Abacus

Well, I suppose take someone like Mourinho. He's won virtually everything there is to win. But I wouldn't want him at my club - his time is passed and he is toxic. That's why I wouldn't go all that far back into a manager's previous list of achievements. Or as another example, Ranieri. A likeable guy, who achieved the almost impossible and perhaps the greatest footballing feat of all time with Leicester. But I wouldn't put him in the top rank of managers just for that. The fact that Vieira hasn't won anything yet doesn't make him a worse manager than those two, judged from today imo.

I happen to mostly agree with you about Vieira being underrated, and was a bit surprised to see him ranking so low in most people's lists. I think he's done a cracking job so far, and that away point against Palace was a good one. I do think it's hard to compare across different leagues though, and, although it's just a bit of fun I don't think he's been managing enough games in the PL yet to make many sensible comparisons. For example, keeping Bournemouth defying gravity for so long speaks well of Howe, and I don't know you'd realistically compare those achievements. But you could say that about anyone on the list though, as they're all managing in completely different circumstances and some people are judging managers based on past successes etc. Personally, I've no problem with OGS being towards the bottom of the pack, for instance. Benitez, I think, has often been placed too highly on here as well. Mid table for me right now, which will be an unpopular view. Both him and OGS are in the difficult position of trying to manage hodge podge squads that weren't of their making, though. So again, there's context. Although, I suppose OGS has at least had time to address that problem and yet still hasn't - but who knows what real say he has over transfers in the first place.

It's only just occurred to me. That training camp was in Portugal, wasn't it? Where Brucey has his holiday home.

I think every player deserves to get a fresh start, both from the manager and hopefully from the fans as well. It may not work out but at least we'll have given them a fair chance this time. I can't imagine coming to one of the most competitive leagues in the world, with huge expectations due to your transfer fee, only to then have Steve Bruce as your manager.

Listen to this pearler, from the global warming thread; "If it gets too hot up here I would suggest we sign lots of African players."

Can't we just avoid this sponsorship hoo-ha by selling Shelvey to a Saudi club for £20bn? Player sales aren't part of this fandango. Granted, such a move may sour international relations forever, but it's swings and roundabouts.

Are they mainly just cheering because someone finally said the word Sunderland on the telly?

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/will-global-warming-benefit-safc-and-the-region.1564477/ I don't think he has considered that it may increase the size of their other enemy, the north sea.

Call me a romantic, but perhaps they could auction the SD signs in case we ever want them back.

Aren't McLaren owned by Bahrain? I don't really know why any of it is either here nor there mind, as I don't see any of it as being my problem in the first place

How low quality would their tea towels have been?

I really want this to be Howe's big project now, for both the sake of him and our club. As job interviews go, that training session did it for me. I'm totally sold.

Not impressed. I didn't see him throw the ball in the air and say "let's play!".

Quite a few filings went in to PZ newco, our holding company, on 4 November, as well as the above stuff being reported with Cantervale holdings, including appointing Stavely, the Ruebens etc to PZ. The amounts I talked about (i.e. £310m acquisition, £38m additional financing) stack up with what's been reported re the deal. According to other filings re PZ on the 4th November, on the of 8th April, Cantervale ceased to be a person a person of influence over PZ. We were taken over the day before, on the 7th. In other words, for simplicity's sake, my guess is the whole transaction went through Stavely's Cantervale in the first place, then was transferred to PZ. Might, of course, be wrong. And yes, I'm falling asleep too.

I think it does make sense actually. I'll try and explain what I think has happened when I get back to my desk. I warn you, and I might be wrong, but it is both tedious and nothing to be either worried or excited about.

He sort of explains the real amounts in the next replies. Basically, £310m (£306m rounded up for 306 shares) to buy the club, then £38m (for 38 shares) later invested probably for running costs. The £95bn basically comes from him saying they had issued 38 shares for £38m each, and 306 shares for £310m each. Which is clearly wrong.

1964 is right, it's not called a set piece for nothing.

He is now wondering where the 20,000 fans were to welcome Howe's arrival, like Rafa. At 6.45 am at the training ground. Another saying there is an unnecessary fuss about racism at Yorkshire cricket club, and that's just a distraction from the real and only issue that matters, which is the NUFC takeover. Gutless journos, apparently. How dare other people move on with their lives or care about new things when there is only one glaring injustice in the world?

First matches I went to were under Ossie Ardiles. Yes, he was taking us straight to relegation, but he also started us actually passing the ball and also playing promising youngsters, like Steve Howey and (I think) Lee Clark. Laid the foundations for KK in some ways. Then KK came in, saved us, and that promotion season was one of the most exciting I've ever had. Probably my main memory is watching us play at Roker Park that season, where we won 2-1 with a Liam O'Brien special - I'd gotten into the home end and thought I was going to be killed

Not sure he even walks fast enough to manage a hard toe stub. So I hope he steps on a Lego. As for Joelinton, I can still remember the bewilderment on both men's faces when he was introduced to Bruce for the first time! Don't forget, he's had two and a bit years of being thoroughly Bruced and played out of position in a stinking team, with all the expectations his fee brings. Other than odd flashes, it's been hard to see what he brings in any role. So, I'm actually really interested to see how a manager with a working brain uses him - and he'll need him the squad at least till Jan, so he may have to. Maybe being coached properly and consistently in a specific role will help us see if there's any sort of player in there.

The HMS Titanic

Under Bruce, I'd have said it was all but nailed on. A 9. It's odd how having been through two relegations, the number of chances you have to get out of it, and yet how it almost seems impossible to turn things around and actually take them. But once all the pieces fall into place it just starts to feel inevitable. Those pieces are; a few key injuries, players who look disorganised, unfit, disinterested, understandable negativity / fear coming down from the stands. A manager losing the dressing room, or elements of it, and who looks lost on the touchline, an owner who either doesn't care or understand enough to act. It had all those elements under Bruce. But with the takeover, owner, hopefully new manager and fan positivity are all fixed for now. And unlike in Benitez's case, this time with enough time to fix a lot of what's happening on the pitch with the players. At the moment, I'm down to a 4, and that will drop much further if we do eke out a couple of wins from the next little run of games.

Don't know if this has been posted here yet, from the Times. Maybe sounds like a "Get me out of here"? Rafa Benítez has said the ambitious plans of Everton’s owners prevented him returning to Newcastle United but admits he is now unlikely to be able to embark on a January spending spree. The reality of the situation became apparent with Benítez anxious to arrest a downturn in form which has left Everton with one win in seven matches ahead of Sunday’s game with Tottenham Hotspur. Unrest is simmering among fans who were always likely to give the former Liverpool manager little leeway should wins remain elusive. Benítez spent only £1.7 million in the summer as Everton sought to adhere to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules yet still managed to bring in two of the club’s better performers so far this season in Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray. He again tempered expectations ahead of the January transfer window, insisting that finding the right players to bolster a flimsy squad was more important than simply spending big. “I think we will have some money to spend but I don’t think that will be too much,” said Benítez, who has been interested in Aleksandr Golovin, the AS Monaco winger. “The point is [not] that Townsend is a free transfer, or Demarai is £1.7 million — it doesn’t matter the price. It is more about the mentality. If we can buy them, fine. If not, we can loan them and make sure they stay here with us in the future.” Injuries to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucouré and Yerry Mina have exposed the squad’s lack of depth, while also depriving Everton height at set pieces. They have conceded seven goals from corners and free kicks this season, the same as in the whole of last term under Carlo Ancelotti. Benítez rebuffed interest from Newcastle, whom he managed from 2016 to 2019, after the Saudi Arabian takeover in order to remain at Goodison Park. Ironically, he would get money to spend at St James’ Park and be able to count on the backing of supporters who idolised him during his time on Tyneside. Yet his principles mean he remains committed to Everton. “The reality is I met the owner [Farhad Moshiri] and the sponsor [Alisher Usmanov] and the directors,” Benítez said. “Everybody was telling me we have great ambition and everybody wants to create a competitive team that could go to the [new] stadium winning something or playing in Europe.” “An owner who has spent £400 million, you cannot criticise him. We have to be sure we are spending money properly. We have to improve things that maybe weren’t right. If not, you cannot justify why we are where we are after spending the fourth most [of Premier League clubs] in the last five years.”

Whereas I think it's totally believable. In fact, I'd be surprised if it's that little. Our last set of accounts (to July 2020) showed us making a loss of £22.5m due to Covid. Our short term debts also increased, by around £40m, even leaving aside the reclassification of Ashley's loan. The next year's haven't been filed yet, but I'm guessing they will make even grimmer reading. Wouldn't be at all surprised if Ashley has left us with a few unpaid bills in all of that, since the thick fool only understands cash.

Yes, Eddie Howe. It was his second spell at Bournemouth which got them promoted from league 1 to the prem, etc.