Raconteur

You'd best delete that before Wullie sees it

I'm from that wonderful open-air prison your predecessors created nearly 220 years. Super idea that - lets take all the pickpockets, whores and Irish, and send them to Paradise

Can I please go on record as saying I want Glenn Roeder as manager for as long as possible - 3-5 years or even longer? Even if he is just keeping the seat warm for Shearer, then I'm hoping he has the job for three seasons - the first two while Shearer gets his badges, and then Shearer can spend a season as Roeder's assistant before GR 'retires' - either as head of the Academy or Director of Football type role... I know he was no one's first choice, but I'm very impressed with the manner in which he has tackled the role. I know his history isn't the best, but I believe there were extentuating circumstances. I know the lack of transfers has some fans calling him incompetent and clueless in the market, but I have made my feeling os this subject clear here - http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php/topic,26604.160.html (on this page somewhere!) I've got bucketloads of faith in Glenn Roeder - Please feel free to use this post to bash me over the head should it all end in tears

There really are some knobs here, aren't there... :roll: With the likes of Shearer and Bowyer off the payroll, pressure has eased on the wage budget - I'm sure it's still above that magical 50% turnover figure, but movement is being made in the right direction. (and with the likes of Luque and Boumsong potentially on their way out this can only improve) What world-class player (or international class if you want to be pedantic) won't demand/expect a healthy signing on fee? Does anyone think, for example, Rosicky didn't get a fat wedge for signing on the dotted line? 5m quid for one of the best wingers in the league, and people still want to complain? What would make you happy?!? Yes, there are still positions to be filled - and still more than a month to fill them! If we signed Ronaldihno on a free for 1k p/w some of you would find cause for complaint.

Didn't someone say that if such clauses exist they also have to be revealed to the Stock Exchange? (Can anyone confirm/deny?)

Tell me - are you really giving kudos to Shepherd or baiting the Shepherd-haters?

The story goes that Australia is already in the process of putting a bid together - and while we don't have the stadia yet I'd be confident of brushing off any challenge from Europe... China, on the other hand... If they put in a bid no one else need bother...

That's the crux of it - and one I can't make as a Toon fan But I'm trying to be objective here - Newcastle by a short half head? Pulling away at the post...

When I say "roughly comparable", I obviously feel the Newcastle job as more favourable. I'm thinking of Paul Le Guen's appointment as Rangers manager - another club I would describe as "roughly comparable but slightly below" NUFC. A high-quality continental manager snapped up by a similar (yet inferior IMO) club while we scratch our arse and beg the FA to do us favours. I'm just scared the smoggies will pull a similar trick on us...

* McClaren leaves smoggies * Roeder refused dispensation to manage Newcastle (let's ignore the final appeal "sufficient support" BS for the moment) Today's events at Soho Square left me in a contemplative mood - especially after reading a Steve Gibson quote that sounded very much like something Shepherd said way back when: "'We have had a lot of calls and a lot of people putting their names forward. Five years ago when Bryan Robson left I had a limited number of people interested in the job - this time I have a greater number of people interested and I think that is a measure of the stature of the club, so we have a lot of available options open to us. We have a shortlist and a strategy and that will unfold hopefully soon rather than later." It occurs to me that we might get a lesson in managerial appointments... from the smoggies! Now, I wouldn't ask to compare the two clubs (we all agree there is no comparison, I'm sure ) but let's have a look from an outsider's perspective, and it could be argued that the two positions are roughly as attractive as each other - the point being that candidates interested in their job would most likely be interested in ours (and vice versa) At the risk of antagonising the pro-Shepherd faction, if Gibson pulls a rabbit from his hat (I don't know, Zaccheroni?) while we appoint Tommy Craig then surely questions have to be asked about the competency of the board?

It's being reported on nufc.com that Roeder WILL NOT be the next manager because he will be unable to complete his licence course before the start of the new season - can anyone confirm or deny that one...?