Abacus

I'm not sure that I quite follow the point? That all the players are shit and everything is shit, so there's no point discussing any of it? But if so, that's where we are, unfortunately. So, I'd say it's exactly why it is worth discussing, because the cavalry aren't arriving till January and we need the best chance of getting a few points up till then, with what we've already got, to give ourselves a fighting chance. More than that, we need to try them all out so we know which are the most urgent to replace under an actual coach and with a defined system of play. So, it's about making the most of the players we have until then. And of a limited set of defenders I think it's odd that Fernandez isn't given a chance or even in the squad. He's not exactly great, but of what we've got left he's surely a better bet than Clark, Krafth or Lascelles. It was still a crime shipping out Lejeune out of all of them, but hey, we are where we are. I can only guess there are some big player influences behind the scenes re who gets selected, since there has been a managerial vacuum for over 2 years. Instead of...you know, objectively picking the best actual players from what we've got to work with now.

Still, he waxes lyrical about how the feeling of being at a FA cup final is absolutely magical and never to be forgotten for fans! Before not mentioning making sure we'd been knocked by the 4th round every year, including losing 3-1 to Stevenage.

Susan? Oh, hi. Can you make pornography come on my telly please?

In fairness most of them are normal and wishing him all the best. But somehow, it already seems to be derailed by one or two blaming the Covid vaccine.

They would have no basis to deny it. Integrity? That's not a legal concept. Basically, the argument was that to deny the takeover you would have to go above and beyond company law, and if you're going to do that and make moral judgements, then who should be the arbiter of that? An independent regulator would be better than a stitch up by vested interests, as everyone would be under the same rules.

It's worth noting that it's generally recognised even under any new regulator, the Newcastle takeover was still likely to go ahead. So this would likely be cleaner than the previous system. What it would stop would be scandals like Bury and Blackpool etc, plus unnecessary influence by the likes of the ESL 6. Henry Winter has, as usual, an excellent article on this in the Times. I'm all for most things in that report - I think it's just being reported this way on the BBC (i.e. being all about stopping the Saudi takeover, which it really isn't) is because Manchester is where the BBC's sports HQ is based.

There's no new £77m and it has nothing to do with the loan. It's just a misunderstanding of what these filings mean, I think. Newcastle United Football Club Limited (NUFCL) own Newcastle United Limited (NUL). They aren't two separate companies getting separate amounts of extra money. You put £38.5m into NUFCL, and then it flows down into NUL. Twitter just then double counted it and made it £77m. That £38.5m was all to do with running costs, and it was something reported on a few weeks ago already. I might be wrong, and I certainly don't know the distance between Wrexham and Halifax so you're free to doubt me. But it would otherwise be a bit of a coincidence that the consortium can only work in multiples of £38.5m. All it is, is companies house filings catching up to stuff related to a few weeks ago. I reckon.

I would like to retract this, and say that it's a 25 hour walk. Just a minor correction It didn't even seem right as I was saying it.

Well, one is a five minute walk. The other is a 4 hour drive, a 6 hour train journey, or a 62 hour walk. Midweek against Shrewsbury. I'm as disappointed to be giving the Mackems a break on this one as anyone.

Pleasepleaseplease!

It's so impressive if he really has tried to work on his game like this. That attitude makes me really warm to him and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he gets a chance and then takes it to prove himself. Yes, it's only one game. But it's still exciting to see what some of these players might be capable of when they're not being coached by a completely and utterly incompetent lazy hopeless dunce.

Of course, it's nothing but a magical dream. But it's been reported they're after an interim manager till the end of the season. Also that Bruce has expressed an interest in the job (and if true, the sheer brass neck and vanity of that is astounding). Anyhow, I'm doing my bit by furiously liking any post on any media which suggests him.

I'd love it if Bruce went there. Imagine the scrutiny he'd face and how he'd be unable to answer even the most basic of questions, then to watch the Man U loving media finally turn against him. Then of course he'd leave them in a complete mess, like he does to every club, everywhere.

Sorry, stuck into that dinner. Five days off all round - let's play!

Have added my comment to the Athletic, along with a few other Newcastle fans it seems, suggesting lovely bloke Steve Bruce to be the ideal candidate! I would absolutely love to see him roll up his sleeves and get stuck into that job!

I'm not sure that the goalkeeper will have been top of Howe's thinking up until now. But it's obvious Darlow isn't the answer, not just for his gaffes and his poor distribution, but for how he doesn't command his defence. He's ineffective at crosses and free kicks, too slow to react in open play. If we get relegated, it'll probably be by just a few points. A decent keeper saves you those few points that make all the difference - and that's not Darlow.

The general view before this was that we'd need at least 7 points from our next 3 home games. We can still do that. Even if you'd just swapped Darlow for Dubravka today, which will surely happen by the next home match, I think you'd be looking at a whole different result. I also don't think it's right to assume we'll get nothing at all against any of the bigger teams - other teams do and at least now we won't be going in with the same defeatist attitude. Some promising signs, some old problems. Will it be too little, too late? Maybe - overall, I'm up to a 6.

Bet he still turns up on Monday with a new briefcase. "I'll bring my own crayons, Amanda!"

I thought the rumours were we aren't getting Emanalo? In which case, for his own mental health, I hope he has a plan B spreadsheet all ready to demonstrate exactly how great he is instead. NB there is a thread on RTG asking about a potential Qatari World Cup boycott due to human rights abuses, and most are saying they wouldn't bother. That's despite Sunderland being a beacon of Western liberal values and enlightened learning, just like they were in the dark ages. It's because they just want to watch the football, you see.

Nothing according to Richard Masters, writing to Newcastle's Member of Parliament.

You can believe what you like. I have my own theories on the piracy links, but that's all they are so I won't speculate. But I would say that being unhappy with an outcome and then, on the back of that, being able to force a senior board level resignation from a process you aren't supposed to have any say in, looks a bit like you might have undue influence on the people who are supposed to be making those decisions impartially. Anyhow, let's leave it there. I'm sure the truth will come out in the end. Either way, whole thing needs a clean up because it stinks no matter how you look at it.

Then why is Hoffman apparently now having to resign? After all, the piracy is resolved. Surely he has done a good job in that case. So why would he need to go?

From a 14 August 2020 Letter from Richard Masters to Chi Onwurah MP. Is it true that several Premier League clubs objected to the takeover and what influence do the views of competing clubs have in the approval process? The Owners' and Directors' test is delegated to and carried out entirely by the Premier League Board. Other member Clubs have no role whatsoever in the approval process. So, this resignation is a mystery alright.

But of course, we've been told there was no pressure from other clubs to try and block it ...

I don't think we disagree at all, I'm mainly trying to point out how difficult it is to compare them. Which I do know is the whole point For what it's worth, I think Rogers has been around the block enough to be counted as an experienced manager. I'm sure he'll get a crack at one of the top jobs soon. As for the up & coming managers. I think Gerrard has picked the right route and has now been given every chance of making it at Villa. I'd worry that he may not have the same effect as he did at Rangers, though, since I don't think Smith did a lot wrong. The jury is out for me, and I'm happier with Howe. Potter is doing an excellent job - probably at the top of that little group for me, but it's really hard to separate them. Howe has achieved a huge amount at a young age, and I like his self improvement ethos. Vieira has had a great start in the PL and likewise seems to take the job seriously, not trading on his star name. But maybe, it's a bit too soon to tell. I think you could put those 3 in any order for lots of reasons, and I really wouldn't sensibly disagree with you. Ole is a different kettle of fish altogether. He must be given huge credit for stabilising things at Man U, and as a relative novice at one of the biggest clubs in the world, that's incredible. But he also seems tactically unaware, unable to affect the play and is patently shown up by the best managers, despite having some incredible talent at his disposal, as those are who he is judged against. Maybe it's just come too soon in his career and so this is unfair, but I don't see anything that suggests a consistent or considered approach to how he sets up or his team selection.