McDog

I guess look at it this way. If Eithad was happy to pay 100M a season, just making up numbers, why would the owners subsidize that? Just let them pay it. If they said "We will pay 50M" and the owners chucked in another 50M behind the scenes and it was concealed as coming from their sponsor then it is 150% getting them income they would not have had and did not honestly report.

Yes it does, but the outgoing payments are not correct.. Therefore the bottom line is altered. It's about profitability, right? That expense is hidden making them look more profitable that they really are and allowing them to spend more.

THAT I agree with, when Newcastle were taken over suddenly rules had to change. It was directed right at them too. You would have thought they would be more subtle but it was pretty brazen.

I think we know what the thought was behind it. Not sure it's working worth shite but I understand what they were trying to do. Honestly, with nothing putting a drag on spending City and Newcastle could bury the league every year if they wanted to. Would PIF spend the money? If they wanted to, they could buy anyone in the world. I'm not defending FFP but I do kinda see where it might go which maybe isn't that far off where it is now considering the head start some clubs had.

Because it doesn't count as a negative on the books in regard to profit. The books is what FFP looks at. You hide payments to show you were more profitable than you really were.

You may be daft but I like the way you think.

Under what court? I assume any refund would be from an Italian court, no? FA can't force a refund. UEFA?

Tino could play there I'm guessing but Burn could get killed on the left and Eddie doesn't seem to trust Hall at LB. It's tricky. I sure wish Barnes was here. Gordon can 100% play on the right.

Right, it's a balance. Was interesting how Eddie said getting Big Joe on for a bit helped winning some balls in the midfield against Nottingham. He insinuated (to me at least) that wasn't happening until he came on. Bombing forward would be suicide but I agree with your point. You can cover the backline without having a back 5 and a DM on defense. Eddie's defensive results has been tremendous until recently so I hope he and the staff can get the game plan sorted.

He was asked about that in his press conference. Something like "Are you considering playing five at the back and parking the bus", I am paraphrasing the question. Eddie said something like "If it was as simple as parking the bus everyone would do it. You have to threaten during the match or you allow them to do as they want". I know one can play 5 at the back and still push forward but somehow I doubt we see that but you never know.

The rest can't hurt, with the injuries the team has been crushed by the fixture congestion of all the competitions. Glad to see some players finally come back. I can see Liverpool running us straight off the pitch though. That said, football is a funny old game.

Several years ago we had a vendor over for a week from London. I was working with him all week with the product we had purchased, getting it setup. I asked him "Do you Englishman have trouble understanding the Scottish like we do"? He said, "I was in a train station in Newcastle and a couple old guys were chatting and I couldn't understand a word, was like a different language".

I thought I read on here that he does NOT have a recall clause so you'd have to negotiate a deal with them to get him back this year.

Well, that sucked.

I honestly don't know what to say. Chris fucking Wood rounds the keeper for his hattrick.

@Mike - back to the sea with you.

Which one of you joked about a Wood goal? Raise your hand.

Ok, confirmed.

That was contact?

Nice job Tripps

Let’s go!

@Mike told me somewhat recently to read the room. I'm supposed to jump all over this cunt, right? My apologies if so. edit: And you showed up on que. Damn.

Has to be right? He work's for the team, if the lads were given time off he can go anywhere he likes. If he and everyone else was expected at training he'd be there, no?

Damn, boxing day isn't a bank holiday in the US. I work tomorrow and the game starts at 6:30am. Glad I work from home.

That was pretty good.