Paulie Walnuts

Offers Rafa peanuts yet will pay £40m for a player who will be manged by Steve Bruce. Nuts. Behaviour of a sociopath.

On a positive note Charnley will be squirming - the pressure on him is building to get a deal for spud face over the line.

class

Bruce probably wants it but maybe he's seen the reaction to the rumors and has heard it's an absolute nightmare to work there? Sam just fucking remembers, I figure. It's all coming up Sherwood. I actually don't think he did, he just wanted Rafa to bow to his demands and be another of his little lackies, and Rafa was quite rightly having none of it. Rafa saw the club and it's fans, the potential of it all as more than a cash cow for Ashley to bleed dry. As always Ashley know the price of everything but the value of absolutely nothing. Rafa made it clear to him the terms under which he was prepared to stay, and Ashley also made it clear through his pals in the press that he wasn't prepared to bend his transfer policy for anybody. That is the same as saying these are the terms, either sign the contract or fuck off. If you are going to take a tough line, then you should be prepared to have a solid back up plan if the other party won't agree. Aye very true, i just think Ashley thought Rafa would bow to him, playing on Rafa's affection for us and the club. Nah Mike just thought he could replace him easy They’re finding out one decent wants to work for Mike Ashley F.C anymore their restrictive model has put every talented manager off. Bet he was hoping someone like Rafa would come out of me nowhere and save him. Not this time. Yeah it has backfired spectacularly, while it's funny to see them squirm around trying to get someone, anyone. Personally it's heartbreaking to watch what's happening to our club, it's desperately sad imo. It's not our club now, it's Sports Direct/Ashley FC. Long may the comedy and embarrassment continue until the point it becomes ours again.

This.

I was one of them. The irritating part of Rafa being replaced by Hodgson was the patronizing tone of the media and the justification for every result. With Bruce at the helm, you are going to see a unity among news media, all of them pushing the same agenda in unison. When a PFM is being compared to someone like Rafa by the fans, it is unbelievable the amount of unity shown by the media in defending the PFM. Bad results, not Bruce's or Ashley's fault. Geordies expect too much. Bruce is unfairly being targeted creating a poisonous atmosphere. Rafa is to blame for leaving the club at the last minute. His poor signings caused the issue. And if Bruce manages to keep you up next season, it will be heralded as the greatest achievement in British football since Clough. The sad part is, some of the fans actually fall for this. Depressingly true mate.

This reminds me of when Rafa was about to be appointed, and a Liverpool fan came on and told us the things to expect from Rafa, that was so exciting and optimistic.

It's like swapping Halle Berry for Mary Berry

This is like a bad dream of David Lynch proportions. What we had. We had Rafa and we were progressing nicely, injuries sorted, cracking defence, never getting thrashed and knowing we'd give every team a tough game with the forwards combination clicking and looking dangerous. There was a plan, we were moving forward. Fast forward a couple of months and now it's Steve fucking Bruce, Jack fucking Colback back. It's unreal and a criminal waste of the last three years. Soon as Rafa left i was out. I wasn't even going to watch the matches on tv under this ownership. But now i will and I'll be actively urging Newcastle (not 'us' anymore) to lose every single game until the fat money grabbing (where has the money gone?) parasite is gone forever. Never have i felt so low regarding football. This is a team i have supported for 45 years since attending my first match aged 6 with my grandad. This is not our Newcastle anymore, we all know there's no 'project' or ambition above finishing 17th every season, it's purely a money gaining, asset stripping exercise. No more.

3 years of careful building by Rafa is gonna be wrecked in a matter of weeks and we'll be back to the pardew days in an instant - past caring though until Ashley goes there's just no point.

feel thoroughly depressed - hate that he can do this. That little bit of hope has gone.

great post as always HTT. On another note, IF we are being taken over, I genuinely just can't understand, why any new owners would not want Rafa. He's world class / renowned, know the club and area, has built us up to be a difficult team to beat on a shoestring, and we were showing some real danger in attack thanks to Rondon, Miggy and Perez working so well together. Genuinely don't know who could be better. Seems extremely short sighted at best.

Most Ashley appointment John Gregory or Gerry Francis.

i will hate whoever Ashley appoints - my worst nightmare would be Ranieri as i like him as a person.

If there was takeover they clearly wouldn't want the new chump Ashley appointed so there's be compensation to pay to get rid. Clearly not happening.

Absolutely heartbroken - he's sorted out our injuries, our defence (no more getting thrashed) and our forward play was becoming more exciting with the new signings. The progress was clear. As well as a great coach he was an amazing man, which can be seen through his charity work in the city. I've had it now, this is the final straw, not even watching on tv until the cancer leaves. Rafa gave us hope and wish I hadn't been sucked in. Hope the next manager is Gerry Francis.

when Ashley bought the club, did he splash the cash at all initially?- Can't actually remember much apart from him getting rid of hippo head early doors.

meant to be a journalist and doesn't know the difference between you're and your.

Forgot about Charns. I hope he gets binned in the most reprehensible way possible. Riding backwards out of town on a donkey.

Almiron is some player.

Rafa just oozes class.

ball by Atsu

class switch from Perez

Totally agree mate.

that Wise interview FFS- what a cunt and the way hairy knuckles asked him pre-prepared questions and keeps coming out with sound bites 'interest free loan', 'he put quarter of a billion into the club' Asset strippers - stripping the business of your main assets - didn't fatulence do that already with Sissoko, Gini and and Carroll for starters? This is everything which is wrong with modern football. I've genuinely had it now - my beloved club is not mine any more - i'd be happy to do a Sunderland and then slowly rise again and at least be our Newcastle again. The thing is it's so unnecessary. We appointed one of the best managers in the world and a gent, who gets the area, and actually was realistic and didn't want a lot, but he's been treated totally disrespectfully like a mug - - as much as it pains me, as i had so much optimism when he was appointed, Rafa should walk and let Ashley try for third time lucky - he won't be.