Sir Toon

How can Rafa realistically plan for the next two windows when all his planning in the last two were for nothing? Its still all about rebuilding trust and promises. nothing more nothing less.

Wonder if we'll bring out an anniversary shirt like Liverpool did with the all black one?

Wonder if the club is short of pens as he's been ready to sign for a week now.

Im sure I read somewhere that Ashley is meeting Rafa soon or did I dream this?

A transfer cant be based on starts as a relatively young unknown entity to the league having to start 20 out of a possible 38 games in arguably the toughest league in Europe would be some going. May as well have no clause in as it's like Dortmund saying they dont want him to be sold.

Even before a ghost left his body, his corpse would still do a better job than Pardew.

A potential banana skin as Sly Sports will be on the Rafa bandwagon predicting that the fans expect Europe etc.

Smoggy Graeme Bailey reckons Nobby Solano is taking over as boss of Gillingham next week.

On paper this game is perfect to continue the momentum but in the real world there couldn't really be a harder game to come. A team that will be set up to play similarly to us with the added extra of diving bodies or players potentially leaving a foot in. It'll be the usual case of a team trying to play the crowd up here in expectation that it will turn. The majority wont but there's always the odd numpty group that is quick to change their opinion or be of the type that believes the media shite. Hopefully that wont be on match day. Still cant see Shelvey getting a start which means it's one more game closer to Merino either getting that permanent deal or Ashley putting the block on him being chosen. Barring injury, confirmation of either could come around Christmas. If we get a team that plays it one game at a time and keeps the attitude of us against the world then that'll do for me. The result then wont be far away.

Once Merino improves his shooting then his potential will be right up there. Reminds me a bit of Hamaan .

Has the feeling of a younger Dieter Hamann to be honest. Comes in as a bit of an unknown, only to impress. Then before you know it, the season is done and he's off to another English club with a sweetener for us and a premium for Joe Bloggs Uncle. The only difference here is that we dont own him yet so maybe we'll get an extra season out of him before his move to Liverpool.

That transfer window idea is utter sh.ite in reality. Absolutely nowt would change for us with the fear of a few being sold just hanging that bit longer with no sweetener to fall back on in a purchase. Just get the whole of Europe to start their seasons on the same weekend and close the window both in and out a couple of days before. The Winter window just plainly for the whole of January. Surely a Summer window open from the end of May until the middle of August is long enough without adding to the confusion with geographical differences. Maybe something for FIFA to impose?

Been very quiet today in what was supposed to be Rafa's first day back at work since the window shut. Seems strange that there's been nothing said of it unless ive missed it.

Surely this thread should be locked now as all rumours have been proven to be shite.

Looks like the typical type that get snared by Dark Justice.

It isn't just Ashley that needs questioned though because there are many complicit to the whole charade. The likes of Charnley get away with murder for supposedly being out of the loop but he's a shite deflector and has no real terms in his job. Sky's 'Craigy'. David Craig is another that knows the score but is willing to peddle the guff that Ashley wants out there. Also the premier league is accountable for allowing this sort of thing to be created in the first place with unattached owners coming in and making decisions that hurt decades of tradition or in some cases over a hundred years of history ripped up, just in the name of lining their pockets or promoting their tat.

Wey not to worry. Only 18 league games left until the window slams open again. The remaining 17 league games after that maybe seeing a couple of quid thrown at it to try and salvage another season of PL lolly for the fat man. Something tells me that things wont go as smoothly as he thinks from now on.

It's obvious the plan for the Summer window was to nark Rafa off enough for him to walk and then do the boom bust cycle with another puppet in charge just willing to tow the party line. It's in our best interests for Rafa to stay and play politic bingo now. The longer he's here, the more erratic the Ashley gang will become.

Just resign yourselves to nowt but another loan coming in. The only relevance to Thursday for NUFC and the end of the window is that it's the day where Charnley is headed to the new Lidl at Killingworth to search for some new cheap biscuit deals. There's an in store bakery as well so the club may stretch to a couple of fresh baguettes.

I would carry gayle to were ever he needs to go if we are getting 20 mill .... We wouldn't be getting £20m though. It would be a £5m advance to the Rafa kitty and the rest spread over the next year to make folk forget about the kitty we should have.

Gayle has not long opened an academy with Rob Elliot, Ritchie and Dummett plus this week been made an ambassador for disabled kids at the foundation. Not the actions of someone disillusioned.

Absolutely this.

Pack update. https://www.nufc.co.uk/news/latest-news/supporter-pack-update

The only wake up call people need is around the whole Mike Ashley ownership of us. He's strangling the growth of the football club by trying to control the way people see us and what should be our targets. The only thing Rafa is guilty of is trying to make the club the best it can be. That goes completely against the Ashley grain.

Dont know like. I was as negative as owt but watched Rafa's presser and he certainly knows how to gee you back up again. Whatever happens, he's basically saying that he's got this. I just hope he's hanging around regardless in the hope that a takeover does materialise out of nowhere.