LoveItIfWeBeatU

You concluded all this from someone saying "we won't be throwing silly money around"?? It could be interpreted any which way to be honest, you could even interpret it as trying to lower fans' expectations over signings because a relatively small budget has been allocated this summer, thus explaining Sam's frustrations over how much his rival clubs are spending. Exactly. What is meant by "silly amounts of money"? For example, £45 million for Ronaldinho is a silly amount of money. I hope he doesn't consider 5 or 6 signings at around £4 million to £7 million each to be a "silly amount of money". We do seem to be hunting around at the cheaper end of the market at the moment. There's nothing wrong with that if we pick up some bargains but it will be a bit disappointing if we miss out on some quality for the sake of £2 million or so.

Are they though? http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=475029&CPID=8&clid=128&lid=&title=Ranieri+rules+out+Lampard+bid 03/07/07 Ranieri brought Lampard to The Blues while in charge of the West London club and was reportedly chasing him again after taking over at Juventus. However, he is not looking to add any more midfielders over the summer and is instead setting his sights on defensive reinforcements. "We are full in midfield and won't be signing anyone else there," Ranieri said. "Frank is a fantastic player - I know that better than anyone - but the only player we need before the start of the season is a central defender."

Allardyce states that he doesn't want to sell any players and wants defenders so Alan decides that means he wants to sell Dyer and Emre?

Laugh along with the interview here: - http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/newsid_6900000/newsid_6902600/6902619.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm&news=1 Even the interviewer says "Seriously?" after Kieran states Champions League as an achievable target this season.

Hmmm: - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Dia http://observer.guardian.co.uk/toptens/story/0,14034,1078421,00.html Ali Dia "The Jeffrey Archer of Premiership imports arrived at Southampton in 1996 after convincing then-manager Graeme Souness that he was a top quality 30-year-old Senegalese striker with 13 international caps, carrying a recommendation from former Paris St Germain teammate George Weah. Plainly, he wasn't - but Souness's curiosity got the better of him. Dia was signed and brought on as a substitute against Leeds. After a superbly inept 53 minutes he was brought off again, and, 14 days after agreeing it, his contract was cancelled. 'I don't feel I have been duped in the slightest,' explained Souness afterwards. 'That's just the way the world is these days.' From Southampton, the japester joined non-league Gateshead, where he was transfer-listed in February 1997. He hasn't been heard of since."

Why is it always us? At least with the new ownership hopefully it won't always be us in the future.

So far Sam Allardyce is doing the job I though he would when Shepherd brought him in. Mike Ashley's take over doesn't seem to have had an effect in our transfers yet i.e. no big money signings. As far as the squad being better than last season, just look at the strikers for a start. Last season was Martins, Sibierski, Ameobi (injured), Owen (injured). This coming season (pending any release clause activations) we have Owen, Viduka, Martins and Ameobi all fit. A vast improvement on last season I think we'd all agree.

True Faith are also using http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ so you may as well add your team into their league too. The code for the true faith League is: 86277-26068 http://www.true-faith.co.uk/html/Features/fantasyfootball.htm

They're all moaning like they haven't got any other Geordies at their club. Looking at the list of their youth players, a hell of a lot of them are from places north of the Tyne. Scorer replied: Local pride?!!? Aye if they were signed up to play for Newcastle United.

I want to keep Martins. Without him, Owen would be our only fast striker. Having said that, I'd get rid of Martins if it was true that he wanted to be paid as much as Owen. Arsenal aren't well know for paying huge wages so I doubt they'd pay him more than we do. Martins isn't guaranteed a first team start every time at Arsenal anymore than he would be at NUFC.

Everyone starts out taking it all with a pinch of salt but then they start reading every teams first 11 on match day, being upset when the likes of Drogba aren't playing and worst of all thinking it would be ok if a certain player in your fantasy team scores against the real NUFC.

Is this all just for fun and no one is taking it very seriously? I only asked because I'm amazed everyone seems to be happily posting up their teams and giving hints on who to buy and which sort of players to avoid. Do none of you want to win? Everyone will be copying from each other. There's a reason you can't see other people's teams on the fantasy.premierleague.com website until the season starts.

Yes, I agree it will happen a lot quicker than it took at Bolton because of the reasons you both mention but it will still take a while. New surroundings, new staff, new equipment, new ideas, new players, new board, etc. It will all take time to gel.

Those thinking that things should be moving faster should remember that "Rome wasn't built in a day". Anyone who expects Allardyce to have in place the set up he had at Bolton at Newcastle by the start of the season is in for a disappointment. It took years at Bolton.

Did you get to ask any questions then?

Is it a given that Martins would definately go to Arsenal if they offered us £13 million? They can match the release clause but it's still up to Martins if he wants to go or not. Personally if it was me I'd want some assurances from Wenger that he was still going to be there after the next season before I jumped ship.

more likely he put all their names in a hat and pulled one could have been anyone. If they are going over their it is obviously more advanced than the initial phone call for availability, I still feel sad in a way I have wanted eidur sinse he was due to leave chelsea but dont want to loose martins yet i have a blind faith that sa knows what he is doing and thinks whats good for his team not for what is good for one player/area of the playing staff. Wait until it actually happens before feeling sad about losing Martins. Arsenal (or anyone else) haven't even made an offer yet according to Allardyce today. Also, Allardyce hasn't talked to Martins yet (like he said he would do) so I doubt he'd buy his replacement before asking him if he's staying. Who knows if it is Gudjonsen they've gone to get anyway? The Edmilson part of the story must be rubbish so maybe the Gudjonsen part is too.

Surely we wouldn't be trying to buy Edmilson if he's just had a knee operation this week. Maybe they're getting Edmilson to give the new medical team a difficult test: - Nufc.com "Thursday's Chronicle led with a back page claiming that United "have made an ambitious move for Barcelona's Brazilian defender Edmilson" - accompanied by a front page pic of the player in his famous yellow strip. However a cursory run through the tale puts it firmly into 'drivel' status. It's correctly stated that the player isn't in the Brazil squad currently competing in the Copa America, but his omission is unexplained. In fact Edmilson underwent his third operation in as many years on his troublesome right knee earlier this week - which will sideline him for six months. That recovery though will take place while he's still a Barcelona player - as his contract doesn't expire on Saturday as the paper claims. When he does leave though, the chances of a move to SJP wouldn't appear great - with another Primera Liga club, a Brazilian outfit or a side somewhere else in Europe offering realistic domestic title aspirations & European football. Rather than becoming the third Brazilian to play for us after Mirandinha and Fumaca, Edmilson looks more like another fake transfer tale from that country - following in the non-footsteps of Klerberson, Rivaldo, Ronaldo & Ronaldinho."

Confirmed by Allardyce today on NUFC.co.uk

Is that a new rule? AS if a kid wearing an everton shirt is going to drive the kid into alcohol abuse. "Mmm I must try that Chang Beer, mum can i have a pack of four Changs please" It's a new rule the drinks industry have agreed on: - "It will be seen as a gesture by the multi-billion-pound drinks industry to head off more draconian government action amid concern about soaring levels of alcohol abuse among the young." http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article1875555.ece

Good signing if it happens but remember that he'll be off to the African Cup of nations in January so we'll need cover for him too.

Not when Bent is worth (or going for) £16m. Agree about Anal though, really negative towards the kid, the c*** should get off his back and enjoy the good moments instead of laying all the troubles of NUFC at a 21 year olds (who's just left from another Country, played in a s**** team with no fixed striking partner who's manager has the tactical awareness of a haggis and the management skills of David Brent) feet. You must have missed Anal's stories last week where he said "And when you consider Charlton Athletic have slapped a £17m fee around the neck of Darren Bent who is nowhere as good a goalscorer as Owen and Martins, then it shows what good value the United pair would be at £9m and £13m." only for him to say the very next day "If United are to lose Owen or Martins I would love to see them make a late bid for Darren Bent, who looks certain to leave Charlton Athletic even though he is over-priced at £16m." He must think we have very short memories. Either that or he's got Alzheimer's disease.

As long as Sam doesn't let Emre take free kicks and corners anymore!

He wont be keeping him on to make morning brunch, I reckon Fred will be "JUST" chief exec for at least a season rather than Chairman,PLC Chairman & Chief exec which he is atm. Yes. Shepherd isn't popular with the fans but he has his contacts in the football world (Apparently he is quite popular with the other chairmen). He is an employee now so I'm not worried about him. If he screws up he's gone. It's not like he can do crazy contact offers to players in a desperate attempt to get them to sign anymore.

It's not like Shepherd will have much power now. I imagine all player purchases, contracts, etc. will have to go through Ashley for approval.