Lambert left a bigger club than Wigan to manage Villa. Swansea attracted Laudrup. Fulham have got Jol.
Even if it's not Martinez I find the idea we couldn't attract somebody who could coach decent football into our squad a bit mad. Even if it is Ashley/Llambias, I think you'd have a queue of managers willing to do it.
I agree, the opposing attitude is exactly what Ashley and his oiks want the fans to think. There's an undercurrent of "Little old Newcastle, we're lucky to even be in the top league, so forget about properly competing" within day-to-day communications and also wider level stuff, and it's fucking bullshit. We're not Man Utd, but we're being completely shortchanged with the lack of ambition shown at the club. In that sense Ashley and Pardew are a very good fit.