Raconteur

That's a fair call. I'm a bit excited about Vuckic, but with Ben Arfa out Vuckic is never going to get a better chance to show he can step up. If Pardew doesn't think he's up to Arsenal-Mackems, then a loan spell (even the three months mooted by others) is the way forward...

Seems an incredibly biased piece - and I say that as someone who has been accused of being an Ashley sympathiser around here (which means "balanced" everywhere else ) I have to say I'm disappointed the Jose Enrique story has taken this turn - as little as a week ago I said I wouldn't bet on Jose Enrique staying or going, because I saw the logic in both positions from both parties. Now, however, Jose Enrique has made his move - he wants to be off this summer. The really annoying part is that now he could just as easily follow the N'Zogbia path of joining a shit club just to get away from Toon, Euro 2012 or otherwise...

The club have withdrew an offer, but Pardew says they may offer one in the future. If they weren't happy with him running down his contract, they'd renew negotiations. If they didn't want him at the club, they wouldn't talk of the possibility of renewing negotiations. That says pretty clearly to me that they're comfortable (happy, even) with the situation. Where's the flaw in the logic that prompted the derision?

Like I said, I don't think it's as cut and dried as "will NEVER let him go for free." I totally understand the logic of trying to peddle him now - money towards a replacement we'll need in the summer anyway, a cheaper replacement might mean money saved on wages, resolving the situation so we can move forward. But there's logic to keeping him too - a year's service at the standard we know he's capable of playing at might mean a few extra million in placing prizemoney, putting off replacing Jose Enrique until next summer and keeping alive the possibility of him staying. I wouldn't want to put money on either possibility frankly...

Why not? I think the comments coming from the club about them being happy for Barton to run down his contract indicate that the issue isn't as cut and dried as this post assumes. (I say that fully appreciating the two cases are different, but the point still stands...) How do you know the club are happy with Barton's situation? He has made no secret of the fact they cant push him out and he will see the ting out so theres sod all NUFC can do otherwise save dumping him in the reserves for a year(paying a fortune in wages for nowt) I'm pretty sure Pardew has made a couple of comments along the following lines:

Why not? I think the comments coming from the club about them being happy for Barton to run down his contract indicate that the issue isn't as cut and dried as this post assumes. (I say that fully appreciating the two cases are different, but the point still stands...)

"Probably" being the key word. He probably won't spend the cash. If he did, top-seven is a real possibility. It's not far removed from what many are saying, that Ashley will lay bare his ambition with the next two signings. Except I have no real expectation that he will spend big, and I'll freely admit I'm reconciled with that... I don't believe Ashley has any real ambition beyond trying to get us into the top ten in the most penny-pinching manner, but while that doesn't fill me with joy, neither does it have me exploding with apoplexy...

Couple of more clever signings to that squad and i'll be well happy. Yup - the starting XI is superior to what we finished the season on (except the Taylor/Williamson typo) The promised two signings will add some much needed depth, because Gosling and Marveaux (and Smith and Lua Lua) as midfield cover isn't sufficient for a 38 game season, and no one wants to see Shola (or Lovenkrands) play more than the odd cameo role during an injury crisis. In fact, I'd hope the goal fairy is above Lovenkrands at this point. Two ho-hum signings (like what the mackems have filled their squad with) should be adequate to give us a top-ten finish. Two top-drawer signings should help have us aiming for a top-seven finish. At this point, we've done well, and the final two signings will tell us all we need to know about where we're aiming. So can the Chicken Little crew please give it a rest? Yes, Mike Ashley probably won't spend a fraction of the 35 million we got for Andy Carroll. Yes, that might see Jose Enrique and Joey Barton leaving at the end of the season. But is raising your blood pressure going to change any of that? NO! Signing centre-halves, and full-backs, and right-wingers is as fantastical as me guiding the Toon to five consecutive Champions League titles on FM. It can happen, but chances are it won't...

At this stage I'd take a no-cash, straight swap deal...

Wow, when you list them all like that it just reads like... grey. Mundane, average, ordinary. And to think that two Man U castoffs raise the level up to mediocre! I'll add my voice to those saying if we'd signed that lot I'd be ropeable.

Yup - West Ham can't have it because they bought it, Spuds can't have it because they're contemptible cunts and Leyton Orient don't want it...

I think centre-half is more of a priority than right back - mainly because of the backup that we currently have. James Tavernier looks a decent prospect, and as things stand is in a position to challenge Simpson if the latter's form dips. If we get a gun right back (which we won't, but if) then Simpson will most likely be sold off and Tavernier's development will be stymied as he hangs around waiting for an injury. We also have the very poor Perch and R Taylor in reserve on the right. In the middle though, there is the starting partnership of Coloccini and Williamson, next is S Taylor. Now, I understand Kadar to be a fine prospect, better even than Tavernier on the right, but he's always injured. I don't feel comfortable relying on him - becasue after Kadar, who is next? Someone out of position? Or 16 year old Remi Streete? The next problem is if the supposed one in, one out rule applies here - because the issue here is less of quality but the lack of quality in depth. Replacing S Taylor with, for instance, Roger Johnson, might improve the quality of the starting XI, but would leave us in the similar position of relying on Kadar as fourth choice...

Remind me never to negotiate with you two - what you seem suggesting is the club's first offer is its only offer, and that's how it should be...? In FM terms, it's the equivalent of the first contract negotiation being a "take it or leave it" offer - and adding a "now or never" for good measure. Or have I misrepresented your positions?

Joey and his agent have stated numerous time that the club have said they are not going to offer him a new contract. After he decided not to sign the one offered in Feb/March. Unless you think his agent was lying? 'Joey is happy at Newcastle and would be happy to talk. We're not a million miles apart, it's about the length of the deal. At that point, though, if Barton and his agent are hoping to negotiate the length of the contract on offer but the club instead withdraws the proposed deal, is blame attached to Joey for "not signing a deal". I think magpie99's post is a gross misrepresentation - not signing the first offer is different from turning down an offer...

He knew the family for quite a few years according to the article, he knew how old she was. Ah thanks. In that case sack him and see who else picks him up, I'd imagine no one will. Reading between the lines he was on with the older sister and then tried moving on to the younger sister. Personally, as the father of a girl I'd say hang him by his scrotum. And as many have said, in any other profession he' be fired - in fact if I committed such an act I'd be banned from my profession (teacher) for life. It makes you wonder about Hearts' comments like "mitigating circumstances" and "possible wrong outside influence" (wtf?). The Hearts supporters spokesman said "more to the situation than meets the eye". So lets not all line up to execute him just yet. But the one side of the story that has been told is pretty fucking damning!

I was tempted to drop this in NWOAT, but hey, it's Carroll and fuck Andly Carroll! The following is the status update of a Facebook group called "Aussie Mags - Newcastle United Supporters in Australia" I know we've all had a laugh about what a pisshead he is, but admitting to your club physio that you're addicted to alcohol is the next level up. (That the physio would then blab about it is another story )

Steve Caldwell?

Been thinking about how this relates to Pardew's power - as I'd previously thought he couldn't be the spineless puppet some say he is. But after today's news, I'm wondering why Ashley doesn't go all Ron Noades and appiint himself manager...

The crux of the matter - and we're not likely to know the bald truth, just self-serving, mealy-mouthed, fig-leaf comments from both sides...

Not really - he scored once from the penalty spot in injury time, and he was only allowed to take it because it was his first start in his home town. That said, he did look bright against a side who had flown in from USA less than 24 hours before kickoff

Surprised he didn't hold out for the Chelsea job...

Perhaps not. But Nolan signing may very well lead to Barton signing - which Barton has allegedly said himself in talk-ins. Those two are central planks to the (whatever you want to call it) "club culture". Admittedly, this might not mean so much to Enrique, but surely it has to have some weight when the two most senior players commit to the club? Especially if "the big clubs" are slow coming in with bids? Colo is a different case - I'm pretty sure I said when Williamson signed that five year contract it was a big flashing sign that Colo wouldn't get a new contract, and I stick to that. I think The Curly One might be offered around half of what he is on now (if it's true he's on 80k), which sucks big donkey's balls, but it is the new Mike Ashley reality. Besides which, I said "if" Nolan's re-signing meant "one of" Barton/Enrique/Colo staying it would be worth it

Are you really a Toon fan? I ask because it's good to watch the club's board and one of it's best three players go head to head if you're a fan of another club, or don't follow football and you're doing a case study for Business School, or if you are bloody minded and enjoy watching big-dicked alpha-males clash heads knowing one of them is going to get a bloody nose. But for me, and I imagine most Toon fans, it's excruciating watching Barton's negotiations break down so publically. There's right and wrong on both sides, but that doesn't need to be spelt out on the bloody BBC website. Brinkmanship is playing chicken - and in this case no matter who blinks we, as fans, lose...

Just referring to a previous discussion... To be honest it's difficult to sort the Chicken Little chaff from the few grains of wheat to be found hereabouts this silly season.

I don't particularly expect that bit to be true. Like Barton and others, he'd probably see security in having extra years on his deal - possibly even worth him taking a paycut therefore. He also seems happy/eager to stay here in and of itself. As far as I'm aware (which isn't very far), the Board started wanting to negotiate with Nolan following the squad wanting them to. I can see a few reasons why he's treated differently to Colo. Partly as he's on lower wages, so it's recognised that it should be a lot less tricky to get him to cut his wages/less necessary to cut his wages to an 'acceptable' level. Partly as he's the squad leader, so securing him helps secure the others - regardless of what some detractors think, clearly a lot of the players think we really need him more than most, and so the idea he could have one year left on his deal and a sell-happy Board in charge next year will unsettle the others. Added to that of course, he's less obviously a critical player on the pitch - it's easier to imagine the Board deciding they'd rather just get rid of him than it is with someone like Colo, and so again that helps unnerve the wider squad. So altogether, negotiating with him is more about symbolism and helping to make sure other valuable players think the club is moving in the right direction and not a sinking ship. Yup, I'd buy all of that - except I'm not putting any negative spin ("sell-happy" and "sinking ship") on my viewing of what is really an exercise in expediency. Yes, signing Nolan has more symbolic value than footballing merit. But if that symbol leads to a sense of stability and security, and leads to a single one of Barton/Enrique/Colo re-signing, then it's worth the extra 2 million quid the symbol might cost...