Unbelievable

I'd settle for putting my toys back in the pram tomorrow morning for a second time this weekend like.

You're doing a great job of consoling us brummie.. Genuinely, the only thing I think you can take solace from is that this is clearly the action of a man who wants to force out his manager. So, Pardew doesn't put up with it - and, let's be honest, what manager with an ounce of pride would put up with this? - and resigns. Kinnear takes over and lasts weeks before doing a Houllier, and there you go, free to rebuild. I know that's poor, but I genuinely don't know what else to think. It is utterly, utterly bonkers. WTF? We have a billionaire owner and one of the lowest paid managers in the league. OK, so he has a 8 year contract; I'm sure Ashley could afford to sack him without appointing a senile dinosaur in a position that didn't exist since he last got us relegated through a catalogue of ownership blunders?

You're doing a great job of consoling us brummie..

Imagine we are just above the relegation zone by next December and we're on the verge of sacking Pardew. Normally that would have been a cause for optimism, well until today that was..

Spite

No, the sooner we get rid of Pardew the sooner we get rid of Kinnear who will keel over within a week of getting the job. In fact, now we can get rid of 2 for the price of one. Fair enough.. Are you confident we will get a better manager after those two though? Nothing suggests that we would other than the law of averages. The law of averages would be an improvement over the law of mediocrity that we've got going on. Get in!

Similar feelings here, except I guess it's more outright incompetence than contempt for anyone. Why? It's contempt quite clearly IMO. Ashley has invented a role for someone when there was no talk of this before. He knows the fan feeling towards Kinnear/pardew and he knows what reaction this would get hence why he did it anyway. I highly doubt he thought this would benefit nufc in any way You honestly believe Mike Ashley is out to wind up his own customers? He doesn't care what we think, true, but these kinds of decisions are just idiotic, not vicious. The evidence points towards it tbf. Not that it matters whether he's a grade A cunt or a grade A idiot, seeing as the result is we're grade A fucked either way.

No, the sooner we get rid of Pardew the sooner we get rid of Kinnear who will keel over within a week of getting the job. In fact, now we can get rid of 2 for the price of one. Fair enough.. Are you confident we will get a better manager after those two though?

Similar feelings here, except I guess it's more outright incompetence than contempt for anyone. I refuse to accept anybody could be this incompetent tbh.

Excellent article, that. Sums up what everyone thinks. And knows. Yep, depressingly accurate

Perfect representation of the typical reaction to this news, except I can't quite manage step 5, so I am stuck in stage 4..

I guess by now you must be in the Pardew In camp, knowing the alternative..?

Why? Would have surprised me too, but at least he has class and dignity, and I could see why you would want him to represent your company. Keegan would have surprised me more, but would have been a much more suitable candidate. Jobs for the boys and a buffoon in charge, no idea why we are even surprised anymore..

Seriously begs the question what would have happened if they'd sacked Pardew a few weeks ago. They were probably already in advanced talks with Joe fucking Kinnear about possibly replacing him, and felt obliged to offer him another position when somehow Pardew convinced them he was worthy of another shot. There's no doubt in my mind he's here to be our next manager, whenever that may be. For our sake I hope Pardew surprises everybody and does well next season, because I can see us going down if we don't start well and replace Pardew with this cunt.

I'm watching the video on Sky and I'm already in stitches 20 seconds in.. He doesn't even know who he's had discussions with for the past three weeks.. 25 seconds in he says he's in charge of Finance, errgghhhh, transfers. Please tell me he's had a stroke or something and has just called Sky telling porkies..

I can't even bring myself to be happy with a singing of a promising youngster, such is the sucker blow Ashley has dealt us with the 'Kinnel appointment. Best of luck to you son.

It's getting to the point where I'm thinking of replacing you as "other team whose forum I have thousands of posts on". It's just too depressing. Fuck off brummie..

I'm at an all time low.. Joe fucking Kinnear to oversee transfers and playing style for the next 3 years..

That's not the role of a DoF at all. Identifying players is what a (chief) scout does, and it just so happens we have a brilliant one already. Buying players is what a chairman/executive does. A DoF needs to set the football philosophy, and make sure every manager and coach, from the first team to the youth teams, play to a coherent system. I guess he's also an adviser to the executives when it comes to football matters. What makes Joe f***ing Kinnear even remotely qualified for such a position? Being a professional footballer and manager, and International manager i would guess. Not sure that makes him any good at it mind. He's also a gobshite who loves the limelight, while the position requires intelligence and constraint, i.e.working behind the scenes. His record in football isn't exactly great, is it? I'd never even heard of him before he was appointed our manager. His time here was the stuff of nightmares, and now we look like re-appointing him. If we were to go for another DoF setup, it would have to be somebody with a proven track record, a passion for the club and a clear football vision. Somebody like Keegan would be ideal (in combination with an up and coming manager), but that will never happen under this buffoon of an owner.

That's not the role of a DoF at all. Identifying players is what a (chief) scout does, and it just so happens we have a brilliant one already. Buying players is what a chairman/executive does. A DoF needs to set the football philosophy, and make sure every manager and coach, from the first team to the youth teams, play to a coherent system. I guess he's also an adviser to the executives when it comes to football matters. What makes Joe fucking Kinnear even remotely qualified for such a position?

I thought Sunderland was mad to appoint a self confessed fascist, yet here we are, appointing a foul mouthed dinosaur as our Director of Football while persisting with Mr Mediocre as manager.

The man is either the biggest idiot going or the most vindicative bastard ever. Take your pick. Can't wait to see the back of him. Compared to him Pardew staying and our squad deficiencies are mere short term inconveniences.