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I completely dispute this. How the hell could Keegan foresee that Ashley would make the decisions he subsequently has. Sure, he would know there would be a bit of an outcry, but these things happen and after a while it dies down and people carry on - just look at the number of people who are clinging on to the hope Ashley will do something - anything - positive so they can forgive him and continue to believe in their dream-world new-Arsenal scenario of a Champions League club built on peanuts. Spend a couple of million in January or give just about anyone the managers job to the end of the season and he'll be the saviour of the club once again to many (on here at least). In fact the irony is, the longer he lets the current situation carry on, the worse the position the club gets into, the more desperate as supporters we become, the less he he will have to do to make himself a hero once again in the eyes of the deluded - I'm sure spending a small fraction of the money the club has already brought in as revenue this season in January would seal it. I don't believe anyone could have foreseen Ashley openly putting the club up for sale straight away and leaving it in limbo while it didn't sell. If the DOF structure has one redeeming feature it's that it's supposed to make the transition between managers easier not so impossible you have to sell the club. I also don't buy into the he should have left at a "better" time crap. I'll quote what I said at the start of October to save typing: I never mean't he knew he would sell the club, just that the perception from the fans would be negative towards Ashley and make him attending the games impossible. I said the line about the club having to be sold in the way that some of our fans cling onto these heroes ignoring everything else. If you ask the people sky ask questions to if they wanted Mourinho or Keegan, they'd pick Keegan. I know thats not a very valid basis for a survey but it's the perception that Ashley will get as he see's these people on SSN and the people that have a more intelligient balanced view are never heard. I've tried ringing up talksport to try to explain that not all Newcastle fans are like the ones you see on Sky Sports but they wouldn't put me through, I wonder why.

No I'm saying he must have known about a DOF coming in. If he didn't like it he shouldn't have come in.

Of course, all Directors report to managers, or did I get that the wrong way around? someone in Wise's role who is a glorified head scout with some additional authority at youth level should report to the manager. if not you have a case where a scout has more authority on some first team matters than the manager which is madness and as already said, is the kind of thing that has caused plenty of managers to leave their jobs, not just keegan. and that's the elephant in the room for those who attack keegan - if it was a problem caused by his personality, how come the situation has replicated itself many times over with different managers with different personalities to keegan? Yes, knowing his character of being passionate, wanting control and often being confrontational to effect change, it made it more likely that such a situation would flare up if the backroom staff ever tried to interfere - which makes it all the more damning that Ashley and his cohorts should attempt to do so. and that's the root cause of our problems. it's even worse when you think that it was well within ashley's powers to come in and sort the situation out by deciding to back his manager - either earlier in the window with cash and the authority to use it, or later once the situation flared up. that he chose his value-for-money system/reluctance to spend as more important than a/ the manager and - amazingly - b/owning the club says a lot about the man. it's disappointing that we all criticised Shepherd for interfering in these matters when Robson and Souness were here, yet some are reluctant to do the same when it's Ashley and his cohorts doing the same. though it has came about through different means, the end result is the same - a poor squad without a good manager directing them. The DOF system clearly has its drawbacks, because it demands a high level of mutual trust and respect between the Manager and the DOF, and they need to have the same overall objectives. Reporting to a Board of non-experts has its problems as well, although at least it's clear who is at fault when footballing decisions go wrong. <b> My beef with Keegan is that I feel he knew what he was getting into, but then tried to change things around through non-cooperation with the system. He should either have quit at an appropriate time or knuckled down. Instead we had a damaging, drawn out public row from which nobody has benefited.</b> I also share this line of thinking but not many do, I believe he should have stayed for the good of the club even if he wasn't happy, he knew what would happen if he walked and thats why he did it, out of spite to Ashley, Wise et al. He knew he had more power than Ashley. I think we put too much onto our heroes and it effects the club adversly sometimes. It's not right that one player being dropped can get a manager sacked or that a manager leaving can mean the club has to be sold. I'm sure Keegan knew the set-up when he joined as he stated so and if not he's basically been lying to us and should have left the second Wise came through the door.

Tbh I think people just want something to happen that stablises the club, whther that be Ashley confirming he isn't selling or someone else coming in. We need a permanent manager by January or we are screwed. I honestly don't care how it comes about at present as long as there's some stability and the manager is happy, whether that be working with a DOF or not provided he's happy with it it doesn't matter.

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Joe Fasheobi Kinnear

Just been told Keane will be walking this afternoon. Don't shoot the messenger if it proves to be wrong. Quality, I hope Quinn takes charge for a bit again.. hehe... You may however be shot at close range if this turns out to be false.

Milner? Edit:Nah I doubt it, but his injury was a bit weird.

Apparently he wanted to go, didn't get one with one or two players at the club. You can see why with the way he reacted in stokes game on saturday after that dodgy pass by one of his teammates.

I agree, DM, LB and CB. If we could improve those we'd be much stronger.

Europe here we come woohoo I'm talking top half Yeah I was just kidding, although the intertoto isn't out of the realms of possibility depending who wins the cups etc. I'd take 12th personally though.

Europe here we come woohoo

We certainly need some more carpet football, we played like the away team yesterday. I never understand how Given doesn't grasp the fact that if he plays it to a defender we can build and keep the ball, if he punts it, 9 out of 10 times the opposition win it back.

I wouldn't say Guthrie is a key player, Barton is in cm for me, they are the best 2 we have though but I'm sure Butt will be back in alongside Barton when he is fit.

He's a strange type of winger imo. He seems to drift in alot and look to play through passes. He does get down the wings but not as much I think thats why we haven't really seen him put in many crosses. He's one of those wingers fullbacks hate to play against, he's almost impossible to tackle without fouling him as his balance is immense and he's got good pace and drags the full backs into the centre of the park. I would like to see him beat his man and get to the byline more though.

Nah if he'd tried to dive he would have landed on his feet.

Pale shadow of the player he was I think he's been excellent lately and was one of our best players yesterday.

I like it how our 2 reserve/youth keepers are both twice the height of Given and Harper.

Would it not be better to stick with the 4-4-2 rather than just randomly change to a completely new system for such a big game? Im not sure I've seen any team play that system tbh. Is uppose we sort of did when we play tino as a right wingback.

I wont as long as they make over 100m worth of bids in one day like Man City did. I certainly hope we don't. It's a stupid idea to flash your wallet, cause it'll only result in greedy persons and clubs demanding ridiculous money for their players.I'd much rather have us put in some sensible bids. You know, one of the reasons we've blown away good money on shittty players comes down to the lack of a proper scouting and long-term managers. And I certainly don't want to see Kinnear spend big money on the next Ali Dia. I'd much rather do what James suggests. Iw as only kidding but ti would be ncie provided they where the right players.

I wont as long as they make over 100m worth of bids in one day like Man City did.

Who is the finisher? Shola???

I don't even think he's found form particulalry, but this is probably the wrong game to throw Barton in at the deep end. At home against West Brom would have been a better time for Butt to get injured. butt hasnt found form, but since we're bypassing the midfield when we have posession he isnt getting a chance to play any of those trademark killer passes to the opposition Aye, I'm not sure what I'd do if Jonas is fit, you need to play Geremi as he gets most of our assists, you need to play Guthrie as he's our best CM at the moment, Barton can't start as he won't be match fit and Duff can't be dropped but neithe rcan Butt in this type of game, maybe 433? Martins as the lone striker?

Alright Shola hows it going?

Skunkers? aye What's the gen?? the bloke who bought citehs brother Is this the brother that was killed in a car crash in 1998? Wiki: Born in 1977 in Dubai, Al-Fahim was exposed to the business world at an early age. Aged eleven Al-Fahim worked in his father's Orient Pharmacy after school. Aged fourteen he began investing into the stock market under his mother's name and at fifteen invested in the property market. At the age eighteen he founded the "Sulaiman Al Fahim Group" which financed eduacation and sports in the UAE. In 1998 he was left orphaned after his parents and younger brother were involved in a fatal road traffic accident near Dubai Airport. Following the loss of his immediate family he moved to the United States to start a new life.[2] There Al-Fahim received his PhD in Real Estate investment and a MBA in Finance and Real Estate from Kogod School of Business from the American University in Washington.[3]