Unbelievable

There was a rumour over here in Holland about Adriaanse taking over at Sunlun..

Should have been a pen.

Good goal King

You must be watching a different game mate. I've only seen the last 15 minutes of this match, but already he has shown more in that period in terms of creativity and technique than our entire central midfield this season combined.

By the same token, which self-respecting club would be renewing Butt's contract and putting him first name on the team sheet? Or buying Liverpool reserves and putting them straight into their first team? All that is being suggested is that Shola be given a contract so he can be a RESERVE target man. We can still spend £20m on a first team striker by all means. Great argument: we're already the laughing stock of the Premiership, so we might as well continue to make ridiculous decisions.. The bit you bolded was in fact your argument. I've bolded the correct bit that was relevant to my view. How was that my argument?

Oh, just fuck off please

By the same token, which self-respecting club would be renewing Butt's contract and putting him first name on the team sheet? Or buying Liverpool reserves and putting them straight into their first team? All that is being suggested is that Shola be given a contract so he can be a RESERVE target man. We can still spend £20m on a first team striker by all means. Great argument: we're already the laughing stock of the Premiership, so we might as well continue to make ridiculous decisions..

They cost money, who knows how much is going to be made available, either with Ashley here or any potential new owners. If there was money to replace Shola and the other players who's contracts are running out, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Agree 100%, and until we know there is any money available we can't afford to get rid of players as we might not be able to replace them. The two of you are off your head. The last thing we should be doing if money is thight (which would be a disgrace, but that's another matter) is handing out contract extension to players who have proven themselves over years and years to not be good enough.. If we apply that logic to our club we would end up with a squad of about 6 players. Exactly. Yes in a perfect world we would get rid of shola, but unless we are in a position to actually bring in a player to replace him with we should keep him on for an extra year at least. Ofcourse Ranger and other youngesters should be given their chance, but what happens if they're aren't any good? NE5 has a point you know. A club of our size owes it to itself and us supporters to have a level of ambition that matches the club's stature. Over the past few seasons not only our results have dwindled, but it now seems our expectations are also getting significantly lower. I don't think that is acceptable. The owner, whether it was Shepherd, Ashley or a new man needs to be prepared to fund continuous improvement. If they aren't, we will fall further behind, because the competition certainly IS investing and improving. For me, it would be another sign of lowered ambition if we offered a below par player a new contract. If that's the best the owner can offer the club they are really letting us down and deserve to be hounded out.

They cost money, who knows how much is going to be made available, either with Ashley here or any potential new owners. If there was money to replace Shola and the other players who's contracts are running out, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Agree 100%, and until we know there is any money available we can't afford to get rid of players as we might not be able to replace them. The two of you are off your head. The last thing we should be doing if money is thight (which would be a disgrace, but that's another matter) is handing out contract extension to players who have proven themselves over years and years to not be good enough..

Amazing how many people would give him a new contract because of a small resale value. The guy is like a bad stench; he won't leave unless his contract ends and we give him the boot; last summer has proven that. As a player he is nowhere near the desired level. With Owen, Viduka and him likely to leave our strikeforce needs a major overhaul anyway. Keep Martins as a squad player and find two or three other players capable of performing consistently at Premiership level.

No

FT.. Ah well, "just" beat Panathinaikos on their own turf..

Nearly Ibrahimivoc..

Corner for Inter

FT and Inter nearly finished.. Could have been through tonight.. Will now be very difficult in Greece..

Oh dear,should have scored

As things stand they will need a win in Greece..

Oh dear, they're falling apart..

Shit

Famugusta drawing in Greece to deny the Greeks and go through would be something as well, but I'd much rather it was decided tonight.

That's right.. Come on Inter!

I read a Dutch newspaper article today claiming that Famugasta's yearly turnover is around 6 million Euros, less than Heracles Almelo, the club with the lowest turnover in the Dutch Eredivisie league and probably significantly less than most Championship sides in England. Absolutely amazing if he makes it to the last 16..

If Temuri's troop beat Bremen at home tonight they will be through to the next round of the CL, which would be no less than a miracle. Come on!!!

Excellent post and pretty much my feelings on the issue as well. It makes me sick how the club has handled his situation as a whole and even more so reading some posters' comments blaming the player more than the environment. If an interim manager of the calibre of Kinnear will be allowed to sell off our best youngsters in order to fund some more talentless, over the top grafters this January the entire Charles N'Zogbia affair will be quite symbolical for how the club as a whole has been mismanaged over the past four and a half years since his arrival.

The one transfer we desperately need this January, preferably earlier, is in the owner and chairman department.