Any Ashley apologists on here?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

As soon as the transfer window is closed the same people who are saying we should wait until it's closed to complain will be saying that what's done is done, noone knows whose fault it really was, and there's no point in complaining now the window is closed and we should just get behind the team.

 

 

Those two positions aren't contradictory though.

 

Of course not, they're the position of someone who will just sit back and accept whatever happens to the club without complaining (except to put down and complain about other people who have an issue with the way the club is run) or without doing anything about it (except to eventually lose interest and find other things to spend their money on).

 

Every year we carry on with the way Ashley is running the club we lose some of the existing supporter base, and we fail to attract new youngsters picking their team. Every year revenues will fall relative to the competition, we will lose the financial advantage we have built up, and it will become harder and harder to get back to where we were even if we manage to scrape by and avoid relegation each year.

 

I have massive issues about how the club has been run under Ashley, no sensible person could say he's been anything other than a disaster overall.

 

But it's possible to hold that position and still believe/understand/suspend judgement over the need to cut our spending to improve our financial situation. By how much and in what way is a matter of degrees, so that's about opinions.

 

And it's possible to hold all of those positions and still 'get behind the team'. At the end of the day there's a massive amount I don't know about, and that's what football fans do.

[Guest neesy111]

As soon as the transfer window is closed the same people who are saying we should wait until it's closed to complain will be saying that what's done is done, noone knows whose fault it really was, and there's no point in complaining now the window is closed and we should just get behind the team.

 

 

I believe we should wait until the transfer window closes before whinging because the club has a track record of pulling deals out of their arse which no one, press nor fans, knew about.

 

After that I plan to be indulging in some world class moaning though, believe you me.

 

such as?

 

Gutierrez, Xisco, Routledge, Best, Williamson etc.

 

We manage to get a lot of things done on the hush nowadays.

 

but why are we waiting until the end of the transfer window, after 3 games have been played, we all know it'll come down to 1 or 2 points, and you've wasted 3 games of the season to bed in your new signings!

 

this club will never ever learn from it's previous mistakes under this regime

 

It's not really a Newcastle thing, it's just the way the market works nowadays because of the transfer window. It's a sellers game.

 

I maintain this transfer window idea is one of the worst things to have happened in football in recent years

[David28]

As soon as the transfer window is closed the same people who are saying we should wait until it's closed to complain will be saying that what's done is done, noone knows whose fault it really was, and there's no point in complaining now the window is closed and we should just get behind the team.

 

 

I believe we should wait until the transfer window closes before whinging because the club has a track record of pulling deals out of their arse which no one, press nor fans, knew about.

 

After that I plan to be indulging in some world class moaning though, believe you me.

 

such as?

 

Gutierrez, Xisco, Routledge, Best, Williamson etc.

 

We manage to get a lot of things done on the hush nowadays.

 

but why are we waiting until the end of the transfer window, after 3 games have been played, we all know it'll come down to 1 or 2 points, and you've wasted 3 games of the season to bed in your new signings!

 

this club will never ever learn from it's previous mistakes under this regime

 

It's not really a Newcastle thing, it's just the way the market works nowadays because of the transfer window. It's a sellers game.

 

I maintain this transfer window idea is one of the worst things to have happened in football in recent years

 

Not really. Just imagine Man City getting an injury crisis in March or so - they would run riot and buy everyone and had a 50 men squad (considering the squad rules wouldn't be there).

 

It's just the timing of the transfer window that's bad.

[UV]

Everyones an expert on how to run a club. I cant believe so many seemingly 'sensible' people seemingly fail to understand the singular importance of having the right man running the team, which in my opinion isnt Hughton.

 

How much you spend on the team pales in significances in comparison to having the right man in charge.

 

True, but you need to spend something to attract the right man.

 

Even then we wouldn't have been relegated if he got one of the 5000 better than Kinnear, wouldn't have lost 40m in TV money and could release/sell the high earners now after a stable season. Instead we're shitting ourselves about another relegation and Hughton is still here because Ashley has done naff all since we went down and he doesn't complain, not because of some f***ing masterplan.

 

 

 

True, to a point, alot of clubs have found good manager with little cash in the pot, Fulham, Everton, Blacburn, even our own club was in a tight spot when SBR took over, its where i think the majority of critiscm aimed at the club should be focused, our failing to employ a credible manager. I guess thats my only point.

 

My Messi/O'Neill analogy is a prime example of how i feel about, id much rather have a pretty ordinary manager with a decent reputation who would guide us so far leaving us in a better place like he did Leicester aloowing us to attract a better class of manager from there on in to having one of the best players of all time, in my opinion, becasue its my belief thatt he quality of the playing staff can only get you so far yet the quality of a manager can get you even further.

 

Ridicule away.

 

 

 

 

We kinda had that with fat sam but kinda messed it up by giving him pots of cash which he fucked up.

 

We had an alright manager in Keegan as well only the board did manage to fuck that up, like i said my main critiscm is the largely held view that the most important thing a board should do is spend money, it isnt, it's to appoint the right man.

 

Not spending money in January isnt what got us relegated, it was having that fucking loon in charge yet you read it over and over again that it was Ashleys lack of expenditure that get us binned. It's horseshit.

 

The thing is that its bound to get twisted, I'm not saying we should spend no money and keep our powder dry until we're debt free, what im saying is that spending money isn;t the definitive affirmative answer on making the club successful, I'm just sick of hearing this "signing Ben /arfa/2 is the difference between getting us relegated and finsinihing mid table. /thats bullshit, and no ones pointing it out, if we signed Ben arfa and had Jim smith in charge we'd still be relegated.

 

Of course the manager matters. Noone is going to argue that point, but Avram Grant might have something to say about the difference in managing teams of different abilities.

 

I'm also curious about how this theory explains us running away with the championship last season with the man you're complaining about in charge if the manager is so much more important than the players.

 

PS I thought me, the NUSC and Keegan were twice as much to blame for relegation than Ashley & Kinnear? Or has that opinion changed?

[David Icke - Son of God]

As soon as the transfer window is closed the same people who are saying we should wait until it's closed to complain will be saying that what's done is done, noone knows whose fault it really was, and there's no point in complaining now the window is closed and we should just get behind the team.

 

 

I believe we should wait until the transfer window closes before whinging because the club has a track record of pulling deals out of their arse which no one, press nor fans, knew about.

 

After that I plan to be indulging in some world class moaning though, believe you me.

 

such as?

 

Gutierrez, Xisco, Routledge, Best, Williamson etc.

 

We manage to get a lot of things done on the hush nowadays.

 

but why are we waiting until the end of the transfer window, after 3 games have been played, we all know it'll come down to 1 or 2 points, and you've wasted 3 games of the season to bed in your new signings!

 

this club will never ever learn from it's previous mistakes under this regime

 

It's not really a Newcastle thing, it's just the way the market works nowadays because of the transfer window. It's a sellers game.

 

I maintain this transfer window idea is one of the worst things to have happened in football in recent years

 

I agree. Silly rule, the reasoning for which seems to be filmsy at best.

[Guest neesy111]

As soon as the transfer window is closed the same people who are saying we should wait until it's closed to complain will be saying that what's done is done, noone knows whose fault it really was, and there's no point in complaining now the window is closed and we should just get behind the team.

 

 

I believe we should wait until the transfer window closes before whinging because the club has a track record of pulling deals out of their arse which no one, press nor fans, knew about.

 

After that I plan to be indulging in some world class moaning though, believe you me.

 

such as?

 

Gutierrez, Xisco, Routledge, Best, Williamson etc.

 

We manage to get a lot of things done on the hush nowadays.

 

but why are we waiting until the end of the transfer window, after 3 games have been played, we all know it'll come down to 1 or 2 points, and you've wasted 3 games of the season to bed in your new signings!

 

this club will never ever learn from it's previous mistakes under this regime

 

It's not really a Newcastle thing, it's just the way the market works nowadays because of the transfer window. It's a sellers game.

 

I maintain this transfer window idea is one of the worst things to have happened in football in recent years

 

Not really. Just imagine Man City getting an injury crisis in March or so - they would run riot and buy everyone and had a 50 men squad (considering the squad rules wouldn't be there).

 

It's just the timing of the transfer window that's bad.

 

then they could hold to randsome even more the selling club!

 

the transfer window has made transfer fee's over inflated, as clubs panic over signings at the end of august, (i.e. Owen and Luque come to mind here)

[mrmojorisin75]

As soon as the transfer window is closed the same people who are saying we should wait until it's closed to complain will be saying that what's done is done, noone knows whose fault it really was, and there's no point in complaining now the window is closed and we should just get behind the team.

 

 

I believe we should wait until the transfer window closes before whinging because the club has a track record of pulling deals out of their arse which no one, press nor fans, knew about.

 

After that I plan to be indulging in some world class moaning though, believe you me.

 

such as?

 

Gutierrez, Xisco, Routledge, Best, Williamson etc.

 

We manage to get a lot of things done on the hush nowadays.

 

my mistake, i thought you meant good transfers

[Guest neesy111]

As soon as the transfer window is closed the same people who are saying we should wait until it's closed to complain will be saying that what's done is done, noone knows whose fault it really was, and there's no point in complaining now the window is closed and we should just get behind the team.

 

 

I believe we should wait until the transfer window closes before whinging because the club has a track record of pulling deals out of their arse which no one, press nor fans, knew about.

 

After that I plan to be indulging in some world class moaning though, believe you me.

 

such as?

 

Gutierrez, Xisco, Routledge, Best, Williamson etc.

 

We manage to get a lot of things done on the hush nowadays.

 

but why are we waiting until the end of the transfer window, after 3 games have been played, we all know it'll come down to 1 or 2 points, and you've wasted 3 games of the season to bed in your new signings!

 

this club will never ever learn from it's previous mistakes under this regime

 

It's not really a Newcastle thing, it's just the way the market works nowadays because of the transfer window. It's a sellers game.

 

I maintain this transfer window idea is one of the worst things to have happened in football in recent years

 

I agree. Silly rule, the reasoning for which seems to be filmsy at best.

 

probably so Jim White and Sky Sports can hold their deadline day programme

[David Icke - Son of God]

As soon as the transfer window is closed the same people who are saying we should wait until it's closed to complain will be saying that what's done is done, noone knows whose fault it really was, and there's no point in complaining now the window is closed and we should just get behind the team.

 

 

I believe we should wait until the transfer window closes before whinging because the club has a track record of pulling deals out of their arse which no one, press nor fans, knew about.

 

After that I plan to be indulging in some world class moaning though, believe you me.

 

such as?

 

Gutierrez, Xisco, Routledge, Best, Williamson etc.

 

We manage to get a lot of things done on the hush nowadays.

 

my mistake, i thought you meant good transfers

 

You didn't say they had to be good

[David Icke - Son of God]

As soon as the transfer window is closed the same people who are saying we should wait until it's closed to complain will be saying that what's done is done, noone knows whose fault it really was, and there's no point in complaining now the window is closed and we should just get behind the team.

 

 

I believe we should wait until the transfer window closes before whinging because the club has a track record of pulling deals out of their arse which no one, press nor fans, knew about.

 

After that I plan to be indulging in some world class moaning though, believe you me.

 

such as?

 

Gutierrez, Xisco, Routledge, Best, Williamson etc.

 

We manage to get a lot of things done on the hush nowadays.

 

but why are we waiting until the end of the transfer window, after 3 games have been played, we all know it'll come down to 1 or 2 points, and you've wasted 3 games of the season to bed in your new signings!

 

this club will never ever learn from it's previous mistakes under this regime

 

It's not really a Newcastle thing, it's just the way the market works nowadays because of the transfer window. It's a sellers game.

 

I maintain this transfer window idea is one of the worst things to have happened in football in recent years

 

I agree. Silly rule, the reasoning for which seems to be filmsy at best.

 

probably so Jim White and Sky Sports can hold their deadline day programme

 

And it gives Two Phones Burton the chance to pipe up "big news coming out of League 1 this afternoon, Carl Regan looks to be one his way out of Bristol Rovers. That's a Sky Sports exlcusive for you there."

[macphisto]

 

Unfortunately, nobody who has any big money is interested in buying the club

 

 

How do you know that? I would not be surprised if Newcastle was sold before the window closes. I'm not saying it will happpen but it does explain the lack of activity at the club.

 

 

Overhead my head why you and Roger Kint found that so funny.

 

I'm not saying it's going to happen but I would not be surprised if it did. I do think that when he does sell the club that it will be over very quickly without rumours in the paper.

 

Going off Ashley's past form, there's two things that most people agree on:

 

1) He's good at keeping news out of the media (see transfers and how he bought the the club)

2) He's desperate to sell (I don't think anyone thinks the club is really off the market)

 

Trying to sell the club would explain the lack of transfer activity and to a certain extent Houghton still being in charge.

[merlin]

 

Unfortunately, nobody who has any big money is interested in buying the club

 

 

How do you know that? I would not be surprised if Newcastle was sold before the window closes. I'm not saying it will happpen but it does explain the lack of activity at the club.

 

In answer to your question - I DON'T know that, but there are a number of facts which make me believe that you theory is unsound.

1. Had any person or group, of substance been interested in taking the club over, they would have had it

done long before this stage and probably by the end of June. The reason I say this is because they would

want to have either their own manager installed OR want to provide Hughton with the funds to guarantee

the club's place in the PL...why pay a fortune for something only to see it be worth much less in 9 month's time??

2. There is no way that such a large transaction would have escaped the media's attention.

3. If there was  any likelihood of this happening, Ashley and Co would not have put out that statement about their future plans for the club. They would just have kept quiet.

 

The only thing that has happened in the last week or so which MIGHT give some credibility to your view has been MON's walk-out at Villa - he is one of the few managers that a new and ambitious owner MIGHT

be able to persuade to take the job at SJP...and only then because of his fall-out with Lerner.

[Guest Roger Kint]

Overhead my head why you and Roger Kint found that so funny.

 

That doesnt surprise me tbh

[macphisto]

 

Unfortunately, nobody who has any big money is interested in buying the club

 

 

How do you know that? I would not be surprised if Newcastle was sold before the window closes. I'm not saying it will happpen but it does explain the lack of activity at the club.

 

In answer to your question - I DON'T know that, but there are a number of facts which make me believe that you theory is unsound.

1. Had any person or group, of substance been interested in taking the club over, they would have had it

done long before this stage and probably by the end of June. The reason I say this is because they would

want to have either their own manager installed OR want to provide Hughton with the funds to guarantee

the club's place in the PL...why pay a fortune for something only to see it be worth much less in 9 month's time??

2. There is no way that such a large transaction would have escaped the media's attention.

3. If there was  any likelihood of this happening, Ashley and Co would not have put out that statement about their future plans for the club. They would just have kept quiet.

 

The only thing that has happened in the last week or so which MIGHT give some credibility to your view has been MON's walk-out at Villa - he is one of the few managers that a new and ambitious owner MIGHT

be able to persuade to take the job at SJP...and only then because of his fall-out with Lerner.

 

To answer your points above:

1) When did Man City get bought? I think around about now is the ideal time to buy a club because you've got more bargaining power. To be honest there's a lot of dimensions to buying a club at this time that I'm not sure who is in the strongest position, buyer or seller?

A potential buyer could let Ashley sweat with the threat of pulling out the deal and him having to spend money in the last few days of the transfer window to ensure Newcastle stay up. To get the price low as a buyer of the club I would be prepared to miss this transfer window as I would be confident enough with the squad we have to be able to safeguard relegation by buying players in January.

 

Ashley on the other hand can play the card of asking for a higher price now to let the new owners have time to buy players/bring in new players.

 

2) We only knew about Ashley buying the club in the space of a few days, Ashley has proven he can keep big deals secret. Don't forget Ashley likes to keep his business dealings very private.

 

3) I would not waste your time or my time debating a statment from Ashley as he is a proven liar, his statements mean nothing.

 

I don't think O'Neil has anything to do with it, I understand why you said it but I don't think it has any bearing on the matter.

 

I tend to think the follwing has more to do with the possibility of the club being sold:

Ashley desperate to sell

Little transfer activity

Cheap management structure

Loyal/large support base (potential for a lot more)

3rd biggest fully developed stadium

Cheapish wage bill

[biggs]

 

Unfortunately, nobody who has any big money is interested in buying the club

 

 

How do you know that? I would not be surprised if Newcastle was sold before the window closes. I'm not saying it will happpen but it does explain the lack of activity at the club.

 

 

Overhead my head why you and Roger Kint found that so funny.

 

I'm not saying it's going to happen but I would not be surprised if it did. I do think that when he does sell the club that it will be over very quickly without rumours in the paper.

 

Going off Ashley's past form, there's two things that most people agree on:

 

1) He's good at keeping news out of the media (see transfers and how he bought the the club)

2) He's desperate to sell (I don't think anyone thinks the club is really off the market)

 

Trying to sell the club would explain the lack of transfer activity and to a certain extent Houghton still being in charge.

Tbh i agree with you and also think they are actively trying to sell the club but we know nowt about it but time will tell ,imho if a bid came in he would be off like a shot as long as he gets his money back  = healthier finances and a certain amount of short term investment to hopefully keep us in this division then a long term business plan involving THE FIRST TEAM and not Perch,Best and whoever else comes in same standard players who fatten out the squad but dont improve it drastically .

[TRon]

So now we are secretly selling the club again? Funny how that always happens during the transfer windows and stops us being run like a normal club. Superb stewardship by the Piggy Bank.

[macphisto]

 

Unfortunately, nobody who has any big money is interested in buying the club

 

 

How do you know that? I would not be surprised if Newcastle was sold before the window closes. I'm not saying it will happpen but it does explain the lack of activity at the club.

 

 

Overhead my head why you and Roger Kint found that so funny.

 

I'm not saying it's going to happen but I would not be surprised if it did. I do think that when he does sell the club that it will be over very quickly without rumours in the paper.

 

Going off Ashley's past form, there's two things that most people agree on:

 

1) He's good at keeping news out of the media (see transfers and how he bought the the club)

2) He's desperate to sell (I don't think anyone thinks the club is really off the market)

 

Trying to sell the club would explain the lack of transfer activity and to a certain extent Houghton still being in charge.

Tbh i agree with you and also think they are actively trying to sell the club but we know nowt about it but time will tell ,imho if a bid came in he would be off like a shot as long as he gets his money back  = healthier finances and a certain amount of short term investment to hopefully keep us in this division then a long term business plan involving THE FIRST TEAM and not Perch,Best and whoever else comes in same standard players who fatten out the squad but dont improve it drastically .

 

Thanks Biggs, I didn't think my orginal point was too crazy despite what others think!

[merlin]

 

Unfortunately, nobody who has any big money is interested in buying the club

 

 

How do you know that? I would not be surprised if Newcastle was sold before the window closes. I'm not saying it will happpen but it does explain the lack of activity at the club.

 

In answer to your question - I DON'T know that, but there are a number of facts which make me believe that you theory is unsound.

1. Had any person or group, of substance been interested in taking the club over, they would have had it

done long before this stage and probably by the end of June. The reason I say this is because they would

want to have either their own manager installed OR want to provide Hughton with the funds to guarantee

the club's place in the PL...why pay a fortune for something only to see it be worth much less in 9 month's time??

2. There is no way that such a large transaction would have escaped the media's attention.

3. If there was  any likelihood of this happening, Ashley and Co would not have put out that statement about their future plans for the club. They would just have kept quiet.

 

The only thing that has happened in the last week or so which MIGHT give some credibility to your view has been MON's walk-out at Villa - he is one of the few managers that a new and ambitious owner MIGHT

be able to persuade to take the job at SJP...and only then because of his fall-out with Lerner.

 

To answer your points above:

1) When did Man City get bought? I think around about now is the ideal time to buy a club because you've got more bargaining power. To be honest there's a lot of dimensions to buying a club at this time that I'm not sure who is in the strongest position, buyer or seller?

A potential buyer could let Ashley sweat with the threat of pulling out the deal and him having to spend money in the last few days of the transfer window to ensure Newcastle stay up. To get the price low as a buyer of the club I would be prepared to miss this transfer window as I would be confident enough with the squad we have to be able to safeguard relegation by buying players in January.

 

Ashley on the other hand can play the card of asking for a higher price now to let the new owners have time to buy players/bring in new players.

 

2) We only knew about Ashley buying the club in the space of a few days, Ashley has proven he can keep big deals secret. Don't forget Ashley likes to keep his business dealings very private.

 

3) I would not waste your time or my time debating a statment from Ashley as he is a proven liar, his statements mean nothing.

 

I don't think O'Neil has anything to do with it, I understand why you said it but I don't think it has any bearing on the matter.

 

I tend to think the follwing has more to do with the possibility of the club being sold:

Ashley desperate to sell

Little transfer activity

Cheap management structure

Loyal/large support base (potential for a lot more)

3rd biggest fully developed stadium

Cheapish wage bill

 

Most of the points on both our threads are matters of opinion and each to his own...

 

However, Man City were bought with sufficient time for the new owners to finance a bid for Robinho AND

beat Chelsea to the player at the same time. Can you honestly see us doing anything like this by the end of the month?

 

I personally wouldn't take a chance on this team getting to December and then trying to strengthen it - for a start, there are not as many decent players available in the Winter window and also, unless the team looks like scoring goals in the next few games, it might be so far behind the mid-table outfits as to make it very difficult to stay up. The defence looks none too sure either....!

If I had paid the millions Ashley wants, I wouldn't even want to RISK relegation.

 

MON WOULD have a bearing on the matter if he had already been set up by a prospective new owner...in his shoes I might just have waited at Villa until another job cropped up instead of walking out.

[macphisto]

I'm pretty sure Man City were bought with about two to three days left of the transfer window and they bought Robinho on the last day. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

As you say it is all opinion and I agree that the team would be far behind the middle table teams but not the bottom teams. I don't think we'll be far behind a cluster of clubs at the bottom, take your pick from Wigan, West Ham, Blackpool, West Brom, etc. It would not take much investment to be clear of that lot.

 

If anything your argument about how poor the team is backs up my theory (I must stress it's just a theory!) because it looks like you think we're certainties for relegation. Why would Ashley take this risk if he wasn't looking to bail out?

[biggs]

 

Unfortunately, nobody who has any big money is interested in buying the club

 

 

How do you know that? I would not be surprised if Newcastle was sold before the window closes. I'm not saying it will happpen but it does explain the lack of activity at the club.

 

In answer to your question - I DON'T know that, but there are a number of facts which make me believe that you theory is unsound.

1. Had any person or group, of substance been interested in taking the club over, they would have had it

done long before this stage and probably by the end of June. The reason I say this is because they would

want to have either their own manager installed OR want to provide Hughton with the funds to guarantee

the club's place in the PL...why pay a fortune for something only to see it be worth much less in 9 month's time??

2. There is no way that such a large transaction would have escaped the media's attention.

3. If there was  any likelihood of this happening, Ashley and Co would not have put out that statement about their future plans for the club. They would just have kept quiet.

 

The only thing that has happened in the last week or so which MIGHT give some credibility to your view has been MON's walk-out at Villa - he is one of the few managers that a new and ambitious owner MIGHT

be able to persuade to take the job at SJP...and only then because of his fall-out with Lerner.

 

To answer your points above:

1) When did Man City get bought? I think around about now is the ideal time to buy a club because you've got more bargaining power. To be honest there's a lot of dimensions to buying a club at this time that I'm not sure who is in the strongest position, buyer or seller?

A potential buyer could let Ashley sweat with the threat of pulling out the deal and him having to spend money in the last few days of the transfer window to ensure Newcastle stay up. To get the price low as a buyer of the club I would be prepared to miss this transfer window as I would be confident enough with the squad we have to be able to safeguard relegation by buying players in January.

 

Ashley on the other hand can play the card of asking for a higher price now to let the new owners have time to buy players/bring in new players.

 

2) We only knew about Ashley buying the club in the space of a few days, Ashley has proven he can keep big deals secret. Don't forget Ashley likes to keep his business dealings very private.

 

3) I would not waste your time or my time debating a statment from Ashley as he is a proven liar, his statements mean nothing.

 

I don't think O'Neil has anything to do with it, I understand why you said it but I don't think it has any bearing on the matter.

 

I tend to think the follwing has more to do with the possibility of the club being sold:

Ashley desperate to sell

Little transfer activity

Cheap management structure

Loyal/large support base (potential for a lot more)

3rd biggest fully developed stadium

Cheapish wage bill

 

Most of the points on both our threads are matters of opinion and each to his own...

 

However, Man City were bought with sufficient time for the new owners to finance a bid for Robinho AND

beat Chelsea to the player at the same time. Can you honestly see us doing anything like this by the end of the month?

 

I personally wouldn't take a chance on this team getting to December and then trying to strengthen it - for a start, there are not as many decent players available in the Winter window and also, unless the team looks like scoring goals in the next few games, it might be so far behind the mid-table outfits as to make it very difficult to stay up. The defence looks none too sure either....!

If I had paid the millions Ashley wants, I wouldn't even want to RISK relegation.

 

MON WOULD have a bearing on the matter if he had already been set up by a prospective new owner...in his shoes I might just have waited at Villa until another job cropped up instead of walking out.

Actively selling the club but not within a specific time frame as long as he sells it not in this transfer window but whenever he gets a good enough offer.

[Guest Roger Kint]

The Arabs bought it before due diligence, that didnt happen til late September. In theory anyone can buy a club in a day, for one as fucked up as ours only an idiot would do so. Case in point Michael Ashley.

[fredbob]

Im out, im actually boring myself.

 

I think you had a good point, only problem was comparing Martin O'Neill to Lionel Messi. One is decent, the other is one of the best ever.

 

Haha, as much as id love to see messi in black and white, id much rather see a manager who's had a proven record of getting the best out of his players, i dont particularly rate O'neill very highly, i think he's a just a good manager but his record has been pretty decent whereever he's been, the exaggeration was there to highlight the relative importances of my point of view.