TRon

If he's picking up his wages then he's obliged to put himself in the right frame of mind I would think.

Well considering he'd spent f*ck knows how long there, that's obvious! And tbh, I bet 90% of the people who hate him didn't know about him saying that. No it's not, you're either a Newcastle fan or not, to say you want Man Utd to beat us in a cup final is fair enough but to come out with the usual bollocks about how he's a Newcastle fan now shows what an idiot he really is. The Mancs are welcome to him. You can be a proud Geordie without supporting the football club. No you can't.

4 players were injured before pre-season. 3 weeks later we have 10 on the sick list. When exactly are we going to address it? I don't care what shape the players were in before, training should be adjusted to accommodate the existing level of fitness of each individual player and not push them so hard they break. If excessive training caused their injuries, Allardyce is to blame. I'd rather go into the season with slightly unfit first teamers than fully fit reserves. Blaming previous the previous manager for injuries now is absolutely ridiculous. My view is that the number of players who haven't been available to start games for Newcastle has been unacceptable and I'm very glad that this will be addressed. 4 players were injured before pre-season. 3 weeks later we have 10 on the sick list. When exactly are we going to address it? I don't care what shape the players were in before, training should be adjusted to accommodate the existing level of fitness of each individual player and not push them so hard they break. If excessive training caused their injuries, Allardyce is to blame. I'd rather go into the season with slightly unfit first teamers than fully fit reserves. Blaming previous the previous manager for injuries now is absolutely ridiculous. Just re-read what I said again.

Sends out another message that we have enough money at the club not to be bothered about losing out Dyer's fee. That is re-assuring in itself and should give critics of the new regime like Invicta and NE5 something to think about. To clarify, you think it's OK for the club to be run so Ashley bails it out and either uses his own money or the clubs to keep a player who wants to leave ? Don't get me wrong here, I'm not advocating being an easy touch, it may well be that this increase in the fee is to pay for a loyalty payment by Dyer, and I would actually be in favour of letting the little b****** rot if this is the case, although as Sam is the manager he will have to do the sensible thing and play him, but I hope he doesn't expect the supporters to accept him fully again after this escapade. You can't chuck money away, and you have to use your players to win games. We have been through this bollocks with Souness and Bellamy, and Robert. I'm asking this of you because you didn't respond to my post in "everything falling into place", number 237, and wonder why exactly you seem to want to make such snide comments about myself - and vicky - and presume for some reason that someone has supported the club for 40 years and not wanted us to be successful, just because we dont' agree with you ? Some people prefer to judge on actions when they see them, rather than wear rose tinted specs. I'll be happier when we start throwing our financial weight around and beating smaller clubs to the top players personally, and can't see anything wrong with that, can you ? Unless of course you yourself have limited ambition [bTW this is similar to the last comment you didn't respond to] I think if the clubs have agreed a fee of 6m quid he should stick to his word, and if Dyer has asked for a loyalty bonus then he would be far wiser to forget about it, he must know that setting foot in the quayside again would not be very advisable. What I am saying is that we are sending out a very strong message that we aren't desperate for the Dyer cash. If you like being desperate, well each to his own. Dyer is a Newcastle player on a very good contract, if he wants away, he could always buy out of it. As far as the post in my thread about "Everything falling into place", tbh, I just couldn't be arsed. I haven't got all day to wind up in circular arguments which end up in "Freddie always backed his managers" or "Remember life before the Shepherd?!!" FYI everything you said on that thread was total bollocks.

Since Shepherd got turfed out, Oliver's sources have dried up by the looks of it. He's now being a big a cunt as possible by running stories with a negative slant in a pathetic attempt to get back at the Ashley regime. Totally pathetic and sadly totally in line with character.

Sends out another message that we have enough money at the club not to be bothered about losing out Dyer's fee. That is re-assuring in itself and should give critics of the new regime like Invicta and NE5 something to think about.

You can see Ashley's point if you think about it. If WHU are going to pay in stages, it means they will be getting an England international for £6m. If it's paid in installments that takes their risk factor out of the equation in which case they should be paying the full valuation which must be closer to £8m for a fully fit Dyer. So I guess Ashley's reasoning is if you want him for £6m pay the full amount up front. If you want fitness guarantees over a long period of time then the fee should reflect this.

Don't see much wrong with what Sam's saying tbh. He's criticising the player's general fitness and saying it had been allowed to deteriorate. Compare Bolton's fitness record to ours last couple of seasons. If in a year's time we are still suffering breakdown epidemics then by all means have a pop. My view is that the number of players who haven't been available to start games for Newcastle has been unacceptable and I'm very glad that this will be addressed.

This post rates close to 10/10. I can guarantee no detractor will have the balls to debate or dispute it on it's own merits but may well hark back to the days before Shepherd and Hall as a crutch defence and attempt to divert the issues addressed. You would be wrong then. I can guarantee that no detractor, especially those who weren't around pre - 1992 and think that NUFC have always won trophies galore and the Halls and Shepherd are responsible for bringing an end to decades of glory, would have the balls to dispute that a young quality defender is just as good a buy as an older quality defender, as he can spend his career with you, but whether they are young or old, you have to be prepared to pay a fee if they are under contract. And the competition will be hot if they are good, and the competition will not be so hot if they are not so good. And if they are good, they won't sign for clubs that they think are not going to be successful, or clubs that offer less money than someone else. We did quite well to sign Woodgate. For big money. There was also unknown, or cheap foreigners over the years such as Dumas, Marcelino, Goma, Boumsong, Babayaro, Pistone, Charvet, and younger players such as Bramble, O'Brien, Griffin, as part of a "plan" for those who think everybody but us has a "plan". Lets hope these new defenders are better than most of that little lot, the vast majority of whom were celebrated when arrived because we needed defenders. The bottom line, is that if you want quality, you invariably pay, either with a transfer fee or in wages. Woodgate is the absolute proof. Or rather, if you don't, then your chances of success - depending on your ambition for the club - is seriously diminished. But - at least in terms of the ones who we paid money for, they tried, and backed the manager. Your argument is pie in the sky thinking and not based on realism. Yes we would prefer top younger defenders but at this moment in time following two years of inept leadership they won't come. Allardyce wanted Haim but he chose Chelsea. FFS even golden oldie Sammi Hypia turned us down. So which top defenders did you have in mind? Please don't hark to the past when we signed Woodgate as an example. That is no use to us at this moment in time. Right now, which top young defender should we be buying? John Terry? Maybe where you live in Zumba Bumba land you might think it's a possibility?

no coincidence you only name premiership defenders from Chelsea, who play so deep you don't exactly need to be quick evra 26 heinze 29 vidic 26 brown 27 ferdinand 28 ben haim 25 carvalho 29 terry 27 agger 23 aurelio 27 toure 26 eboue 24 chimbonda 27 king 27 meite 27 samuel 26 yobo 27 lescott 25 shorey 26 bouma 28 huth 23 pogatetz 24 woodgate 27 rozehnal 27 What is your point? That Chelsea are getting it wrong?

Fair enough. I'm just slightly sceptical that it's the same players breaking down as before, but if it's just minor niggles no problem.

another beauty

This post rates close to 10/10. I can guarantee no detractor will have the balls to debate or dispute it on it's own merits but may well hark back to the days before Shepherd and Hall as a crutch defence and attempt to divert the issues addressed.

Best post in the thread by a mile. Well apart from mine.

Baines, Shorey, Bridge? Any of them would have more impact than Smith for £6m. Bridge is going to play on crutches is he?

Thats just a rehash of the Chronicle. Nothing new. I'm just saying that it's on the official site, which lends it more gravitas to it appearing in an Alan Oliver article, dickface! Not really, as they reproduce any manager/player quotes that appear in the Chronicle every day. How is this puddinghead a moderator on here? I want answers. LOL

Bloody hell...a week ago everyone was shitting themselves because we were struggling to get anyone through the door...now we look like we may have got 2 or 3 signings in, two of them defenders and we are still carping! which defender should we have bought for £6m?

Smith is a straight swap for Dyer so no big loss there. Don't really see why people are complaing tbh. The defenders situation looks like it is being sorted which is the most important thing.

The "two ageing defenders" are just what we need IMO, would have been better if they had Prem experience but that can't be helped. We need experience to go alongside the likes of Taylor.

At last I am starting to look forward to the new season. Looks like we will have 3 new signings including two very competent defenders if Cacapa and the Serb sign on. Despite the fact they won't have Prem experience, the next best option was to sign quality, seasoned pros and they tick the right boxes there. The signings made haven't been spectacular, but so far they are very solid. We are for once looking like we might be able to go into a new season with a squad that can just about cope if all goes through smoothly. Get in there!

Would be like punching Phil Gartside in the face if it came off. I'm loving it.

Looks like Sam and Mort are flexing their muscle at last. It's showtime.

Hopefully the sentence will coincide with the period he's out injured.

I know these are just niggling injuries, but it still pisses me off slightly. If there are two players who you would like to see play a few consecutive games without breaking down it's them. I was expecting a trouble free campaign from Ameobi this season so hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

We'll draw at their place and hammer the Hammers at home. I think doing the double is a possibility but I think they'll get a point from the two fixtures.