Parky

''Sam Allardyce was scathing of his players after this defeat and said he was not happy to have his future as Newcastle United manager in their hands. "It was a poor performance," he said. "We couldn't cope with Wigan being high-tempo and hard-working. Some of our players have not lived up to their reputation. The front players have not held the ball up and the creative players have not created. Today the appetite to beat the opposition was not there. I'm not happy to have my future in their hands. We can't shrivel up and die under pressure." http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Report/0,,2232370,00.html What ho chaps?

Harry the hidden master of Haiku.

Seriously,with a billionaire owner choosing a new manager isn't as fraught with danger as it was in the past.

Unfortunately I think we're up for a slaughtering.

only if the billionaire wants to hoy more cash at it. ...well seen as he's already put in £200m (inc debt reduction) its not something I'm worried about. we could get a quality mourinho type manager if he he was told "you'll have a £200mill transfer kitty" and pay him top wages. however that type of manager wont want to know if he's told "you can only spend what we create as a business" i suppose our next appointment will see this answered one way or t'other True. I think you can look at the fairly conservative comments of Mort as an indicator of his 'nature' rather than a line drawn in the sand. But quoting those comments is fair enough. I have a feeling Ashley rather than Mort (although Mort has spent much time and energy deflecting attention from MA) will be the one who finally makes a call regarding the direction for the club. This is a very crucial time with regard to revenue streams and other things in the offing reg Euro wide hankerings for change to competitions and suchlike. We wouldn't want to miss the boat. Mort is right in that the club must be run as a business and the structure must to a certain degree be able to absorb 'spend'...But it is also the case that the best doesn't come cheap.

Agree, a lot of people really are overly pessimistic about who we can/can't attract. The Premiership is the league to be in, by far the richest league in the world and as more and more teams become minted then more and more top quality players will be present in the league. Outside the top 4, we're as attractive as anyone for managers looking to come to England. There is a whole new paradigm as you say which includes the attractiveness of the PL as an arena to ply your skills to a planet wide audience.

only if the billionaire wants to hoy more cash at it. ...well seen as he's already put in £200m (inc debt reduction) its not something I'm worried about.

With a billionaire owner all the old arguments about getting good candidates are moot.

Excellent I think you're onto something...And the only flashbacks wouldn't be defensive blunders but sexy chicks in blue tinted dreams.

It could make all the difference and would be a clear sign that they are willing to give the manager some time. We can't go any further with the current players though, that's certain. I would see it as a sign that they themselves have some genuine ambition for the club, of they type we are used to seeing, tbh. We need to spend some money in Jan.

I must admit that this is all too easy to imagine, although personally I still don't want Sam to be sacked at this stage, and certainly not unless we have an excellent, guaranteed replacement lined up, which seems highly unlikely (imo, calls to "get Jose" are so pie in the sky as to be virtually psychotic, and even presuming Shearer was interested, I think that appointing him at this moment in time would have more in common with a boys own annual fantasy story than with genuine professional forethought). I readily admit that if Sam is following a preordained plotline, then it's looking increasingly like it's of the David Lynch variety - that is, you come away thinking wtf was that all about ... but at the same time utterly convinced that the world is a dark and ugly place. Still, unless we're in serious danger of relegation (which seems unlikely due to the absolute shite down at the bottom of the table ... even if said shite can often out-perform us when we face them), I continue to think that we should stick with Sam for this season at least. I readily concede that atm Sam's "tactics" seem barely worthy of the name; that his team selections are typically baffling; that his substitutions are often infuriating; that many of our results are poor; and, perhaps most importantly of all, that we're playing a "style" of football that makes experiencing a game akin to suffering from sea sickness. However, unlike many others on here, I do feel that the squad has improved significantly since Sam's arrival (on paper, if not on grass), and that the off-field set-up is getting better also. Thus, if things continue as they have been going, and we finish somewhere in mid-table, but with a stronger squad and a more solid off-field structure in place, then in the summer Mort and Cashley will be in a position to make a level-headed decision about whether Sam has the capacity to take the club forward. If the answer is "no" (which, on the evidence thus far, I suspect it will be) then they can look for "their man" - a truly suitable replacement for Sam (perhaps from amongst the ranks of the Euro Championship coaches). Another possibility, of course, would be to appoint a Director of Football who understands Big Sam's vision for our club - no, not Sir Bobby, or Special K, or even The Special One, but the Great Man himself: http://www.globalesland.de/archive/images/David_Lynch.bmp I would back a Lynch appointment. Would bring some mystery and guile to the midfield.

This poll will be the closest to date.

With the new regime in charge and us now virtually debt free, if MA wanted to start making his mark, I'd say all bets are off reg who can or can't attract. Mort and MA if they were looking to get thier own man would get a top tier manager I've absolutely no doubt about that. There is a new professional approach behind the scenes and I certainly see Mort as somene who would make a well informed descision as he would treat any business/professional descision. These two boys are successful in the business world and are winners, whoever they might bring in, if they do would I have no doubts be a winner.

Need a poll really TT. With all questions in? Just a simple stick with or get rid. I'd be interested after today. Went with happy with, and 3 options for no.

Need a poll really TT. With all questions in? Just a simple stick with or get rid. I'd be interested after today.

Need a poll really TT.

You deserved more actually. Well played.

COME ON VILLA!!!

He has a very good network around Europe and a good relationship with one two important player reps. There was particularly one that helped him early in the Man City days, there is an article somewhere. I feel he took his time out the game to re-energise himself and I'd bet he spent a lot of time on research and watching matches. This is the fella: ''In Thaksin Shinawatra's revolution, which has launched Manchester City to the euphoric, unforeseen position at the top of the Premier League, the agent Jerome Anderson has been a central figure. During the breathless three weeks after Thaksin's £21.6m takeover and the appointment of Sven-Goran Eriksson as manager, Anderson was key to sealing the deals for City to sign eight players, all foreign, between the July 13, £8.8m signing of Roland Bianchi from Reggina, and August 3, when Valeri Bojinov joined City from Fiorentina. In an echo of the role played by Pini Zahavi when Chelsea began signing players with Roman Abramovich's oil millions in 2003, Anderson is said to have been working almost full-time on City's behalf to help rapidly secure the players to form Eriksson's new side. Anderson's involvement with Thaksin began before the City takeover; he was brought in to advise when the former Thai Prime Minister, in exile in London, was first considering buying a football club. In a series of connections which trace the global links of football, business and politics, Anderson's introduction came from Thaksin's most important football contact in London, Philippe Huber, a Swiss media entrepreneur."

Steady on I'm sorry I rate him, although I realise that rating our own players is tantamount to a crime on this board. I rate him too, and rating our own is like a crime on here I agree, but overrating them is also popular on here too. He's good, nothing more. ...for those who play predominantly on the left I only have Ronaldo, Hleb, Bentley and Giggs ahead of him. For me he is neck and neck with the likes of Ashey Young, Petrov etc..Given the chance regularly on the left that is. I have Malouda, Ronaldo, Giggs, Rosiky, Diouf, Pedersen, Young, Petrov, Taylor, Utaka, and Downing as either better or just as good on their day. FYP. Malouda is slightly better than Zoggy currently but won't be long term. He comes inside too much and rarely takes on his man without diving..Abidal is the last Malouda...now switched back to left back at Barca. Niether of them are as fluid as Zogg. This is Giggs last season and he often moves into the middle in the second half these days. Rosicky is a CM who drifts wide on the left when Hleb switches wings to the right. Wenger would love Zoggy on the left for Arsenal. Diouf is a joke right? Petrov is slightly better but much older. Taylor? No. Utaka is a right winger. Downing is basically shit who can't beat his man and has no pace.

Steady on I'm sorry I rate him, although I realise that rating our own players is tantamount to a crime on this board. I rate him too, and rating our own is like a crime on here I agree, but overrating them is also popular on here too. He's good, nothing more. ...for those who play predominantly on the left I only have Ronaldo, Hleb, Bentley and Giggs ahead of him. For me he is neck and neck with the likes of Ashey Young, Petrov etc..Given the chance regularly on the left that is.

Do you also prefer Kieron Dire, who stands on the far post and watches a corner drop into the net right next to him ? PS. I don't think its particularly funny Dave, shades of booboo there mate Fuck all to do with Dyer. Look up a straw man argument. Again. If I didn't laugh I'd cry. what did you think of Smith when he was at Leeds Dave It was a question BTW, are you one of those who are saying we were better off with Dire At Leeds Smith looked like a player with potential. Still fuck all to do with Dyer. OK, I accept you weren't comparing him to Dire like others. Thats all I asked He was very good at Leeds, there is no reason why he won't still be the same, in fact there is every reason to believe he will be the same, unless the injury has permanently damaged him. He missed nearly a whole season with injury which is easy to forget because of his no nonsense personality. I still believe he has only started delivering for us. Let's see him upfront when possible.

Steady on I'm sorry I rate him, although I realise that rating our own players is tantamount to a crime on this board.

I think people way overrate N'Zogbia, he's good but he's no more than that (at the moment) and hasn't convinced me on the left-wing to the point where he MUST play there. He's done no better than Milner has and he's not even left-footed. I'd personally still play him wide left though, but I can see why he isn't and I'm certainly not going to boo like a little girl because he's being played at left-back I agree with your first point but I don't think we do have the players anyway. N'Zogbia was head and shoulders above anyone else yesterday. They were scared shitless of him, yet much of the time he was 40 yards from goal. If there is one campaign I intermittently subscribe to on his board it is to play Zoggy (one of the best left sided players in the whole fucking league) in his correct position. Not like you to exaggerate, Parky. Well it just wouldn't be me would it?

I think people way overrate N'Zogbia, he's good but he's no more than that (at the moment) and hasn't convinced me on the left-wing to the point where he MUST play there. He's done no better than Milner has and he's not even left-footed. I'd personally still play him wide left though, but I can see why he isn't and I'm certainly not going to boo like a little girl because he's being played at left-back I agree with your first point but I don't think we do have the players anyway. N'Zogbia was head and shoulders above anyone else yesterday. They were scared shitless of him, yet much of the time he was 40 yards from goal. If there is one campaign I intermittently subscribe to on his board it is to play Zoggy (one of the best left sided players in the whole fucking league) in his correct position.