Pons Alias

You do wonder if the goalkeeping coaching has improved - what might Krul be like under Simon Smith?

Maybe he's still in commission?

Look at the difference Keegan or Bobby made in their first ten or so games.....

Based on 'The Fappening' photos of Hope Solo, you'd need to install some kind of zip or velcro.

I hope Rob Elliott offs off. Odious man, and shite keeper. I can only presume he has the negatives of Woodman.

I'd happily take our current situation over Palace's.

He's the Katie Hopkins of football.

This might give some context: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2587495/Andre-Marriner-tells-pals-heartache-Arsenal-red-card-gaffe.html

To the tune of The Move's "Flowers In The Rain" I'm just sitting watching Florian Thauvin Watching Florian Thauvin Kicking the ball! (repeat)

In terms of songs, it's a shame he isn't signing for Wimbledon really. How about "Mbemba is a Magpie, (Mbemba is a Magpie), Mbemba is a Magpie, (Mbemba is a Magpie), Mbemba is a Magpie, (Mbemba is a Magpie), Mbemba is a Magpie, (Mbemba is a Magpie), Mbemba, Mbemba, Mbemba, what a wonderful Magpie you are."

We were told this when we signed him.

A stellar season?? http://talksport.com/football/poll-would-you-have-alan-pardew-next-england-manager-150710156104 Feck me.

http://www.lookalikes.info/our-lookalikes/new-lookalikes/alan-pardew-(andrew)

Never seen a board without a finance guy on it before. Is suspect this is a 'football operations' board - the budgets, etc will all be set, presumably, by MASH holdings?

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-md-lee-charnley-8484848 The new head coach will have to set out to us what his playing style is, what his philosophy is and what he looks for in his team because that then impacts on what we look for in terms of recruitment. It all works together. The head coach picks the team. We don’t interfere in that. If the relationship works in the right way and everyone is going in the same direction and believes in our strategy and policy then there is no point in us buying a player that the head coach doesn’t want because he doesn’t play him and we don’t get the best out of our investment. When someone says: ‘Does he have any say (in transfers)?’ Yes. Does he have the final say? No he doesn’t. There’s a difference there. We hope it’s a happy marriage. We want someone who sees the bigger picture because my thinking will always be medium to long-term. When people talk about what we’re going to do in this transfer window, I am looking at the next transfer window and the window after and what impact it will have on that. Are there better opportunities if we wait three or four months rather than committing now? It’s trying to find that balance but also an individual in a head coach that trusts us. If we say ‘You aren’t going to get that now but you will in the summer’, it’s someone who is prepared to say ‘OK’ and trusts us to do that. It’s also someone that for example, if we were to get an offer for a player that is at a value that we want to take, isn’t nervous about getting a replacement. There has to be a trust. We want to make things better and improve things but sometimes our timelines might not meet. His requirements might be short-term but our view on some occasions may well be we’d rather wait because we can get better options and better value. Between me and the head coach and Graham, it’s a relationship that will have to develop. He will have to trust and believe in what we do.

The ginger Mike Baldwin

Wanted by West Ham, apparently....

I went to school with him. That doesn't help, but y'know. Adam Johnson or the guy tweeting Ayoze? The tweeter. I have, literally, nothing useful to bring to this conversation.

I went to school with him. That doesn't help, but y'know.

Genuine question here. Can anyone name a) A board in the past of the club that would retain this knacker at this point of the season? b) A board of any other current Premier League club that would retain this knacker at this point of the season? Presuming that you get the same answers as myself, then ask yourself what the goals of the club management are for this season.

Just checked in. I see we're losing. Don't care.

Carver would be the best appointment this lot could make. The club has to be relegated - once, possible even twice, before Ashley will walk away. It's hard to accept but that's the way it is. To get our club back, our club has to be broken.

Houghton was never actually appointed, was he? They just sort of drifted, and failed to appoint anyone else. There's the learning from the past we need to look at.

There is hope now. No guarantees of success, or great football, or trophies. But there is hope, one again. http://media3.giphy.com/media/rJY9OQDSDXBEA/200.gif

I wonder if Ashley is insisting on al sorts of clauses gagging Pardew. Apparently the delay is all down to 'Lawyers'.