toon25

January perhaps?

Is he also going to be away to the ACN in Jan? To be honest, we can't afford to be left with Loven and Shola for that crucial period whilst Ba is off too. Certainly has promise, but I think we need someone with a little bit more. Whether we'll get it or not is a different question.

Chelsea I would think. I'm sure they picked up a fair few 'supporters' as soon as Abramovic rolled into town.

Not really a central player I don't think. Right footed winger, pretty quick, and can play either on the right or left. Good free kick on him too.

Pleased with this if true. Can this guy play in the centre as well? What sort of player is he?

Macheda? No ta. Jesus, if that one's true we really are down to plan F.

Had to listen to that show in that car with the father-in-law yesterday. Who the f*** is Darren Gough to be giving his tuppence worth on our situation anyway. Last time I checked he was just a fat bowler. Who has as much right to comment on our situation as any one else. Freedom of speech anyone? Still no less annoying when those without the foggiest as to what's going on at the club between board and supporters feel obligated to pass judgement. By all means comment, but his remarks suggested that it was fans' impatience for not giving Ashley enough time which is, as far as I'm concerned, bollocks. The mood around here would have been oh so different had there been a. significant investment in areas most needed, i.e. 2 strikers, another LB, etc. and b. the sale/alienation of the clubs most influential players which, in itself, is a corollary of the lack of board ambition to push on.

Had to listen to that show in that car with the father-in-law yesterday. Who the fuck is Darren Gough to be giving his tuppence worth on our situation anyway. Last time I checked he was just a fat bowler.

Do they know how much electricity it takes to run one of those things? Good job they'll have the Enrique money to pay the bill.

We can but hope.

Defoe's already said he wouldn't come here, the cunt.

Signed a four-year deal in May. Would only be available on loan = stop-gap. The c***s that run this club need to pull their fingers out of their arses and bring in a replacement for Jose, who is proven in top-flight football and will look to be here long-term. With a month to go, I'd go for a loan deal rather than buying dross in like Shorey or Warnock, or relying on Ferguson, Tavernier to step up. It isn't with a month to go, we've known Enrique was off all summer. We should have genuine targets ready to pursue rather than last minute bodge up deals designed to keep the balance book looking healthy. Absolutely. No way should there be any excuses for not bringing in a decent LB. I'll be fucking livid if it ends up being an over-the-hill plodder like Warnock or Bridge. Fucking livid.

Yes, but I think I've been in denial about the whole thing. Was half hoping he'd stick around until at least January, by which time we might have been doing SO well that he would have considered staying on. Wishful thinking eh? What it's brought home is the fact that this could have been so avoidable had some sort of ambition been shown in the past few months. Whilst Enrique may have decided to piss off anyway, there would at least have been an attempt to keep him. Fair point, I still believe the main reason is that he has just become good enough to attract the attention of other clubs while simultaneously coming to the end of his contract. The most shocking thing is the destination really, I would have said "fair enough" if he'd gone to Barca or even Arsenal, but Liverpool takes the piss. Don't worry, I dare say the increased media attention he'll be getting by playing for those twats will mean he'll get noticed by those bigger clubs. I fucking detest Liverpool and that smug cunt Dogleish, but you've got to hand it to them, they're clearly ambitious. Boils my piss that we were at their level not 6 months ago. Couldn't think of a bunch of fans least deserving of success at the mo tbh.

Yes, but I think I've been in denial about the whole thing. Was half hoping he'd stick around until at least January, by which time we might have been doing SO well that he would have considered staying on. Wishful thinking eh? What it's brought home is the fact that this could have been so avoidable had some sort of ambition been shown in the past few months. Whilst Enrique may have decided to piss off anyway, there would at least have been an attempt to keep him.

We're buying young players so we can sell them at a profit in 2/3 years time. Perfect business strategy. Maybe. I don't think he's planning to stay for the long term though. I'm glad the days of everest high wages are going; in the long term I see football in general heading that way. With foresight, I can't see how its going to end in anything but tears with the likes of Man City and Chelsea once the oligarchs finally get bored and see no further profit in it. It may be gradual but in many senses you could argue we're taking the right stance. Regular business ethics don't apply with competetive sport though, as their are too many variables to apply spending just enough to accumulate and having to rely on merely having employees on roll that can fill a playing position. It's only ever going to get you so far. I'm no doom-mongerer as I'm quite happy with many of the signings in midfield; they seem really astute buys but the dismantling of a strong defensive unit has been the catalyst for the decline of many an effective team. I think we have a first team that is adequate without the players that have left, assuming they maintain fitness but I won't rule out the possibilty of a struggle or even relegation. Maybe we are a club struggling from the 'sins of the father' and the Fallout of the Shepherd years and Ashley in a clumsy, botched way is seeing the way things are headed. The noises made not too long ago suggest that the man wants out, as I suspect that though he sees clubs are potential cash-cows; it is difficult to do stay in the top tier and especially do well in the way he may have originally desired, coupled with the extra difficulty of slaking the ambitions of an avid fan base. What I can't understand is why Ashley is getting rid of the best/most highly paid players at the club if he wants out. Whilst he'll save ££, how many new club owners, that have acquired their clubs recently, have done so on the basis of the wage bill being lower? Very few I'd guess. I doubt that twat at Liverpool first looked at the wages before whacking in an offer. If someone wants a club, they'll have it and frankly, a successful, ambitious, upward looking club, is far more likely to gain attention than a club starting a firesale of its core group. Which leads me to ask, if Ashley is indeed looking to sell, what type of people is he targeting? On the basis of his actions so far, he's most likely looking for the equivalent of a Sports Direct chav popping in to pick up his Donnay boxer shorts.

I do sometimes wonder why we come under so much media stick whilst all those Scouse twats got so much sympathy when their fat Americans were taking them to the pit of oblivion.

Reading a few of the more sensible posts here, I quite agree that Enrique isn't the one to blame here. The only irksome thing is going to those Scouse cunts - those oh so loyal fans that left in their droves when Woy was fucking things up for them. They truly are the equivalent of 'Spawney Get' from Viz. But who can blame him for leaving a club, as Dave rightly said, that in the past month has sold/pushing out, some of its most important players? For quite some time I've firmly been of the opinion that whilst generally clueless, Ashley has had the right intentions - no club has an endless pit of money and its only right that he should make it self-sustaining. But this week has finally proved that I've been wrong. I honestly don't know what the guy is up to. Initially I was devastated by the Carroll transfer, but later came around to think that the money would come in useful this summer, even if some of it was used to cover costs of free transfers and updating the training ground. But quite simply, the fact we've not signed anyone in key positions (a forward, LB, and a CB) has frankly shown a lack of foresight. These clowns don't think in the future. They deal with things on a day to day basis. If a good sum comes in for a player, they'll look at it seriously and take it. They'll not even think about replacements. What I find most sad is the extent to which we've fallen so far behind twats like Liverpool over the past 6-8 months. Whilst they were VERY lucky to engineer the exit of their owners, we nevertheless had an opportunity to challenge with the squad we had on 1st Jan, with minimal investment, for a place in Europe. Alas, what Ashley's continued presence does is keep a firm divide in this club that will continue to grow and fester. The only thing stopping that divide from causing a swathe of negativity from engulfing the club was the 'team spirit'. Now, that's gone. Irrespective of whether or not we replace Barton and Enrique, that team spirit is now far more fragile and I firmly believe that we'll be weaker as a result. The players we will have brought in won't have that desire to stick two fingers up at the owners and the press, to prove doubters wrong. I personally wouldn't have thought it would have done much to appease us fans this summer. Even if we'd have held on to Nolan, Barton and Enrique and perhaps brought in another forward as well as the freebies, I dare say a majority would have been happy. What Ashley is thinking by dismantling the core of the team I truly don't know. He might save ££s, but how that might make Newcastle United a more saleable asset when we're in the shit I don't know. Ashley has no ambition, he doesn't even appear to want us, so kindly fuck right off you fat twat and stop palming off a loyal fanbase with bullshit excuses. Was quite looking forward to the new season last week. Oh well.

Jesus. Anyway, I thought we'd agreed personal terms with him about a month ago and it was only the agent fees holding things up?

Too true, the serious s*** at NUFC under Ashley only started when this numpty got his feet under the table. http://www.true-faith.co.uk/tf/features.nsf/0/301B9BE80BDACCF1802578DF0065862C?OpenDocument Whilst Mort was also a liar, he was, at the very least, a face for the club. Other than that poxy he interview he gave to SSN about a 'package' to sell the name of the ground to the highest bidder, I can't remember the last time Llambias spoke about club events. I also recall him sounding like a complete plonker.

How genuine were the bids for M'Bengue btw? Media bullshit or was there really an attempt to get him in?

The issue in Jan was the lack of time to find Carroll's replacement. That said, I personally think we needed another striker anyway, but that's now by the by. Absolutely NO excuses this time, however. They've known for months that Enrique was likely to leave so they better damn well find a replacement.

What an utterly absurd post. To apply that logic to all southerners is moronic. I hardly ever reply to WUM posts or posts that show such complete ignorace, simply because it's a waste of time, but in this case I have to say, you're ocming out with a load of pure, unadulterated bollocks.

I love this club more than my own family apparently, so they keep telling me anyway, and i'm not even a Geordie, infact i'm as southern as you get, but from the age of 4 i've had this club as the centre of my life, dramatic maybe but completely true. Ive spent more money following this club and than you could ever dream of, a mental amount infact. Like you i hate what Ashley is doing, but in this case i think the blame was with both of them to begin with but now its Joey who has made it into the s*** storm it has become. Was Keegan wrong when he suspended Joey was at Man.City, was Shearer wrong to make him train alone when Joey kicked off after his stupid challenge at Liverpool and slated Shearer in front of the team, there has to discipline at clubs, Barton may not like it but as is being proven he cannot behave himself, eventually the bad side of him comes out, when it comes out in some people it affects one relationship, like Cole and Sheringham at Man.Utd, they didn't speak but didn't let it go further, But with Joey it affects everything, everyone around him suffers. I know Joeys case is different but tbf at the start he had valid points but he has gone way too far, the poor little me act has shown to be utter crap now. This isn't about his contract, it isn't about loving this club, its isn't about wanting whats best for all of us, not anymore, its about him and his need to be centre of attention. Or am i as a southerner and everyone else who refuse to blame just Ashley being controlled ?. For the record I dont see myself as a southerner, just a person, partner and a dad, i dont see you as a northerner, i see you as a person, a special one at that because of who you support, that anti southerner attitute you have stinks and does you no justice. Here, here.

I hope you're referring specifically to those southerners that are in fact dopey. Really can't abide the assumption that if you're not born north of the Watford gap you automatically know fuck all about football. Ridiculous.

I'm a southerner and I know fucking loads about the game.