Nate

The bookies have closed for the day. This shit takes me back. Its like mancityfans.net circa June '07.

http://www.oddschecker.com/football/football-specials/next-newcastle-manager/next-permanent-manager All betting suspended, or is that an error?

Get sam faaackin' brains intyaaa, Keefaz.

Mort and Redknapp probably wouldn't be saying anything to Oliver either way. The press conference will be telling.

It just doesn't add up, from what we know about Mort. Either they have somebody else lined up and this is infact a smokescreen, or in Mike Ashley we have another Freddy Shepherd who sacked Sam on a whim. The latter is currently looking more likely...

Good news. Would he really be holding a routine press conference if we had made an official approach this morning?

Harry fucking Redknapp. Cannot believe it.

A woman on Skunkers, whose husband is The People's David Kidd & 'Akabusi' on Toontastic, who broke the news that Allardyce had gone before the media.

Several years. Mort and Ashley can justify sacking Sam so soon because he was never their appointment, but I now expect them to be very patient with their own man in order to avoid being tarred with same brush as the previous board (not that it should require a great deal of patience not to sack the manager, if they make the right appointment in the first place).

I agree. This is such a crucial period in the Premier League, it's now arguably the most attractive and richest league in the world, with a queue of top managers very keen to come here. To merely continue the cycle of average british managers would be massively disappointing and i worry would leave us miles behind Sven's City and Ramos' Tottenham, along with currently established top four, over the coming years. This is Ashley's first and most important appointment, it has to be a 'special' one. :parky:

Redknapp wouldn't say this morning 'There's nothing in my being linked with the job. I am happy down on the South Coast.' if he had already agreed to take it.

A few reasons why i think Mourinho is not completely out of the question.. - He loves England and the Premier League. - AC Milan, Real Madrid and Barcelona have obviously not shown a firm interest in him as his agent has continued to entertain links with the Liverpool and Bayern Munich jobs. - Ashley is capable of offering him a very lucrative contract and large transfer budget, similar to the conditions he went to Chelsea under. - Due to his relationship with Sir Bobby he does appear to have a genuine respect for the club. - The challenge of managing the sleeping giant, the perennial underachievers of the league would surely appeal to the man's ego? I know people will label it pie in the sky, but look at the state Man City were in when they attracted Sven, Tottenham when they got Ramos. We have one of the largest fan bases, in the most attractive league in the world and a billionaire owner. People should believe we can do better than Harry bloody Redknapp.

Appoint Redknapp or Hughes and that's Tottenham and Man City, along with the top four, out of sight for the forseeable future. As unlikely as it may seem, everything including the wording of the statement, the timing of the decision, even Oliver's little exclusive, points to someone of Mourinho's calibre having already agreed to take the job.

Fucking ridiculous. If Shearer gets the job it will be an utter embarrassment.

blueyes.gif He was comfortably the best player on the pitch when we played them in the Carling Cup, i'm suprised he hasn't had more opportunities before Denilson and Gilberto since then.

Given Harper (squad) Beye Faye Enrique Taylor (squad) Caçapa (squad) Duff Barton N'Zogbia Emre (squad) Milner (squad) Owen Viduka (squad) Martins (squad) So, that's a top quality centre forward, central midfielder and centre half required for a first team capable of competing with Portsmouth, Everton, Blackburn etc. I think people are overrating them if they think we need much more than that.

For fuck's sake.

Smith is not only scared to get the ball, he is now ignoring it completely.

He'd frustrate the hell out of them. They're used to the silky running of Agbonlahor & Young, then little Oba bobbles along. I was going to say, i think he'd completely ruin Villa's system. The counter-attack is as much about dribbling, quick passing and awareness as it is pace. Martins is such an average footballer he struggles to be effective outside of a standard 4-4-2. I'd accept £13m.

Beye Brown Caçapa Enrique Faye ?

How will that work?

1) Premiership Winners Manchester United 2) FA Cup Winners Manchester City 3) Carling Cup Winners Arsenal 4) UEFA Champions League Winners Liverpool 5) UEFA Cup Winners Athletico Madrid 6) Euro 2008 Winners Italy 7) Teams Promoted to Premiership from Championship West Brom, Watford, Crystal Palace 8) Teams Relegated from Premiership to Championship Derby, Sunderland, Middlesbrough