Mick

Nobody knows for certain how things would have gone for us if we hadn't sacked Robson when we did, he could have easily taken us to another level if given time. Keegan gave us 3rd place in his first season then went backwards to 6th before pushing on again and Keegan had none of the experience that Robson had to fall back on. I’m confident that if Bobby had been backed he’d have got it right again. If he’d been allowed to replace Woodgate with a defender and also strengthened elsewhere then we’d have been OK.

So Mort doesn't have to only beat the CL qualification he has to do so for longer. Does he also have to score more goals while conceding less and gain more points at every stage and in every game?

You're over complicating what's wrong. It's not his players and it's not the players he's taken over, it's his tactics and formations. Going to Wigan and fielding 4-5-1 is shit, simple but true.

Does the 'vast majority' as you put it thinking that we needed a change make it right? Where have I said that they were not given the bird for finishing 5th?

I thought not.

It's got nothing to do with re-writing history, my comments are based on facts. Robson had two bad starts before he was sacked and he'd managed to turn things around, who is to say that he couldn't have done it again?

Which subsequent events couldn't be foreseen? That we struggled to appoint somebody after Gullit should have sounded a few alarm bells. Sacking a manager at the wrong time sometimes becomes inevitable because of poor results, the timing of Robson getting the bullet was both premature and short sighted. Appointing Souness was easily a disaster from the minute he was announced, foresight obviously wasn't our strong point but the outcome was so predictable. completely or deliberately misunderstanding and misrepresenting the point. As usual. Try correcting it in your opinion then.

I didn't see anything in his body language to suggest that he was expecting the sack, I'm not sure what you could see. Why would he expect the sack when our league campaign was no worse than the couple before and had finished the season in a reasonable league position?

Which subsequent events couldn't be foreseen? That we struggled to appoint somebody after Gullit should have sounded a few alarm bells. Sacking a manager at the wrong time sometimes becomes inevitable because of poor results, the timing of Robson getting the bullet was both premature and short sighted. Appointing Souness was easily a disaster from the minute he was announced, foresight obviously wasn't our strong point but the outcome was so predictable.

He'd probably need a big S on his shoes to remind him what they were.

Bobby thought it was time for change? I think you need to go back to the summer of his sacking and re-read what went on before making that kind of statement.

I didn't think it was the time for change and still don't, what has happened since that time suggests I was right.

They wouldn't have to sack all of his staff.

Just a quickie, I doubt anybody is thinking about a flame war so don't worry about that. Secondly, don't under-estimate how things turned against Allardyce at Wigan, I would say it was a massive move away from him and I'm not sure he'll recover many fans soon, if at all.

If a manager is trusted by the fans then he gets time, Keegan and Bobby both had time. Managers who don't look like delivering don't get time.

Yes, yes and

The formation wasn't 4-3-3, not that it often is anyway. We were either 5-4-1 or 4-5-1 depending on Smith as he could have been playing as an extra central defender, I don't know which of the two we played.

I forgot to mention that Ashley was in the bar area before kick-off and the fans were singing "Ashley is a Geordie" and "Ashley Wonderland," he looked more than chuffed. I would guess that up to a thousand, possibly more were singing as the whole area was packed and people were singing as they came up the stairs.

It's just a rumour as far as I'm aware, I have no idea what length of contract he's on. Edit. It's not a rumour, he only signed a 1 year contract with Bayern and will decide at the end of January what he'll do after that.

I doubt .com would be in the windup and they are carrying what looks to be a quote.

Yes.

Lippi is out of work, isn't he? Hitzfeld will be out of work. The Special One is out of work but probably destined for a massive club.

I'm not sure, possibly a bit of desperation and a common name for everybody to get behind but it was very loud and it was more than once. All I can say with some degree of certainty is that he's lost the crowd and I'm not sure it's recoverable.