the most friendliest, sympathetic forums if it's felt you are taking the piss.

He's pretty much divorcing himself from the board's apathy in getting in the players we need. The fact he's putting it out in public suggests he's not getting much joy in private and must be pretty frustrated at the position he's being put in by the lack of incoming transfers. He's been saying similar things in public about needing to convince them to spend ever since Carroll went. This is nothing new really. The timing is astonishing like. It's starting to sound like Keegan in the summer before he left. I'd say Ashley and Dekka need to realise where the blame will fall if the players we need don't end up on our books by the deadline. There's been more than enough time, more than enough resources and more than enough managers to take the fall.

Keegan did actually scoff recently at the idea that Pardew would be given any money to spend. I can't believe Ashley would be so stupid as to rubber stamp Keegan's view by failing to back his own preferred choice as manager with any investment. It's not even as if he has to buy the players Pardew wants. Just buy the players your scouts want.

He's pretty much divorcing himself from the board's apathy in getting in the players we need. The fact he's putting it out in public suggests he's not getting much joy in private and must be pretty frustrated at the position he's being put in by the lack of incoming transfers.

I think his actions over the past few months have shown that he lacks leadership. He has desire but it is mostly self-centred. I would be happier if he left as I don't think he's as interested in the team's future as his own, and with so many new players to bed in, he's shown little interest in helping them acclimatise.

could still be one of the best if we get a couple of decent signings through the door.

Aye. Change it to "tosser"

The updates on Erdinc and Long: we aren't getting either.

Fair point, but I wish we'd straighten all this out beforehand with the player rather than wait two months before finding out what he wants.

Pardew himself has said on so many occasions that it looks like Jose will be off and is pessimistic he will stay. So it would be either stupid or tight in the extreme if they are not looking to bring someone in because no firm bid has come in.

I'm fucked if I know what's going on.

If we want a tricky winger with dribbling skills and poor end product couldn't we just recall Lua Lua?

We keep moving on...it would be nice to actually get a deal done for a change.

If we change our mind on Barton because of the Barnetta snub then it totally undermines any authority or principle involved with putting Barton on the list in the first place.

The deal with Erdinc fell through because of his agent, we managed to fuck up Neil Taylor's signing and now this. Agents are a fact of life unfortunately, if we are going to get any deals done which are worth doing then we better find a way of dealing with it. This doesn't look good for the prospects of signing the much needed striker either.

Good to see that once you are rid of the current owners you are prepared to hold the new ones in such high regard

Does anybody even buy official shirts in Korea? Since these countries are the kings of the unofficial replica I'd be highly dubious.

Unreal if he did, a billion miles away last night but this morning? Who fuking knows. I feel its an attempt by the club to win favour with the fans, to show they tried everything...either that or he's not getting the offers he was told e would get and the club have turned round and said sack your agent and we can settle this with a new contract. Would be brilliant to see that c*** sacrificed in all this. Think it's all straw clutching and he'll still leave though. Barnetta will do me as a replacement though. if barton did sign a new contract it would be win win for every party. he would hold abit more value for when he does move in the future and he is likely to take a small wage cut. for the pardew he gets to keep a senior pro and a good squad member with some quality. it sounds like the board just have some personal dislike for him, but that said, if there willing to sort it out, then whats stopping him sign a new contract down the line? i still think barnetta will come in whatever now routledge has gone, we are very short on attacking players in general, and having barton and barnetta would give us alot more options on the right hand side. What this episode has shown us is, that far from the insane ramblings of Barton's agent would suggest, Barton doesn't hold any resale value. No club has taken up the option to sign even on a free transfer. If Barton wants to climb down off his high horse and sign a new contract on reasonable terms, fair enough, but if I was Pardew I'd have difficulty in trusting him again. If he stays it will be just to play out the last year while behaving himself I would have thought.

Would prefer if Barnetta came, Barton stayed and everything turned out Hunky Dory! Barton doesn't strike me as the type who would sit happily on the bench while Barnetta started in his place. Would give Barnetta a season to "bed in" and get used to the English game whilst Joey runs down the last season of his conract. That would only happen if the club feel they can now trust Barton again. Frankly after his shenanigans for the last six months I'd be surprised. The last thing we need is a bitter senior pro who resents being pushed out by the new signings.

I don't think they're bluffing, they just can't force him to leave because he's under contract. Surprised Derek hasn't pulled his "force" player to sign a transfer request Jedi mind trick TBF. They can technically force him out by telling him he wont be selected in the squad list meaning Barton will sit doing nowt for a year, cant think how a season on his arse will help clubs want him in 12 months. Barton would then have the choice of career over petulence Ashley might be a penny pincher but I think he's quite capable of paying Barton while refusing to let him be part of the squad if he wants to be awkward.