thenige

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120814001202/theoffice/images/9/9b/Michael_scott.jpg

But it's okay because we're employing "football people".

Another shrewd move by Pardew. Play awful football and blame it on the players not being good enough. New signings on their way. What a maverick.

We've been quite good in recent years at keeping things quiet, the transfers only really coming into the media when they're about to be completed. This is a much better way of doing business to be honest. Plus means I can watch the cricket and not spend time worrying about bloody stupid made up transfer rumours.

I think we're waiting for the market to develop a bit which kind of makes sense considering some clubs will be more desperate to sell. Likewise as other clubs fill gaps in their squad they're no longer looking at targets we could then make a move for. Reeks a bit of bargain bin and the players who do come in have less time to integrate into the squad but there is still time. On paper our first XI isn't horrendous by any stretch which gives us a tiny bit of leeway. Shame we're ridiculously short in a couple of positions (striker) which undermines the whole squad. So short version, Shola to lead us to a league and cup double.

Don't have a problem with him kicking up a stink about this. Shows character to be this firmly behind his beliefs, better to stand up against a morally repugnant brand than just get his head down and get on with it. Quite a big difference between giving them publicity by refusing it and having a large number of photos of him in the kit and a massive grin on his face.

Has been reported that the reason for the Gosling hold up is simply that Joe has been on holiday so hasn't been able to sign it off. Ridiculous.

To be fair Ba won more than his fair share of headers and held the ball up much better than anyone else we've currently got at the club (except when Shola's playing his one good game in fifteen). The fact Cisse is so naive at bringing other players into the game really cost us last season as our rather agricultural passing (ie hoof) just kept coming back. And to be fair even when we did pass it into feet often it still came back. If we're going to continue to play with that kind of style we'll need someone who is mobile but can win headers and hold up the ball. Else it'll become like a few seasons back when we were using James Milner as our target from goal kicks. (A tactic I noticed England attempted to use horrendously against Brazil this summer).

Yeah I'd agree with this to be honest.

See all the top clubs in the land have Directors of Football. I mean Arsenal and Man Utd are clearly in that second tier with the likes of...err...Norwich? Anyone who has to big themselves up by saying "I'm a football person" clearly is a desperate idiot anyway. Yes, you were a 'football person' twenty years ago, but the game has moved on. With that logic we should go find another "football person" who played in the game more recently. I mean Dean Windass isn't up to much these days is he?

Came in, got a lot of grief and where other players may have disappeared, fought his way back. If he does leave will leave with his head held high and can see him doing a good job at Wigan. Has limitations yes, but is a solid player and would never shirk a challenge.

Love the guy and think he's a fantastic player, but £20m would be pretty hard to turn down.

We are so doomed to see Darren Bent in a Newcastle shirt.

This unfortunately. The day Joe Kinnear takes the higher ground and keeps quiet is the day his tongue has fallen out.

We need a bloody striker who can bring other people into the game, it's so obvious it's scary. Darren Bent is probably one of the worst strikers at doing that. He's a goalscorer yes, but ask any Tottenham, Sunderland or Villa fan and they'll say he scored goals at the detriment to the overall play of their team.

Why do I just get this horrible feeling we're going to end up with Richard Dunne?

Fair play to the lad, great article and tweets.

Good old Harps. Clearly hasn't picked up the 'mad bantz' skills of Twitter from Barton.

I actually feel physically sick from hearing this. Mike Ashley needs to stop losing ridiculous bets in random London casinos. Fucking pathetic decision that surely can bring no good whatsoever.

Anyone want a Cabaye number 4 French Shirt?

You need some home-grown players man. Not just for the rules. I can't think of many great English sides that didn't have at least 3 English men regularly playing. Arsenal's 'Invincibles' only had Campbell and Cole. Sewelly

Only thing with Douglas, if he's as good as we're led to believe, why has no-one else stepped in and signed him?

I think it's very difficult to say, I'm not sure players are similar to even what they were 10 years ago. I'd love to believe he'd be a very successful manager, but given how much the game, the finances and the player attitudes have changed I'm not so sure. Still love the man to bits and won't have a bad word said about either of his two managerial spells at the club.

I still don't understand how Real could have essentially agreed terms with him without actually speaking to Liverpool. Tapping up no?

Cisse is not working as a central front man with the current crop of players we have. Unless we sign a wide player who has the ability to win the ball in the air and hold the ball up (like Ba played when Cisse first arrived) it'll be like flogging a dead horse. So that kind of rules out a working 4-3-3 until we have a player suited for it.