Happinesstan

It’ll be the same for most due to the virus impact, I doubt he cares too much, he plays whoever the board signs. Also any manager who has issue with budget cuts while clubs go to the wall is an utter arsehole. He’d only be furious if something has or is ping to impact his own gain. Losing his job would be no1, however I doubt he could be furious over something so inevitable. Maybe Ashley told him he isn't prepared to pay Jesse Lingaard £100k per week.

They didn't have his usual bacon, and sent turkey rashers as a replacement.

PIF didn't input the roll no. It's a common error.

I like the fact that he seems to get a lot of enjoyment from playing. But he can fuck off claiming he's worth 100k per week. I might give him 20.

Dubravka is the most likely to leave, He's built up a pretty solid reputation, and has demonstrated a level of consistency that removes any doubts about his ability. He'd be a solid investment if clubs have less to splash around. ASM is more of a risky investment. Despite his unquestioned ability, and an electric first season, he's still a bit of an enigma, and clubs might want to take another look.

I doubt they've given a moment's thought to leaving us with Ashley.

They can. But they never did.

I always shouted my name. Instructed my defence to ignore anybody who shouted "MINE".

If that was my missus, I'd have a crazy coke addiction.

"colourful billionaire"?

that particular one looks as if it is being worn by Almiron.

On again by page 24.

I don't believe you when you say you have read the test. If you had, you would know the bolded part is immaterial. Firstly, this fixation that PIF need to be directly tied to piracy is fallacious. The O&D Director test applies to not just PIF/PCP/RB directorial nominees, it applies to anyone whom the PL believes can exert influence (direct or indirect) over the club. Like so: (from the PL handbook linked above) I can appreciate that is very dense legalese, but there's no way the separation between PIF and the Saudi government can survive that definition. And it doesn't even need to be proven - just "reasonable opinion". Sure, they need to provide written explanations, and certainly they can try their luck in civil courts and international tribunals. But, reading back, it seems that's what you're hanging your hat on. I can only shake my head in disbelief that you have any faith in those institutions. There's also the incredibly broad and nebulous disqualification clause that similarly requires only reasonable belief. So I come back to my belief that while the PL could (and probably should) reject it according to its own rules. That they haven't indicates to me that they want to approve it, but there's a lot of massaging their aggravated half-billion pound commercial partner before that can happen. Its all very well saying the PL only need "reasonable belief", but that opens another can of worms regarding the definition of "reasonable". I do know that certainly in the Health and Safety regulations in the UK, the courts have refused to define the term "reasonable", so any adverse decision by the PL based upon a "reasonable belief" is certainly open to a legal challenge.. What is "reasonable" to the PL will almost certainly not be "reasonable" to the consortium, accordingly I would think the PL would have to provide concrete evidence to support their "reasonable belief", which would probably have to be clear documented evidence that MBS has exerted an adverse influence over any of the other companies owned by PIF, and that may be exceedingly difficult for the PL to prove. We've passed that stage. They're now discussing the definition of definition.

At least the Athletic have done alright out of this farce.

10k less refunds.

Yeah but he hasn't played as well. The players not playing as well is on them, and them alone. Bruce has done a good job if you think about how the players have decided to use their own shitty tactics. They've played to their standard. Rafa got them exceeding their ability. Good managers are capable of that. Just look at the number of players that went on to better things once Fergie was finished with them. Edit: Calling him Fergie seems incorrect. I'm certain that was his affectionate nickname during his career, and yet now it doesn't seem right, at all. That was weird. I'm okay now but that was weird.

I think I want to get off. Scream if you want it to go faster.

I've set up an account so that I can complain that since I'm paying Andy Thownsed's wages, the freeloaders shouldn't get the commentary. One that's sorted I'm cancelling.

It'll have "Part Two" added.

I've spent countless months working in Saudi, I know enough of their failings first hand (and good points) as a country, and I'll certainly be critical of them when appropriate. There's lots wrong with Saudi Arabia politically. But you know what? I judge the owner of my football club on the basis of how they run the football club. Mike Ashley has catastrophically failed there. I'm not a journalist, I'm not an MP, I'm not an Amnesty International activist. I'm just a football fan, and Newcastle are my club, they always will be. Ultimately, my primary judgement on the owner of my club will be based on how they run that club. Provided that aspect is done well, I'll leave the finger-pointing and tutting to those whose job it is to tut and point fingers at those other things. I will probably even vocally agree with them whilst they do it, but I can let shit slide to a large extent if we're being well-run. And by well-run, I couldn't give a toss about winning anything, I just want a well-run club which tries its hardest to compete and uses its own revenue to reinvest in its facilities and staff. If the British government see fit to keep trading with the Saudis and the Queen will have lunch with them, then why should football fans be expected to hound them out and deny themselves the pleasure of supporting a team which is being well-run and hell, may even win something for the first time in the memory of anyone who doesn't actually need drugs to survive? What I've had over the last decade and a bit is a shell of a club, with a man owning it stripping all the revenue out of it so the club shops are just re-badged Sports Directs and we get nothing from the sales, we don't get the catering money, half the adverts are for SD with him paying a token fee for the privilege. He just uses us as a glorified advertising hoarding for his tatty, chav sports shops, targeting 17th each year whilst spending the least he humanly can just so he can keep that advertising hoarding on TV whilst stating openly that trying to win a cup doesn't make economical sense ffs. Screw enduring even a single second more of that, it's fucking miserable. If this goes through I may hate the new owners for their politics, but I'll take them gladly to end a decade of hating the whole club which is far worse, so that I can fill what has frankly become a void in my life on match days. I'll take so that I can stop wanting my own team to lose because getting out of the Premier League for an extended period seemed the only way to get rid of Ashley so I could have a team that actually tries again, even if in a lower division, a team whose successes, however relative, and however modest would at least be something I could enjoy because the club would be trying to improve. Not being able to support your own football club is horrible, and it's not like most of us can pick another one either. I just want a team to support again, even if I can't support the owners. I just want to enjoy matchdays again, supporting a club that wants to be the best it can be. Football has always been a big part of my life from my childhood onwards, I've been stuck in limbo for a decade and that vacuum has been awful. So no, I cannot and will not ever oppose this takeover. Amen. Couldn't agree more. I also worked in KSA many moons ago and know much about their shortcomings, the cultural differences etc but I'll tell you something, the UK is a million miles from perfect and any stones thrown by us would be from a glass house. The world being a great big melting pot was once an optimistic thought.

A lot of the games this season at home have been pretty shit. Pretty boring. But clearly, we're hard to beat at home. I think 6 home wins is acceptable, considering we're on 26 points from 17 games. Last season we lost 10 home games, and ended up on 25 points. I think 6 home wins is acceptable for a side who are happy with mediocrity. Every team should be aiming to win most of their home games, and not less than half Once upon a time our home crowd made that a realistic proposition.

The PL know what they want to do, but something is preventing them. There is not one single person objecting to them rejecting the takeover, so it can only be those objecting to it's acceptance that are delaying the process. This suggests that the PL will okay the deal, when it's okay to do so.

When was the last time he was sent off? Seems a long time ago.

Once he's gone, he'll retreat back into managerial obscurity. He may pop up at the occasional EFL play-off final.

Oh! that reminds me. The Tesco's Finest Dauphinoise potatoes, in the fridge, are best before the 5th.