Raconteur

i don't think so many will leave this summer like, unless ashley is really intent on burning it all to the ground I think many players will hand in transfer requests in protests of how Ashley has been handling Rafa and the whole situation. never happens man, they'll do the usual give the new man a chance job then fuck off when we're relegated They won’t put in transfer requests off the bat, but they will ask their agents to find out if there is any possibility of getting out. All those players Toon No9 mentioned will be disheartened at best, or embittered enough to force an exit if Rafa leaves. And while 6, 8, 10 players leaving is not ideal in any sense, who knows how Ashley would respond to clubs throwing cash at him?

Can’t believe he’d risk his ego being put through another experience like Stoke. As arrogant and narcissistic as he is, surely he’s aware how much he’s hated by many Toon fans?

Was very impressive - looked like one team had prepared for pens, and the other didn’t. When Sam Kerr put hers into orbit, there was no coming back

Schar, lejeune, Shelvey, Longstaff, Hayden and rember we go into pre season in just over a week with no striker and left back as well as cover for Diame Yup, as soon as Rafa leaves, then every player with anything about them says “This is shite, might have my agent find me a new club that’s not shite”.

Not at all. I’m bemused by the cult-like responses. I suppose he’s been injured so long I’d forgotten about it.

Yeah, that wasn’t the only Bale reference. Can’t believe you freaks are so bent out of shape when a piece of play is described as underwhelming.

Yeah, Bale comparisons are ridiculous. It was a good run, but some of the overreactions here are just absurd. I knew the Cult of Miggy was very powerful - guess I won’t comment on him at all...

I genuinely have no idea which way it’s going to fall. All I can say is I think there is zero chance of #2 happening.

Gotta say I was a bit underwhelmed given the thread retitling - there’s a sense when he’s dribbling the fast that he’s not really in control. His last touch before the cross was too heavy because of this, and the cross itself seemed a bit hit-and-hope.

For some reason I thought they were stripes, not hoops. Then definitely Reading

Hahahaha - if Australia was awarded the 2022 World Cup after it was stripped from Qatar, we'd be exiled from the Asian Federation and back to playing with Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

The problem with the theory that Ashley's sticking around (and I haven't planted my flag anywhere yet) is that making the 10m pa over Rafa's tenure is wholly and solely down to Rafa being a genius, both in the transfer market and keeping our assorted barely-PL standard players in the league. I accept that Ashley is likely arrogant enough to think that he is in fact the genius making it possible, and that any old hack can be a manager. He's oblivious to the ripple effect Rafa leaving will have on the staff and the players. There is no manager in the world who would take the job who could keep the current squad up under Ashley - or even with Ashley approved additions (which do not include Rondon). Holding our squad together was little short of a miracle at times, and the daft fuckers who want rid might just find out soon enough - if Ashley really is holding on.

Living up to your username, I see

Seems very much that way - how come Zainiolo is worth 70m Euros, and not 60m or 80m?

Bring back Ziyech "also" - and then not pick van de Beek?

Manu Utd at home. Reading away was special too. Loved the Demba. Is it Reading or QPR that are in the blue and white hoops when it comes over his right shoulder and he volleys it home? Stunning, that one.

On a similar note, I always felt sorry for Siem De Jong. Absolutely riddled with daft unpredictable injuries. Aye. He played for my team in the A-League this season and, as you'd expect in a shitty provincial league, he dominated when he played (17 of 34 possible games, didn't feature in the finals series due to injury). Only four goals, but often played deep or wide

I remember some stupid hack linked us with Nicolo Zainiolo in the January window. Just saw on the Beeb that Roma want 70m euros (£62.4m) from Spuds for him

How good is Sam Kerr? First player (man or woman) to score a World Cup hattrick for Australia. Highest scorer (with five so far) of any Australian player in any World Cup ever. We suck. You don't care. Still, it makes watching the highlights less arduous

It’s a worldwide trend (ref Juve amongst others) - hardly uniquely Ashley fuckwittery

I know it’s a long time ago, but Chelsea gave Hoddle his first big gig after a short spell at Swindon, as well as Vialli’s first job. Lampard to Chelsea makes sense on a few levels - certainly better than having Ole at the wheel at Man Yoo. Hope he fails, naturally, but not the worst appointment ever.

The fact that Chelsea fans hate Benitez and Sarri, who both did very well for them despite both having a hand tied behind their backs, tells you all you need to know about Chelsea fans.

Sam Kerr: Suck on that

Got sacked for it, didn't he? EDIT: Don't know if geoblocked https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/montenegro-fire-serbian-coach-over-kosovo-qualifier-boycott_1

I wonder if this is the same reason why Rondon hasn't signed for another club ? I reckon there's a lot to marki's thoughts, and if it's true then it follows a few players would be holding fire. Rondon's obviously a time-critical one, but not just Joselu might have left already if Rafa's future was known. I'm still not sure which way it will fall - and I've (supposedly) got money riding on it with some poster who doesn't seem to be around anymore. I've been convinced Rafa was gone on 1 July forever and still think it the most likely option - unless the takeover is real and imminent and convince Rafa to stay. That's a lot of "ifs" in to answer in less than three weeks.