themanupstairs

The England shirt isn't bad, but it looks like a polo shirt you'd wear down the pub more than a football shirt.

 

I'm all for simplicity in a shirt, but IMO it's nothing special.

Released at this time of year precisely for that reason. This will make Team England a shitload as people can wear it to go out better than some other recent ones. Will be a massive seller imo

I think if the football club stays in the divison it will slowly grow and the system will work!

Bringing in a few better players replacing dead wood every season as the club gradually climbs up the table!

 

They have had 3 windows to do that already and look at the non productive players they've brought in, so what makes you think they'll magically turn it around should we survive?

 

 

Problem is they had 3 and a half windows with 3 different managers

No way of knowing. It depends what conclusion Ashley comes to really - he must know we're struggling but does he even realise it's up to him to do something about it?

 

If he's got any sense in him he'll bring in a better manager and give them a reasonable transfer kitty to work with. Doesn't have to be particularly extravagent, just reasonable, something like £15m+sales. That would see us fine.

 

Can't say I'm holding out a huge amount of hope mind. If he does nothing it'll be grim.

The solution to all this malarkey is so fucking simple really!!!!!! it's mind boggling!!! as you say, new manager, clear the dead-wood, reasonable transfer budget. The hardest part will be picking the right manager. Why not consult SBR on who he might see as a good manager for the future? Give the man the job, and allow him to build a squad up for 2 or 3 years and take stock at that point. Also, got to be a manager/coaching staff ready and willing to work with the youth and bring them through ffs!!

The Glaziers put Man United into heavy debt, just to borrow the amount to achieve their buy-out of the club. Supporters were initially very concerned as what the club's future/direction held on the transfer front re- expenditure, potential selling of top players etc.

 

It would have been complacent on their part to just rely on the strength of their incursion into the Asian market - merchandise and TV based revenue - while spending little and flogging off players whenever an acceptable bid surfaced for players of value. A mid-table Man United would not have not have chewed a such large hole into that aforementioned 'debt levied onto the club' by not investing in the trophy youngsters they have signed in the wake of the Glaziers takeover.

 

No penny-pinching/buy swap & sell/'grocery store' transfer story approach on their part, a so-called multi-year plan as peddled by Llabarse and Co. And a mid-table Man United would have been the likely scenario if they adopted the Ashely 101 'cheap' scheme of how to run a club on the football side of the equation.

 

The effect relating to above paragraph being a volatile market jumping aboard the next available bandwagon as an over-cautiously run United fell by the wayside, behind Chelsea for example. And Man United no longer had the marketing power of the Beckham Franchise, which is an exlusive marketing tool in its own right, to benefit from either.

 

In the case of United, in terms of maintaining a position of power in the Asian market, it's entirely results based, where periods of water treading in the league would not bode well.

 

On a different scale this same sort prioritising should have applied to Ashley as well.

 

We're nowhere near Man Utd as a club ffs!!! For one, Glazier came in, and kept the same footballing set-up! Man Utd was superbly run prior to the takeover!! They didn't have a managerial merry-go-round, they didn't have an ageing over paid squad! they didn't have a useless and dysfunctional academy and youth set-up! You cannot even begin to compare us with Man Utd!!! We had already fallen way way way behind them in terms of footballing institutions years ago. If we had won that title in '95, we may have had a chance. That chance was blown by Graham f***ing Fenton.

 

I never suggested we were on the same level pegging, hence the phrase 'on a different scale'. That was obviously lost upon you at the time.

 

The phrase mentioned applies both to overall market strength - both home & abroad - and the sort of spending undertaken by the Glaziers to maintain their status on this football business front ie. result-driven market appeal.

 

As for the points placed in bold. All overseen by just one bloke, the most important man at the club - the manager. The very essence and the core of their respective and successful set-ups, all undermined by Ashley's whoosh woo woo Continental system. A system whom the likes of Wenger and i dare say it Ferguson wouldn't work within either.

 

Will you go on record to suggest the next listed signings - Gavilan, Bramble, Viana, Bernard, Ambrose, N'Zogbia under Robson, Dyer & Domi under Gullit.... project type/youth players - were not overseen by the managers in question and that we didn't have a similar set-up in place. Admittedly we didn't have the same far-reaching scouting network in place. But nonetheless the manager oversaw which youngsters were brought inot the fold.

 

I've repeatedly stated from the outset that i never expected a 100m spending spree over a couple of Summers in the wake Ashley's take-over, nor did i expect the club do come in with the sort of money thrown for the youngsters earmarked as the tools of requirement in order to replicate to Arsenal youth-driven model. I've previously cited the desultory pittance we offered for Delph as the obvious example - ie. of us not spending the required amount needed to poach the higher echelons of the youth talent pool - in the Summer transfer window non-event, a window where the top brass put the manager's most valued players on sale behind his back.

 

Before comparisons are made to the expenditure layed out for Rose, and what Leeds accepted. With regards to Delph, at a similar age to Rose when the latter moved to Spurs, he is more a player who fits into the mould of somebody who is more likely to make an immediate impact and that's purely down to physical attributes when compared to the impish Rose. By comparison Rose waas a riskier prospect, a longer-term reach hence a Leeds - a club noted for their academy/talent production line - for any club willing to gamble on the scope of improvement ie. to make an impact at EPL level. And in Rose's case there was a contractual issue at hand, which featured heavily in the tiny amount Spurs payed for him. This contractual issue, with regards to him quitting Leeds' academy, has already been posted elsewhere.

 

This is a shocking indictment levied upon the Ashley regime, in the wake of their much mooted Arsenal model talk.

 

I suppose the likes of Nile Ranger, by sheer fluke, will consistently fall out of trees and into their lap........will they?

 

 

Do you hear me saying, "bloody hell that Mike Ashley sure is doing a fine job running NUFC?"

Again, the real question has been side-stepped, which is:

HOW DID FREDDIE SHEPHERD PLAN ON MANAGING OUR DEBT WHILE KEEPING US COMPETITIVE ON THE FOOTBALL PITCH TO ACHIEVE EVEN MORE EUROPEAN QUALIFICATION (MORE TIMES THAN ANYONE BAR 4 CLUBS etc..etc..), SEEING THAT HE FAILED MISERABLY WITH HIS APPOINTMENT OF SOUNESS?

HOW WOULD FREDDIE SHEPHERD HAVE HANDLED THE REIGN OF SAM ALLARDYCE, SEEING AS MOST ON HERE AGREE (not me mind) THAT HAD ALLARDYCE STAYED WE WOULD HAVE BEEN RELEGATED?

The point being argued here is Shepherd would have never allowed this to happen VS. Oh yes he would have as our debt was getting out of control and we still had a shit manager and god-awful playing staff

The Glaziers put Man United into heavy debt, just to borrow the amount to achieve their buy-out of the club. Supporters were initially very concerned as what the club's future/direction held on the transfer front re- expenditure, potential selling of top players etc.

 

It would have been complacent on their part to just rely on the strength of their incursion into the Asian market - merchandise and TV based revenue - while spending little and flogging off players whenever an acceptable bid surfaced for players of value. A mid-table Man United would not have not have chewed a such large hole into that aforementioned 'debt levied onto the club' by not investing in the trophy youngsters they have signed in the wake of the Glaziers takeover.

 

No penny-pinching/buy swap & sell/'grocery store' transfer story approach on their part, a so-called multi-year plan as peddled by Llabarse and Co. And a mid-table Man United would have been the likely scenario if they adopted the Ashely 101 'cheap' scheme of how to run a club on the football side of the equation.

 

The effect relating to above paragraph being a volatile market jumping aboard the next available bandwagon as an over-cautiously run United fell by the wayside, behind Chelsea for example. And Man United no longer had the marketing power of the Beckham Franchise, which is an exlusive marketing tool in its own right, to benefit from either.

 

In the case of United, in terms of maintaining a position of power in the Asian market, it's entirely results based, where periods of water treading in the league would not bode well.

 

On a different scale this same sort prioritising should have applied to Ashley as well.

We're nowhere near Man Utd as a club ffs!!! For one, Glazier came in, and kept the same footballing set-up! Man Utd was superbly run prior to the takeover!! They didn't have a managerial merry-go-round, they didn't have an ageing over paid squad! they didn't have a useless and dysfunctional academy and youth set-up! You cannot even begin to compare us with Man Utd!!! We had already fallen way way way behind them in terms of footballing institutions years ago. If we had won that title in '95, we may have had a chance. That chance was blown by Graham fucking Fenton.

 

Kaka shouldn't even be on that list. The most overrated pretty boy footballer in the history of the modern game. Andrea Pirlo is a better player. Granted he's had a s*** time of it since winning the world cup.

 

As for the best player in the world? Leo Messi. Full stop

 

You'd already put a full stop in your sentance, comma, there really was no need to spell it out as well. Full stop

fyp

Kaka shouldn't even be on that list. The most overrated pretty boy footballer in the history of the modern game. Andrea Pirlo is a better player. Granted he's had a shit time of it since winning the world cup.

As for the best player in the world? Leo Messi. Full stop

---------Harper--------

 

Raylor-Colo-Beye-Enrique

 

--------Nolan-Butt----------

 

Oba----Owen----Jonas

--------Ameobi--------

 

 

Just do it 

 

I would rather us play with ten men than with Ameobi, to be honest. Which we almost are, if we're starting Owen as well.

 

 

Shirley Owen and Shola would equate to playing with nine men?

 

Effectiively 7 with Butt as he is like giving Chelsea a 12th man

:lol:

But he's right though, how could they afford to finance the continued losses the club has made, especially while spending big in the transfer market?  We lost £35 million last season without spending anything on players and that had to be finances by Ashley's own cash.

 

so relegation due to lack of investment and zero ambition is the answer ?

 

Shame on those who scorn the people who gave us the best decade and a half of the last 50 years by a million miles.

 

As HTL said yesterday, how many of you actually thought we were winding you up, when only a handful of people including me and him knew what we were talking about.

 

You should be telling the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal how they are doing it all wrong, and their priority should be to make a profit and sell their highest earning players.

 

 

 

Answer his question instead of babbling on like a sexually frustrated woman

 

there are dozens of "questions" I've asked people on here.........and you haven't told anybody to directly answer me.

 

My reply is in the league positions of the club during the Halls and Shepherd, the progress of the club, the full to capacity expanded stadium, the european qualifications, the top quality footballers, and the FACT that the club couldn't sell itself for 2.5m quid in 1991 and at the end of the Halls and Shepherd was sold for anything between 100m and 200m quid. 

 

If you are one of these clueless idiots who think the last few years under the Halls and Shepherd were s*** , refer to my previous reply.

 

If not, then - as nobody says anything about your daft comment about "sexually frustrated woman", I'm going to tell you that you are a stupid daft clueless c*** and maybe different banning rules will be applied to me ......... but maybe I'm wrong, and I suppose one or two people will like to prove me wrong so lets see what they do.

 

The Halls and Shepherd would never have sat back and watched this club go down like this, while making profits. They saved the club from the very situation it is heading for , you clueless b****** [name calling again.........]

 

Lets see who gets banned for abuse here  If I'm banned for this it conclusively proves there are different rules for different people .......

 

 

 

 

You really are a piece of work

Likening your answers to those of a woman who isn't getting laid is the same as calling you a useless daft c*** now is it?

By your own admission, and you say FS would have never allowed the club to go down, he hired Allardyce to run the club on a shoe-string budget. Let's say Ashley didn't come anywhere near the club, and Allardyce didn't do so well for FS. What do you think the chairman would have done? Backed him with more money in January (taking us even DEEPER into debt), or sacked him, brought in yet ANOTHER manager, and backed HIM in turn with more cash hence taking the club deeper into debt?

The reason I'm posting smilies and not replying with full answers to some of the bollocks I'm reading is that it's already been done to death, and I've already replied with my tuppence countless times. I have yet to read however, a reply from you, answering the question that Teasy has asked you. Oh, and you can't really do anything but laugh at that post from HTT.

http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/page/NewsFeatures/0,,10329~1603882,00.html

Doncaster Rovers welcomed Newcastle United winger Kazenga LuaLua to South Yorkshire on Thursday afternoon, with the 18 year-old champing at the bit to get started.

 

LuaLua, the younger brother of former Newcastle United and Portsmouth striker Lomana, has made five senior appearances for the Toon, since graduating from the St. James' Park outfit's youth system and is looking to get some regular football under his belt in his month-long stay at Keepmoat Stadium.

 

Kazenga signed on loan shortly after having his first training session under Sean O'Driscoll at Rovers' Cantley Park Training Ground and, as LuaLua reveals, the move came about very quickly.

 

"It was two days ago when I was in training; the reserve manager spoke to me and told me that I would be going on loan to Doncaster," explains Kazenga.

 

"I was happy when he told me and yesterday my agent phoned me and told me that I would actually be coming to Doncaster the next day. I arrived at Doncaster train station at 10:30 today (Thursday) and my agent came to pick me up. I then came to training and it has been very good."

 

"I have met all of the lads and they are really nice people," says LuaLua on his first impressions of Doncaster Rovers Football Club.

 

"Today was my first day in training and all of the players have been nice to me and made me feel welcome. I'm sure that they will all help me settle in well."

 

Kazenga's first day of training allowed the Rovers' new loan signing the chance to play alongside members of the Club's first team; something that LuaLua has not done on a regular basis at Newcastle United.

 

"At Newcastle United, I don't often train with the first team unless they have injuries to players. If the injured players are back, I normally train with the reserves and the under-18 lads. I told my agent that I wanted to go on loan to a team where the experience would be good for me at my age and he told me to speak to (Newcastle United Executive Director of Football) Dennis Wise. I spoke to Dennis Wise and he said that Doncaster would be a good place for me to go and I was really happy to hear that."

 

"Dennis Wise told me that Doncaster Rovers are a good team, with a good manager. Dennis knows the manager here well and he told me that he is a good man. He told me that they like to play football, [glow=red,2,300]they don't play long-ball and that made me happy, because that is the way that I like to play football. [/glow]I would play long-ball football, though, if it meant playing in games and getting the experience."

 

LuaLua is set to start a full week's training on Monday morning and could go straight into the Rovers squad for the visit of Watford on Saturday 4th April, an exciting prospect for a player hungry for first team action.

 

"That's why I have come here - to play football. I feel I need to play the first team football to get the experience for myself and then we'll see what happens. From my first day today, everything here seems good and I really enjoyed the training today."

 

For many Doncaster Rovers supporters, Lomana will be the better known of the LuaLua brothers; however Kazenga is a player that promises to offer a lot to Rovers push to ensure Championship football for another season.

 

"I like to take players on and I like to beat players. I have good pace, with or without the ball. If the manager gives me my chance, I will be doing my very best to take that chance. As I have said, I'm looking forward to getting some experience but my main strength is taking people on. I can play on the left or the right wing or I can play just behind the striker - but if the manager told me to play anywhere, I would play there."

 

The move to Doncaster will have been made easier for Kazenga, thanks to the sight of a familiar face, whose brother is also at St. James' Park.

 

"I knew Tomi Ameobi and I know his brother Shola. I knew Tomi from when he was playing at Newcastle and it's nice for me to have a friend from Newcastle here at Doncaster. It makes it a lot easier to settle."

 

LuaLua, who will wear the number 27 shirt vacated by Craig Nelthorpe, will remain at DN4 for the next month and the player's aim for that spell is simple.

 

"The month that I am here, I want to try my best. I want to improve myself and this is the first time that I have come out on loan to a club and to come to Doncaster has been really nice; I'm just here to try my best and do well."

 

Wonder if Wise consulted the manager/coach?

 

Indirect criticism of the first team's overall pattern of play, and one where he stands little chance to develop as a ball-carrying winger/attacking midfielder?

 

We don't exactly create open space for our widemen, by spreading the play from left-to-right and so forth. Very little build-up play from the back, complimented with the outlet balls from the middle of the engine room to wide channels. 

 

Our inadequacies with regards to our ball-movent & overall pattern of play doesn't present as the ideal footballing education for a lightweight but otherwise quick & skillful youngster. Perhaps he sees that his football future - particularly learning the tools of the trade at a senior level - lies elsewhere.

good post.

the bit in bold really saddens me tbh

coca-cola cup maybe? us playing man united in that around '94-'95 seems to ring a bell.

might have been gillespie and pallister who scored?

 

that was a prem fixture. We beat them 2-0 at St James' in the coca-cola that season

Kitson scored his first goal for us in that match no?

I didn't think he was anything special, looking back his career was very similar to Lee Sharpe's, both burst on the scence at Man U and then went rapidly down hill. Compare their careers to Giggs, just no comparison and they all came on the scene at roughly the same time and were all similar players.

 

Actually I've often thought what would have happened if Keegan had of asked for Beckham, Scholes, Gary Neville and even at the time Nicky Butt when we sold Andy Cole to Man U! It would be inteteresting to know if he would have included any of them in the deal. I think I read in Fergie's book that he couldn't belive his luck when Keegan asked for Gillespie!

 

I think Ferguson more than likely would have told him to f*** off. Tbf Gillespie did look class against us in the cup I think it was. He was also an integral part of the team during Keegan's reign.

 

didn't he score against us in their 2-0 win over us in 94-95 at Old Trafford. His performance that day was what impressed Keegan iirc

 

It was definitely something against us around that time. Just couldn't remember the exact fixture.

Yup. Lost 2-0 at OT if I'm not mistaken.

Gillespie ran with the ball, cut inside and fired low to the keeper's right hand side.

Also, may have been our very first defeat of the new season iirc

in before the lock 

edit: or merge  :colo:

souness back.

 

shepherd back.

 

shearer back.

 

who will it be tomorrow?

sexy back 

A player that I certainly took for granted in his time at SJP. Pace and can cross, who can do that now in the Premiership? Skinned players for fun while planting inch perfect crosses on the heads of our number 9s.

 

I saw his contribution in the Newcastle Barcelona match, not only did he pretty much single-handedly destroyed their back line, he was marking a certain Luis Felipe Figo, playing in his prime.

 

How can it be so hard now with the amount of money going into academies and into football to produce players like this, to run and to cross a ball into the box.

 

One of my favourite ever Newcastle players. 

 

 

very underrated player in that team of ours. Only Nobby has done better than he did since he left. He also played for a while up front through the middle when Shearer was out and Arsprilla was arse farting around doing nothing as was pretty normal for him, and Gillespie never got the credit he deserved for sticking it out and giving it his best shot.

 

 

the sentence in bold is the only reason you posted in this thread  it's unlike you to actually join in when talking about football if it's nowt to do with shepherd and ashley 

as for Gillespie, I think he was underrated as he came in the deal that took Cole to Man U. At the time I felt cheated, and wasn't sure what value Gillespie would bring us. Totally changed my mind that season he, Ferdinand, Beardsley and Ginola ripped the league apart.

ahhhhh those good old days

Yeah I knew he went over to Toronto for a bit, didn't know about Birmingham like.

Think he may have had a free voucher for the new weightwatchers system at BCFC

Don't think there's a cat in hell's chance Beye & Enrique will stay if we go down. There'll be several top French clubs that would take Beye back, and you'd imagine some mid-table to UEFA Cup Spanish sides would look at Enrique.

Can think of one or two top 4 sides in the premier league who'd take Habib on as a first choice RB

Got to be Bassong by a continent mile!

Never ever. The man is clueless

Bollocks. Kinnear is clueless

nothing wrong with gold..

Nope. Except it's shit

Id take Keegan again in a second if the next time he pisses off we're atleast mid table. Him coming and going would improve our side a whole lot quicker than waiting for the current muppets to get their act together.

Who the fuck wants a quick fix??? We had a quick fix last time round and this is where we are now!

Move on!!! Keegan's legend status is on the ropes, and if he returns it will surely end in tears again, leaving his popularity with our fans in tatters.

This makes for depressing reading at 9 am soon as I've walked into the office!

ffs 

"I'll avoid this game"

 

I wonder if some on here are really fans. My Dad's always said to me "I've seen some brilliant Newcastle teams lose to appauling opposition, and I've seen some average Newcastle XI's beat some top sides." And he's right. Am I saying we will win? No, but I'm not going to shy away from any game, its 11 players against 11, there's so many bottlers on here, its truly starting to grate on me, the definition of fan is lost on some. 

I agree with what you're saying. But what do you think these "deserters" are gaining out of being on here discussing things, venting, hoping, wishing etc.....?

Reading Ian W's comments, I don't question his loyalty or "fan" status one bit, because I know its desperation talk. I don't know the bloke personally, but I'd wager my house on the fact that he will be following the game come saturday no matter what!

edit: just realized it was Decky, in which case I agree fully with you Nixon. @Decky: fuck off and support Man U 

How many more stupid threads do we have to put up with dicussing relegation as a preferred option,

Insanity.

 

It's not like we'll  have a choice in the matter. People are just looking for a silver lining.

 

Exactly what I mean

 

I'm trying to look on the bright side of a s**** situation here.  Do I want us to go down?  No!  Would I be happy with those 3 options if we did go down? Yes!

 

It's all out of our hands at the end of the day, but Ashley is not the future I want at this club!

 

 

Ashley is not the future I want for this club, but then neither is Kevin fucking Keegan!!

If we go down, we need a fresh start ffs!

This will probably be the first NUFC game since ive started supporting which ill try my best to avoid. Just a f***ing pointless affair with these idiots in control of our squad.

 

I was a bit like that for the Arsenal game, I just didn't want to watch the inevitable defeat.

 

You know it's bad when fans are getting to this stage.

I know

Watched the Pompey-Everton, then Fulham-Man U at my parents', then just switched off the telly and went back to my flat just before kick-off. I was kicking myself when the radio commentary switched to SJP for Oba's penalty. Then I was kicking myself when Oba equalised. Then I was kicking my dog when Dia.....

meh