Hhtoon

Didn't he only play only a few games and then get injured? Vaguely remember he started off well and then felt gutted for him.

"it's all blown over!" started by Fitzgerald "no point anymore, he's won" started by Fitzgerald "I'm a schizophrenic!" started by Fitzgerald and CountyDurhamMag "Fuck you all, just want my club back" started by ToonArmy1982 "Ashley FC" started by ToonArmy1982

I don't care whether people are right or wrong, stick it in the Ashley forum. There's no need to post the same repetitive view in to every thread. This place is a great source of info but it's painful to wade through at the moment.

This basically, 95% of posters will share the same underlying views but are capable of taking topics separately. It's why there multiple threads on the 1st place. I get some people can't do that but if Ashley dictates your standpoint on everything, then only post in his thread.

I feel like I’m watching another team make signings. I feel nothing. You guys that are getting wound up are the ones having the strongest reactions to every single signing, but continuously claim you "don't care" and you "feel nothing". Come off it. f*** off, some of us want our club back. Yes, I'm sure berating people on an internet forum will help. Good luck with that. Some of us care so strongly that it f***ing hurts to see others carrying on like nothing is the matter, we've got an owner who has just got rid of Rafa Benitez for Steve Bruce for f***s sake, no f***ing signing, no f***ing match or goal scored matters man, and aye i will still comment. Neet. Fuck off to the Bruce and Ashley threads then so I don't have to read your drivel everywhere.

I'd say there is a massive dose of irony going on there.

This has to be a mackem RTG type. He didn't even try to be subtle bless him

Personal fantasies aside, how do you rate him as a manager?

It's not self-defeating. Its a fact that 15 or so teams have to deal with. Howay man, it’s attempting to entrench a small club mentality so that we’re happy with our yo-yo club lot and I’m having none of it. If that's your read then fine.

It's not innocuous though. If you constantly tell your partner / kids that they're not good enough, they'll eventually start to believe you and will achieve less. He's telling a whole city they're not good enough. He wants us to want less for ourselves. That's the club policy - Accept less. It starts from what the manager says, he's the mouthpiece of the club. Everyone should have aspirations. You should always try to get better, to improve, to be the very best you can. None of us should accept mediocrity, because the moment you do you're condemning yourself to just that. What constantly telling? He said we can't win the league but we might be able to get a cup. What do you disagree with in his statement? What makes you think this is just about one statement? He's took on a job at a big club, don't you think he could have at least given an outline of what he expects to bring over the next season? What is it you think he will bring? Because its the one statement being focused on. I'm more pissed off at the petty comment about 12 people protesting. And how that come the season start everyone will be backing the team which shows a massive lack of any understanding to how a significant part of the fan base feels. It's you and Loki who are focusing on that one statement, by continually asking what's wrong with that statement. I've got no problem moving on from it and discussing Bruce's credentials on a wider basis. Someone has it as a signature and referred to it specifically which I was discussing. Its regrettably dragged on for several pages My point is that we have enough ammo without targeting a fairly innocuous comment. But yes let's move on

It's not innocuous though. If you constantly tell your partner / kids that they're not good enough, they'll eventually start to believe you and will achieve less. He's telling a whole city they're not good enough. He wants us to want less for ourselves. That's the club policy - Accept less. It starts from what the manager says, he's the mouthpiece of the club. Everyone should have aspirations. You should always try to get better, to improve, to be the very best you can. None of us should accept mediocrity, because the moment you do you're condemning yourself to just that. What constantly telling? He said we can't win the league but we might be able to get a cup. What do you disagree with in his statement? What makes you think this is just about one statement? He's took on a job at a big club, don't you think he could have at least given an outline of what he expects to bring over the next season? What is it you think he will bring? Because its the one statement being focused on. I'm more pissed off at the petty comment about 12 people protesting. And how that come the season start everyone will be backing the team which shows a massive lack of any understanding to how a significant part of the fan base feels.

You could take it as a statement of ambition. Acknowledging that we're not going to be competing with Liverpool or Manchester City this season isn't the crime of the century. Going after a cup is a decent goal for a club in our position with our current ownership and manager. Again, can any of you disagree with anything he's said in that quote? Why are you carrying on like you've not been around watching the situation intently for the last 12 years Ashley has been here? It's all about context rather than taking his quotes at face value. I've seen very similar quotes from Ashley and Pardew down the years but then we never even try in the cups, or ever have a vaguely exciting league season as the likes of Wolves have recently without breaking the top 6. I disagree with the quotes because there's no need to talk us down versus other clubs and I don't believe him regarding the cups. I just don't think we need to vilify the guy for a fairly innocuous quote stating the obvious when there's so much more to go after him with. Fucking ManDoon Exactly, just playing in to the deluded geordie rhetoric. What? Why?

He won't be allowed to. His bosses won't let him. He can say what he wants, but he's either mistaken or he's lying. He also said he was in charge of transfers yet he seems to be primarily interested in all the players we'd already scouted and been linked with. On that score he's already proven himself a liar, and the club are already on record as saying they don't want to compete in the cups. Why would he not be interested in players we've scouted? Maybe he thought they were decent and gave his blessing. Who knows? Who cares? Where have they said they don't want to compete for a cup?

You could take it as a statement of ambition. Acknowledging that we're not going to be competing with Liverpool or Manchester City this season isn't the crime of the century. Going after a cup is a decent goal for a club in our position with our current ownership and manager. Again, can any of you disagree with anything he's said in that quote? Why are you carrying on like you've not been around watching the situation intently for the last 12 years Ashley has been here? It's all about context rather than taking his quotes at face value. I've seen very similar quotes from Ashley and Pardew down the years but then we never even try in the cups, or ever have a vaguely exciting league season as the likes of Wolves have recently without breaking the top 6. I disagree with the quotes because there's no need to talk us down versus other clubs and I don't believe him regarding the cups. I just don't think we need to vilify the guy for a fairly innocuous quote stating the obvious when there's so much more to go after him with. Fucking ManDoon Exactly, just playing in to the deluded geordie rhetoric.

You could take it as a statement of ambition. Acknowledging that we're not going to be competing with Liverpool or Manchester City this season isn't the crime of the century. Going after a cup is a decent goal for a club in our position with our current ownership and manager. Again, can any of you disagree with anything he's said in that quote? Why are you carrying on like you've not been around watching the situation intently for the last 12 years Ashley has been here? It's all about context rather than taking his quotes at face value. I've seen very similar quotes from Ashley and Pardew down the years but then we never even try in the cups, or ever have a vaguely exciting league season as the likes of Wolves have recently without breaking the top 6. I disagree with the quotes because there's no need to talk us down versus other clubs and I don't believe him regarding the cups. What has 12 years got to do with him? Maybe he is going to try for a cup. Fine if you don't believe him, but if he is going to, then his quote was perfectly fine.

It's not self-defeating. Its a fact that 15 or so teams have to deal with. Fuck that shit. BTW we should be competing with Spurs, in fact we should be bigger and better than them. Well obviously. How do you propose Bruce resolves that with what he has? So much to criticise him for, that comment is not one of them.

It's not self-defeating. Its a fact that 15 or so teams have to deal with.

But nobody is even debating that, but to have your manager come out before the season starts to remind us of it (adding the, great day out comment) just takes the piss. Part of the reason we can't compete in this league is the fact that we have the worst manager in the league now. Nar, it's not. He's come out and said exactly the same as us for the last ten years which is a pretty realistic assessment of our situation. If he'd said we were going to compete with the big boys this season he'd have got slated for that too. What he's said isn't particularly unreasonable considering our ownership situation, it seems no matter what he says he'll get stick. Fair enough, you might say but attacking him for a perfectly reasonable view on our prospects diminishes the effect of the actual bad stuff like attacking the fans protest. Crucify the man for attacking the fans, for the shite way he's treated a decent club who gave him a chance. Crucify him when the season starts and we're adrift before Christmas, for taking Ashley's money to help run his boyhood club into the ground. For saying our best chance of a trophy is a cup? Just pettiness. People are livid mate. It’s not a surprise they are attacking him for anything. Doesn't mean they have to be unreasonable and its getting upset about that sort of inoffensive remark that gets the "deluded Geordies" label thrown about. There are 15 odd teams who best chance of a trophy is a cup and only 6 who can compete for top. 4. Yes, it's Ashley's fault but what Bruce had said is correct at the mo. Now if he'd said we were in a relegation battle then that deserves whinging.

The kind of quality labels House of Fraser were rnowned for, by any chance? I have no idea what House Of Fraser sells to be honest, but I meant sporting stuff rather that fashion. I'd say on balance though that the tat outweighs the quality stuff. An odd place

Sports Direct near me sells higher quality stuff as well. Feels like a jumble sale but hate to say I can understand why people use it. There's one on a retail park and a new one opening in the town shopping centre a couple of miles away from each other

It's the rules when generalising about London/Southerners Whatever you dirty Northern monkey

It's the rules when generalising about London/Southerners Just makes us look so small time and like we never leave our villages Thems the rules anyone north of Watford is Northern anyone south of Leeds is a Cockney You mean Watford Gap I assume? Ones home of the mighty F. C and the others basically just a service station

But you will still follow games and want Sports Direct United to win? I live In Florida. At 7 or 9 or 10a on a Saturday or Sunday I’ll watch and follow our matches on tv yes. And when I watch my teams, I want them to win. Not sure how you can call Sports Direct United (cos that's what it is) your club, but carry on. You really are a simpleton. The guy makes an excellent post that I'm sure 95% of people on here agree with and you can make a childish dig. I enjoyed the last 2/3 seasons with Rafa and the team played a part in that so yeah, I'll support them from afar without giving a penny to the club. If the day comes when those players have been replaced by Bruce's men then yes, my affiliation will have diminished. I'd sarcastically tell you to carry on, but aware you will relentlessly anyway.

Read an interesting article on Watford recently whereby they have a vision for the team/setup and any new manager is supposed to come in and work to those parameters. They have a technical Director who is responsible for the whole recruitment strategy. Point being that it stops a manager being the most important cog and more easily replaceable rather than someone coming in and demanding significant changes to the squad and starting afresh each time. I guess it might limit their ability to get some managers in who might want more autonomy but it must help with continuity.

Would love to see these apparent email trails on the negotiations with Rafa. Can imagine Lee types in comic sans and no punctuation.