TRon

Because on his day, he's invaluable. As rare as those days are. He's worth keeping for the goals. But if you are running a football club you have to weigh up how valuable and over how many years. Would he be valuable enough to keep in the first team next season and not have bought Cabaye?

It's getting so daft now that Johnny Hall is taking sides despite being one of those who wasn't even a fan of Nolan for most of the season.

Well not really, as it depends which journo's opinion you listen to. Funny how reliable Douglas has been made out to be with all the good stuff he's "broke" yet as soon as this comes out, no chance. Fuking gospel till it suits. Pathetic defence of the player on here, to be expected though. It's not even a defence of the player for the most part. It's just a convenient excuse to have a dig at Fat Ashley and speccy Dekka. Yup. Got nothing at all to do with selling our top goalscorer and club captain. All just an excuse to slag off Ashley... I wish someone could convince me of a scenario where we could buy Cabaye and keep Nolan on the bench on 40-50k a week for the next 4 years. Because that's how you would have to plan it if you were running the club and intending to buy Cabaye. Otherwise you wouldn't buy him. How come no one has said that's what we should have done?

You've got to be on the pitch to lead, and if Cabaye is starting next season Nolan wouldn't be. That's fairly obvious as well.

Well not really, as it depends which journo's opinion you listen to. Funny how reliable Douglas has been made out to be with all the good stuff he's "broke" yet as soon as this comes out, no chance. Fuking gospel till it suits. Pathetic defence of the player on here, to be expected though. It's not even a defence of the player for the most part. It's just a convenient excuse to have a dig at Fat Ashley and speccy Dekka.

We had a good, mostly English team under SBR. The key though is they were all young, hungry and mobile. To buy those players these days is virtually impossible for a club like us. We are even getting quoted £20million for Shane Long ffs.

WH are spending daft money but the type of players they are buying and their style under Fat Sham should see them back up imo. I suppose it will be worth it if they bounce straight back up.

Just confirms what I said before. The group of lads is centred round the British players, and tbf they've done a good job. But it reminds me of what happened when Arsenal and Chelsea started buying foreign players, there were lots of similar noises from the British players who got sidelined. Unfortunately we haven't got the money to spend on players like Henderson and Jones. or even if we have I wouldn't back it. Funny how Arsenal putting their experience out to pasture has coincided with winning fuck all for six years isn't it? Funny how Alex Ferguson packs his squad with British squad players for that very reason isn't it? I'm sure Arsenal fans would love to go back to the side that Bruce Rioch left them. They wish their squad had some leadership if that's what your straw man is trying to say. Well straw men tend to pick the points they want and ignore the rest of the message. When I pointed out that Barton had only mentioned the British players in his "team spirit" quote it sort of showed that he's part of a clique himself. Nothing wrong with that, I'm sure the spanish speaking trio are closer and the same will happen when the french legion arrives. There's no reason there still can't be a team spirit it just won't be exclusively British origin.

Just confirms what I said before. The group of lads is centred round the British players, and tbf they've done a good job. But it reminds me of what happened when Arsenal and Chelsea started buying foreign players, there were lots of similar noises from the British players who got sidelined. Unfortunately we haven't got the money to spend on players like Henderson and Jones. or even if we have I wouldn't back it. Funny how Arsenal putting their experience out to pasture has coincided with winning fuck all for six years isn't it? Funny how Alex Ferguson packs his squad with British squad players for that very reason isn't it? I'm sure Arsenal fans would love to go back to the side that Bruce Rioch left them.

It's fair enough that there are people for and against Nolan being sold. It's a risk to some extent but for me the club is doing the right thing by trying to move on. If I'm wrong and things go tits up I'll hold my hands up and say I was wrong and the critics were right. If the new players come in and do well, I hope those people who are slating the club now will do the same.

Well Carroll's not here for a start so that's a fair reason to suppose he won't be as prolific again in the premier.

I would have some concerns about whether we will be as defensively solid next season. We might concede a few more from set pieces if we overload the team with smaller skilful types. Hopefully we'll keep the ball better and rape teams on the break to make up for it though.

Just confirms what I said before. The group of lads is centred round the British players, and tbf they've done a good job. But it reminds me of what happened when Arsenal and Chelsea started buying foreign players, there were lots of similar noises from the British players who got sidelined. Unfortunately we haven't got the money to spend on players like Henderson and Jones. or even if we have I wouldn't back it.

Perhaps if his negotiation tactic had been a bit more realistic, rather than going straight in asking for 5 years, then it may have been more successful. Is that how your negotiations work like? In mine, one party says what they want, the other says what they want and they meet in the middle. Nolan was well within his rights to demand anything. 5/10/20 year extensions. I wouldn't give it to him, but there's no reason why he can't start high. He's entitled to ask for whatever he wants, but its certainly not a good starting point IMO. Even 4 years would be a terrible deal for the club IMO. He's entitled to ask for what he wants, but the club is just as entitled not to give him it. You can't blame him for trying to cash in on last season but there wasn't exactly a stampede of premier clubs rushing to offer him a better deal than we did.

and then dump him as soon as they get promoted.

Nolan obviously didn't fancy starting next season on the bench or he could easily have refused to move like Smith and Barton are threatening to do. It's not all the club's fault. Unless you consider the Cabaye deal was unnecessary, but not many people are saying that.

In fairness, Peacock asked to leave for family reasons, didn't he? Wanted to move back south? Yes he did say that, but if Keegan really wanted him to stay I think he would have. I think he saw the writing on the wall personally.

For those of you old enough you might remember Keegan selling Gavin Peacock and David Kelly after we won promotion despite the fact both lads scored for fun. It's why fans are fans an managers are paid to manage.

when you take the sentiment out of it, you get an idea of Nolan's real value. He's gone to West Ham and dropped a division. Why is that I wonder? Why the lack of interest in such a "crucial player"?

Aside from mentioning Guitierrez not too much to disagree with there. (Unless Enrique also has a sudden change of heart and signs up). Enrique will be the big loss, Gutierrez is still important too, depending on who comes in.

Beautiful.

sensible stuff Joey.

Because no decent premier club wants him. As I predicted. It's funny how many players who are so cheesed off at what Newcastle are offering end up flopping somewhere much worse. I think Nolan will do well at West Ham though. Big Sam with his direct football should be right up his street.

One of the players is not being offered a new contract and one of the others has refused to sign one so far, nothing new in that. I'm sure Jonas said something about him possibly not being here next season. Jonas is turning 28 this season and will be 29 before the next season starts. A player who has a game based soley on pace and turning 29 we should be looking to sell. Why? he's not slowing down. Some players can maintain their fitness well into their 30's, others start huffing and puffing by the time they hit 26.

Because no decent premier club wants him. As I predicted.