Sir Toon

Interesting that Sky are now reporting that Mbemba wouldn't be part of the Townsend deal and could be a separate deal altogether. Sounds more like a permanent then.

I wasn't. I was just stating that it's a difficult market.

Surely it cant be as straight forward as not giving Rafa enough sweets out the jar as that Karanka at Middlesboro looked narked earlier and the owner there will be as desperate as anyone to stay up. Just shows it's a tough window with dodgy inflated egos

Im just waiting to see what rumours will appear after tomorrow as it must be the easiest job in the world to report on.

Agree with this like. Summer is another matter as Rafa wont want to be battling relegation, if we go up, when the likes of Schtevie got a £73m net spend to steer us towards the trap door. I wouldn't be surprised if it was in the t+c's of the contract that funds would be released on premier league promotion.

That Journo Ed Aarons reckons that Chelsea are sniffing around for £8m

Itll be Sam Clucas

Talk of Man U extending their ground to 88,000. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-4153990/Man-United-looking-Old-Trafford-88-000-capacity.html

https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2017/jan/24/david-squires-on-football-in-the-age-of-president-trump

Not to worry, this will be all over either way by the time we play QPR.

Marmite, ketchup or chutney. Some of us hate them and some of us love them. It's not a case of tailoring the taste needs to the majority, more that what they stand for in the world so they have a place without prejudice. If the flag is part of improving the atmosphere then it's done it's job and will do. Numerous times have I been in SJP and we've had to pass some banner or something over our heads and not even known what was on it. They did their job tho.

'Colback In Positive Pass Shocker!!!' :frantic: :frantic:

http://i.imgur.com/CIubsq7.gif

Oh dont get me started on analogies, Ashley's NUFC are fluent in anal speak.

I think we all know the political game of chess has started. Just got to hope that the Queen and the Pawn are controlled by the right 'player'. If not then checkmate could well turn into 'cheque' mate as we go down the legal route against a backdrop of a broken chess board with nobody interested in watching it.

There's nothing there at all, this whole fuss is because a tabloid ran a story based on basically f*** all. Difficult as it may seem, there was a major message sent out by Rafa in that conference. In no way did he overstep the mark or be obvious in his words but it was there. He didn't need to explain the role that he supposedly has but he did and he didn't need to explain how an owner should let managers get on with their jobs and you guessed it, but he did.

In theory he has had all his Christmases come at once it would seem but at what secret financial cost? Apart from upset the apple cart through some sort of deluded spite trip or be mentally ill in some way, i cant for the life of me see what issues he could see. Obviously we'll find out by the end of this year or whenever we get promoted if there really is any change.

One major thing will spring into light if Ashley has started to dip his sausage fingers in and it's something that those with their heads buried in the sand need to start questioning. Something that will prove once and for all that Ashley's was never here as any sort of club saviour or some ambitious type but that he is solely here to better his bank balance. Having Rafa here may increase the look from the outside of a club that is prospering but at a cost of it hitting the hidden loot that is being syphoned towards other 'projects'. Things like the club merchandise for a start. From having nigh on ten years of Ashley moulding the staff into how he wants things done to now having someone that has cleared a bit of the mess created but with the nous to have ambitions of where he sees the club in the next few years no doubt. The recent paper talk may be something, it may be nothing and the body language experts on the net saying that there seems to be no issue in press conferences but even a blind man can see that problems lie ahead, if they haven't already. Like Kevin Keegan and many before him though, Rafa has had a taste of the bubble of Tyneside and the visions that glory could bring and because of this I wouldn't rule out potential takeovers and consortiums in the months/years ahead.

Deulofeu is going on loan to Milan the last I heard* *on the internet.

Was already cup tied as he came on as a sub in the first match

It all depends on how much of the original fee was paid back and then the complexity of how it goes through the books in the same account year as far as im concerned. Im not in any way clued up on book value and all this she-ite but you just know it's right up there in the thoughts of Jabba. At a guess, the outstanding transfer fee could be anything from £1.5m to £6m but that's before thinking that them upstairs haven't done a Freddie Shepherd and earmarked future incomes from the original transfer as guaranteed incomes that then wouldn't be. Anyone still with me? :frantic:

cheers for links but the game is dire

Beats me how people are saying they're watching as there's nee links anywhere.

FFS...... As if the bloke did much apart from shoot his muck...

It's also been missed that there seems a very high percentage of games already scheduled live on TV who then happen to be the first game of many high profile managers. Can think of Zola and now Fat Sam's first game this week alone. Coincidence? Might not be. Maybe Sky have more power than they're being given credit for.