ExiledGeordie

Seems like this is Ashley's perfect scenario to truly try and break Rafa. Surely though this type of thing would form part of a case a la Keegan if he did something like this? Impossible working conditions etc

This is what annoyed me when I heard Ando on total sport last night. He was saying everyone is just hoping someone comes in and buys the club because we're stuck with Ashley. That's the reason he's been here for a fucking decade because he's been allowed to get away with it and knows he can continue to get away with it! The recent Twitter stuff has clearly had an affect because you see all the bollocks PR articles come out as the Bishop machine goes into overdrive.

Something about the Andy Carroll feel about this

What a gutter 4 months at the earliest to get back running, 6 months out minimum

I’d be amazed if Rafa sanctioned a sale, he knows how important the lad is for the club right now. Sure if he continues to develop and has played a good few seasons its inevitable that someone might come in for him. Right now we need to keep him. The cunts above might try and push this through though with terrible consequences

If Ashkey cocks up and Rafa goes then that'll be me done with the club until Ashley goes whenever that is. I lost interest before and stopped going when we had the continuum of utter dross as manager and usual bollocks at board level with transfers or lack of. It wouldn't even be a hard choice, the soul will have been ripped out of the club once again

Very little chance from what I've been told by mate who knows one if the backroom staff Same source that said the takeover was done? Goal posts moved by Ashley over the takeover? Possibly. But it was never ‘done’. Fair point, likewise I don't feel there will be a takeover now either. I don't think Rafa will stay from what I've heard today sadly.

Very little chance from what I've been told by mate who knows one if the backroom staff Same source that said the takeover was done? Goal posts moved by Ashley over the takeover?

Very little chance from what I've been told by mate who knows one if the backroom staff

He won't hand over control to Rafa, looking unlikely he'll stay

Which means Ashley is primed for another colossal cock up and probably his greatest ?? Jokes aside the man is a legend, hope the club does something even vaguely correct and gives him a proper budget and control.

I'm afraid I have absolutely zero faith in Ashley and fully expect him to completely derail things imminently. It's just happened too many times over the years

He could do the absolute bare minimum to keep Rafa. Give him a 70-80m plus player sales (we spent fuck all this season plus to deal) budget and let him get on with it. Then the club would tick along nicely and there'd be the potential for a takeover season after next if Ashley is sticking around for a bit. What will probably happen is he'll do his level best to completely fuck things up forcing Rafa it have no choice but to leave and then we'll end up with some bog standard manager and battle against relegation or likely go down.

If he's backed with even a mediocre budget in comparison to what he's had recently we'll become a really good side under him. God knows what he could do with a proper budget or more.

They're surely fucked. Both Birmingham and Bolton are 6 points clear and Birmingham and Barnsley have a game in hand.

Completely agree, I thought he'd be the difference, literally

Devastating equaliser that

I guess Benitez will be key in all this. If he stays his status and ability to convince Kenedy that it's better for him to stay and get regular 1st team action will be crucial. Kenedy is exactly the type of player who would probably stay and play for Rafa whereas if it all goes tits up and we get another patsy in no chance it'll happen.

I don't really mind Southampton but their "model" seems to have gone badly wrong. I suppose you can only go so far when you keep selling your best players season in season out. The manager changed knackered them and clearly most of the players gave up any fight they had. As far as Stoke, be great to see them go down, can't stand them.

I think Huddersfield will just about hang on. Unless there's a major change at Southampton they're as good as gone. Palace for all their spirit and players are still right down there. They should be ok but as someone earlier has mentioned in this thread, losing Zahar could be the difference.

Premier league status is pretty much guaranteed, tv rights have been sorted, if the club is going to be sold everything surely is in place. The worry is obviously more of the same nonsense from Ashley and/or Staveley not being genuine enough. It's a crucial summer though, no which way about it. The potential is massive, the club is poised to really push on, we're just so used to the same complete nonsense over summers. Rafa pushing the club on with a proper transfer budget versus Ashley orchestrating a complete collapse.

What this bloke could do for our team with even moderate transfer funds. Hope to god he stays this summer

Think Gayle will be off, if Mitrovic keeps this form up he will stay unless a £20m+ offer comes in It'll be an interesting umber either way. I just can't see Mitrovic fitting in with how Benitez wants to play, he simply doesn't work hard enough. I've never been fussed about the lad at all and think he's all piss and wind but things can change obviously so we'll see.

Great that these two have been completely exposed for the jokers they are. Carver starting on fans again, couldn't make it up ?? I see Ian Wright now saying Pardew would struggle to get another job "who would employ him?". Fuck me wasn't long ago he was slating nufc fans for calling it as it was that Pardew was shite

Assuming Benitez stays we'll bring in one probably two new strikers and Gayle may stay too. Mitrovic is a non-issue for me. It's more just a question of how much we'll get for him in the summer.