Shadow Puppets

If I didn't despise our current owner so much, I wouldn't want this to happen tbh. I'm quite uncomfortable with it. I'm very confortable with it as it happens. If someone wants to carry on with mike then that's their own decision but opinions shouldn't be forced on to others. After all this is a football forum and not a human rights forum or mumsnet. Eh? Who's "forcing" their opinions on anyone?

I didn't say I didn't want it. I said I could understand the reasoning if it didn't happen.

That's not what I'm saying and you know it. I'm saying if you look at it completely logically, taking away any NUFC bias, it's pretty fucking easy to see reasons why it shouldn't happen. Many aspects of the prospective owners still don't sit well with me, but I still want it to happen for sporting reasons. But if it falls through it'll have good reason to. As Caulkin keeps saying, we should be happy that the process is taking a long time and is thorough. We could have done with this level of scrutiny when Ashley took charge.

I must admit like, as much as I want this to happen from a football point of view, it would be pretty easy to accept if it was blocked. There's a lot not to like and it's hard to argue with anyone saying it should be blocked. What will be will be.

It's the vaccuum that's killing people and causing them to amplify dozens of little fuck-alls into seismically important considerations. None of us are entitled to know anything that's going on, not sure why people think we are or that they have the first idea how long this could be expected to take Erm, maybe because Staveley told Caulkin to tell the fans that it would be complete in the next few days, back towards the end of April ffs No she never and Caulkin has never put a timeline on it. Why are you laughing? You claimed something that was incorrect, I corrected you. OK she put it out there that it "should be complete" in the next few days. Nearly 3 weeks ago. The person who was incorrect was Staveley. Unless it was her contact at the PL who was incorrect. Or her lawyer who was incorrect. Why are you so convinced Staveley is acting in bad faith? Literally he only evidence supporting that position is Mike Ashley's "tyre-kicker" comment I'm not convinced either way, I do feel theres a chance she's acting in bad faith though. She's been on the scene nearly 3 years, in that time she's repeatedly told Caulkin she's going to be our new owner and all the plans she has for the club. She had a lovely curry with Mike during the first attempt, then he went on holiday and called her a time waster. If as she says she made him offers he'd indicated he'd accept, then surely there would be no way of trusting him again. Over the last number of years we've seen various claims that the club is being sold, that all then miraculously disappear into thin air. This one seems to be further along granted, but once (10 times) bitten twice shy and all that. I'm just not convinced, and I don't think theres anything wrong with that position. Can I ask why you are convinced she is genuine? A £17m deposit. Companies house confirmation of money exchanging hands and documents showing the progress made. A high profile group of companies involved in the consortium. I mean, there's a pretty long list of reasons why she's genuine. In fact, I'm 1000% sure she's genuine and that we're days away from being sold... it's literally up to the PL and then it's done.

It's the vaccuum that's killing people and causing them to amplify dozens of little fuck-alls into seismically important considerations. None of us are entitled to know anything that's going on, not sure why people think we are or that they have the first idea how long this could be expected to take Erm, maybe because Staveley told Caulkin to tell the fans that it would be complete in the next few days, back towards the end of April ffs No she never and Caulkin has never put a timeline on it. Why are you laughing? You claimed something that was incorrect, I corrected you. OK she put it out there that it "should be complete" in the next few days. Nearly 3 weeks ago. The person who was incorrect was Staveley. Unless it was her contact at the PL who was incorrect. Or her lawyer who was incorrect. Why are you so convinced Staveley is acting in bad faith? Literally he only evidence supporting that position is Mike Ashley's "tyre-kicker" comment A "tyre kicker" who spends three years trying to buy the club, spends £17m on a deposit, and is awaiting the results of PL test

Probably Staveley then...she has a habit of tipping people off with things that don't happen sadly. Does she? Must have missed that!

Really? You can’t see ANYTHING wrong with that? ?

? 100% agree with this, though perhaps the last bolded bit is a touch harsh

For no apparent reason? ? Yes of course, for no apparent reason. You can do one of these "attack Saudi Arabia" (China, Russia, Iran, USA . . . whoever) articles whenever you (BBC etc) want, but WHY NOW ?? It stinks, I'm sure you can see that. If that's a parody I'm liking this Hilarious isn't it!

For no apparent reason? ?

They also wouldn’t tell Caulkin likely timescales by your logic? Which they have throughout.

They have a good idea whether they’ll pass it though. It’s not a submit and wait kind of test...they speak with the PL regularly and supply them with everything they need and converse on any issues. If the buyers are still very confident, then that would be a sign that nothing too worrying has cropped up.

I'm literally 100% confident this is happening. Just a waiting game. I'm frustrated by the time it's taking, don't get me wrong, but it's definitely happening like.

Nobody's bothered about waiting, we're bothered about it falling through. The longer it goes on for, the more likely that is to happen. At this stage, with the new information from yesterday, it's fairly likely.

Fair point but knowing everyone on that pitch with you has tested negative must be fairly reassuring still. A lot more reassuring than a lot of workers who will be coming into contact with dozens of strangers on a daily basis. If they don't come back next month then I reckon that means it's finished for a long time. As the situation will be no different in September for example with no vaccine. The game would implode if it was away for a year or more it's just not sustainable. That's why it has to come back and it will in the next 4 weeks or so yeah i agree, at some point we're either going to have to accept that there's a risk and do what is necessary to mitigate it or lockdown until there's a vaccine (which isn't practicable) if i was being tested multiple times a week and knew the others players and staff involved all were (down to everyone, bus drivers, cleaners, cooks whoever) then i'd personally consider the risk acceptable And as soon as one person tests positive? Isolate and trace no? Just like real countries are doing for normal people. Well yeah, but tell me who is going to want to train in an environment, or play against opposition, where people they're playing with or against have recently been in contact with a teammate who's got the virus. I don't really know why it needs repeating... normally when people go to work in an office or a supermarket or a shop, they don't sweat all over each other, wrestle opponents in the penalty area etc etc. The list is endless. It is not a normal job. And not to mention the well publicised unreliability of the tests. All it's going to take is for a player to get seriously ill, and then it's all off again. It doesn't " need repeating" I made the exact same point. It's about risk analysis. So one player tests pos? Isolate him and his teammates until they're eligible to test to see if they have it. Game postponed until clear. I'm the least Tory person there is but I honestly think at some point mitigations are going to have to be accepted. If we wait 12-18 months, then so many footballers and staff in lower leagues and are going to lose their jobs across Europe because we haven't got going again and they'll be no parachute payments etc. Also I suspect many players will be wanting to take a small risk to get going again if all the measures are implemented properly to protect their safety. Honestly don't think it's reasonable to ask for 100% mitigation because that won't happen until there's a vaccine. I agree with you...I just think it’s far too early. Maybe when there’s 100 new cases a day. Not when there’s 4000.

Exactly. It's an absolute minefield. If there was anyway for it to be financially viable, really the best solution is just to wait as long as necessary, even if that's 18 months. I know that's not really going to be likely though, so they at least need to let the country get it massively under control before they even consider starting up again. This situation is in no way under control yet.

Fair point but knowing everyone on that pitch with you has tested negative must be fairly reassuring still. A lot more reassuring than a lot of workers who will be coming into contact with dozens of strangers on a daily basis. If they don't come back next month then I reckon that means it's finished for a long time. As the situation will be no different in September for example with no vaccine. The game would implode if it was away for a year or more it's just not sustainable. That's why it has to come back and it will in the next 4 weeks or so yeah i agree, at some point we're either going to have to accept that there's a risk and do what is necessary to mitigate it or lockdown until there's a vaccine (which isn't practicable) if i was being tested multiple times a week and knew the others players and staff involved all were (down to everyone, bus drivers, cleaners, cooks whoever) then i'd personally consider the risk acceptable And as soon as one person tests positive? Isolate and trace no? Just like real countries are doing for normal people. Well yeah, but tell me who is going to want to train in an environment, or play against opposition, where people they're playing with or against have recently been in contact with a teammate who's got the virus. I don't really know why it needs repeating... normally when people go to work in an office or a supermarket or a shop, they don't sweat all over each other, wrestle opponents in the penalty area etc etc. The list is endless. It is not a normal job. And not to mention the well publicised unreliability of the tests. All it's going to take is for a player to get seriously ill, and then it's all off again.

They've changed their tune now though, kind of.

Probably, TBH

Fair point but knowing everyone on that pitch with you has tested negative must be fairly reassuring still. A lot more reassuring than a lot of workers who will be coming into contact with dozens of strangers on a daily basis. If they don't come back next month then I reckon that means it's finished for a long time. As the situation will be no different in September for example with no vaccine. The game would implode if it was away for a year or more it's just not sustainable. That's why it has to come back and it will in the next 4 weeks or so yeah i agree, at some point we're either going to have to accept that there's a risk and do what is necessary to mitigate it or lockdown until there's a vaccine (which isn't practicable) if i was being tested multiple times a week and knew the others players and staff involved all were (down to everyone, bus drivers, cleaners, cooks whoever) then i'd personally consider the risk acceptable And as soon as one person tests positive?

Yes... "The Premier League refused to comment when contacted by the Guardian. Sources close to the deal continue to maintain they remain “very hopeful” of a confirmation this week and claim Project Restart is the only possible delaying factor."

They're supposed to be essential workers though. Football isnt essential. Not anymore. It's not just essential workers at work now it's anyone who can't work from home. Also football has a big effect on the economy it's a mass employer of all kinds of people for starters It was never just essential workers at work.

I dunno like... safer, probably. Doesn't mean they should be happy to start doing it... especially considering the amount of false results the tests give.

They're supposed to be essential workers though. Football isnt essential. Supposed being the operative word there - I can't say too much about my situation, but my workplace hasn't shut down and the work we do is far from essential. It doesn't matter if your work is essential or not... if a business has work for you to do they can't furlough you. That's just the rule, sadly. The government are only paying out money (understandably) to business that have had to furlough people due to a complete lack of work for those people.