Isn't it about time we had an argument about THE BOARD?!?!?!?!?!

[NE5]

what is the problem with singing young players for the future? didn't you say that N'Zogbia was the most talented player at our club a couple of days ago? and he was signed this way.

 

if we can bring in promising talents and hopefully develop them along then i don't see the problem. it is low-risk and every so often this policy will yield good results. as long as it is pursued alongside first-team transfers i dont see any negatives. and i think bringing in the technical directors ensures that the two recruitment policies exist side by side.

 

Good post.

 

It seems people are envious of Wenger's achievements at Arsenal yet don't want to see the same set up implemented here. Strange.

 

Iz becoz we canna parayde dem lyek. If dey not heard of dem den they must be s*** innit?!

 

 

seems like deja vue here. Under Souness we were told that it was fine to clear out the bad eggs because Alex Ferguson did, now we are being told its OK buying a load of 17 year olds because Arsene Wenger has.

 

Quite incredible the complete rubbish that people get suckered into believing, and all because the fat b****** ate all their pies or something.........

 

Not to mention, that Bobby Robson has been down the same path and didn't match Wenger ie Bramble, Ambrose, Viana, Gavilan,

Cort, Cordone, Jeanarse, Lua Lua, Bassedas, O'Brien.............. his best buys for the club being Woodgate, Bellamy and Robert by a country mile.

 

 

 

a big pile right there...and desperation to attack the new regime and defend Shepherd. Blatantly as well.

 

FYI: Bramble, Ambrose, Bassedas, Cordone, Cort, O'Brien, LuaLua and Viana were not obscure 16/17 yr olds when they were signed. The only youth signings that Sir Bobby made were Gavilan, Bernard and N'Zogbia, and I'll add Jenas to that list to an extent.

 

Bramble was a premiership player who finished 3rd with Ipswich.

Bassedas was already a full Argentina international when he joined (and was 25?)

LuaLua was acquired for over 2 million pounds, and was an established player in the first team of a lower division side

Cort...we paid 7 million on him as he was also a premiership player at Wimbeldon

O'Brien was a first teamer at Bradford (not sure if he played premiership football before they went down)

Viana was young european player of the year

Cordone was an unknown, but he wasn't a 17 yr old nobody

 

If I'm not mistaken, bar Cordone (who joined on loan), the rest all cost AT LEAST a million pounds if not more. Jenas cost 5!!!

 

What the board are doing now is plucking youth players to develop them here as part of the youth academy/reserve team. The players you mention ALL went into the first team squad.

 

Still think you know your stuff LM...just think your argument here is a tad bit desperate and illogical. No one here is saying we don't need big players. We do. But in the meantime, if we cant get them for whatever reason, we might as well play our hand at grabbing whatever young talent we can from all over the shop, and take a chance.

 

Haven't read the rest of the thread, so I don't know what else has been said. I'll crack on now and try and catch up

 

 

interesting you talk about a big pile of s****.

 

Because from where I'm sitting, the condemnation of a board who backed their managers and qualified for europe more than anyone else at any time in our history, more than any other team in the country bar 4, bought major international players instead of selling them, sold out the ground to 50000 people [who were actually attracted by something despite what you may "think"] is the biggest heap of absolute biggest s**** I've ever read.

 

I am very pleased for you if you are happy with the ambition ie the transfer policy of the current board as against the old one. Because, you shouldn't be. Its been absolutely abysmal, and 2nd rate. End of.

 

 

 

But that's not the point LM!!! What I'm saying is, if in the meantime we can't get those big players to come, what's the harm in bringing some promising prospects in parallel?

 

Also, keep in mind that at the time you speak of, NUFC was a fashionable club, as you correctly point out qualifying for europe etc... We're a different proposition now, and are a club in turmoil. Until we steady the ship and have a clear path forward, imo we'll never attract big hungry players. We'll only be able to bring in mercenaries who've already done it all, living off of reputation and looking for one last pay day.

 

I don't accept or believe we can't get the best players to come. I think any player worth their salt would want to play here. Our european standing and profile is also massively and totally superior in comparison to what it was, through qualifying regularly for europe, especially since 1992 when the old board finally took over and put the club on the right lines again.

 

The judgement of a players character is down to the manager when he talks to him etc

 

 

ne5 your first 3 words sum it up.

 

 

as for getting the best players,always unlkey in the jan window (though to improve should be able to)

 

oureuro standing etc mean nothing now.

 

the one thing we have is spending power...if it is real and flexed come the sumer. convince one big money and the rest will follow if we want to spend.

 

 

will it happen ?

 

Because Keegan has taken over, I want to believe it.

 

Mort is a very conservative bean counter, he doesn't appear to understand much about football. Pretty much everything he has said seems to indicate that the club don't understand that in football you need to speculate and take risks.

 

So, if you have wanted the club run like " a business" and/or are happy with real mediocrity and a board who are also happy with it, you may be about to get your wish.

 

 

 

[fredbob]

How many players  signed in this window would of been suitable for us?

 

The team we should be competeing with at the moment, villa, portsmouth, Blackburn, Everton, even Man City have not signed anyone really outstanding, i can only think of Woodgate, and maybe at an absolute stretch Benjani or Defoe. Its wierd that NE5 has been pretty quiet the past few days then comes out all guns blazing when the thing we thought would happen and was told would happen has happened.

 

Im just not sure what everyone else was expecting but its what i was expecting, we could have 4 outstanding players on our books and there doesnt look lik there were any players who were on Keegans radar who we could of signed who would of been an improvement for us.

 

I was really hoping that Keegan would of been able to get his own signings in asap but i suppose with the lack of prep and time it hasnt come good which i can accept, i wont accept no activity in the summer, and i dont imiagine that Keegan Mort and Ashley will either.

 

 

[WhatTheFunk]

Are you suggesting we never had a single disappointing transfer window/summer under the old lot?

 

not suggesting anything Dave. I find the hypocrisy of standards - which boils down completely to personalities - quite amazing.

 

Simple fact is that I've seen this before. Unambitious board who aren't prepared to compete with the winning clubs but attempt to pacify fans with talk of "youth systems", "the future plans"....blah blah, other such bollocks.

 

Simple fact also is that you need players the top teams want if you want to challenge them, never mind beat them. Particularly incredible is the fact that Keegan showed everybody this the first time round. I don't think Mort has the slightest clue about football and how it works. They / he [interesting one this, will it be Ashleys fault as major shareholder or Morts as chairman if Keegan fucks off or fails] will have to catch on quickly or Keegan will put them under pressure or bugger off. Quite right too if he does under those circumstances.

 

I simply don't buy the people who are now supporting this deluded "kids policy" instead of spending money, when all we heard every other week under the old board was "splash the cash you greedy fat b******"

 

Amazing.

 

The sooner we are back in europe the better. And if Ashley and Mort don't realise this, for me they can both bugger off.

 

 

 

Right. I think it's now plainly obvious that your agenda is merely to attack the new board regardless. When you say things like "people are supporting the kids policy INSTEAD of buying big players" etc....

 

That's a load of bollocks LM and you know it. People are saying that it will do us no harm to try and uncover a few gems in the process, until we are able to attract the Berbatovs of this world!! No one is saying the board to should aim to produce an entire first team from youth talent!!! But if one or two turn out to be useful, then why not?

 

Amazing

 

Shame, but I think for a long time the agenda of numerous people was simply to attack the old board whatever they did regardless. And still is, in fact.

 

Buying up the best kids and ignoring the present is nothing other than taking a punt at gaining success on the cheap, and doesn't bode well I'm afraid.

 

I've tried to tell you it doesn't work, because it hasn't in the past at pretty much any other club plus common sense tells you it isn't so simple as this - so if you think differently, then of course thats your opinion. I look forward to seeing your u-turn.

 

 

 

Do you mean when we tried it with Bassedas, Cort, Bramble etc...?

[madras]

ne5

Because Keegan has taken over, I want to believe it.

 

Mort is a very conservative bean counter, he doesn't appear to understand much about football. Pretty much everything he has said seems to indicate that the club don't understand that in football you need to speculate and take risks.

 

So, if you have wanted the club run like " a business" and/or are happy with real mediocrity and a board who are also happy with it, you may be about to get your wish.

if mort is a bean counter how is he going to make money back ashleys initial £250mill investment ?

 

 

 

how much further do you think shepherds  "speculation and risks" would ave taken us ?

[KaKa]

The Giles Barnes thing was the real  downer for me.

 

Jus tdon't understand what went on there.

 

Other than that, it is true there wasn't really much out there to be had.

[WhatTheFunk]

what is the problem with singing young players for the future? didn't you say that N'Zogbia was the most talented player at our club a couple of days ago? and he was signed this way.

 

if we can bring in promising talents and hopefully develop them along then i don't see the problem. it is low-risk and every so often this policy will yield good results. as long as it is pursued alongside first-team transfers i dont see any negatives. and i think bringing in the technical directors ensures that the two recruitment policies exist side by side.

 

Good post.

 

It seems people are envious of Wenger's achievements at Arsenal yet don't want to see the same set up implemented here. Strange.

 

Iz becoz we canna parayde dem lyek. If dey not heard of dem den they must be s*** innit?!

 

 

seems like deja vue here. Under Souness we were told that it was fine to clear out the bad eggs because Alex Ferguson did, now we are being told its OK buying a load of 17 year olds because Arsene Wenger has.

 

Quite incredible the complete rubbish that people get suckered into believing, and all because the fat b****** ate all their pies or something.........

 

Not to mention, that Bobby Robson has been down the same path and didn't match Wenger ie Bramble, Ambrose, Viana, Gavilan,

Cort, Cordone, Jeanarse, Lua Lua, Bassedas, O'Brien.............. his best buys for the club being Woodgate, Bellamy and Robert by a country mile.

 

 

 

a big pile right there...and desperation to attack the new regime and defend Shepherd. Blatantly as well.

 

FYI: Bramble, Ambrose, Bassedas, Cordone, Cort, O'Brien, LuaLua and Viana were not obscure 16/17 yr olds when they were signed. The only youth signings that Sir Bobby made were Gavilan, Bernard and N'Zogbia, and I'll add Jenas to that list to an extent.

 

Bramble was a premiership player who finished 3rd with Ipswich.

Bassedas was already a full Argentina international when he joined (and was 25?)

LuaLua was acquired for over 2 million pounds, and was an established player in the first team of a lower division side

Cort...we paid 7 million on him as he was also a premiership player at Wimbeldon

O'Brien was a first teamer at Bradford (not sure if he played premiership football before they went down)

Viana was young european player of the year

Cordone was an unknown, but he wasn't a 17 yr old nobody

 

If I'm not mistaken, bar Cordone (who joined on loan), the rest all cost AT LEAST a million pounds if not more. Jenas cost 5!!!

 

What the board are doing now is plucking youth players to develop them here as part of the youth academy/reserve team. The players you mention ALL went into the first team squad.

 

Still think you know your stuff LM...just think your argument here is a tad bit desperate and illogical. No one here is saying we don't need big players. We do. But in the meantime, if we cant get them for whatever reason, we might as well play our hand at grabbing whatever young talent we can from all over the shop, and take a chance.

 

Haven't read the rest of the thread, so I don't know what else has been said. I'll crack on now and try and catch up

 

 

interesting you talk about a big pile of s****.

 

Because from where I'm sitting, the condemnation of a board who backed their managers and qualified for europe more than anyone else at any time in our history, more than any other team in the country bar 4, bought major international players instead of selling them, sold out the ground to 50000 people [who were actually attracted by something despite what you may "think"] is the biggest heap of absolute biggest s**** I've ever read.

 

I am very pleased for you if you are happy with the ambition ie the transfer policy of the current board as against the old one. Because, you shouldn't be. Its been absolutely abysmal, and 2nd rate. End of.

 

 

 

But that's not the point LM!!! What I'm saying is, if in the meantime we can't get those big players to come, what's the harm in bringing some promising prospects in parallel?

 

Also, keep in mind that at the time you speak of, NUFC was a fashionable club, as you correctly point out qualifying for europe etc... We're a different proposition now, and are a club in turmoil. Until we steady the ship and have a clear path forward, imo we'll never attract big hungry players. We'll only be able to bring in mercenaries who've already done it all, living off of reputation and looking for one last pay day.

 

I don't accept or believe we can't get the best players to come. I think any player worth their salt would want to play here. Our european standing and profile is also massively and totally superior in comparison to what it was, through qualifying regularly for europe, especially since 1992 when the old board finally took over and put the club on the right lines again.

 

The judgement of a players character is down to the manager when he talks to him etc

 

 

ne5 your first 3 words sum it up.

 

 

as for getting the best players,always unlkey in the jan window (though to improve should be able to)

 

oureuro standing etc mean nothing now.

 

the one thing we have is spending power...if it is real and flexed come the sumer. convince one big money and the rest will follow if we want to spend.

 

 

will it happen ?

 

Because Keegan has taken over, I want to believe it.

 

Mort is a very conservative bean counter, he doesn't appear to understand much about football. Pretty much everything he has said seems to indicate that the club don't understand that in football you need to speculate and take risks.

 

So, if you have wanted the club run like " a business" and/or are happy with real mediocrity and a board who are also happy with it, you may be about to get your wish.

 

 

 

 

Right.....so signing youth team players from all around the world doesn't represent taking risks.....but "backing the manager" by signing the likes of Owen, Boumsong and Luque does?

 

You're contradicting yourself mate

[Mick]

It's interesting that the club is getting slated by some for not spending yet we had a reported £7 million bid accepted for Woodgate.

[fredbob]

It's interesting that the club is getting slated by some for not spending yet we had a reported £7 million bid accepted for Woodgate.

 

Woodgate was the only player to move this window who would of been completely suitable for us and we bid for him. There is absolutley no argument to be had here.

 

Lets put that into some context, thats 1 signing in 31 days days who would be suitable.

 

Wheres the lack of ambition in that?

[Guest K9]

imo ur gay

[Mick]

 

Woodgate was the only player to move this window who would of been completely suitable for us and we bid for him. There is absolutley no argument to be had here.

 

Lets put that into some context, thats 1 signing in 31 days days who would be suitable.

 

Wheres the lack of ambition in that?

 

I'd have taken Anelka, not that we would have had a chance against Chelsea, he still would have improved us.

[fredbob]

Absolutley so would i but i assumed he was a non starter once he had Chelsea sniffing around. No point even mentioning him! 

[Guest Dev]

 

Woodgate was the only player to move this window who would of been completely suitable for us and we bid for him. There is absolutley no argument to be had here.

 

Lets put that into some context, thats 1 signing in 31 days days who would be suitable.

 

Wheres the lack of ambition in that?

 

I'd have taken Anelka, not that we would have had a chance against Chelsea, he still would have improved us.

 

I'd have Benjani in too, though I don't know if that's just rumour or if it's going to be true tomorrow.

 

It's all pretty irrelevant though, we all have no idea what really went on, Kev/Mort could have tried to get in 20 players or they might have only tried for one or two. We'll never know. Fact is this season is already locked in to bottom half boringness so we are just going to have to take it on the chin.

[Dan Gleebals]

Lets face it, we are not in any competitions now, it is also unlikely we can claim a European spot either.  Put all that together for one and its no suprise no one came in, especially with two weeks to go.

 

What is the point of signing people for the sake of signing them just to keep the fans happy?   We have enough class in our squad, to get us through to the end of the season now.  Keegan, providing he can get some results on the board fast, will then, along with the team and club be playing for pride.

 

I personally think we have done the right thing.  Spend a few months assessing things and then splash the big money in the summer.

 

Panic buys and trophy buys are Freddy Sheppard through and through, thankfully those days have gone.

[Dan Gleebals]

PS has this Zamblera deal been confirmed by the club?

[Big Geordie]

Tyne Tees news this morning said that we've lost out on him, as he's gone and signed for Lazio. Not sure if anyone else can confirm ?

[Slugsy]

I'm confused how some people think we haven't got the 'trophy' signings because we aren't attractive enough yet.  Exactly how will we become attractive by just buying kids and bargain basement buys .  I take it people seem to think that we will suddenly become more attractive in the summer for some bizarre reason?  I am assuming people think Keegan will pull off a miracle and get us into the top 10 or something this season with the squad we have becuase I find it hard to see how a team becomes attractive in the summer by placing lower table?

 

I'm afraid no matter when it is, we will have to pay over the odds to get players be it January or the summer until we become a decent team that good player swant to come to, thus I don't see why we didn't start now - unless we can see a trend with the last two transfer windows in which we have spent diddly squat compared to the teams actually challenging for honours.

 

We need serious investment in the squad and the board have not delivered on that front so far.  People also use the excuse that Keegan hasn't had much time, well who's fault is that exactly?

 

I believe there are other positives with the new board and I am not anti ashley/mort in the slightest, they are doing other things very well - I don't however think it is wrong to question aspects of their performance as we did Shepherd where clearly they have not delivered so far.

[ChezGiven]

The removal of the debt and the amount of PR noise they made about it was a clear sign that they are not looking for instant success. Mort said they wouldnt spend for the sake of it and they didnt. Money will come in the summer but the question they probably havent had much experience of is whether the players will too.

[BONTEMPI]

The removal of the debt and the amount of PR noise they made about it was a clear sign that they are not looking for instant success. Mort said they wouldnt spend for the sake of it and they didnt. Money will come in the summer but the question they probably havent had much experience of is whether the players will too.

 

True

 

Well from now until the summer is where Wise and his cronies need to earn their crust bringing in top quality youth.

 

We need to scout and have a deal ready for all the players we want on the first few weeks of the window.

 

No f****** around leaving it until last minute, so we can bed them in and actually form a hub of a team this time.

[Filflop1]

I'd rather we signed no one than just buying for the sake of it.......

 

roll on the summer 

[WhatTheFunk]

I'm confused how some people think we haven't got the 'trophy' signings because we aren't attractive enough yet.  Exactly how will we become attractive by just buying kids and bargain basement buys .  I take it people seem to think that we will suddenly become more attractive in the summer for some bizarre reason?  I am assuming people think Keegan will pull off a miracle and get us into the top 10 or something this season with the squad we have becuase I find it hard to see how a team becomes attractive in the summer by placing lower table?

 

I'm afraid no matter when it is, we will have to pay over the odds to get players be it January or the summer until we become a decent team that good player swant to come to, thus I don't see why we didn't start now - unless we can see a trend with the last two transfer windows in which we have spent diddly squat compared to the teams actually challenging for honours.

 

We need serious investment in the squad and the board have not delivered on that front so far.  People also use the excuse that Keegan hasn't had much time, well who's fault is that exactly?

 

I believe there are other positives with the new board and I am not anti ashley/mort in the slightest, they are doing other things very well - I don't however think it is wrong to question aspects of their performance as we did Shepherd where clearly they have not delivered so far.

 

The difference bwteen now and the summer is that Keegan will have several months to work on bringing players in, whereas he barely had 2 weeks now, add to that the madness thats gone on, and 3 fixtures to contend with.

[BONTEMPI]

I'd rather we signed no one than just buying for the sake of it.......

 

roll on the summer 

 

Barnes would have been a steal, but Jewell being the tight scouse prick he is slapping on 3 million on the price makes me pleased we didn't give in.

[Skirge]

Club confirm it at last..

http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1230676,00.html

[WhatTheFunk]

Got both Zamblera and Soderberg

 

confirmed on .cock

 

edit: damn you skirge

[Skirge]

 

Got both Zamblera and Soderberg

 

confirmed on .cock

http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1230676,00.html

 

EDIT: Chuckle  :iamatwat: :iamatwat:

[BONTEMPI]

 

Got both Zamblera and Soderberg

 

confirmed on .cock

http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1230676,00.html

 

That Italian lads about 6'3, lets hope he's more mobile than Ameobi