Parky

the same major shareholders as in 1992 ? You are not seriously suggesting that Shepherd runs the club himself, and appoints the managers himself, without the major shareholders ? I've said this before, and I'm still staggered that people appear to believe this is the case. All the managers have been backed to the same degree by the same major shareholders too. It seems pretty clear to me that the Halls are no longer interested in the day to day running of the club, and haven't been for some time. I'm sure that their approval is sought before a major decision like the appointing of a manager is made, but that's as far as it goes. Up until recently, they've been happy to hand the reins to Freddie. I think they now realise that Freddie has been screwing up, and that there's a better alternative both for themselves and the club. An interesting piece from Sir Bobby's book about the board... I worked away with my one-season deal and gradually imposed my authority on the team. Really, there was no Newcastle 'board' to talk to or consult with. The chairman would often say to me, 'I'll put it to the board,' and I would reply, 'Chairman, there is no board. There's you and there's Douglas Hall' Probably half a dozen sticky blow up dolls make up the rest. blueyes.gif

We made a profit on Woodgate.

He played for Eintracht Frankfurt,Adanaspor,Panionios,Bursaspor so he must be world class player :uglystupid2: And you've never seen him play for any of those teams. Why not wait until you HAVE seen him? He's only on trial and he's free ffs - in other words, if he's s*** we don't have to keep him, if we do keep him, he doesn't cost a penny. How is that going to happen? The only 2 ways we are going to seen him play is either in the reserve game or if we actually sign him I cant believe that some people think he will be any good even for back up The premiership is out of his league considering his career and the clubs he played for As shit as Babayaro is i dont thing this guy will do the business even for back up The fact that he is 32 and cant play in the Greek league is enough proof for me... He has pretty much got to be rather underwhelming. blueyes.gif

We have enquired about Crouch so it's half true.

With hindsight that looks like such small money now. Van Persie still Van Basten's fav player.

They will continue in their domestic leagues....From what I've been told this is going head to head with the CL. Games on Wed. Obvioulsy there are legal ramifications.

Probably what people said about the PL.

Actually and this is interesting Fat five Freddy was in talks with the g14 last year at the same time David Dein blocked an invitation for Chelsea. There is some leeway for clubs with a large support base and facilities/history who aren't neccessarily ultra competitive atm. IMO they would take us.

Depends what the qualification for it was like i would have thought it would just be the G14 clubs. how could you qualify through a FIFA tornament for a tornament run by a different organisation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-14 That is the point, there would be effectively no one dropping out if that was the case. I suspect they would change one team a year and even that reluctantly.

You're not the target sniffer. They are looking at the world tv market, China for instance where Euro football is now watched by millions and the Far East..These are their new markets for football.

Do you rate him?

It is a clear danger to the domestic league. But I'm afraid the prime motivation is making more money ie individually negotioated TV deals they don't have to share. If they're in such desperate need of money that they feel they have to to destroy the domestic league to increase turnover should they be classed as a "super club"... In the article is said Milan individually negotiates €85m euro TV money which it doesn't share unlike here where there is more of a pot system. For these clubs another seperate TV deal must look too good to turn down or investigate. I'm guessing but where they want to be is getting CL money every year without having to qualify. Also gates at Italian clubs have been falling over the last 10 years and some big matches get quite small gates compared to us. They are becoming more reliant TV money.

It is a clear danger to the domestic league. But I'm afraid the prime motivation is making more money ie individually negotioated TV deals they don't have to share.

Depends what the qualification for it was like Stevie. If I know the likes of Liverpool and Real, getting in would be made difficult....I have heard they wanted to ensure as much as poss to stop the elite clubs being relegated out...What this means in reality I have no idea.

As I predicted on here a year ago and was much derided in response. http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2047991,00.html "Secret talks have taken place between Europe's leading football clubs and Brussels politicians that could lead to a breakaway super league. Sources involved in the discussions, held at the PSV Eindhoven-Arsenal Champions League match in February, state that a breakaway is the "ultimate threat" that could be exercised if Uefa and Fifa "run wild" in their governance of the game." It is not known exactly what form such a league would take. However, the Guardian revealed 12 months ago a G14 strategy document drawing up a mechanism for a breakaway. That "Vision Europe" document envisaged "a detachment of the top professional level from all remaining levels underneath, if this was agreed upon by the clubs"." Greedy bastards!11

We need fighters and drinkers for this game. blueyes.gif They're gonna try and rough us up...So we should start throwing a few punches in the tunnel as we come out. blueyes.gif

not me Alex. However there are plenty of quotes from other people supporting him from start to finish. If I was sad enough to waste my time looking for them Whoever wrote it did a fucking great impression of you then.

To be fair Stankovic is absolute class - would walk into any Premier League team and displace some very highly rated players in the process... Indeed Stankovic is Class as well as emre. There 1 story which make Mancini started to bench emre. It happen when Inter got a corner and then the opponent was heading into the top corner left. and by that time emre was guarding at the pole and to be fair emre wasn't able to block the header by his head because emre was a midget. after that game no where emre near get played again. that was the time that i knew Mancini doesn't like midget. that happen to martin also which martin also hardly get a run of games when at Inter. Looks like Mancini is really hate midgets kind of players. It's fair because not all manager likes too short player type. Mancini being a midget himself.

I agree, it does say a lot. You lot can probably see the improvements made and that he is taking the club in the right direction. Wouldn't be surprised to see you finish top 6. I'd be surprised to see it next season, but it is hard to express properly to people who haven't witnessed it at close quarters just how much the club was run down by Ellis over the last 10 years or so in particular. There are a lot of things to be put right off the pitch as well as on it, and the progress off the pitch thus far this year has been nothing short of staggering. So long as the fruits of this success are then aimed at getting things right on the pitch, and evidence so far suggests they will be, then things are looking very bright indeed. Anyone (Villa supporter or not) who thought that MON was going to put things right in the first season is way wide of the mark. so what you're saying is it's reasonable to accept poor performance from a new manager, even possible relegation, because you're looking for a long term rebuilding exercise of a totally f***** club? radical I didn't say anything about relegation. But the suggestion that some degree of short term pain is necessary for long term gain, whilst making me sound vaguely like Thatcher, is appropriate in this situation. MON will fail at Villa. He is wildly overrated although better than GR in many aspects.

absolute tosh MON has brought in more players than Roeder FFS have a look at MON's career. He is the fucking definition of the 'wait till next year' man must admit, I agree with Vicky's sentiment here if not his style. O'Neill = hyped up as the new "Brian Clough" ever since he started out as a manager, on the basis that he played for him and is outspoken/good in front of the camera. He's about as much a clone of Brian Clough, on that basis, that Stuart Pearce is. In fact, MO has something in common with Pearce, they both behave like idiots running up and down the touchline, kicking water bottles for show. Cue all the title winning managers of Celtic who are "great managers" for winning the title with Celtic, or even Rangers, such as ... ahem... Billy McNeill. Walter Smith. Jock Wallace. Graeme fuckpig. Gordon Strachan, etc etc etc. Yeah right. FFS, I could win the Scottish title if I managed Celtic or Rangers. O'Neill has proved absolutely nothing, in fact, this job is his big test. What standards would you say he should reach with Villa - being such a BIG club with 30,000 fans - and this yank billionaire - to qualify him as the quality manager he is hyped up to be ? Top 4 ? Top 5 ? Top 6 ? I doubt very much that he will break into the top 4. Considering he was touted to be the man lots of people wanted, in my view, Allardyce is by far a better bet and I've said so since Robson went. John Roberston learnt more from Cloughie than either Pearce or MON.

He's just a realist, I agree with what he said above and pretty much everything else he says. Emre is so overrated on here, and even more so since he's been injured/out the team. He's scored 4 goals in 58 games for us, thats rubbish for this so called creative midfielder. I bet his assist count isn't much better either. He has played under two of the worst managers in christendom and often in a depleated team and 20 yards too deep. True, but you don't see people excusing Scott Parker because he's played under s*** managers. Because Parker doesnt look like he has the ability to play alot better in a team playing good football. Emre does in many of our opinions, hes got the technical ability but hes playing the wrong role in a shiite team. Its near impossible imagining Parker playing for Arsenal or AC Milan or someone similar, he doesnt have the required technical ability, but with Emre its feasible, as is the thought that he would play alot better in those teams because he has the ability to do so. This excuse is also used for Duff, because likewise, he has the ability to play alot better in a better team. Well, "had" would be the more accurate word to use as opposed to "has". Parker biggest achievement just playing at Chelsea reserve I can honestly say I never really understood all the hype around Parker. Emre on the other hand played some great matches for Inter.

I think this is the exact moment in time when he would be ideal. Organisation being one of his strong points and also his well proven ability to handle top/controversial players.

I really don't beleive Roeder will be overseeing the team rebuilding.

He's just a realist, I agree with what he said above and pretty much everything else he says. Emre is so overrated on here, and even more so since he's been injured/out the team. He's scored 4 goals in 58 games for us, thats rubbish for this so called creative midfielder. I bet his assist count isn't much better either. He has played under two of the worst managers in christendom and often in a depleated team and 20 yards too deep. True, but you don't see people excusing Scott Parker because he's played under shit managers. In the circus the elephant man is king. blueyes.gif