STM

Robinson has amazing energy and is excellent going forward, I echo the sentiments on him as a defender though. I just look at a player like him and imagine what Howe could do with him. He wouldn't be my number 1 choice but he's a good player.

I find it bizarre that people think they are "helping" Chelsea. They are trying to attract "stars" to Saudi, in order to boost their footballing presence in the country. They are signing players from all over the place. It just turns out that Chelsea have more over paid shite on their books than most.

He would be and I would be disappointed but I'd also be convinced he wasn't our number 1 target.

That's well put. The more I think about it, the more I'm pleased that noises coming out of the club are about signing "elite" players.

I've been one of the ones wanting Maddison but I've no fear of losing out on him. When players like Barella are mentioned, you can see why we might not be as set on Maddison as some journos would have us think. Any midfielder of Maddisons quality and above, whether they are a 6 or an 8, would put us in a great place.

Craig Hopes transfer update Vlog thingy. Without turning it into a Craig Hope slag fest, it certainly gives me an idea of how Newcastle are approaching this window or perhaps more specifically how they want journalists to think they are approaching the window. To me, it's seems obvious that come September 1st, we will have the 2/3 quality additions that Howe wants. We are just playing the smart game. Just like last summer, we are going to allow the "big fish" to show their hand... Rice to Arsenal, Caicedo to Chelsea etc. We will wait until some of our targets are no longer on the radars of the clubs willing to pay huge wages. No agent is going to allow their clients to join us when someone like Chelsea have had a passing interest in their player. Too much money is at stake. I believe this is how we ended up getting Isak. The bad news is that we may have to wait a few weeks for things to settle. I've no doubt we will hoy 60m on a player if required though.

Better stadium- Wrong (depends what you want in a stadium, personally I prefer atmosphere and character to shiny seats) Training ground- Correct but for how long? Besides I heard Danny Murphy talking about how it made very little impact on his decision making. Global fanbase- You mean they have more people in Asia support them? I'm sure that's crucial in his decision making, also another area in which we will have caught up to them too. I certainly doubt they have a bigger UK fan base. Better Squad- Wrong. Just Wrong. Their squad is shite apart from Kane and Bentancur. High turnover- For now, yes. Again, I fail to see how this can attract a player? Higher league positions- Correct but surely you don't jump on the train going in the opposite direction to where you are going? Higher Wages- Correct. Sorry, it looks like I'm picking your post apart. It's not my intention. I understand Spurs is a massive opportunity for any footballer. I suppose it comes down to belief in a project. I'm sure their were plenty of Liverpool fans aghast when Sterling joined City, who alot of your arguments could have been said about them at the time. Timing is everything. Don't sign for the club who were good, sign for the club who are going to be good. Perhaps Maddison doesn't believe in the project? Fair enough. His choice. We can move on.

Works in the same place as George Caulkin, who literally told us that Maddison wasnt a priority. No wonder the fans give journos such shit, when they can't get their stories straight.

Alot won't like it, but there is a helluva lot of similarities between the two sets of fans. Apart from the deliverance bunch and the endless amount of topless 15 year old wannabe gangsters they seem to have, I don't have much issues at all. Of course, if there was a derby on the cards, I'd wish them all a horrible death.

I'd certainly like Teddy to stick around so we have someone sensible to talk about Sunderland with. Rivals or not, I'd rather proper conversation than playground nonsense. Let's not be like RTG, let's welcome a stranger and embrace discourse.

This week is the week like. Can feel it. Also, was this time last season that we signed Pope.

I'm fine with 2 quality players. Reckon we will get 2 or 3 for the squad also. Perhaps a south American etc. We will also sell someone significant.

Don't be fooled by his time at Chelsea, Cucurella is a good player. Remember, before his move to Chelsea, Pep wanted him. He's a good player, for the right club, whether that's us or not is a different matter.

I really don't understand why people get so worked up by threads, the creation of them, or the conversations that happen in them. Talk about Barella in here and if you don't want to talk about him or the possibility of him signing for us.... don't come in here.

I'm blocked from ToonMouthTyne, Luke Edwards and Steve Wraith.... I think I'm doing twitter right. ?

Football transfer season is like some social experiment. Alot seem to get disproportionately worked up by potential transfers or lack there of, despite us clearly being in a great position to strengthen the squad. I always used to think it was because we were shite and people were just getting frustrated but apparently not...

Still discussing Maddison according to Lee Ryder.

"Anything could happen", is a much shorter way of writing that.

Froggy is soooooo jealous about our Barella link.

That's why I said your average footballer. There are, of course, exceptions but there are thousands of footballers travelling between countries, away from home, even to places like Russia, Turkey and China, which with all due respect to those places, might not have been first choice. Of course the better you are, the more choice you have and I'm sure Barella will have alot of choice. I certainly wouldn't be worried about luring him to the North East though or at least not from an aesthetics point of view.

I don't know why this needs to be said but I will say it anyway... if you think your average footballer, who's prime career lasts about 12 years, gives a fuck where they are living, whilst earning millions of pounds and playing football for a living, you haven't been paying attention. Do you honestly think Manchester and Liverpool are beautiful places to live? I've been to both and neither are the Costa del sol(ford). Players move because they want paid loads and they want to win loads. In both metrics we are moving up in the world. Once they've earned a squillion quid they can retire in Miami or whatever, for now it doesn't play a particularly big part in a footballers decision. If we don't get Barella it's because we either can't afford him or he fancies somewhere with an even better chance or winning something. That's if he wants to move at all.

It was Craig hope who said 75 million.

Seems a fair trade to me.

I'd just like one more alternative source. Someone who doesn't cover the NE.