Offshore

Lack of communication between board and players to the extent that the players have now broken ranks shows unreasonableness of boardroom. Unwillingness to appoint Shearer despite everyone wanting him is unreasonable. Can't or shouldn't appoint a new permanent manager while the club is trying to get sold. If the new owner didn't want that manager and/or had their own guy earmarked then that would just be another extra expense to fork out to pay him off. Could be a deal-breaker.

Exactly right mate. No one will go until someone comes in so saying they want to leave because of the situation is ridiculous as the situation will have completed changed by the time they can leave. They might not go just yet but it's hardly a helpful attitude to be around the training ground is it? It's all out in the open now, our most senior respected player wants to leave just the same as our most promising young player. True enough, but one wanted to leave the moment we got relegated and one is pissed off at the apparent lack of action behind the scenes. Don't think anything can alter Bassong leaving, short of not accepting any bids of course, but selling/keeping the club and appointing a manager (Shearer or whoever) takes away the reason for the others wanting to go.

No-one under contract will be leaving until we've got a manager in place, we won't get a manager in place until the club is sold (or worst case Ashley takes it off the market again). Players (and their agents) can bump their gums all they want for now but its not going to get them out the door any quicker.

I am a Newcastle United legend, my brother got sent off for a bad tackle when playing at SJP (in a football match, no tricks).... Who am I?

If I was a potential buyer and I thought there was a chance that the fans could 'walk', i'd swiftly move on to looking at another club. We should be making the club look as attractive as we can to potential buyers not the opposite. Ashley wants to sell, we've apparantly got bidders interested - lets not put them off eh!

Total bullshit really. If 15,000 fans were to take to the pitch, who exactly is going to nick them and where will they take them? Besides, it aint rocket science, all we want is a Manager in charge NOW until the new owners arrive, even the fat cnut and Derrick could manage that, but it is clear his petulance has resulted in a FCUK U to the fans. They wouldn't have to nick everyone, they'd only have to lift 10-20 max, prosecute them and ban them. That would put probably be enough of a deterrent to most from doing it again. For the hard-liners (sic) You've also got close circuit tv at the game and still photography. All they'd do is try to pinpoint the ring-leaders, same as they do with the hoollies, stick their mug shots in the Chronicle and they'd be up in the courts eventually. Mission accommplished.

Luck.

Ability & competence. Ambition and stacks of cash is great, but without ability its usually wasted. Competence - just look at Ashley's tenure.

Just about every thread that mentions Xisco has a post or three somewhere in it with an allusion to his sexuality, while most have it has been said in a jokey way nothing has been said about it. Some people are getting a bit too precious over this.

I read that as Shearer being 'willing' to work with Shepherd more than 'prefer'.

Curbishley walked before he was booted out, he'd lost the fans and the team was doing nothing for him. Can see Curbishley being a prime choice of Ashley's if he can't sell the club before the start of the season and he still can't work out the problems with Shearer.

Can imagine the spectrum zx80's on wearside being busy........

Are there any of our players on £50k+ that we want to keep? Be alot more worried if they started trying to buy players for next season without a manager being in place.

Must be catching, I can't remember anyone (seriously) clammering for KK.

Quite hacked off Norwich got relegated, always liked visiting Carrow rd.

Exactly, whatever he decides, its imperitive he does it soon. Can't go into the Championship with the same indecision.

Did he constantly give away needless freekicks and shite passes for Man Utd / England? He is 'trying' to make tackles but because his pace (not that he had much anyway) has gone he's like Smith in more than not being late, or having to try a slider as he can't make up the ground anymore. His long range passing has always been suspect, however at Man Utd that wasn't his job, he'd just win the ball and give it to anyone else in midfield who could make the pass. We don't have anyone who is capable of passing short let alone long so he probably thinks 'fuck it, why not'.

The position he's played all his career demands a good engine, he could cut it with the best when he had 'legs'. His mind is willing, but the body isn't able anymore. Shame really, comes across as a good lad. Fergie knew when its time to move someone on, and he got this one right (as he usually does).

Come on who wasn't actually pleased to see Spurs in the bottom 3 at the start of this season and hoping they'd go down. Haven't got anything really against Spurs, but like someone said, who gives a real toss if West Brom/Barnsley/Bradford etc gets relegated - its expected. A 'big' and established team goes down, then its big news. Was gutted when Everton didn't get relegated during their 'dogs of war' season, again, nothing against them personally, but just for comedy value alone it would have been great.

Depends on what their definiton of a 'full-strength' team is. Don't think barring Fergie putting out his five-a-side youth team we've got a leg to stand on.

We're been in breach of those rules for most of the season.

Ashley. Its his club, his decision making, his plans. There have been some others who've contributed to this mess, but ultimately the buck stops with him.

or not.

Thats Sbragia nailed on to keep his job now. (looking for silver linings an aal that)

We 'can' get at a draw at Villa. So 7.5 if Fergie gives his back-up's / young'uns instructions to really go for it. 9.5 if not.