Clear the Air Talks ?

[Syrette]

Again I agree with what Janitor has just posted, just think there needn't be an automatic response to these stories, in terms of immediately believing they're fabricated because a lot of the press have some sort of apparent agenda against us.

[Wullie]

That's a good point as well, Melanie.

 

If we only have £20M to spend, as the Daily Mail claims, was that all going on Modric?

 

The Daily Mail has written some absolute poison about NUFC over the past few months, I'm staggered that some can still take it so seriously when there's nothing to back it up.

 

Ditto. Funny how the Sun and the Daily Heil report totally different things too, so one of their "sources" is lying. Well he would be lying if he existed.

[Rich]

As for irony, GM, the fact that you'll accept the Sun's account on the fact that it's "plausible" and then go on to say "even if it's entirely speculative" when people were debating the accuracy and factuality of the article is surely ironic, is it not?

 

Have I misunderstood the meaning of the word?

[Syrette]

That's a good point as well, Melanie.

 

If we only have £20M to spend, as the Daily Mail claims, was that all going on Modric?

 

The Daily Mail has written some absolute poison about NUFC over the past few months, I'm staggered that some can still take it so seriously when there's nothing to back it up.

 

Also made that comment because I could have sworn I read a quote somewhere saying we planned to pay for Modric in installments, and not £18-20m or whatever it was in one transaction.

[GM]

That's a good point as well, Melanie.

 

If we only have £20M to spend, as the Daily Mail claims, was that all going on Modric?

 

The Daily Mail has written some absolute poison about NUFC over the past few months, I'm staggered that some can still take it so seriously when there's nothing to back it up.

 

Ditto. Funny how the Sun and the Daily Heil report totally different things too, so one of their "sources" is lying. Well he would be lying if he existed.

 

So if the papers never tell the truth about NUFC, who can be trusted? Is it just ITKs on this forum? Because if it is, I fail to see the difference between them and the tabloid hacks? 

[Mick]

It's just not healthy being so cynical about things though, especially not without good cause.

 

OK, go for it, how did the Sun get the information?

[Syrette]

That's a good point as well, Melanie.

 

If we only have £20M to spend, as the Daily Mail claims, was that all going on Modric?

 

The Daily Mail has written some absolute poison about NUFC over the past few months, I'm staggered that some can still take it so seriously when there's nothing to back it up.

 

Ditto. Funny how the Sun and the Daily Heil report totally different things too, so one of their "sources" is lying. Well he would be lying if he existed.

 

So if the papers never tell the truth about NUFC, who can be trusted? Is it just ITKs on this forum? Because if it is, I fail to see the difference between them and the tabloid hacks? 

 

State of affairs as I see it is that the only people I think we can really 100% trust the words of are those from within the club, i.e. Mort, Keegan and/or whoever else. ITKs are not totally dependable, even the best ones make mistakes, goes for the press too.

[Wullie]

That's a good point as well, Melanie.

 

If we only have £20M to spend, as the Daily Mail claims, was that all going on Modric?

 

The Daily Mail has written some absolute poison about NUFC over the past few months, I'm staggered that some can still take it so seriously when there's nothing to back it up.

 

Ditto. Funny how the Sun and the Daily Heil report totally different things too, so one of their "sources" is lying. Well he would be lying if he existed.

 

So if the papers never tell the truth about NUFC, who can be trusted? Is it just ITKs on this forum? Because if it is, I fail to see the difference between them and the tabloid hacks? 

 

I never said there was a difference.

[GM]

As for irony, GM, the fact that you'll accept the Sun's account on the fact that it's "plausible" and then go on to say "even if it's entirely speculative" when people were debating the accuracy and factuality of the article is surely ironic, is it not?

 

Have I misunderstood the meaning of the word?

 

Nah, I just meant it is "plausible" i.e. believable. But just because you think something's believable doesn't always follow that you do actually believe. Sorry, politician's answer, I know, but hopefully you'll understand now where I was coming from, i.e. it reads like there could be elements of the truth in there, even if it is more than likely speculative in the main.

 

Ah, fuck it, my brain's too tired now.

[Rich]

Again I agree with what Janitor has just posted, just think there needn't be an automatic response to these stories, in terms of immediately believing they're fabricated because a lot of the press have some sort of apparent agenda against us.

 

That's right as well like and I have been guilty of taking that approach myself on the odd occasion.

 

The fact is everyone takes it in their own way and on the merits of the article. A lot of it will come out in the wash, eventually, it always does.

 

It's what I've already said, you can't always be at one end of the see-saw, there has to be some balance.

 

Dismissing every story you don't like the look of as being "false" is a bad way of going about things, it's almost as bad as the exact opposite of it.

[GM]

It's just not healthy being so cynical about things though, especially not without good cause.

 

OK, go for it, how did the Sun get the information?

 

Possibly someone actually at the meeting is a renowned gobshite (allegedly).

 

Need I say more?

[Mick]

Nope -  just allying to the fact that maybe just maybe there is some basis to all the stories and the idea that someone is "gullible or stupid" for giving a second thought to a more than feasible newspaper story is a little naive especiually when they have absolutely nothing to back the opinion up either.

 

Theres irony in there somewhere.....

 

Same for you then, I'm all ears, how did they get the information?

[TRon]

Actually, we don't know that what the Sun says is crap, anymore than we know the obverse is true.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if there actually was a reckoning of some kind today - Keegan had no right to be running the club down in public after the Chelsea match - all that stuff about never being able to break into the top 4, and I don't even buy the apologists' viewpoint that it's all been some elaborate pre-transfer season ploy to make sure Newcastle aren't ripped off, either.

 

I think the stuff in the Sun's all quite plausible, even if it is entirely speculative.

 

 

The irony.

 

Of course people on here don't know either way and probably never will, but it's just amazing how the Sun has a full article about what the meeting entailed when there were only the six prominent figures present at the meeting. Who else do those people have to answer to? Who else do they have to tell what went on?

 

I understand bits and pieces will get out to various people, but to know the exact content of the meeting literally hours after it occured seems a bit far-fetched to me. Especially when half of those (perhaps more) present were immediately back up here together for the Bobby Robson thing as well.

 

I think it's fair to say that usually when a paper uses "an insider" or "a source" they have license to write whatever they like because it can't be proven that it was never said. It's one of the oldest tricks in the book. The papers know that it's been left on a knife-edge and the club has given them absolutely fuck all today in terms of telling them what went on, so they have to follow it up with speculation that the regular fan can buy into. The people who write the stories aren't idiots, by and large, these are educated blokes who are good at their jobs and who sell papers with their stories. That's why they write for the nationals.

 

Obviously not every story they print is false, but I'd wager a lot of money that the vast, vast majority of them are based on no more than hearsay and half-truths. They HAVE to write stories, that's the bottom line, these writers will have been told by their editors that we're once again the hot topic this week, we'll sell the papers, so they HAVE to come up with a whole article to fill the back pages. Alan Oliver has admitted to as much himself on the icnewcastle website, in a video, whether there is news or not, they have to fill the column inches to sell the paper.

 

What sells papers better than massive shock headlines and drama. They can't just fucking say "well, Mort said it all went well", can they? Who's going to buy that? The broadsheets have used those quotes and then speculated around them, the Sun has claimed to know (as always) that they know exactly what went on in the meeting.

 

Howay man. It's obviously not all black or white, no pun intended (on two counts), but people should be seeing through this stuff a bit more by now. We love the drama though.

 

I don't really understand the cynicism towards the press in this case. The speculation is all based on a live tv interview given by Keegan to Sky Sports where he raised most of these issues himself in front of the cameras.

[Rich]

That's not exactly the same as knowing exactly what went on in that meeting though, is it?

 

Let's get some perspective here man.

 

We're talking about a Sun article which details yesterday's meeting, not what was said before it.

[Syrette]

Again I agree with what Janitor has just posted, just think there needn't be an automatic response to these stories, in terms of immediately believing they're fabricated because a lot of the press have some sort of apparent agenda against us.

 

That's right as well like and I have been guilty of taking that approach myself on the odd occasion.

 

The fact is everyone takes it in their own way and on the merits of the article. A lot of it will come out in the wash, eventually, it always does.

 

It's what I've already said, you can't always be at one end of the see-saw, there has to be some balance.

 

Dismissing every story you don't like the look of as being "false" is a bad way of going about things, it's almost as bad as the exact opposite of it.

 

Exactly. Well put. I'm as guilty as a lot of people are for getting excited on occasion over a nothing story linking us to a player, as I also am for getting irritated and angered at an anti-NUFC article

[Rich]

Also, I certainly wouldn't advocate believing everything that comes from the club, Mel, as you mentioned you might do earlier.

 

Mort's a lawyer (speaks for itself) for starters... and Keegan, while appearing to be totally trustworthy and honest, still probably doesn't give it straight 100% of the time - only when he has to.

[Rich]

I know this is gonna sound like im being a wind up merchant but are people saying that the papers would take the direct quotes of a source knowing it had absolute no basis to it whatsoever  (ie was 100% made up)- all the  papers seem to be taking the same view, surely it actually does have some basis.

 

We're kidding ourselve if we think this meeting was just about transfer targets. 

 

As for this, I think it's fairly safe to say that the likes of the Sun would do that, most definitely.

[Mick]

Possibly someone actually at the meeting is a renowned gobshite (allegedly).

 

Need I say more?

 

OK, so Dennis Wise it is then.

 

 

[GM]

Also, I certainly wouldn't advocate believing everything that comes from the club, Mel, as you mentioned you might do earlier.

 

Mort's a lawyer (speaks for itself) for starters... and Keegan, while appearing to be totally trustworthy and honest, still probably doesn't give it straight 100% of the time - only when he has to.

 

Excellent point as well.

 

So then, who can tell us the truth? Everyone posting in this thread is clearly interested in knowing what was really said at today's meeting and what will come from it all in the weeks and months ahead. But if we can't believe the press, we can't believe the ITKs and we can't even believe the club...then...erm...

 

...I guess we just have to make it up ourselves then?

[Syrette]

Also, I certainly wouldn't advocate believing everything that comes from the club, Mel, as you mentioned you might do earlier.

 

Mort's a lawyer (speaks for itself) for starters... and Keegan, while appearing to be totally trustworthy and honest, still probably doesn't give it straight 100% of the time - only when he has to.

 

Alright, not saying everything they say should be treated as gospel, just saying the only words I'd pay any genuine attention to are those from within the club. You're right to say they'll not always tell it straight but I'd trust the words of Mort etc over the speculation of some Sun journo any day of the week.

[TRon]

That's not exactly the same as knowing exactly what went on in that meeting though, is it?

 

Let's get some perspective here man.

 

We're talking about a Sun article which details yesterday's meeting, not what was said before it.

 

Well I am giving it perspective by providing details of what went before it.

[Syrette]

Also, I certainly wouldn't advocate believing everything that comes from the club, Mel, as you mentioned you might do earlier.

 

Mort's a lawyer (speaks for itself) for starters... and Keegan, while appearing to be totally trustworthy and honest, still probably doesn't give it straight 100% of the time - only when he has to.

 

Excellent point as well.

 

So then, who can tell us the truth? Everyone posting in this thread is clearly interested in knowing what was really said at today's meeting and what will come from it all in the weeks and months ahead. But if we can't believe the press, we can't believe the ITKs and we can't even believe the club...then...erm...

 

...I guess we just have to make it up ourselves then?

 

We'll just have to see what the next few months bring, really. Some of our questions might not get answered for some time yet.

[Rich]

Also, I certainly wouldn't advocate believing everything that comes from the club, Mel, as you mentioned you might do earlier.

 

Mort's a lawyer (speaks for itself) for starters... and Keegan, while appearing to be totally trustworthy and honest, still probably doesn't give it straight 100% of the time - only when he has to.

 

Excellent point as well.

 

So then, who can tell us the truth? Everyone posting in this thread is clearly interested in knowing what was really said at today's meeting and what will come from it all in the weeks and months ahead. But if we can't believe the press, we can't believe the ITKs and we can't even believe the club...then...erm...

 

...I guess we just have to make it up ourselves then?

 

No, of course not. We just have to let the people who run the show get on with it. Why should we be told, really?

 

We're just the fans at the end of the day, we can't possibly ever hope to know every little thing that goes on, even in this information-hungry age. It probably wouldn't be beneficial to the club if everything they did was made public.

 

This quest for knowledge we all have (and I assume it's the same everywhere these days) probably does football no good at all, when it comes to stability and all that. (add:) It must be a fucking nightmare for those at the top, because do they comment on speculation? Do they ignore speculation?

 

Being a chairman/manager has never been more difficult.

[fredbob]

Nope -  just allying to the fact that maybe just maybe there is some basis to all the stories and the idea that someone is "gullible or stupid" for giving a second thought to a more than feasible newspaper story is a little naive especiually when they have absolutely nothing to back the opinion up either.

 

Theres irony in there somewhere.....

 

Same for you then, I'm all ears, how did they get the information?

 

Im with GM with this one so you're better off listening to him - he seems to make more sense then i do!

[johnnypd]

many thought it was bullshit that they'd be down in london having a meeting but it wasn't. ias others have pointed out, the transfer targets discussion was held a couple weeks back and keegan began to personally scout some of the players on wise and vetere's list. so it wasn't just a routine thing like that.  i wouldn't write anything off atm, but i certainly won't be believing any of the press speculation yet. football journos spend their life in and around clubs, talking to players, coaches, managers, chairmen, the chairman's son, the tea lady, the tea lady's son etc. they get a lot of allegedly ITK tips every day, most of it shit. some of it they print, some they don't. none will know the full extent of what went on the meeting but it's possible that a couple might have a little snippet or two, or a hint dropped here or there.

 

even the mail was spot on once - when it came to dennis wise being appointed, and that one sounded ridiculous at first.