St1pe

I think for a better team he'd be a fantastic player but I don't think he's got the fight in him to put the effort in every week for a team that's scratting around at the bottom of the table like we have been. He was on of the worst offenders last season for being a passenger in a lot of games yet every time I watched him play for France he looked immense. I would have liked to see how he performed with the new coaching set-up but if he moves to Spurs and is challenging for a champions league place I imagine he'll look like a top player. That's assuming the story isn't just more bollocks from his agent.

There's definitely being too much read into these friendlies but I think it's sunk in for me that it's going to take more than a pre-season for our new coaches to implement their style on these players. I guess a bit of patience is going to be required. #wait

Good post!

The debates have been done to death but videos like that just remind me of how many games we missed out on seeing him due to poor management. Having that talent sat on the bench or left in the reserves. It's disgusting really.

I can't see how he could have decided he isn't worth keeping if he's been injured all pre-season.

If we sign Mitrovic then we have a really impressive looking forward line on paper. Cisse is twice the striker Austin is in my opinion, he's had one poor season in the past 5 or 6 and that was down entirely to poor management and his confidence being destroyed. Spending £15m on Austin and letting Cisse go for probably less that half of that seems a bit mental.

Yes!! Looking forward to seeing this lad!

I understand that we're no longer the type of club that players will be desperate to join but I always feel uneasy when a player publicly isn't really keen on joining yet we pursue him anyway. I suppose it worked out fine with Remy but it's a recipe for disaster in my opinion.

I'm gutted about this but don't wish anything bad on Cabaye. I still can't get my head around why someone like Spurs or even Man U weren't after him? He'd be an incredible upgrade to Mason for them. Maybe the asking price and wages out people off? Pardew however is a shithouse and I'm seething this move has come through for him. I've got every faith he'll still nosedive this season though.

Pretending to bid for players. I'm shocked...

I'm dying for us to sign a player now just to stop the impending doom that's slowly creeping back into everyone's posts. I still think we'll sign a few players this window. We did last summer, It's just a shame most of them didn't really perform.

I just saw the training pics on Facebook and hopes Cathro had been announced. It does seem an utter shambles that pre-season has started and we don't even have the entire back room in place.

What an awful start to this window. The main striking targets seem barely interested, a number of our first team players are linked with moves away and we're constantly linked with Championship players. I'll be gutted if Cabella leaves without a season under McLaren.

I'm feeling pretty positive about this. I never disliked McClaren like some it was only after he turned us down twice that really didn't sit well with begging him to come. The owner needs to back him and back him strongly this summer though. I really hope this is the start of a positive spell for us.

I can't understand why only Villa and Palace are in for him? Aside from Chelsea and maybe Arsenal surely any other Premier league team could benefit from him.

I actually voted for McClaren on one of the polls on here earlier in the season but since he's turned us down twice it put me right off him. I can remember watching him doing the punditry in our game v Benfica and he was really quite animated at what he viewed were simple tactical changes that could have turned the game in our favour. It was during the time Pardew was doing his usual shit tactics, shit team selection and I was itching for us to replace Pards with someone with at least a shred of tactical know how. McClaren's ex-players often rave about how good of a coach he is so at the very least he'll be a vast improvement on what we've been used to. The general opinion of his is so low across our fan base I don't think it will be too difficult for him to change a few minds as well.

I don't see the point in hiring anyone if the same flawed coaching staff are going to remain exactly the same.

I wasn't even sure how I felt about Vieira but have the familiar feeling of disappointment that follows from the club pretending they're trying to do something and it inevitably turning to nothing.

I'm sure he just won some youth league with City so I'm guessing he's got something. I'd be very nervous if the club are basing that as a massive plus point given what he'd have at his disposal there compared to other clubs.

My gut feeling is that this would be a terrible appointment.

I feel a bit sorry for him because he was hung out to dry by Carver. He's been out of his depth since his injury and asked to play in a position he couldn't have done when he was at his best. The result of that being a load of people have turned on him. He's no where near good enough but he's always put his all in for the team. I think he deserves a bit more respect personally.

I don't think we'll ever have to worry about a top 6 club coming in for him but he has potential that he occasionally shows. If he can get a bit of consistency in his game he could be a solid squad player. I think it's a sensible thing to keep him on.

He had a poor couple of seasons before this one but given how he reinvigorated the team since he's come back I think he deserved another year. We lack leaders on the pitch and most likely in the dressing room, I think we'll only be worse off for not having him next season given the team will going through a transition with a new manager... hopefully. He's always been such a likeable character though, I hope he gets a good move somewhere.

Repeating on what has already been said in this thread, but what has he demonstrated to show he deserves to continue working at the club from his last calamitous 5 months? I don't understand what thought process or interview pitch would amount to him remaining in any position as a good idea.

I really expected an almost immediate statement of intent from him or the club in the wake of this season. The Ashley regime has always been secretive but they really miss basic PR opportunities on a regular basis.