Kimbo

I think LuaLua would be a better bet on the wing ahead of grandad. More assists than any other player since he's been here. And he still manages to be shit.

I think LuaLua would be a better bet on the wing ahead of grandad.

Maybe our team will befuddle City long enough for us to score.

What's up with Jonas then? This is bizarre.

A joke of a team IMO.

He'll be fine, he's only a keeper.

Hull City are paying Bullard 60k a week?

We could do with an Emre now. The problem with him was always his injuries, not his talent. I mean he wasn't great, but he wasn't bad either.

I'd be mortified if we didn't get over £10m. The strange thing about this move is why Given wants to go to City, i mean they aren't a CL club and i can't see them qualifying for it next season. They probably won't compete for trophies until Shay is atleast 35. It's a shame, City are certainly a "new challenge" but i don't think Shay will get anything but more disappointment there.

An enquiry isn't a bid, clubs probably enquire about alot of players.

How come SSN aren't repeating this. At the moment it is bullshit story after bullshit story.

http://www.violanews.com/news.asp?idnew=30316 The tiny bit at the bottom. It translates to "For Donadel the offer of the Newcastle arrived, 4 million euro: the Florentine one said ok but the gambler for now hesitates."

Is that source reliable?

"The club is asking for too much money" We decide what's too much Charlie boy.

Saviola is actually a class player though and would be worth the wages he'd be on. Alan Smith on the other hand, isn't anywhere near a class player and therefore isn't worth anywhere near the wages he's on. This is what we need to learn. Sure, but the wage bill needs to be brought down and unless we somehow offload the likes of Smith, Geremi, and Duff then i don't see how we can do it.

We can't afford the guy's wages. Have we learnt nothing?

Fucking hell, this is football not a bloody BBC period drama. Silly woman.

Well Geremi might be off by the end of this month, and as for the other two, well maybe a newly promoted side would give them a shot...hopefully. NOBODY will pay them what we pay them, even on a free. I'll eat my face if Geremi leaves.

We wouldn't be able to get rid of Duff, Geremi, or Smith.

Fascinating.

Hence the stories of all of our top players being available for the right price and who can blame them? These so called top players haven't got us anywhere near Europe which means they just aren't worth their wages. Why not get them out and bring in younger players for half the price and half the wages? Providing you can of course identify those who have the talent to perform in the first team. It's all making a lot more sense now. Ashley should have just been more open about all this from the outset. You don't get anywhere as a football club by selling your best players and then bringing inferior ones in to replace them. Cheaper doesn't mean inferior.

Spot on. If we do manage so stay up and keep on bringing these youngsters in along with shipping some of the deadwood, high earners out (Butt, Viduka, Duff, Smith, Cacapa, Geremi, etc), the future does start looking a little better. I think it would also encourage Ashley to invest more into the first team as he'd have more capital to play with. That's probably between 15 and 20 million in wages a year right there. :-[

I would've accepted that before i saw them spend £30m on Bellamy and De Jong. Hold them to ransom i say.

I'd love to know what our wage bill is. The amount of players getting paid millions a year for doing fuck all is shocking.

From what i've read (and not seen) a big athletic lump ready to kick lumps out of people. Just what we need tbh. We need technique, skill, athleticism, pace, drive, energy etc. in midfield. We don't need kickers or big lumps. Does he possess these or even some of them? Lets buy Patrick Vieira circa 2001. I can't think of anyone that fits that bill these days.