Unbelievable

Another common denominator in all of that is they have an owner who is not afraid to change things around when it goes stale, and who isn't allergic to actually seriously backing his chosen manager. One day they might get it right, whereas under penny pinching Ashley, and with Pardew and his successor Kinnear already at the club, we know for a fact we will not break the top 4 or win a trophy anytime soon.

Have they not accepted offers that met their valuation, only for the player to turn down the moves? Can see why they're unwilling to accept a lower offer if that's the case. We're playing a blinder here if he's set on joining us, but at the same time very vulnerable to other clubs coming in that might interest him.

Ah well, Bent it is..

Wasn't Bale promised he would be allowed to leave if Spurs failed to qualify for CL last year as well, or is my memory playing tricks on me?

That's not how Ashley rolls.. See Debuchy last season.

This sounds way too good to be true. Just waiting for QPR to reject it.

We've played a blinder if they've accepted that. Can't see it unfortunately.

Not really people just assumed so because he wanted to join. We wasn't even close to that deal in reality last summer. Anyway good news this is, any striker coming in has to be a positive Yet I remember you going all crazy all of last summer about signing Debuchy, and you're exactly the same this time around (see for ex. 4 posts below this one)..

If you look back most of us are saying, top ten if we can sign a three or four players. The squad would then be good enough, it's whether Pardew can rise to the occasion and be better than last season. Out of interest, if we only get one, or none at all, which seems far more likely than the three or four additions you mention, what would you then consider a realistic objective? Say we get two strikers, i think that's what'll happen. 8th-12th would be my guess. If we sign only one, 10th to 16th. If we sign no one i think we will be in serious trouble (because of Pardew mainly). Obviously just my opinion them, but if we had a different manager, ie a better one. I think with our squad those scenarios would be 2 or 3 places better in each. Even if we do get players in, Pardew is a problem, we can only hope he's learned but going by the way the team has lined up again, the dearth of chances being made again is a major worry. That's a fair enough assessment, agree with that. I just fear there is no chance we will get more than one in, and even then I fully expect it to be Bent on the last day of the window.

If you look back most of us are saying, top ten if we can sign a three or four players. The squad would then be good enough, it's whether Pardew can rise to the occasion and be better than last season. Out of interest, if we only get one, or none at all, which seems far more likely than the three or four additions you mention, what would you then consider a realistic objective?

Hartford?

One month to a league one side in preseason? Ok

Depends if the next manager will be better than the one we're getting rid of, which is by no means guaranteed. I mean: Pardew > Kinnear > Hartford > whoever Kinnear's next best mate is... Kinnear coming in as a DoF, openly admitting not long ago he would only consider such a position to get back into management, and his attempt to get Hartford in as his assistant whilst he should be concentrating on sealing deals for incoming players was a complete game changer and tells you everything you need to know about what's in store after Pardew's gone. As Haris Vuckic says, the best scenario for everyone involved is for Pardew to grow some balls, start playing a more attacking brand of football and results improving as a result.

That would mean JFK as manager, I'd rather have Pardew I think. If it's as inevitable as some would have you believe, I'd rather it happened tomorrow, get it out of the way. There is some merit to that argument, as long as the damage caused wasn't catastrophic. Which it might be. I just want the whole thing to play itself out as soon as possible, including Ashley leaving. I understand the grass isn't always greener but we're well past that point now imo. I want to see us win something before I die. Well Ashley's going nowhere but I'm with you on Pardew leaving asap. I don't really get this big concern that if he goes Kinnear will get the job. He might I suppose, but it would just be one bell end replacing another. If you asked me which one has the better football savvy I would have to have a good long think about it. I presume after that good long think sanity would prevail and you would conceed that whilst last season was depressing, Pardew has been much more successful than Kinnear, not only at this club but elsewhere too. Besides from that, can you imagine what it would be like to have Kinnear doing regular press conferences, the way he's made an utter laughing stock of himself and us in the two radio interviews he has given since being appointed DoF. I want rid of Pardew too, but not at all cost. With Pardew we at least have a chance of a somewhat respectable season, with Kinnear there is no hope whatsoever imho.

I'm as anti-Ashley as they come, but even I'm not sure that is the right approach. He's proven before he's an incredibly spiteful character. We've vented our frustration with his policies before, and it hasn't changed things for the better, quite the contrary in fact. The only way we ever get rid of him is by being as attractive as possible to potential buyers, which means unfortunately continuing in this sort of "marriage of convenience" we have been in for the past few years. I'm afraid anything else is just going to be counter productive, as he seems the type of cunt who would quite happily demolish everything that is good about us to get back at us for walking out of line (sell our best players without replacing them, rename the stadium back to SDA, that sort of thing). As bad as it is, things could get a lot worse if Ashley goes from being indifferent to downright destructive...

Just a forlorn hope that if he runs out of people that he trusts he'll f*** off quicker. He'll only f*** off if somebody wants to buy the club off him, presumably at a tidy profit. In that scenario, in all likelihood, Kinnear will go back to the DoF role and appoint the new manager. God help us if that ever happens. You're probably right, I hope that he's continuing to take money out of the club to repay his loan. The more he does that, the less the price will be. My hope is that Pardew goes, Kinnear gets the job, sacks it off again because he's ill and then Mike sells for slightly less than he was planning just to get rid. I don't see how him recouping (some) of the loan affects the selling price significantly. That's like saying me paying off part of the mortgage on my house means I should lower my asking price if I decide to sell. The house/club is worth what it is worth, regardless of how it is financed, no? More specifically, it is worth minimum what the seller (Ashley) is willing to sell it for, and if the club is making profits by penny pinching it's way through Premiership existence, that asking price will be even higher than when it's making yearly losses the owner needs to subsidise. It's been widely reported that the asking price for the club is the amount he paid plus whatever he's put in so far. If he recoups what he's put in that's a substantial reduction to the asking price, is it not? This is assuming he does actually want to sell and has long given up making a profit on selling the club. Why would he pass any profit the club would have made before he sold, allowing for the paying off of the loan, to the new owners? Makes no sense at all. Eh? Ok, hypothetical scenario using non-accurate figures: 2013: initial purchase value: 120M + Ashley loan 100M = asking price according to your logic 220M 2014: 30M profit, used to repay Ashley loan. Now 70M = asking price according to your logic 190M 2015: 30M profit, used to repay Ashley loan. Now 40M = asking price according to your logic 160M 2016: 40M profit, used to repay Ashley loan. Now 0M = asking price according to your logic 120M Can you see Ashley selling a club that is making him 40M profit a year for 120M, effectively handing over the profit from the last 3 years (100M) to the buyer? Remember, he did invest 220M initially, and is only getting 120M back from selling. If anything, a profit making club would be MORE valuable to him, not less, and that's before getting into no longer having to provide a 100M loan interest free.

Just a forlorn hope that if he runs out of people that he trusts he'll f*** off quicker. He'll only f*** off if somebody wants to buy the club off him, presumably at a tidy profit. In that scenario, in all likelihood, Kinnear will go back to the DoF role and appoint the new manager. God help us if that ever happens. You're probably right, I hope that he's continuing to take money out of the club to repay his loan. The more he does that, the less the price will be. My hope is that Pardew goes, Kinnear gets the job, sacks it off again because he's ill and then Mike sells for slightly less than he was planning just to get rid. I don't see how him recouping (some) of the loan affects the selling price significantly. That's like saying me paying off part of the mortgage on my house means I should lower my asking price if I decide to sell. The house/club is worth what it is worth, regardless of how it is financed, no? More specifically, it is worth minimum what the seller (Ashley) is willing to sell it for, and if the club is making profits by penny pinching it's way through Premiership existence, that asking price will be even higher than when it's making yearly losses the owner needs to subsidise. It's been widely reported that the asking price for the club is the amount he paid plus whatever he's put in so far. If he recoups what he's put in that's a substantial reduction to the asking price, is it not? This is assuming he does actually want to sell and has long given up making a profit on selling the club. Why would he pass any profit the club would have made before he sold, allowing for the paying off of the loan, to the new owners? Makes no sense at all.

Just a forlorn hope that if he runs out of people that he trusts he'll f*** off quicker. He'll only f*** off if somebody wants to buy the club off him, presumably at a tidy profit. In that scenario, in all likelihood, Kinnear will go back to the DoF role and appoint the new manager. God help us if that ever happens. You're probably right, I hope that he's continuing to take money out of the club to repay his loan. The more he does that, the less the price will be. My hope is that Pardew goes, Kinnear gets the job, sacks it off again because he's ill and then Mike sells for slightly less than he was planning just to get rid. I don't see how him recouping (some) of the loan affects the selling price significantly. That's like saying me paying off part of the mortgage on my house means I should lower my asking price if I decide to sell. The house/club is worth what it is worth, regardless of how it is financed, no? More specifically, it is worth minimum what the seller (Ashley) is willing to sell it for, and if the club is making profits by penny pinching it's way through Premiership existence, that asking price will be even higher than when it's making yearly losses the owner needs to subsidise.

Just a forlorn hope that if he runs out of people that he trusts he'll f*** off quicker. He'll only f*** off if somebody wants to buy the club off him, presumably at a tidy profit. In that scenario, in all likelihood, Kinnear will go back to the DoF role and appoint the new manager. God help us if that ever happens. If we're sold? why would Kinnear still be here if we were sold? he'd be gone instantly imo Sorry, didn't phrase that very clearly (amended). By that scenario, I meant Pardew getting sacked, Kinnear taking over and getting ill again..

Just a forlorn hope that if he runs out of people that he trusts he'll f*** off quicker. He'll only f*** off if somebody wants to buy the club off him, presumably at a tidy profit. In your scenario, in all likelihood, Kinnear will go back to the DoF role and appoint the new manager. God help us if that ever happens. The best we can hope for is Pardew turns things around. The alternative doesn't bear thinking about...

Nah, it was from last year. June 2012 to be exact. http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ex-nufc-boss-joe-kinnear-still-1365664

Pardew getting the sack and Kinnear taking over and possibly getting ill again has no bearing whatsoever on Ashley leaving unfortunately...

After..

That would mean JFK as manager, I'd rather have Pardew I think. If it's as inevitable as some would have you believe, I'd rather it happened tomorrow, get it out of the way. I dunno can't see JFK's health holding out for long, just keep Pardew till Kinnear gets ill again. His lifestyle by the sounds of it is not exactly that of an Olympic athlete and with his previous issues and his age etc. I dont think JFK himself wants to be a manager but he will bring his own trusted man. Last year I think it was he was quoted as saying he would only take DoF role if it would lead to a management role. Exactly. It's pretty much nailed on. Like I said unless he gets ill, which is probably likely. Went well last time that happened..