Tiburon

From my experience of Italians and maybe why their footballers tend not to venture too far from their homeland to play in other countries like a lot of other footballers from other nations do, could be down to how family orientated Italians are in general. They like to be around their families a lot almost in every possible way, be it in business, in social gatherings or just at home. I knew of one Italian whose household basically consisted of him, his wife and kids, his mum and dad, Nona, and other siblings he brought over to live with him in the U.K., and his business was basically staffed with just family members too, here and back in Italy. Culturally the family aspect in Italian culture is huge and multi-faceted. If you’re an Italian footballer used to being around and with your family almost exclusively in such a way it probably isn’t as easy to just up and leave such an environment on your own or even with just your wife and kids and maybe that’s why they tend to stay in their own country to play their football. Earning more money elsewhere is attractive, but not a trade-off to perhaps justify moving and leaving behind the family culture and environment? Look at our own Bruno, I don’t think he’d have adapted here like he has without his family being with him all the way and having a fellow Brazilian already at the club in Joelinton whose own family has no doubt become an extension of Bruno’s and vice versa. Obviously Brazilians move all over and do so because of the financial reward, even if they would prefer to be back in Brazil. Italian wages may not be Premier League wages, but Serie A does pay well and it’s still a top league. I think it’s probably that factor (the family dynamic/culture), however, more than any other that would prevent Italians deciding to just up and leave for pastures new rather than swapping a Milan for a Manchester, or AC for Arsenal, or 100k a week for 150k a week. It’s certainly not ability as to why our own game here in England hasn’t the kind of pedigree with Italians like it does with the French, the Dutch, Brazilians and other nationalities.

I work full-time barely making enough to cover my bills whilst I’m not getting any younger. If I wanted to buy a Ferrari it would cost me 100 or more extra years of working alone. The North East is a region which is known for financial suffering. Disgraceful #ferrari At those prices mind, I think I’d rather watch it on BT and suffer their god awful commentary and pundit team than give £55 away for a ticket. Each to their own though.

Walker is the best all-round right-back of the Premier League era for me. Trippier is a better passer as is Trent, but I wouldn’t say they are better footballers. I really like Walker, he seems a top lad and given the number of games he’s played - all at the highest level - and his age, he still has that amazing pace and power. A very underrated player!

A tough start, but we have to play everyone twice anyway and I fear no-one these days, home or away. I’m not even fearful of who we may face in the Champions League. We are the 3rd best team right now in what is the world’s top division and have shown that consistently for over a season and a half now, and we will only get better. The opposition once looked at their fixtures against us licking their lips, now they will fear any fixture against us, away especially.

I think under Howe and co he’d get back to his best easily, I’d try a cheeky loan with a view to buy option first, however, with a promise to City we won’t take Haaland off them next season or any of their top players…

Just because he has hardly played and seems very happy and smiley on the bench/in parades doesn’t mean he’s happy just playing a bit part, if you can even call it that. He’s probably looked at Grealish and thinks if he keeps working hard and fitting in more, his time will come. Players are naturally confident and also naive at the same time, I’d have him here as I suspect his attitude is fantastic and his professionalism too.

Nice selective quoting… For what it’s worth I know lots of people who are Tories and they are decent people, myself I regard anyone in government be it Labour or Tory as c@nts and most staunch Tories as such. I’m not one of them, one can be unsympathetic towards certain things though without being labelled as such.

I’m being harsh I know, but yeah. Fans in general will buy any old tat and especially NUFC fans as evidenced by full houses week in week out under Ashley. There should be a level of expectation of decent quality, however, which is on Castore and the club and it looks bad for both. But those same people complaining will be there to buy a kit after next season. I mean one guy queuing to buy this season’s new Castore top while wearing last season’s Castore top basically said their designs were crap, but he was first in line… And no I’m not a Tory, not that being one makes one a bad person or uncaring and especially one for not feeling any real sympathy for people who line up to pay top money for tat. Overall though, my lack of sympathy aside, fans and indeed customers do deserve better and in the commercial world no-one gets the short end of the stick more than your average football fan who get ripped off due to their loyalty and basically treat like crap by all and sundry. Hopefully our own club will be treating fans with much more respect going forward, which they look like they have been doing since the takeover.

I saw quite a number of people wearing the new kit over the weekend from kids to older aged adults and I have to say worn, it looks a bit cheap and nasty and not as nice in the flesh as it appears on the promos. Not that I’ll be buying any mind, but if there are quality issues over stitching etc. the club really needs to take Castore to task over this because fans are paying extremely good money for these kits which are already massively overpriced to start with. That said, I do find it hard to sympathise with anyone kicking off over this when they are happy to queue for ages and spend so much money to buy what is essentially overpriced tat. Surely when you buy a top you’d try it on and check the overall quality etc? Maybe stitched badges need to be a thing of the past full-stop going forward…

Whore yourself on every podcast, chum up with Steve Wraith and co and write a few articles for True Faith and you’ll be chairman of the board this time next year Rodders. In all seriousness, thanks for putting yourself forward and better luck next time

Joelinton getting a cap (or 2 hopefully) for his national team says a great deal about his character and how he has excelled here under the expert coaching of Howe and co and will be a big boon for the club in any attempt at breaking the S.American market and to entice future Joelinton’s. Come to Newcastle United and make your dreams come true. I’m delighted for him, he symbolises everything about the club right now, from rags to riches almost and a huge arc in their respective turnarounds. Next up Longstaff and Willock for England…

Agreed, but every transfer is a risk, Isak could have flopped for example. If we are seriously interested in Szoboszlai, I’d trust our people scouting him all the way to Howe and co coaching him to make sure he wouldn’t flop. Of the two Maddison is obviously less of a risk, but maybe we are genuinely after both?