Wallace

That journalist has been ahead of others on NUFC stuff before. He was the first to say we were going to put a bid in for Neil Taylor. I think McLaren has always been keen to manage us. Didn't we speak to him when Shepherd was here and he was manager at Boro. I think Gibson then found out about it or something and nothing came of it. I cannot imagine any Championship club who are currently looking like serious promotion candidates letting their manager leave unless they kick up a fuss. I don't think Howe would be that keen to relocate from Bournemouth either.

The "paltry" salary would probably be a significant pay increase for a lot of the continental coaches.

Probably because he knows he is not being considered.

And more importantly available for nowt ie not currently employed so not attracting a compensation fee. Which is frustrating seeing as we received a compensation fee so it would not be costing Ashley anything.

Exactly which is why we should get Perez on a long-term contract and look to hold on to him for a couple more years. They may get a nice little profit on him in the next year but if he continues to progress at his current rate, they could get a huge profit in 2-3 years. Similarly with Aarons although it is too early to know what his likely potential will be and if he is injury prone. There should be no rush to sell every player as soon as they show some promise as they could be far more valuable in a few years. (I hate always talking about players in this way and not being able to dream of them leading us to glory in the future). We obviously sold Carroll at his optimum value and did well on Debuchy but I think Cabaye went for less than he should. My understanding was that Cabaye was sold by Kinnear for less than the reported fee which was still less than Ashley wanted and was a key reason for him being sacked. Pardew failed at improving the players enough and those that did/have improved have been those of certain type of character like Cabaye and seemingly Perez where their self-determination and ambition fuels their improvement. (Carroll's improvement came under Hughton). Those players that need more guidance seem to hit a wall under Pardew. How long before starts referencing our young players as proof at how good he is at developing youth as he constantly did with the West Ham players!

I could put up with Carver for the rest of the season IF and only IF it meant we were going to get a good manager at the end of it as maybe some of the continental choices would want to see the season out with their current clubs.

It's sad really because it wouldn't take that much for him to win the fans round, tweaking his existing policies so that they all work properly. He started doing it in 2011/12 but he continually ruins it by doing stupid things. If we stop touting our players around as soon as they look half decent, he gets rid of some of the SD.com s**** and invests at least the TV money Id wager most people would leave him alone. The touting of players around is so irritating as it is so needless. If they get a good enough offer or if the player wants a move, they will sell. There was no need for Pardew to constantly remind everyone in every interview who they were "afraid" of losing if a club offered a minumum of £x.

As well as Bent, Shelvey has also been linked with Palace as well as Neil Taylor and Gomis. I guess it will become very obvious (if there was indeed any doubt) who were Pardew's own targets whilst here.

In today's programme he has also been listing all the Newcastle players/managers loved by fans who are not Geordies saying that it is a myth that we hate southerners and only want Geordies at the club and that we will happily support anyone that does a good job wherever they are from.

Carver and Stone are also on long-term contracts so I would expect the new manager would be expected to keep them on as Ashley won't want to pay them compensation.

Apparently Bruce and Carr are good friends.

Steve Bruce cracked under the pressure at Sunderland and has regularly complained since about the unrealistic expectations of NE fans. I don't think he has the right mentality for the job and would struggle here and although he seems to have one over Poyet at present, he couldn't handle the derby games when he was down the road.

If the club did have plans to sell him in January (and Pardew is telling journalists that) then I can imagine them being petty enough not to do so until the Summer.

Other than to pay off his loan, what is the benefit of not spending any money improving the football club. It is not like other businesses where you can use profits to diversify into other ventures. I don't think he is transferring money out and he doesn't need the money himself so if the club can support itself financially, why would you not try to improve it. If he gets his thrill from buying and selling players for profit, why not invest in good coaches, why do everything on a shoestring? A more attractive football club would be better for promoting SD than the more impoverished and shabby image he seems to wish to create. A football club will have some better seasons and some poorer ones. He should not be afraid of having some success. To strive just to be average will eventually only create failure.

I can't believe this would happen although it would be interesting to see who he would choose to partner him in defence.

Remember seeing the odd fan wearing a black and white kilt - in the same way you see the occasional fan wearing one of those B&W onesies - but nothing on a large scale.

I think Pardew will save them from relegation as he normally does well to begin with. It will be next season that their fans will need to worry about. Steve Bruce is the same - OK for 18 months max - then it all goes pear-shaped.

If they offer £70m+, they would probably get them.

I vaguely remember some talk-in with Beardsley some years back where he named his ideal team from the squad at that time and the consensus was thank goodness, he wasn't the manager!

If Pardew ends up staying, what will it mean in terms with his relationship with Ashley seeing as Ashley has backed him when he has had plenty of reasons to sack him. Surely, it will be fractured beyond repair and that will make Pardew's position untenable.

What we don't know is what Ashley's plans are for us. If he does indeed intend to sell us within the next couple of years, would that have an impact on his choice of manager? We are understood to believe that Pardew was very much the choice of Llambias. Has the criteria for a manager changed much since Pardew was appointed? Possibly. Were we perceived to be so intent on buying cheap and selling high prior to the Carroll sale. I am not so sure. I think the price we got for Carroll has perhaps hugely changed Ashley's mindset. If that was the case, then surely he has to think of a someone who is primarily a good coach with a history of developing young players because there is no doubt that Pardew has underperformed in realising the potential of certain players.

http://www.football365.com/faves/9624485/Winners-Losers Newcastle Supporters The rest of the country may have been tingling with excitement on December 24 with the anticipation of what presents and merriment the next day would bring, but the majority of Newcastle supporters enjoyed their second Christmas Eve on Sunday night. The excitement making it difficult to sleep? Check. Trying to stay calm and not get your hopes up of that one great present? Check. The knowledge that tomorrow may well be the best day of the year? Check. On Sunday Alan Pardew was made odds-on to be the next Crystal Palace manager, and refused to conduct his post-match interview. Newcastle supporters have never truly taken to Pardew, viewed as a puppet for the 'cockney mafia' they feel has strangled the ambition and joy out of their proud institution. They're starting to prepare the bunting on Tyneside.

Sanchez is probably a mate of Kinnear if Ashley still takes advice from him.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/natural-forward-ayoze-perez-can-4868563? "Pardew can’t wait for the comeback of de Jong, who may play again in about five weeks time. “I looked at him with adoring eyes this morning because with him and Perez in the team in those games with packed defences, we will unlock anyone at any level,” Pardew said."

Just realised this is on TV. Yet another public humiliation.