Wallace

Can't believe they seriously think that Pardew is a manager that would add some gloss to NUFC to help Ashley sell the club. All I see is a relegation battle ahead.

Clutching at straws here but for a time we were regularly linked with a Spanish manager (can't remember the name). Could it be that he is the target and that Pardew is to be the assistant like Platt to Mancini?

If it is true that Pardew has been sitting waiting for Ashley to give Hughton the boot, then I think he is going to have a difficult time ahead of him. Not only will the fans distrust him but so will the players. I am of the opinion that Ashley wants certain players moved on and that Hughton's public support for his "group of lads" made that difficult as the players wanted to play for him and trusted him. I cannot imagine Pardew having that respect and therefore players may be happier to leave the club. I read something in the last few hours that Pardew is a pal of Llambias and part of their social scene so it fits that he would get the job - another mate he can trust. Just cannot imagine for one minute understand why they would think that Pardew would be an improvement on Hughton. All I can think of is that he is a mate and that's seems to be what Ashley values above all else. But in the back of my mind is - can Ashley seriously afford to let this club get relegated again and on that basis Pardew is a huge risk. Just hoping that we are in for a pleasant surprise but I seriously doubt it.

That was all down to Graham Carr tbf. Didn't Hughton say he had been watching Tiote for a good few years, since he was playing in Belgium? That was long before Carr arrived. Yes he did since he was sent on a scouting mission by Keegan.

Who the f*** is posting this? Wallace Not me - just copying and pasting from #nufcfans twitter site

Mick Lowes saying he is getting texts off people he trusts who says Pardew will be the next manager.

On replacement > Alan Pardew will sign a contract until end of the season (in next few days). He's agreed to minimal spending in Jan. #NUFC

Interesting comments on Twitter #nufc A 'few' #NUFC players thought Hughton lost focus after Calderwood left the club. The need for a new assistant was felt in training. #NUFC half a minute ago via Seesmic for BlackBerry . Last week, unofficial negotiations took place with Martin O'Neil in London. MoN turned down chance to manage #NUFC. Reason unknown. 4 minutes ago via Seesmic for BlackBerry . Hughton was warned after 5-1 defeat at #Bolton. He told players that his future was on the line. #NUFC 7 minutes ago via Seesmic for BlackBerry . Hughton forced out due to inconsistent results. The board was not given enough of an assurance that he can manage at top level. #NUFC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/9261212.stm Newcastle defender Sol Campbell criticised the decision. "This will hit the players hard," he told ESPN Soccernet. "The players admired him and liked him and won't be happy now he's gone like this. "It makes no sense. Here is a guy who has done an unbelievable job. He got the club back into the Premier League and any manager would have been rewarded for that with a new contract, but Chris wasn't. "The players are sure to be asking themselves 'what the hell is going on?', that is only natural. "When we left training this morning none of the players had a clue this was coming. Yes, it has come as a shock, and it will affect the dressing room there is no doubt about that."

John Carver going mental about it on Total Sport.

Welcome mate Some interesting and probably logical points when it comes to Ashley Agree with this. They have just been waiting for the opportunity to get rid of Hughton. I think the new manager will have to agree to selling certain players whereas Hughton was very supportive of them. And Beardsley has never missed an opportunity to big up Ashley and I think he would be a disastrous manager.

Wouldn't be suprised - he struggled with Tevez and Mascherano at West Ham.

I think they know exactly who is coming in because why would they get rid of Paul Barron as well. Whoever is coming in obviously wants to bring in all their own people. I am sure it will be someone out of work because I cannot imagine Ashley paying any compo and I cannot get enthusiastic about any of the names suggested such as Pardew, Curbishley etc. I cannot imagine that managers of those ilk will succeed here. I expect Llambias will start to feed some snippets to his chums in the media to damage Hughton's reputation.

Luke Edwards Twitter An unnamed Premier League manager has just rung me to say "what a bunch of tossers they are. I hope they are fucking relegated"

Well Ashley has been waiting for a suitable opportunity and I guess yesterday gave it to him. With Paul Barron going, they must have someone else lined up because there is no-one to manage the team on Saturday. Really sad about this.

So on that basis somewhere like China will get 2026? Or can they ... as an Asian country immediately after Qatar? 2002 - Asia 2006 - Europe 2010 - Africa 2014 - South America 2018 - Europe/Asia 2022 - Asia 2026 - USA? Argentina (unlikely imo)? Australia? Or simply back to Europe ..? China have said they will bid for 2026 so they would seem to be the likely host. 2030- is the centenary and there are rumours that there would be a joint Uruguay/Argentina bid.

I think Brazil are meant to be seriously behind compared to South Africa. And they are already having to abandon a lot of was originally proposed. I am sure they will get enough done to finish it and if not, it would more likely go to the US I think than Europe.

England and Thailand then. And we gave a friendly match to Thailand. Think the other one was Japan as their guy had said he would vote for England. I think the Thai guy was voting for someone else but they were hoping England would be his second choice. Guess they can cancel that friendly now - not much point really.

Flares being thrown now.

Apologies if I sounded cryptic. I suppose what I'm getting at is that the Journal gets their info on a story lime this from one place according to my mate in the know - that one place being Derek Llambias. It all smacks if a clear and sustained agenda to portray Taylor as the bad guy in all this. Or do we take it as read that this "new contract offer" really exists? Exactly. The club have become very canny at manipulating public opinion and making Taylor out to be the bad guy will make it easier to ship him out without much fuss from supporters who now think he is greedy and holding the club to ransom. I am not saying they necessarily want rid but they will only want to keep him on their terms. They are incredibly difficult to negotiate with and will only negotiate when it suits them but will imply that it is the other party that is being difficult. No-one knows the details of the supposed contract offer or what Taylor is currently earning. The club can leak all the figures they want but at the same time deny Taylor the right to reply. (And we all know figures can be manipulated to promote whatever angle you want to push). It is funny how players previously perceived as being popular have all left under a cloud (and are now portrayed as being greedy) - Milner, Given and potentially Taylor. These are players who may have had their detractors but who have been good servants to the club and have not caused any negative headlines. Those that fans don’t really give a toss about leave quietly and are immediately forgotten.

What's happened to Dorrans this season? I think he came back into the team last weekend but has he been injured or is he struggling at this level?

Every neutral/not so neutral from SAFC fans to Paul Merson has nothing but praise for him So? If it took 10 games to become a top-side player, we'd have lost Kevin Nolan and Shola Ameobi by now. What are you on about. I am saying I have read praise for him on SMB, my mates who support Sunderland speak highly of him. I listened to Merson praise him to death. The co-commentator on Everton V NUFC game praised him. Keys & Redknapp went on about him, basically anyone in the media who sees him play rates him. I am not sure why your on about Shola or Nolan as I have not mentioned them but great effort trying to take me down that cul-de-sac though. Looking through other clubs forums, he is the one player that they are always impressed by.

Did the club appoint an agent to work for them during the close season post relegation to try and sell players? I seem to remember the agent concerned being on the radio at the time confirming the fact. Presumably the year probably starts 1st July so that might account for some of it. There may still be such an arrangement in place because I am not sure who has the experience at board level to negotiate player sales/buys.

Chelsea changed their formation yesterday just to deal with Carroll. Just amazing the impact he has made this season.

Radio has just said that there is a pitch inspection taking place at the moment,