Memphis

Dortmund officially announced the signing, 5 yr deal. Whether or not we actually bid, we had no chance once their interest became serious.

Theoretically exciting news. Were we the sort of club who cleared out older players with a plan in place, this would be something to be excited about. But we're not. He isn't good enough at this level, no knock on him as a squad member and apparently a genuinely good person. As was the case with Guthrie, who wasn't adequately replaced, either. So without evidence to the contrary I can only be wary of a thin squad getting thinner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRUj8dma0oo&feature=player_detailpage#t=5s

The only consolation is that interview was so embarrassing, so shameful, so cringeworthy, so disrespectful to players in addition to the usual disrespect of supporters, that it might actually cause someone, somewhere to rethink this whole thing. Doubt it, mind, it's fat Ash and his complete lack of self-awareness, but if any interview could somehow stop this from happening, it was that one.

Are you telling me no one at the club can stop this deluded senile old cunt from talking?

Ben Afra! Yohan Kebabs! See-see!

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY BEYOND BELIEF SOMEONE GET GRANDPA'S MEDICINE HE'S FORGOTTEN TO TAKE IT FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW

"We're having lunch. Er, dinner. I mean, lunch tomorrow."

"I told, Albert, er, Alton, er, uh... Pards that Jonas is the best player I've seen since a young Paul Miller led me to a runner up finish at Wimbledon in 1993. I spoke with Maradoner and he told me, 'Yoe - that's how they say it, funny blokes - Yoe, Yonas is like a young me.' When I managed Nepal and we had a young striker by the name of Yeti that led us to the 1992 World Cup, I learned a lot that will stand me in good stead here. I'm not a Geordie but I left this club leading this division and a billion miles from relegation. Those supporters who didn't love me can fuck right off. I wish they hadn't hidden my 7 Manager of the Year trophies but I'm sure they'll turn up."

I'm struggling to think of a move made by a club done with more contempt for its own supporters than this one. Literally not one supporter would have had good memories or thoughts about Joe Kinnear. Not one would have ever imagined seeing him back. Not one. Not one could have even envisioned it as anything other than a colossal joke. Yet here it is. Nothing this owner has done is more contemptible than this. And I guess all we can do is accept it because, well, it's not like we're going to support another club, is it? Feeling powerless and very sad at the moment. I'd like to be able to laugh but I can't. The idea of hoping that Pards stays on simply because it delays Joe fucking Kinnear is unimaginably depressing.

"I've been in discussion with David Llambi... with Dav- er... with Mike." - Director of Football Joe Kinnear

Might be a Giggs but the new Bayer Leverkusen kit sans sponsor is fucking beautiful. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iSzr1LXHa9I/UYpKvpuw8dI/AAAAAAAAFxU/q1pkh2HFNbI/s738/Bayer+04+Leverkusen+13+14+Home+New.jpg Apparently it won't be on sale until they get it sponsored, unfortunately.

Barbara Ann by the Beach Boys: "Au -ba -ba - au -ba -me -yang Au -ba -ba Au -ba -ba ba - au -ba -me -yaaaannnngggg, from St Et-i-ennneeeeee Au-ba-me-yaaaannngggg (au-ba-me-yang) You got me rockin and a rollin, rockin and a reelin Au -ba-me-yang (au-ba au-ba-me-yang)" Done and done.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/10433825.Magpies_need_to_act_fast_to_land___15m_man_Carroll/ http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/10440844.Pardew_s_position_is_strengthened_as_Newcastle_look_to_make_summer_improvements/ Two Echo stories from the last week, both mentioning Wilfried Bony as a target along with Aubameyang. I know we've got a lot of members here who follow Dutch football closely, so they would know much more than me, but I've always been incredibly impressed by Bony on the occasions I've seen him. Think he would be absolutely perfect, physical lad - not the tallest but has every other quality you could want. Wants to come to England, fits our profile at 24, I'd be delighted if there was something in that link.

I hope so too although I don't think this statement or banning a journalist, thereby inflaming an issue, will have much bearing on that.

No better way to confirm that there is trouble within the ranks than to ban a journalist then issue a Pravda-style statement.

Surely that's rock bottom. I'd say it can't get worse but I'd be scared it could somehow. How bad is it when the 1-2 to Reading is only the third-most humiliating home defeat of this miserable season? Pardew is even more atrocious than any of us could have imagined at handling pressure situations. The more pressurised it gets, the more he retreats into a shell no matte how much the personnel we have indicates that's the wrong approach. His tactics aren't great but I am far more concerned about his psychological approach. Either way this is beyond worrying. If the players are listening to Pardew and trying to execute his gameplan, then that's frightening. If they've quit on him, that's maybe more frightening since he's not getting sacked this season. I can only hope this spurs Ashley the way the 1-2 to Reading did. He bought players on the back of that humiliation, maybe he'll get desperate enough to do something crazy like sack Pardew on the back of this.

Fully expect a Tiote red. Would probably be a blessing if he's suspended. Wish Jonas would get a red.

Our attack - if you can call it that - is so slow it's unbelievable. Forget Liverpool, Hartlepool would have no problem sussing us out and stopping us attacking.

Definitely don't look fit enough. Who that's down to is a matter for debate. As usual though, teams that modify their initial tactics tear us apart. Pardew's Plan S is so transparent that any idiot knows what's coming. Everyone looks quite jaded. And yet again as soon as teams press us high up the pitch we freak the fuck out and start lumping it long. Should have been up 3 at half, that was a good display. Second half was borderline embarrassing. That was a train wreck of an officiating job too. That little dipshit got at least 15 things wrong, big and small. Should be demoted on that evidence.

Yeah, they've said they're taking the Premier League's normal world feed when Arlo et al are not doing the match...

Everything, meaning every single game, will be available online via NBC Sports Extra, which will be available at no extra charge. You have to authenticate as a cable subscriber with access to those channels on television to be able to access the online content, but it will be there. I wouldn't be surprised if they offered an online-only subscription model at some point, but I suspect their business model is geared toward pushing people to subscribe to the cable channels over doing the online thing. This has the potential to be a huge leap forward, though. They'll do a two-hour MOTD on Saturday and 90 minute MOTD2 on Sunday, they seem to have decent enough commentators, I'm encouraged, really. Arlo White's OK. Robbies Earle and Mustoe are fine, I guess, not really objectionable, anyway. For some reason, Gary Lineker will contribute something, although what and why is still up for discussion. They are putting a lot of resources behind this move. It's the best package in US history by far.

There's no way the players should get away with this. He's the manager and takes overall responsibility but their performance was awful. That should not be taken as an excuse for the players. I agree with you entirely, the players deserve all the stick they'll get and they should be professional enough to motivate themselves. BUT - a team so bereft of inspiration in a match that big just screams of losing the dressing room.

Players seemed to make their opinion of him and his tactical approach quite clear with that disgraceful effort.

Worried. He's never been tactically great but he always seemed to motivate the players and they seemed to like/play for him. Today proves beyond any doubt that is gone. And he should be as well, whether now or in a month. It's over.