Raconteur

names? Wasn't he close to going to Norwich before the window shut? Anyway I thought he was poor apart from the goal. Though he barely played in Serie A last season. Give him Half a season. Doesn't look close to being as good as the likes of Marveaux or Sammy. As I said, he's not a world beater, but I'd rather bring him on than Sammy Ameobi or Obertan, neither of whom I rate at all. I'd suggest he's more effective than Jonas, too. He's certainly not better than Marveaux, but I'm of the opinion that Marveaux is used poorly by Pardew. Clearly I'm biased though. I still resent Inman's lack of opportunity, too

Barely worthy of a post, but former NUFC player James Troisi just scored a 93rd minute equaliser for his new club Melbourne Victory - classy first time finish that made me think we let a good-un' go. He's no world beater, but better than some we still have on the books, and who still get games...

Those three players had a Croatian passport thanks to their parents/grandparents, and FIFA rules say there's nothing wrong with what they did. Fine, it's legal, and I'm sure they were proud to represent their daddy's or granddaddy's country but, seriously, fuck them all. Totally different to the Diego Costa case, but I'm mad as hell and sounding off EDIT: There used to be rules related to nationality and junior representation - but these were relaxed and players like Tim Cahill and Frederic Kanoute benefited. So FIFA has gone the other way...

I can totally dig that. I don't believe in nationalism at all, except when it comes to sport. Let's have one big melting pot in the "real world" but, if I had my way, people like Josip Simunic, Ante Seric and Joey Didiluca (who were born in Australia, played junior and professional football in Australia and received taxpayers money to help them become better footballers) who then played for Croatia should be executed for treason. Or at least have their Australian passports revoked

While that's true, it was also the limit of his ambition, too. He played as the number 10 for his favourite team for the better part of 15 years - some might say he had a dream career... Imagine if he was at a club that cashed in on his talent, and he went to a club that demanded more of him - and instead of stepping up he got on the sauce or quit playing altogether...?

Good riddance - he was no good! His task was clear: qualify for the World Cup while bringing the next generation through. He barely did the former and the latter not at all. Aussie Guus for the second coming!

Australia are so shit 12 goals conceded, 0 scored in the last two games.

Absolutely. There is no chance of Moyes being sacked this season - unless he loses every single match, shags Giggs' wife and sister-in-law, punches Bobby Charlton and pisses on the Ferguson statue. And even then I wouldn't bet on it...

Not Citeh? If it's not us (and somehow I've got my doubts) I'd rather the Arse win against Citeh or Chel$ki (or Liverpool, but I seriously don't think they've got the legs for a title race, especially in midfield). But I don't think the Portuguese wanker can make history repeat.

Why not? nufc.co.uk lists the backroom staff as: John Carver, Steve Stone, Peter Beardsley, Andy Woodman, William Donachie, Joe Joyce, Dave Watson, Chris Terpcou. Who amongst them would be sacked as well? Next, who would take the opportunity to walk? Then, you take what's left, and put him/them up against Ashley's mate - I've gotta know what gives you this faith. Unless there's someone lined up, then surely JFK is the man, if only in the interim.

Ashley is businessman, if he thinks Pardew is going to fail again this season and cost him money and from the start we've made it's actually looking like a possibility, he will sack him. However he's not going to make a knee jerk reaction so early in the season when he's been our manager for 3 years and you have the feeling he likes to have the stability at the club and doesn't really want to be chopping and changing managers when things get tough. He's given Pardew another chance after last season's disaster but make no mistake about it, if he fails again, he will be gone. I'm sorry, but I haven't seen any evidence whatsoever that supports the bolded claims. Even giving the most generous benefit of doubt, Ashley bought into Pardew's bullshit that the Europa League was a millstone around the club's neck and was the reason we performed so poorly in the league. He gave Pardew another chance but brought in his "own" man to advise and oversee Pardew (as well as himself). Even if you take these with the ludicrous bias I have placed on them, Ashley's only form for sacking a manager was getting rid of someone else's man and getting rid of a potential power rival. Neither have anything to do with performance - in fact, he (apparently) seems poised to slot in the man most responsible for our relegation!

Why do we think he's getting sacked anytime soon? What has changed this season? As far as I can see, it's been business as usual since he wasn't sacked at the end of last season. Also, why do we think JFK would do a better job? Please don't take this to mean I don't want Pardew to choke on his lying tongue.* But I can't see why he's suddenly under more pressure, or why his replacement by JFK is the promise of anything other than more gross mismanagement...? * That's a metaphor. I don't cheer for Pardew's physical demise...

After reading of the link between the three dubious Essex clubs (especially AFC Hornchurch) and the scandal here in Australia, describing the FA's inaction as "deriliction" is generous. It borders on complicit. Are there any anti-gambling crusading type politicians (or grassroots organisations) in the UK who might make a suitable hue and cry about this?

They're the ones who play for the "big clubs". You know, like Everton...

An interesting read from espn.soccernet's NUFC blogger Marc Duffy: http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/newcastleunited/id/1195?cc=3436 Sure, he's not a neutral writer, but it's on a neutral site and he might as well be a lone voice at the moment...

Both of these stories assume that being included in the U21 competition automatically means we have been awarded Category 1 status. However, I've seen no official confirmation from either the Premier League website or the club. (Having said that, the Premier League's "Kids/NUFC" page has Dan Gosling listed as a player to watch, so I don't know how reliable their website is! )

Same applies to this link/story: http://thespectatorsview.com/2013/07/20/newcastle-united-awarded-category-1-status-for-academy/

I've found the following link/story, but it's nothing more than assertions based on flawed logic: http://www.nufcblog.com/2013/07/30/newcastle-achieve-category-one-academy-status/

No doubt about it Agreed. If you actually had a Category 1 academy I presume you would be shouting it from the rooftops. From the Fan Forum Minutes - "The board stated that the club had spent significant sums on the development side to get the Academy up to Category 1 status (i.e. investment in staffing and facilities)." Does that suggest we've actually made it!?!? Wish they would shout it from the rooftops to be honest. It's difficult to get much sense from these short answers in a meeting without much, if any context. I think the wording is quite deliberate, and I am still firmly of the opinion that no, we haven't been awarded Category 1 status. These people are specialists in giving shifty, equivocal answers, and the only reason you would give a shifty and equivocal answer in this case is if the answer is "no"... That said, I would be happy to take it all back if there is a link to what ChricMcQuillan says...?

He's just gone up in my estimation. Just spent that last 20 minutes reading articles about why Brighton and Crystal Palace absolutely fucking hate each other in spite of being like 50 miles apart and hardly ever playing each other, funny what the internet does to you. Wasn't Poyet's involvement with the shitting scandal more his Gestapo-esque interrogation of the Brighton groundstaff? I'm pretty sure his open letter to the club was released online? (Or am I making all of that up?)

Proper prophet, me...

I've finally caught up on the match thread - it was something I was compelled to do because I only watched the first half and was baffled to see we'd lost. To be honest, I'm still having trouble reconciling what I saw in the first half to what everyone is saying happened in the second. Wish I hadn't watched the first half at all now, as it gives me hope that we can play well consistently...

Jol, Pardew and Allardyce. I only really believe the first one is a chance - the last two are wishful thinking. (Thus PDC not appearing - but I can't see him going soon anyway)

It'd be fucking hilarious if Rogers wobbled a bit and the Kop started calling for King Kenny again