STM

I'd like them too take at least a week sorting out the direction they intend to go in. Shearer wants to stay and they want Shearer, if he isn't our manager by the start of next year, then it will take another horrible cockup.

I would start Harper but with this kid in the back of my mind. He's obviously a good prospect and hopefully (well, surely) he will get some sort of chances in the coming season.

Considering our relegation is the worse thing that has happened to the club in about 25 years it's no suprise they are having deep discussions. However, i understand why people are worried that Ashley and Co will cock this up after everything that has happened in the past two years.

dowie has experince in management, especially at championship level and is a good foil for shearer imo. plus, he is a very good coach by all accounts. what would you base speed's coaching credentials on? not having a go, just wondering why people want him in? (for the record i have said the same, and im not sure as to why!) Coaching is something that can be taught, it's the leadership (and less so managment) that requires natural skill. All three mentioned there have natural leadership qualities (less so dowie IMO). I think Speed would make an excelllent coach, alongside the players, complementing Shearer's management and Dowie's coaching. In fact why not give Speed a player/coach role? Central pairing of Butt and Speed Set myself up for that fall.

I won't waste my time guessing with regards to his attitude but he was underperfoming due to ALOT of factors. Let's not be hasty in judging this guy as a footballer. EDIT: I am disappointed that a player of such experiance could not galvanise those around him.

dowie has experince in management, especially at championship level and is a good foil for shearer imo. plus, he is a very good coach by all accounts. what would you base speed's coaching credentials on? not having a go, just wondering why people want him in? (for the record i have said the same, and im not sure as to why!) Coaching is something that can be taught, it's the leadership (and less so managment) that requires natural skill. All three mentioned there have natural leadership qualities (less so dowie IMO). I think Speed would make an excelllent coach, alongside the players, complementing Shearer's management and Dowie's coaching. In fact why not give Speed a player/coach role?

Said the same the other day. We'll never be able to anyone near to his ability this summer and if anyone can knock some sense into his thick skull it's Shearer. I won't hold my breath though. There are few times in football that i believe in doing the "right" thing over the best thing but in this scenario i will make an exception. Joey Barton should never player for this club again, even if he turned into Messi. He's a thug and he's had far too many chances.

Nolan- Would keep with a wage cut and alot of pre-season training behind him. Taylor- Might make a good squad player in a championship side playing well (depending on his wages).

I thought long before Shearer came in that a coaching trio of Shearer, Carver and Lee (or Speed) would be brilliant. If the news is true Carver would be the perfect foil for Shearer (another man that the fans trust).

Reckon he might retire from internationals, the championship is a long old campaign. Agree that he should be captain, true proffesional.

Harper Edgar Taylor Bassong* Enrique Guthrie New Taylor Lua Lua Ranger Carroll *Hopes

Hold your nerves guys, i'm convinced we will score. Owen header i can feel it.

Villa won't come out in this second half and we will be given the chance to apply pressure. Martins really needs to take a chance.

I agree with this. This isn't the time to be spunking money on "big" players. More Bassongs and less Luque's please. That's pretty much a nonsensical thing to say. Obviously we all want to sign better players for less money, but it doesn't work like that. We did well / got lucky with Bassong, but in the main better players cost more money. I meant both were as a result of "scouting" and i'd prefer we took a chance with a low fee for a younger player than a big fee for an older one, regardless of the outcome.

I hope the wages of Geremi, Viduka, Owen, Barton and Smith alow us a few quid for transfers. That's the best part of 300k a week.

Elano would be a good shout BTW, however i think he will have alot of attention from other clubs.

Or it could be argued that he has the ability, regardless of form Seriously though i get the point you are making, i just believe there is a player in there if he is used properly. I wasn't suggesting he was going to be a Scholes or owt.

Spot on. We've had worse defenders than we have now and done miles better. Well, that and the fact that we simply cannot keep hold of the ball once we get it. Your mate doesn't help. More reason to get him further up the pitch! Players like Butt etc have let us down in the middle of the park, through lack of awareness and ability to keep hold of the ball. That's why i suggested Murphy, who isn't a spring chicken but has been playing brilliantly in that position and rarely gives the ball away. More over, that's why Guthrie has been a breath of fresh air.

I agree with this. This isn't the time to be spunking money on "big" players. More Bassongs and less Luque's please.

Who am i? Someone who has been on this forum a damn side longer than you pal. Oh and Nolan has NEVER been a box to box player. If you read it properly, I was inferring you were Joe Kinnear, Nolan has never played in the hole or at least not that I've seen. Why did we get him for 4m if he's so great when he would have cost 10m 3 seasons ago? Oh sorry i don't use pictures! Well i'm afraid he did play behind Davies, with Anelka playing on one flank and Diouf on another. In the centre they played McCann and Campo (for the most part). Players go through dips in form and when that happens their price does the same, no suprise really.

Who was that bloke who set up Lovenkrands? Nolan's not an old player and there is no doubt that at Bolton (when he played in this position, behind Davies), he was a very good player. Fair enough, his form dipped towards the end of his time there but i'd suggest doing something completely unheard of in recent years at Newcastle.... coach him. Providing we could get him fit and confident again, then that is what i would do. A couple of assists in one game (where he was otherwise anonymous IMO) and suddenly he's the kind of player we should base the team's attacking intent around? I'll agree to disagree on this one, because I'm at an absolute loss for words. So Nolan's s*** and has always been s***? Or do players turn s*** overnight dave? Perhaps there are other factors that affect a footballers performance.... no that can't be right. I'm not suggesting he's a world beater but that he could be an assest of used properly. Oh and Dave don't use phrases such as "at loss for words" to undermine someone elses posts, your normally better than that. LIke I said before which you obviously didn't read, he's never played there in his life, he played centrally as a box to box and his legs have gone. He's fucking shite It's seems you don't read as i didn't reply to your post. Try reading the quoted bit?

Who am i? Someone who has been on this forum a damn side longer than you pal. Oh and Nolan has NEVER been a box to box player.

Who was that bloke who set up Lovenkrands? Nolan's not an old player and there is no doubt that at Bolton (when he played in this position, behind Davies), he was a very good player. Fair enough, his form dipped towards the end of his time there but i'd suggest doing something completely unheard of in recent years at Newcastle.... coach him. Providing we could get him fit and confident again, then that is what i would do. A couple of assists in one game (where he was otherwise anonymous IMO) and suddenly he's the kind of player we should base the team's attacking intent around? I'll agree to disagree on this one, because I'm at an absolute loss for words. So Nolan's shit and has always been shit? Or do players turn shit overnight dave? Perhaps there are other factors that affect a footballers performance.... no that can't be right. I'm not suggesting he's a world beater but that he could be an assest of used properly. Oh and Dave don't use phrases such as "at loss for words" to undermine someone elses posts, your normally better than that.

I've always said that our defensive performances are due to our lack of ability to defend as a team, as apposed to the ability of our defenders.

In that case you can forget Hangeland, how much do you think Fulham would let him go for? Fulham need the money, i certainly think we could get him for less than what we got Coloccini for. Which we would not get a proven creative midfielder for, unless i'm mistaken?