I reckon we're going to take off again...

[UV]

how much do you think the board should spend in summer?

 

It's all relative. I think the average premiership spend this Summer outside the CL teams will be 10-20m, maybe more as there's a lot more TV and new owner money about. Obviously wages will take up a chunk of this additional money, but I still think there'll be a massive hike in transfer fees (I think it would have been cheaper for us to buy in January). I'm not expecting spending anything like the £100m that's been going around in rumours, but I'd be disappointed if we didn't spend significantly more than the average mid table club as a minimum.

 

BTW From the things Mort has said in the past I'm expecting him to make a lot of noise about not focusing solely on the transfer fee, but also taking into consideration the whole package (ie player wages). I think that's fair and IS a better way of looking at it tbh especially as nowadays quite often the player's wages over the course of his contract will far exceed the transfer fee, but I think it will mean we "spend" less than a lot of people are hoping for.

 

[Mick]

The performances have been a lot better, and the players have more confidence, but at the end of the day, what's the reaction going to be if we lose to Reading this weekend?

 

Fact of the matter is, Keegan has only picked up the same amount of points in his first 10 games, as Allardyce did in his last 10.

 

It's all well and good saying 'yeah but the footballs better', but ultimately it's results that count.

 

We did play better football and that's got to count for something, Keegan also had a hell of a more difficult first 10 games than Allardyce had a last 10 games.

 

Ultimately results do count but the performances were enough to suggest that improved results were just around the corner, we just needed to get to some games which we had a chance of winning.  Once we got to those games the players gained confidence.  If we’d had an easier run of games to build a bit of confidence we might have got something from those harder games.  I’d bet that the poor results would be improved upon if they’d came after a run of easier games with Keegan in charge.

 

[fredbob]

how much do you think the board should spend in summer?

 

It's all relative. I think the average premiership spend this Summer outside the CL teams will be 10-20m, maybe more as there's a lot more TV and new owner money about. Obviously wages will take up a chunk of this additional money, but I still think there'll be a massive hike in transfer fees (I think it would have been cheaper for us to buy in January). I'm not expecting spending anything like the £100m that's been going around in rumours, but I'd be disappointed if we didn't spend significantly more than the average mid table club as a minimum.

 

BTW From the things Mort has said in the past I'm expecting him to make a lot of noise about not focusing solely on the transfer fee, but also taking into consideration the whole package (ie player wages). I think that's fair and IS a better way of looking at it tbh especially as nowadays quite often the player's wages over the course of his contract will far exceed the transfer fee, but I think it will mean we "spend" less than a lot of people are hoping for.

 

 

Good Point - hope we do spendlots this summer hough, would really get the buzzback!

[UV]

I think some of you are going a bit overboard tbh. I personally, as well as most other fans in the premiership don't think your first team is that bad and your squad most definantly doesn't need a complete overhaul. Just a few additions next season, a bit of luck and you should at least be in the top half next season and maybe challenging for a european place.

 

Agree with this, theres not really much else to say except Keegan eem to be proving that there is a goodsquad o players there, it shows (to me anyway) that there didnt need to be a massive overhaul like a lot of people are saying and that we areactually a good side hat has been directionless.

 

The summer is gonna be absolutley critical for me, i dont intend to compapre Keegan wih Roeder but we achieved a good level of success immediately after Roeder took charge which i attibute now to the honeymoon period where the players were relived to be playing under any manager but Souness.

 

The point i am trying to make is that, in the summer the squad didnt take to Roeders methods, and despite this good run we seem to be goin on, im still wary of the team not taking to Keegans methods as well. There is absolutley no guaratuee of this happening.

 

I think you and others do Roeder a massive disservice putting it all down to a honeymoon period. What happened to Allardyce and Keegan 's honeymoon periods? Last season's form had less to do with players not taking to a system and more to do with not having enough fit players to develop any kind of consistent system, yet we still managed to do better than this season with a mostly fit squad, an allegedly great Summer transfer window, and 2 honeymoon periods.

[Mick]

I think Keegan will ask for a number of quality players, possibly 3 or 4 and I think he'll be given whatever he needs to get them in, I don't think he'll be told he's got £XXX to spend.  It is more likely to be a number of players and they will be signed for whatever they cost, within reason.

 

I think if Keegan goes and asks for Bentley, Carrick, player X and player Y then we'll go all out to bring them in.

[Mick]

 

I think you and others do Roeder a massive disservice putting it all down to a honeymoon period. What happened to Allardyce and Keegan 's honeymoon periods? Last season's form had less to do with players not taking to a system and more to do with not having enough fit players to develop any kind of consistent system, yet we still managed to do better than this season with a mostly fit squad, an allegedly great Summer transfer window, and 2 honeymoon periods.

 

You can't compare the honeymoon period of Roeder and Keegan, if my memory is any good Roeder only played 1 or 2 top teams.  I remember Chelsea but can't remember any others, Allardyce started off well, it didn't go wrong until he started pissing about with selection and different tactics for home and away games.

 

[NG32]

3 or 4 first teamers and then we will need some sqaud fillers as i can see certain players leaving this summer. some more kids wouldn't go a miss either.

 

 

 

 

[UV]

 

I think you and others do Roeder a massive disservice putting it all down to a honeymoon period. What happened to Allardyce and Keegan 's honeymoon periods? Last season's form had less to do with players not taking to a system and more to do with not having enough fit players to develop any kind of consistent system, yet we still managed to do better than this season with a mostly fit squad, an allegedly great Summer transfer window, and 2 honeymoon periods.

 

You can't compare the honeymoon period of Roeder and Keegan, if my memory is any good Roeder only played 1 or 2 top teams.  I remember Chelsea but can't remember any others, Allardyce started off well, it didn't go wrong until he started pissing about with selection and different tactics for home and away games.

 

 

Allardyce only started "well" because we had the easiest start to a season in living memory, and he could still only get us mid table.

[Mick]

 

Allardyce only started "well" because we had the easiest start to a season in living memory, and he could still only get us mid table.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to defend him.  The point I'm trying to make is that both Roeder and Allardyce had easy starts, a luxury that Keegan didn't have.

[Guest alex]

I think it sort of summed Roeder up in a way - a good coach who, at the beginning at least, got the players playing for him and worked out tactically how to get us playing. I think the relief of Souness going was a factor too though. He's not a very good manager though, which was the problem with giving him the job full-time.

[UV]

 

Allardyce only started "well" because we had the easiest start to a season in living memory, and he could still only get us mid table.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to defend him.  The point I'm trying to make is that both Roeder and Allardyce had easy starts, a luxury that Keegan didn't have.

 

Early in Roeder's honeymoon:

English Premier Man Utd    2-0    Newcastle    12-03-2006

English Premier Newcastle    1-3    Liverpool    19-03-2006

English FA Cup Chelsea    1-0    Newcastle    22-03-2006

 

I'm not saying Roeder is the greatest manager ever or anything, I just think there were mitigating circumstances for last season (and for his previous failures), and he's not half as bad a manager as some would make out. You can get honeymoon periods, but they're not a given and the new manager should be given credit for creating them.

[fredbob]

I think some of you are going a bit overboard tbh. I personally, as well as most other fans in the premiership don't think your first team is that bad and your squad most definantly doesn't need a complete overhaul. Just a few additions next season, a bit of luck and you should at least be in the top half next season and maybe challenging for a european place.

 

Agree with this, theres not really much else to say except Keegan eem to be proving that there is a goodsquad o players there, it shows (to me anyway) that there didnt need to be a massive overhaul like a lot of people are saying and that we areactually a good side hat has been directionless.

 

The summer is gonna be absolutley critical for me, i dont intend to compapre Keegan wih Roeder but we achieved a good level of success immediately after Roeder took charge which i attibute now to the honeymoon period where the players were relived to be playing under any manager but Souness.

 

The point i am trying to make is that, in the summer the squad didnt take to Roeders methods, and despite this good run we seem to be goin on, im still wary of the team not taking to Keegans methods as well. There is absolutley no guaratuee of this happening.

 

I think you and others do Roeder a massive disservice putting it all down to a honeymoon period. What happened to Allardyce and Keegan 's honeymoon periods? Last season's form had less to do with players not taking to a system and more to do with not having enough fit players to develop any kind of consistent system, yet we still managed to do better than this season with a mostly fit squad, an allegedly great Summer transfer window, and 2 honeymoon periods.

 

Something of a moot point which boils down to persoal opinion in the end,but i just dont see a manager like Roeder having the skills to implement the type of football we played after Souness left, he barely recreated the next season albeit with horrendous injuries and hasnt done it in the past or even at the present. To me Roeder is and alway will be a less than average manager wont achieve anything to the same levels as, what i call avergae managers like Coppel or Jewell.

 

i put what happenend down to the relief of not being under Souness anymore, if that doesnt imporve your performances, then i dont know what will.

 

Alklardyce sort o had his honeymoo period early on, especially with out of chracter wins like Bolton, but he had the whole summer working with a squad and the squad were adapting to his methods on a much onger time scale than being relieved to be out of a repressive regime like the likes of Keegan have and Roeder.

[NE5]

Leaves it nicely set up so that if we spend £200m in summer, NE5 can come in with the "needed to spend £250m" comments.

 

So NE5, how much do you think the board should spend in summer?

 

what do you want me to say ? 2bn quid ?

 

I would rather look at quality players and say we should bring in certain ones and pay the price, and set the standards the top 4 clubs set when doing so.

 

By all means find a new Rob Lee if its possible, but you won't get so lucky and build a top side by trying to do this every time. I don't see what the problem is with this and why people like you dispute it. If it were possible to build trophy winning sides on the cheap, manure and chelsea for instance as the top spenders wouldn't have spent the money they have done.

 

Its not rocket science this like.

 

 

[NE5]

The performances have been a lot better, and the players have more confidence, but at the end of the day, what's the reaction going to be if we lose to Reading this weekend?

 

Fact of the matter is, Keegan has only picked up the same amount of points in his first 10 games, as Allardyce did in his last 10.

 

It's all well and good saying 'yeah but the footballs better', but ultimately it's results that count.

 

but thats incredibly blinkered, he's had to do it with very limited resources, he had to turn an awful team into a decent team, and he has, maybe more. all people are saying is that if kev's given ample resources, we'll do much, much better than we have under souness, roeder or allardyce. is that hard to understand? or do you just disagree?

 

and to answer your first question, i dont actually think the reaction will be TOO bad if we lose, even though i slag the booing cunts to high heaven, because i think people will recognise that we've turned a corner in the last few weeks

 

We will do well, because Keegan plays the game in the correct way. He allows talented players to perfom to their talent, by passing, moving, running, mixing their game and playing with desire, character ........ personal traits he looks for when assessing players.

 

This is how you play and approach the game if you are a top team, not simply buying a defender or two because you have let in too many goals, its far more complex than that....or rather it isn't its just people who don't understand the game properly. Positive attitude and an offensive approach and the belief that you can win by outpassing the opposition and dictating the pace of the game are the way to success

 

THIS is what we have not done since Solano, Bellamy, Shearer and Robert shot us into the top positions, because THESE are the players who dictated our game and took the initiative over our opponents.

 

 

[Baggio]

Talk of spending £100 million is just wishful thinking IMO.

 

£30m - £40m is more realistic.

[Dr Venkman]

The performances have been a lot better, and the players have more confidence, but at the end of the day, what's the reaction going to be if we lose to Reading this weekend?

 

Fact of the matter is, Keegan has only picked up the same amount of points in his first 10 games, as Allardyce did in his last 10.

 

It's all well and good saying 'yeah but the footballs better', but ultimately it's results that count.

 

but thats incredibly blinkered, he's had to do it with very limited resources, he had to turn an awful team into a decent team, and he has, maybe more. all people are saying is that if kev's given ample resources, we'll do much, much better than we have under souness, roeder or allardyce. is that hard to understand? or do you just disagree?

 

and to answer your first question, i dont actually think the reaction will be TOO bad if we lose, even though i slag the booing cunts to high heaven, because i think people will recognise that we've turned a corner in the last few weeks

 

We will do well, because Keegan plays the game in the correct way. He allows talented players to perfom to their talent, by passing, moving, running, mixing their game and playing with desire, character ........ personal traits he looks for when assessing players.

 

This is how you play and approach the game if you are a top team, not simply buying a defender or two because you have let in too many goals, its far more complex than that....or rather it isn't its just people who don't understand the game properly. Positive attitude and an offensive approach and the belief that you can win by outpassing the opposition and dictating the pace of the game are the way to success

 

THIS is what we have not done since Solano, Bellamy, Shearer and Robert shot us into the top positions, because THESE are the players who dictated our game and took the initiative over our opponents.

 

 

 

indeed

[NG32]

Keane is hoping for 50 million to spend.

[Tooj]

Keane is hoping for 50 million to spend.

 

I hope he does. After some of the shite he's bought for 40 million.

[afar]

If we are serious about getting back to a level where we can compete, we'll need at least 100mill, to break the top 4, I wouldn't be shocked at requiring 200mill. There is such a big gap between them and the rest it's un-real.

 

30 - 40 mill might not be enough to bring us back to the head of the chasing pack level. Because there is so much money floating around, I expect big inflation this summer which will make Darren Bent look a bargain at 18mill.

[Shearergol]

Keane is hoping for 50 million to spend.

 

I hope he does. After some of the shite he's bought for 40 million.

 

Namely.....

 

EDIT: Actually, I know where you're going with it, but I think a couple of his signings were ok, just over-priced.

 

Don't know where Sunderland are going to get £50m from though.

[Baggio]

If we are serious about getting back to a level where we can compete, we'll need at least 100mill, to break the top 4, I wouldn't be shocked at requiring 200mill. There is such a big gap between them and the rest it's un-real.

 

30 - 40 mill might not be enough to bring us back to the head of the chasing pack level. Because there is so much money floating around, I expect big inflation this summer which will make Darren Bent look a bargain at 18mill.

 

We're not going to be challenging for the top 4 next season though, people are likely to be disappointed if they're expecting us to spend £100 million and cracking the top 4 so soon.

 

I don't think we'll see anymore of an inflation in players either, the likes of Sunderland and Fulham spent big last year which pushed the price of average players up and I can't see them rising much higher.

[afar]

If we are serious about getting back to a level where we can compete, we'll need at least 100mill, to break the top 4, I wouldn't be shocked at requiring 200mill. There is such a big gap between them and the rest it's un-real.

 

30 - 40 mill might not be enough to bring us back to the head of the chasing pack level. Because there is so much money floating around, I expect big inflation this summer which will make Darren Bent look a bargain at 18mill.

 

We're not going to be challenging for the top 4 next season though, people are likely to be disappointed if they're expecting us to spend £100 million and cracking the top 4 so soon.

 

I don't think we'll see anymore of an inflation in players either, the likes of Sunderland and Fulham spent big last year which pushed the price of average players up and I can't see them rising much higher.

 

I'm not saying that I'm expecting us to spend 100Mill and I expect us to be back in the top 4. I'm just saying that's the sort of of figure and more it willl take.

 

I think you are dead wrong on inflation. The televsion revenues are so extreme and there are more than a handful of rich owners out there, that prices will rise again. 30 - 40 million may very well be the norm, that's basically the difference in revenue between the Championship and PL, I can see more than one team willing to invest all that money in the playing staff.

 

Looking at the teams:

 

ManUre - will always be in the market for quality players, need to replace a few older heads too.

 

Arsenal - what looks like another nearly season for them may  encourage finances to be made available for  the missing piece(s) of the jigsaw.

 

Chelsea - Probably ready for a rebuild, they have fallen behind their recent high standards and will probably be in the market for some quality signings.

 

Liverpool - They'll spend big in yet another attempt to bridge the gap between themselves and the top 2.

 

Everton - Will look to strengthen considerably for their euro campaign and likely to need to find replacements for some key players. Their squad is also woefully thin.

 

Man City - That Thai bloke seems to have money to burn and Sven's only too happy to help him spend it.

 

Villa - O'Neill's done well with what he's got but will feel some big spending can help him compete for honours.

 

Portsmouth - Not sure, they may rest on their laurels of a likely FA cup win but Harry is always wheeling and dealing , so I doubt things will be quiet there.

 

West Ham - For the investment they have made they will probably be a little disappointed with their season, I would image they need a player or 2, they'll have the finances to do it.

 

Blackburn - Their pittiful crowds prevent any serious speculation in the transfer market, wouldn't expect it to change too much but maybe in the market for some decnt players if they make inter toto.

 

Spurs - I think it's a certainty they'll make some big changes by letting Ramos bring in his own people.

 

Reading, Wigan and Brum - These teams won't be spending big but will want to ensure there PL status by bringing in some proven talent.

 

Boro - I think they will have to spend big to make sure they are still in the top flight next year but not suer if they will.

 

Dirty Mackems - Keane will walk out if he's not supported by Quinn and his board, they seem to have the money to back and despite his dredful record in the market, I think they give him the finances he wants.

 

The 3 promoted teams - Each will want to stay in the top flight, each will know their squad's need boosting.

 

 

[gray]

whats with Villa AWAYS being a half season team? Man City are trying it now too.

 

As long as we can avoid that we'll do well!

[Baggio]

If we are serious about getting back to a level where we can compete, we'll need at least 100mill, to break the top 4, I wouldn't be shocked at requiring 200mill. There is such a big gap between them and the rest it's un-real.

 

30 - 40 mill might not be enough to bring us back to the head of the chasing pack level. Because there is so much money floating around, I expect big inflation this summer which will make Darren Bent look a bargain at 18mill.

 

We're not going to be challenging for the top 4 next season though, people are likely to be disappointed if they're expecting us to spend £100 million and cracking the top 4 so soon.

 

I don't think we'll see anymore of an inflation in players either, the likes of Sunderland and Fulham spent big last year which pushed the price of average players up and I can't see them rising much higher.

 

I'm not saying that I'm expecting us to spend 100Mill and I expect us to be back in the top 4. I'm just saying that's the sort of of figure and more it willl take.

 

I think you are dead wrong on inflation. The televsion revenues are so extreme and there are more than a handful of rich owners out there, that prices will rise again. 30 - 40 million may very well be the norm, that's basically the difference in revenue between the Championship and PL, I can see more than one team willing to invest all that money in the playing staff.

 

Looking at the teams:

 

ManUre - will always be in the market for quality players, need to replace a few older heads too.

 

Arsenal - what looks like another nearly season for them may  encourage finances to be made available for  the missing piece(s) of the jigsaw.

 

Chelsea - Probably ready for a rebuild, they have fallen behind their recent high standards and will probably be in the market for some quality signings.

 

Liverpool - They'll spend big in yet another attempt to bridge the gap between themselves and the top 2.

 

Everton - Will look to strengthen considerably for their euro campaign and likely to need to find replacements for some key players. Their squad is also woefully thin.

 

Man City - That Thai bloke seems to have money to burn and Sven's only too happy to help him spend it.

 

Villa - O'Neill's done well with what he's got but will feel some big spending can help him compete for honours.

 

Portsmouth - Not sure, they may rest on their laurels of a likely FA cup win but Harry is always wheeling and dealing , so I doubt things will be quiet there.

 

West Ham - For the investment they have made they will probably be a little disappointed with their season, I would image they need a player or 2, they'll have the finances to do it.

 

Blackburn - Their pittiful crowds prevent any serious speculation in the transfer market, wouldn't expect it to change too much but maybe in the market for some decnt players if they make inter toto.

 

Spurs - I think it's a certainty they'll make some big changes by letting Ramos bring in his own people.

 

Reading, Wigan and Brum - These teams won't be spending big but will want to ensure there PL status by bringing in some proven talent.

 

Boro - I think they will have to spend big to make sure they are still in the top flight next year but not suer if they will.

 

Dirty Mackems - Keane will walk out if he's not supported by Quinn and his board, they seem to have the money to back and despite his dredful record in the market, I think they give him the finances he wants.

 

The 3 promoted teams - Each will want to stay in the top flight, each will know their squad's need boosting.

 

 

 

Teams always buy new players though so you're not really saying anything new, the only difference the extra money is likely to mean to the price of players is clubs won't be forced to sell to bigger Premiership sides because they won't need the money as bad, players from abroad won't cost anymore unless there's a bidding war going on and then the better players still won't be interested in joining the likes of Wigan, Sunderland, Birmingham etc anyway.

 

I don't think players fee's will change that much at all.

[UV]

I think a lot of the new money will go on inflated player wages as their agents create player unrest to line their scumbag pockets look after the best interests of their clients.