TRon

I would have thought Modric signing for Spurs would mean the end of their interest in N'Zogbia, as both are left-sided players. That's his preferred option down the pan. Having just signed a new contract this season, I think it will need decent money for us to release him as well. £4m that has been mentioned would do...as a deposit.

I just know what I saw on Sunday during Keegan's press interview on live tv. I suppose most of the press speculation is based on that.

Well I am giving it perspective by providing details of what went before it.

The irony. Of course people on here don't know either way and probably never will, but it's just amazing how the Sun has a full article about what the meeting entailed when there were only the six prominent figures present at the meeting. Who else do those people have to answer to? Who else do they have to tell what went on? I understand bits and pieces will get out to various people, but to know the exact content of the meeting literally hours after it occured seems a bit far-fetched to me. Especially when half of those (perhaps more) present were immediately back up here together for the Bobby Robson thing as well. I think it's fair to say that usually when a paper uses "an insider" or "a source" they have license to write whatever they like because it can't be proven that it was never said. It's one of the oldest tricks in the book. The papers know that it's been left on a knife-edge and the club has given them absolutely fuck all today in terms of telling them what went on, so they have to follow it up with speculation that the regular fan can buy into. The people who write the stories aren't idiots, by and large, these are educated blokes who are good at their jobs and who sell papers with their stories. That's why they write for the nationals. Obviously not every story they print is false, but I'd wager a lot of money that the vast, vast majority of them are based on no more than hearsay and half-truths. They HAVE to write stories, that's the bottom line, these writers will have been told by their editors that we're once again the hot topic this week, we'll sell the papers, so they HAVE to come up with a whole article to fill the back pages. Alan Oliver has admitted to as much himself on the icnewcastle website, in a video, whether there is news or not, they have to fill the column inches to sell the paper. What sells papers better than massive shock headlines and drama. They can't just fucking say "well, Mort said it all went well", can they? Who's going to buy that? The broadsheets have used those quotes and then speculated around them, the Sun has claimed to know (as always) that they know exactly what went on in the meeting. Howay man. It's obviously not all black or white, no pun intended (on two counts), but people should be seeing through this stuff a bit more by now. We love the drama though. I don't really understand the cynicism towards the press in this case. The speculation is all based on a live tv interview given by Keegan to Sky Sports where he raised most of these issues himself in front of the cameras.

You would think that more of our fans would have learned to see through the media reaction by now. It's a good job we're just a small club, I hate to think of the column inches we'd get if we weren't. The most important week of the football year with so much at stake and we've been headlines over a nothing story. Because the media would love it, just love it if we were to rise like a phoenix from the flames and actually mount a decent challenge for the title, so they could turn on us in the last few weeks and rip KK apart. Well the media love to rip into Mike Ashley too, only he hasn't supplied them with any ammunition to have a go at Keegan. Fair play to him.

Everything you have written of late has put a negative spin on information that is not necessarily negative and some information that is pure speculation. It reads as badly as the bile produced from the various papers in this country over the last few days regarding NUFC. If you could back your statements with facts there wouldn't be an issue. The fact is unless you've spoken to Mike Ashley you have NO IDEA what he thinks. So don't make out like you do. Top quality post bobyule. While none of us 'know' all the facts, that sums up exactly how I read the situation too. The impact of what Keegan said will be felt in many individual situations (that we will never know about or be told about) for the forseeable future. The impact will always be negative, unfortunately. He has let a sort of 'genie' out of the bottle (by admitting in public that we are a second-rank club) and it will take a very long time to put it back in the bottle - if ever. Keegans words could well prove to be quite "self-fulfilling" in fact! Making this club successful and an attractive place for top footballers to play, is now much more difficult than it was before he spoke. it's nothing one big signature signing won't put right though. Completely wrong. Old-style (Freddy Shepherd) "one-off" trophy signings will achieve nothing, other than confirm that we are still second-rank 'triers / failures'. I think you are missing my point. One off trophy signings are indeed pointless. But in this case a big signing would be a statement of intent which would blow away all the negativity following Keegan's downbeat interview. it would make us an attractive option again and would lift the manager and the support. I don't see how you can see it any differently.

Everything you have written of late has put a negative spin on information that is not necessarily negative and some information that is pure speculation. It reads as badly as the bile produced from the various papers in this country over the last few days regarding NUFC. If you could back your statements with facts there wouldn't be an issue. The fact is unless you've spoken to Mike Ashley you have NO IDEA what he thinks. So don't make out like you do. Top quality post bobyule. While none of us 'know' all the facts, that sums up exactly how I read the situation too. The impact of what Keegan said will be felt in many individual situations (that we will never know about or be told about) for the forseeable future. The impact will always be negative, unfortunately. He has let a sort of 'genie' out of the bottle (by admitting in public that we are a second-rank club) and it will take a very long time to put it back in the bottle - if ever. Keegans words could well prove to be quite "self-fulfilling" in fact! Making this club successful and an attractive place for top footballers to play, is now much more difficult than it was before he spoke. it's nothing one big signature signing won't put right though.

I honestly don't see what he's done to warrant anything close to a bollocking. This has been fueled by the press, end of story. I'd put money on it hardly being mentioned at the meeting tbh. What he's done is given the press a reason to go after the club again. When there was absolutely no reason to do so. If I was his boss I would bloody have a word and tell him to mind what he says, but at the same time I would try to draw a line under it and paint a happy picture to the outside world. At the end of the day this should have been an internal affair, KK should have held his tongue. If Kev feels he's not getting sufficient backing or has issue with the structure of the club, then airing those concerns to a negative press is not the best way to go about it. This is pretty much my take on it. Complaining publicly about contracts not getting sorted out is stepping on toes unnecessarily and it undermines his employers who should be allowed to get on with their business. It's no use complaining about the press if we are adding fuel to the fire for no reason. Hopefully everybody is clearer on any issues and we can start looking like a united team after this.

nailed it in one I propose Martin Jol's access be restricted Wondered how long it would take before I got dragged into this! So Mr. ITK whats the latest on Darren Bent's situation. Is Newcastle really a possibility? We'll only have him for £6 million though ... maybe we'll throw in Steven Taylor as well if you ask nicely. He won't be going anywhere for £6m! As I've said before, Ramos likes his work ethic but his technical ability falls short. Whether he stays or goes will depend on who else comes in. 4 more significant signings incoming and a larger number outgoing is what I've been told, but there are so many names being bandied about, you'd think were signing a dozen or more. BTW MJ, the talk that we are ready to compete with Sunderland for midfield maestro Jimmy Bullard is just wild rumour. Whatever you do don't tell your sister in law.

someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't he from somewhere in the north-east? For public consumption he claims to be a Newcastle fan, in reality is probably a devious mackem cunt trying to undermine the toon from the inside.

nailed it in one I propose Martin Jol's access be restricted

I'm fairly sure it's not Wise's job to do any of those things you've mentioned. I thought it was Veteres job to go and get the players, Wise to find players, and Morts to tie down current players to new deals. Anyway a bit harsh to blame Wise for missing out on Woodgate when he was appointed a day after the latter had signed for Spurs... |I don't know, I'm sure a way could be found if we scratched our heads long enough.

These London clubs all look the same from 300 miles away. They should merge the lot of them so it would be easier to keep track.

What happened to Spurs restrictive wage structure? Does one mediocre trophy make such a masive difference to these things? Where are they finding the money where as we can't?

Just seems strange that a) Ashley's best mate is a Spurs fan b) They keep beating us to the punch to our major target signings c) Dennis Wise is ex-Spurs d) Our scouts and coaching team all have ex-Spurs connections. e) Spurs have suddenly become a more viable economic prospect than us for a player we wanted to sign. I wonder if these are the questions Keegan wil ask of Ashley?

I agree with pretty much all of this. I think that the first time round, KK ran the club from top to bottom, he set out everything. And he's looking to do exactly the same again. I also agree that Ashley will be a fool to take him on. I think he [and his mouthpiece] have had ideas of their own on how to run the club [which have been basically naive, shite, and led to our failure to land 2 major transfers] but KK is seeking to correct this. It is absolutely essential that he is in on transfer dealings, he has to get the player and ask him to his face why he wants to play for the club and judge his character. This is the strength of Keegan. Some managers say they do it their way or else, but he actually means it. And my guess is that he will win, at least I hope so. When he has walked away in the past, its down to his basic honesty and also the fact that he has been let down ie when he walked away from here the decision of SJH to float the club changed the whole setup and he stuck to his guns. When he walked away from England for admitting he had done his best, he was tainted by the southern journos as being a quitter, when the same tossers slate McLaren, Hoddle and Eriksson for hanging onto their jobs. I know what sort of person I would prefer. The other side of the coin, is that if Ashley has a certain idea of running the club, which is different to Keegans, then for my money its Ashley who can bugger off. I have my own ideas about how the place I work should be run, which differ from my bosses. Chances are though they won't be buggering off. And the bit about Mort & Ashley costing us two transfers is bollocks. I don't agree, I think you are talking bollocks. For my money, Kevin Keegan knows more about how to run a successful football club than Mike Ashley and Chris Mort. In that case he needs to stump up £100m of his own cash then to finance the signings he wants.

Darren Bent or Cruz would be good signings IMO. I still hesitate about Crouch because for someone who's 7ft tall he still looks weak and I'm not sure he's fantastic in the air either.

The way True Faith are getting ready to hold Ashley and co to account you'd think it was their money about to be splurged on new signings. "Oi! Ashley! SPEND £100m on players right now you tight cunt! We DEMAND you make your bank account accessible to all season ticket holders as this club belongs to US!"

If Ashley has no money in the bank how come we bid for Modric? Did someone make it all up?

It seems the players weren't too impressed by Keegans words either. No one likes to hear their manager publicly telling the world his team are a million miles away from Chelsea and that we haven't got a hope of finishing in the top four in the next three years. It might be true but you don't have to moan about it in public.

Seems like there could be some truth in this going by the reports in the papers. Makes absolute sense to me. I'm a Keegan man, but buying big names past their sell by dates isn't a wise course.

I bet KK wishes Fat Fred was still Chairman. Shepherd should buy Ashley out and back Keegan with at least £100m I say. Come on Fat Fred!!

That's how I saw it as well.

Clever stuff on Stoke's part to scupper the deal. Don't play Shola when fit, tell him he won't figure next season, make it clear he can fuck right off, save yourselves £3m.

Where's the ambition? The Woodgate and Modric bids have shown it, as have the sacking of Allardyce and the appointing of Keegan himself. It's not unusual for managers to use the press to leverage pressure on Chairmen to spend the cash, but Keegan hasn't done the club any favours here. All he's done is given the likes of Martin Samuels the chance to stick the boot in at the slightest hint of opportunity and create an uncertain atmosphere about the club. Whatever is going on behind the scenes, I think we should be showing a united front, which sad to say, KK is not projecting right now.