Parky

One has to wonder why make such a negative statement at this time?

His hair has gone really white. Won't be long.

Cause he likes to hide money under the bed.

When hope died.

Wonder if he is strong enough to make it clear we need at least two or three players.

Fahked.

Yeah our hero is already saying there won't be many transfers and that last years failures are now ready for the PL. Laughable.

No, but let's make out it's true anyway.

Yup the whole Roeder episode comes to mind.

I think he's done a remarkable job in the CCC, but my personal belief is that he isn't good enough for the PL. Should he get a chance in the Pl? Well, he will and his success will depend on so many things inc luck, it is hard to say with any certainty what is going to happen. But, if it looks like going bad, the quicker he is replaced the better. IMO he should be replaced in the summer if a better manager wants to come and manage us and I'd inc Mark Hughes in that bracket.

What's scared got to do with it, it would be a stupid decision. If you were chairman, you would not do it. If Mark Hughes rang me and I was chairman CH would be back to 1st team coach in a flash. Yes he would. I said Yes!!

Everybody scared to replace CH all of a sudden. ha ha

Zonal marking is more fluid and the only way to go IMO.

Independant: Just about the only thing Chris Hughton has been unable to manage this season is to reunite Chas & Dave. Contractually obliged to immerse himself in the catchy work of the Cockney knees-up merchants at White Hart Lane in the early Eighties, the Newcastle manager, in one of his rare moments of candour this season, revealed with tongue only partially in cheek that he would like nothing more than to orchestrate a reunion after the pair split last year. Otherwise Hughton, like his side, has enjoyed just about the perfect season. They will be presented with the Football League trophy in front of a 52,000 full house at St James' Park after Saturday's game with Ipswich, where an eighth consecutive victory will see them end the campaign unbeaten at home while reaching a century of points. From Championship flat-track bullies, they will soon be cast as Premier League cannon fodder, the latest new arrivals looking to establish a foothold. Newcastle finished third after their previous promotion, but the top flight is a different beast to the one taken by storm by Kevin Keegan and Co 17 years ago. Survival, even for a club of their stature, has to be the aim. It is a realisable goal, but one which would arguably be made easier by a summer of significant change. There's a persuasive school of thought, and it seems perverse at a time when a club that has been the personification of turmoil in recent years finally seems to have found some stability, that they could benefit from further upheaval in the form of Hughton's departure. That would give Mike Ashley – presuming the owner doesn't resurrect his so-far abortive efforts to sell now that the club's stock is finally on the rise – an opportunity to appoint a higher-profile new manager with ample time to prepare for the new season. Mark Hughes fits that bill. Having experienced the goldfish bowl that is Manchester City, the unremitting media glare on St James' would not be much of a culture shock. Whether Hughton has the pulling power to attract the stature of player Newcastle now require is open to question. He's been at home bringing in ones capable of helping to escape the Championship, but lacks standing on the European stage. It is an important factor, because after remuneration, potential new playing recruits tend to put the calibre of manager towards the top of their wish-list for future employers. Hughton has struggled in previous caretaker stints in the Premier League and perhaps it's better to leave now on his own terms, rather than be forced out with his reputation sullied should Newcastle endure an unwanted start next season. That way, he leaves with his coaching career at its zenith, able to walk into the next Championship job that comes up, which is a scenario he would have jumped at less then 12 months ago. There are strong indications that should he not up sticks, and supporters are praying for a summer free of the turmoil that could ensue with another "will he, won't he sell" summer, the enigmatic Ashley, who has pumped in excess of £30m this season to bankroll promotion, will refuse to bite the bullet. If he ignores the route of a higher-cost replacement and its long-term benefits, and tries to muddle through with Hughton on a budget which in Premier League terms is akin to footballing suicide, the task of ensuring survival becomes more tricky. Hughton has given up hope of a significant transfer kitty, with suggestions his summer budget could be under £15m. He said: "Talks are ongoing with the managing director and the owner, but we know they are different times these days." Jimmy Bullard, Jamie O'Hara and Alan Hutton are all on the radar, purse-strings permitting, and Hughton added: "The days of big transfers – not only for Newcastle but for everybody – are a thing of the past. You have to look to improve, but you have to do it wisely." Insisting he has no qualms about going into next season with the nucleus of his Championship-winning squad, he added: "We know it's going to be tough, but we've generated good momentum and these lads deserve an opportunity." There are players – Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Jose Enrique, Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton and Andy Carroll – upon whom Hughton can rely to perform at the higher level. "Having shut the pundits up once this season, we need to do it again next," Nolan, their 18-goal captain, insisted. He added: "What Chris and Mike Ashley now decide to do is up to them, but we're confident as a team that we're good enough for the Premier League." For every Nolan, there are several others who fall into a rather grey area. Top flight doubts remain with Wayne Routledge, Alan Smith, Ryan Taylor, Danny Guthrie, Peter Lovenkrands, Mike Williamson, Shola Ameobi, Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez. Supporters will point to the outstanding campaign enjoyed by many of those players, but it's one thing leading the journeymen of Barnsley or Blackpool a merry dance, it's another replicating that at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge. Only those with goldfish memories will fail to recall how inept many of these same players were when Newcastle were relegated in disarray less than a year ago. It could turn into a slog on the Tyne for Hughton in his efforts to prevent a repeat. Then he can turn his attention to that Chas & Dave reunion. What the magpies need * To retain the support of the fans. Newcastle averaged 43,000 this term, among the top five in the country. * Mike Ashley must ensure there is no doubt over his ownership commitment. * Continue their home form. It's been almost 12 months since they were last beaten at St James', and sustained form there will be a cornerstone of survival. * Back the manager. Chris Hughton could have as little as £15m to spend – Ashley needs to back him with more then double that to ensure that they can compete at the highest level. * A proven Premier League striker. Andy Carroll has potential but has not proven it in the top flight. * Keep Joey Barton fit and out of trouble. If he stays injury-free the midfielder will be like a new signing. --------------------

Yes and yes. Sort of. Not cautious and defensive per se, but as a side-effect of being too analytical and controlled, yes. Chess grand-mastery doesn't help you when the other guy's playing British Bulldogs. Under Rafa, most of our best domestic football has been played when the situation is so desperate that the team has had to abandon Rafa's hyper-disciplined style and played with guts and balls. The flipside of that is why Man Utd's success in Europe has been limited compared to their domestic success. They play too English. You have to play possession football in Europe. Rafa's spent too much on the squad, and not enough on the first team. In particular, he's walked away from a couple of pretty much done deals with very good players (Simao and Dani Alves) after last minute price hikes of 1-2 million, and then spent the money on a couple of £7m makeweights instead. Thing is, who could we bring it that might be better? Given that there's basically fuck-all to spend at the moment, the only top-class manager that could work well under those conditions is probably Wenger. A case well made. Wasn't up on his transfer hijinx to the extent you are obviously...What I always hated analysing him is the way the full backs would only come up in the last 10 min if a game really needed pulling out of the fire. Give Sammy Lee a go.

Barca rocking....Inter really up for it.

So very true. Nah. Rafa seems to have a Mourinho-esque problem with playing kids. He won't tolerate the mistakes they make while developing, so they don't get the chance to develop properly. That said, we almost always turn a profit selling on youngsters Rafa never used (and with most other players, too). As for wingers, how many top-notch wingers are there at the moment? They're like rocking-horse shit, and correspondingly cost an arm and a leg. Gerrard is a 20+ goal/season winger, so that's a very strange criticism to make, and while Kuyt may be a shit winger in the classic mould, he works very well with an attacking fullback. Is right. Whatever your criticisms of Rafa's performance in the league, he has created a very formidable European side. It's a lot easier to stomach losing to the likes of Burnley when the flipside is beating the likes of Barcelona and Inter at their grounds, and subjecting Real Madrid (God, I hate them) to their worst defeat in living memory. We are not being kept afloat by the £300m debt: we are being dragged under by it. That debt is the money Hicks and Gillet used to buy the club, much like Man Utd's debt. The difference is that the debt is not held by the club, but by the club's owners. They want the club to pay down the debt, so they don't have to, but it's their debt, not the club's. The price they're asking is to pay off that debt and the rest is their profit from their little venture. The wankers. You can, because the clubs you're competing against consider £18m the going rate for a squad player. £18m was far too much for Johnson, but it makes sense in a way. It increases the number of English players in the squad (with a view to UEFA's new regulations), which was also the motivation behind trying to get Barry and Keane in for Alonso, and it was meant to provide a good balance between attack and defence on the right in combination with Kuyt. An attacking winger to replace Kuyt would have likely cost far more. While I agree that Rafa has brought in and moved on far too many sub-standard players (instead of splashing the cost of 3 on 1 good player), he has rarely lost money on a transfer, as Houllier so often did, and as Man Utd almost invariably do. So you may accuse him of buying too much dross (and most LFC fans would agree), but there's little foundation for accusations of throwing away money. Cut a long story short, he's been too cautious and defensive and has compounded it by spending badly.

I do too regardless of many fickle fans think or not..... You still don't get it do you? That's ironic considering Ethi is a joke/WUM account.

It's a fine line I agree. But if say he is holding his own in the top 12-14 or so, then I woudn't change it either actually. If he does manager that on a small/tidy spend, then I will be converted...Who wouldn't?? (Parky lays ground for getout clause).

I do too regardless of many fickle fans think or not..... You still don't get it do you? It's now about good blokes or who you like or who deserves what it just comes down to tactical ability, luck and general football nous and the ability to inspire average players to greater heights. I still think CH is a good coach, but I don't rate him as a PL manager up against the quality of management right through most of the PL.

The fixture list (early games) will be key. I still don't think CH will make it in the PL and if he doesn't (it isn't a forgiving league) then he should be replaced as early as poss. My main worry is that the management will act late (as often in the past) and this will make it much harder for survival. Tbf to him, if he doesn't get much to spend etc I won;t only be blaming him, but MA and co as well. In closing I'd like to add he's done a good job in the CCC. But we know now that the CCC is light years away from the PL.

Well done CH!!

Christ on moped.

Let's see, we have a club being kept afloat by the £300m bank debt being renegotiated almost annually, a stadium that is at least 20,000 seats short of its ideal capacity, and no room to extend, two co-owners who will do anything to get at the other man, and a squad of average players who need to be shipped out very soon. Oh yes, and a tactically inept twat of a manager who has spunked over £100m on mediocrity and will cost £15m-20m to sack. That sounds like a bargain doesn't it? Anyone who buys Liverpool right now must either be mental and/or so rich that the £500m+ needed to build a new stadium, clear debts etc. is pocket money. = Feked.

Just heard the sound of the back door closing.