afar

Have the potential to be better. Unfortunately as a club we do not have a great reputation of nuturing that talent and ensuring that they reach the limits of the natural ability they have. I agree however with your general sentiments, we'll not have a huge void to fill if Shola makes his move permenant but it's very much in our interests and the players that the loan is successful.

Yeah everyone knows he was born in Nigeria, good of you to spot it sherlock. My brother was born in another country too but he is most definately a local lad.

I don't truely understand all the venom directed at Shola. Over the years he's been a decent squad player for the club. No he's not a world beater but we never paid 10 Mill for him either. He's probably been the biggest success of the the academy system since it was formed. The problem I have with Shola is that he had all the tools to be a top top player, physically strong, has natural ability and is a good finisher. But he hasn't made the most of those tools, despite being given more opportunity than most he's failed to reach the next level. I sincerly hope he does well there, and has a big hand in seeing them promoted. This can only be good for the lad and also for NUFC who will receive a decent amount for a player that cost nothing. I just can't understand those who want him to fail, apart from the human aspect of why wishing illfortune on a local lad who I doubt has done any harm to you personally or to the club we all support. If he fails then we have no chance at all of recouping a decent fee Good Luck Shola, hope you bag a hatful before the season's out.

This. He's now got Premier League experience* on his CV too. Don't think we'll struggle finding a buyer tbh. *Albeit not very successful. We will always have difficulty selling on players who have failed here and are on long contracts. Ok he's not going to be on a huge salary in prem league terms, but he'll have great difficulty getting it match by another team in another league. His reputation is in the toilet in England, just being associated with a NUFC back four will not have done him any favours. Italy may be a no go now too if he's failed to make an impact there. Dropping out of the Czech 2008 squad will bring his reputation down still further. He'll have to take a drop in wages to go most anywhere else, I can see another loan deal to the likes of PSV or Feynoord or at best a 1 Mill move to Olympiacos or somewhere like that.

We are gonna have a hard time shifting this guy, methinks.

I'm not sure what the deal is down in the US but up in Alberta Canada, I have Shaw's HD cable package and you can basically add on which ever channels you want. I have 3 BBC channels for example, for sport I've got Rogers sportsnet, the Score, FSC, FSW, there's also Gol which is a pure footbal channel but mainly south american games. I also have setanta which cost only $15 a month (about 7.50 pounds) which is excellent value for all the games you get. Since we moved into our new home in January, I have seen every one of NUFC's PL games live, if Setanta don't pick the game up there's a good chance that one of the others will. Setanta also fill there schedules with a lot of tape delayed games. TV coverage of the Leauge out here is quite amazing.

I not sure Setanta have the rights to international games, don't think the England friendly internationals have the same appeal our here as the PL games. Just checked the schedule for Setanta (Canada) and they don't seem to be showing it here in Canada, may be different for the US, just Estonia v Canada and Switzerland v Germany, if either of them float yer boat. FSC have Poland v US Live and taped delays of Brazil v Sweeden and Scotland v Croatia. Rogers sportsnet have no games, neither do The Score.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/martin_samuel/article3607443.ece Forgive me if I'm missing something but I have not heard one Newcastle supporter blame "southerners" and I know plenty of Newcastle fans. In fact most are pleased that the club seems to be adopting a big time professional strategy to it's scouting operations. Yep, they just made this unrest crap up, how they can really get away with printing lies as fact is beyond me.

I think KK will bring in a big name CB to play alongside Taylor or Faye, he'll let Cacapa go and if he can find a buyer Rozy too. He may leave the full back alone but I think he still remains a little unconvinced about Enrique. He'll obviously look to bring in some quality into the midfield. I doubt he'll do anything with the GKs. He always loves to bring in a striker even when we don't need one (e.g Kitson and Asprilla). So I would wouldn't be surprised to see the likes of Crouch here next year. I'll be surprised if he brings in more than 4 or 5 first team squad players. With the same number leaving.

Don't really see your logic ?? It's not about how good a player is, it's about market value, and Zoggy has a pretty high market value, not as high as Bentley's admittadly but certainly nowhere near the gap you are trying to portray. If Bentley moves he'll fetch around 15 - 18 mill, IMO. But Zoggy will go for around 10 mill IMO, the likes of West ham and Spuds will be only too happy to stump that amount up for him. Villa too could be interested. Just got the feeling that anywhere but Newcastle will do for Zoggy atm.

Beye's got a full week to recover and hopefully he will. I think Owen was no more than cramp, he had really worked his socks off, lets face it we would have heard long before now if it had been anything serious. Geremi, I thought had his best game for us since joing, on Saturday, still terrible corners though. But if we lost him , I am sure the likes of Zoggy or Milner could do an good job.

It is a very important game for us. Win and we are probably as a good as safe. Draw and it keeps things ticking over nicely. Loose and pressure flicks back to a must win in our next home game. I have no idea how it will turn out, all 3 results are likely, but one thing if we go their and give them too much respect we'll loose. Same team, no reason to change it.

There seems a lack of respect for the servant Terry Mac was as a player for the club in two spells. Those old enough to remember, will tell you what a pleasure it was to see him play. He's also Newcastle through and through, this is despite his time with his hometown club whom he won European cups and England honours. The above doesn't obviously mean he should automatically be given a role, but I for one applaud the club when they look after their old alumni, it makes me feel good to see the likes of Super Mac (indircetly through the media), Beardsley, Shearer, Sir Bob and Beresford still linked with NUFC. At the end of the day, KK values his input and that's good enough for me.

That was for s*** players. I also thought Taylor was impressive against Fulham, hardly put a foot wrong, he's not the shit player some on here like to make out, he's young and a little too over eager on occassions but I truely believe if we let him go we'll regret it because I think he'll mature into a top centre half.

I've not been a fan of Owen's since he came here, but I thought on Saturday he was terrific, hs work rate was sport on and I think he's really enjoying playing in this new position. One thing you have got to say KK has done a great job on getting him back in the mood to play football again. I geniunely thought Owen had lost his desire, but he seems to be truely enjoying his football again and that's all down to KK. If Owen keeps up this form and continues to knock in the goals I would have be more than happy if the club offered him a new contract. Although I have the feeling that he may be gone in the summer.

I was very impressed with his work rate on Saturday, he always wanted the ball and was prepared to take resaponsibility and have a dig at goal. We need that kind of drive from our own players the likes of Joey Barton (whom I thought had a decent game on Sat) could learn a lot from him. However he lacks that quality, he's a decent pro who's made the most of his talent by sheer hard work and determination. Not for me but I wouldn't be crying in my pint if he was brought in as a squad player in the summer.

Hmm Sir Kev Keegan eh... I wonder why that hasn't happened yet ? I think for what he achieved as a player at least a knighthood is due. And as Madras said, way to take a statement out of context, he said Henry was his fantasy signing, that's all. Unlike others I think he'll be back here next year and Man City are probably a good fit for him although it wouldn't surprise me to see him end up at their bitter rivals instead.

It's a sad state of affaris that the modern game rewards you for intimitary tactics to referees. It doesn't start or stop with the players either Managers such as Ferguson are adept at getting into the heads of the officials before and after the games to ensure that decisions favour. It's downright disgusting tbh but unless they start employing robots to officiate the games what can be done.

Well I voted Ginola, for one reason, he was the final piece in the Jigsaw that turned is from a very good team to genuine title contenders. Although Shearer had much more of a sustained impact on the club, I don't think his signing moved us up a level as perhaps had been predicted when he came, we staginated and then dramitcally dropped, not his fault of course, just the way things turned out.

Is there a better play in the world at the moment ? I don't think so. Makes a pleasant change to be actually happy when he's working his magic.

I was not surprised at all at the time I heard, maybe it took a second or two to sink in but I was in way shape or form shocked. I had been thinking along those lines myself previous, I said at the time he was appointed that this was the right appointment at the right time (even though I questioned the timing of SA's departure). I still have that hope, I have questioned my belief but KK will get all the time he needs from me. He would never do anything to harm this football club and if he thought for any reason that he was having a negative effect he would make a selfless act. What I have been shocked at is the amount of criticism and venom that has come from other fans and the media. The mockery and condescending attitude of outsiders (not referring to any of our guests on this site, the likes of Brummie are exempt from my criticism) has been nothing short of disgusting. To be perfectly honest the goings on at NUFC are nothing to do with them and they should keep their unsolicited, unconstructive, ill educated, press influenced thoughts to themselves. It's impossible for outsiders to fully appreciate what KK means to toon fans, he is much much much more than just a hero to us all. For those not old enough to recall his first coming, the excitement generated is hard to put in words, KK was the biggest name in English football back then, he was a twice European footballer of the year and England captain (something which I never truly understood or forgave Sir Bobby for ending his international career prematurely). For this player to come to a team treading water in the 2nd flight of English football was totally unbelievable. His coming helped bring back the likes of Terry Mc and other players whom we could never have expected joining the club. He left too soon, IMO that first time and I think that was largely down to Sir Bobby's decision, he still had a couple of years left in him. The 2nd comings was absolutely fantastic, I was gutted when Ozzie was sacked, I had a lot of time for the little argentine, although we lost a whole load of games the football we played was great to watch although it was never going to get us anywhere I was sorry he left. When KK came in I was somewhat skeptical that he would be able to take on the task, I remember his first game I think it was Bristol City, I lucky to have a ticket in the east stand for it, we won 3-0, there was a genuine excitement about the place again, although the rest of the season wasn't much to shout about he did save us from relegation. For me it was that summer that followed when things started to move along, bringing in Venison, Bracewell and Beresford was a huge coup for us and testament to KK's pulling power. To see Bracewell score in his first game for us after I think about 2 or 3 goalless seasons with the mackems was funny as hell, the start we made that season culminating in the 2-1 at Joker park was incredible considering what had happened the previous year. The signings of Rob Lee, Andy Cole and Salty Sellars (whose contribution is often underestimated) were masterstrokes and his ability to get more out of Kelly and Clark and Watson showed his exceptional motivational skills. The last game of that season gave us a glimpse of what was to come, I remember being squashed into the old leazes end, hardly able to breath but in utter disbelief as we trounced a playoff team Leicester city 7 -1. The following season he did something that will probably never be done again he got a promoted side to a 3rd place finish. He was and we were disappointed with 6th spot the next season so he put that right by replacing Cole with Sir Les and bringing in Ginola, we came so close to winning the big one that season. His achievements should never be underestimated, he did great jobs at both Fulham and Man City too, but the London based press and other fans seem intent on concentrating on his failings with England and that interview on sky sports when Ferguson out psyched him, and point to those as marking him a crap manager, when his record proves he's far from it. During my lifetime KK is the single most important person who as been associated with the club. As I said before he is much more than just a hero to us toon fans. His re-appointment may well be sentimental but it's not a dumbass move either as we have a manager with a truly excellent record who understands what the club needs and what the fans want. That can't be found easily as many other managers have found out. Sorry for the long post I got a little carried away

The title of the thread is what's getting everyone's back up. I'm sure the OP's is not suggesting that he would be happy to see us go down more that there may be some long term benefits in dropping a league. The biggest benefit I see is getting rid of the dead wood, which is an absolute huge job. I for one hope that this brush with relegation ends on the positive side of staying in the divsion but at the same time is enough of a shock to those in power that big changes in playing personell are needed.

Obviously I'm not able to watch this but bloody hell what's he thinking ? That's not gonna help the lads confidence any either.

Damn 5 mins left of work, gonna miss the closing mins, wife wants me home on time tonight, we have an appointment she'd kill me if we missed

Stick or twist now ?