Heron

We're actually over towards Malia apparently. I probably should have paid more interest in where we were going tbf. It started as Bodrum in Turkey but we decided against it with the war. Crete is about the same distance from it all 😅 perhaps slightly less likely to be drawn in though. Malia is a bit of a clubbing capital isn't it? Our of season I'd think like so maybe not too wild and full of hip, youngsters Might see if we can do a day trip or rent a car for those places like. Had a look and Samaria Gorge looks nice

I'm sorry lads, I cannot make this in the end. I had said this would be the best weekend for me but hadn't realised it was the same weekend we fly to Crete.

"I'd still back us against anybody."

Fair mate. Appreciate I was taking it to extremes but it was to emphasise a point really more than anything - that it's easy to pick out problems but not so easy to pick out solutions (not aimed at you that by the way). Change has to be to invoke continuous improvement from a business point of view. For me - it kinda feels like we have the same chef who's cooked multiple good meals and even got a Michelin star but with different ingredients and unripe apples we're expecting him to make the same apple crumble and simply saying "change the chef" when it is most likely what he can spend on ingredients, the kitchen he operates in and the time he's had to find an alternative that are all contributing to his just about palatable dessert Can tell it's dinner like...

I'm in Crete...

Not gonna lie I don't know who either of them are so I guess I better educate myself

I'm not sure I agree. Donnarumma is arguably one of the best keepers in the world playing for Man City. You then have Calafiori who is a regular at England's top side. Bastoni, DiMarco and Barella who are all Inter regulars (top of Serie A) and Esposito who regularly gets game time and then a whole host of players who play for top 10 Serie A sides. They're not the Italy of old, for sure, but they should have had more than enough to qualify in my opinion.

It's entirely relevant to the debate though, surely? Like anyone can say "I want us to be the best team in the world and never ever lose a game" but the reality is we cannot, no one can. So to my mind, it's easy for anyone to say "Howe is the problem" but then what is the solution? We may not all be scouts or coaches or whatever but we sure as hell watch enough football collectively on this forum to have ideas around managers who might fit. I think I've only ever seen about half a dozen names mentioned (if that!). Mourinho Frank (pre Spurs) Glasner Iraola The best suggestion I've heard recently was Simeone but as to whether someone like that is attainable is beyond me. With our money is anyone attainable? With PSR constraints is it even possible to rebuild the squad the same way as previous?

Ner both last man

What a pass from Tonali btw.

Had to be a Red that after Bastoni's.

Looks like it's fresh outta Sega Italia 90

I mean...I'm pretty sure I've explained numerous times why I am Howe In not Howe Out. I'm sure I've asked numerous times what the alternatives are and very rarely been given viable answers. I think @Jesse Pinkmans stance is fair enough personally. We do ultimately support Newcastle United. However, to suggest that folk are simply saying "EHBAWA" or "Eddie is our king" without backing that statement isn't correct @Holmesy. For one, his record here speaks for itself, both in terms of results and player development. The recruitment one is a speculative debate which ever way you want to take it. I can nigh on guarantee folk will gladly accuse him of last summers failings and attribute all other signings (that were successes) to other folk - if that suits their agenda - just as others will attribute the signings in an opposite direction. It is all speculative though. But it has been explained numerous times by myself, @Kid Icarus, @Interpolicand many others. There are few managers who would improve us at present and whom are available - I think that is something we can all agree on? If not...then I'll gladly review this ocean of talent we have to pick from (...and whom can be identified by those saying "Howe out"). Howe isn't perfect and isn't faultless, but he definitely deserves more support and respect than he receives. He's quite simply guilty of being a nice guy in this regard, and that costs him in the (Social?) media.

Been coming that.

Amen to that brother.

Eddie is our king.

Manic amounts of work and politics in the usual day to day stuff helps

I'm so glad I've chosen to ignore this forum and football in general for a few days. May it continue until our next game Not sure how folk allow such misery into their worlds, but hey ho, we cannot all be the same - it'd be boring.

Naive as it may be - I choose not to believe in all this latest hype. "Any and every Newcastle player that has ever achieved owt that remains at the club to any big 6 or European super club." The media lap this shit up and create it to feather their own nests. Football is absolutely pointless if it's to go into every single transfer window expecting to lose all your best players. Players will inevitably have their feelers out and all that but just all the conspiracy theories and that is just doom mongering and "big" clubs perpetuate this to keep the little clubs in the status quo. The worst thing is the governing bodies perpetuate it.

EHBAWA.

Better team won. We carried too many passengers, they wanted it more and tactically they had us somewhat sussed out as soon as our energy dropped. Love Eddie Howe and I'm Howe in 100% but today is largely on him (whilst the rest of the season I attribute to mismanagement from above). All a contributory factor of course. Easy solution for folk to suggest the change in manager but how do we progress again without regressing further first? Only viable argument for that in my eyes is selling players Howe himself has developed to such a high value and quality - which in itself argues his case for manager. There is no-one at the club who has exceeded or done better in their role than Howe. No one. For today hate to say it but they've got their 9 out of 10 season and we have to A) Get in to Europe and B) Stop them finishing above us. If they finish above us they've completed over and above what they expected this year. Le Bris is a good manager with a fairly shite but organised side. That was enough....twice.

Just for me might I add. Overall approximately 500 working hours.

Thanks so much for the comments but for me - approximately 24 hours of my life somewhat wasted... ...and yet - I remain Howe in. I remain with the lads and I remain Newcastle. Because if we cannot be fucked...who can?! I get the alternatives and each to their own. But find the root causes not the perceived easy solutions.