Kevin Nolan

[Wullie]

Man United have the most together squad in the country because they keep so many players for long spells and create a solid base. Too many people think football works like a computer game, in a vacuum without the need for management of actual human beings who behave like everyone else.

 

Man Utd are at the top so can do that. We're on our way up so have to evolve to improve.

 

Tell me, do you think in the early and mid 90s we'd have pushed Man Utd so close for the title with Sellars, Venison and Bracewell, or do you think adding something different and replacing them with the likes of Ginola & Albert had something to do with getting to the next level?

 

Nut man that's one of the most ridiculous things you've ever posted.

 

NUFC under KK had heart and soul running right through the squad - Watson, Clark, Howey, Beardsley, Elliott, Lee. It would not have worked otherwise.

 

You need two things to succeed as a football team - grit, togetherness, bottle, whatever you want to call it and ability.

 

Coming back to Ferguson again, since he's the greatest manager any of us will ever see, sometimes you have both and that's great, Rooney, Giggs, Scholes, Keane and yes, foreign players like Vidic, sometimes you have just the talent, Nani, Ronaldo, Berbatov and sometimes you just have the heart - Brown, Fletcher, O'Shea, Scholes for the last two years. The squad will not work without all three if you want continuous progress.

 

I never said it boiled down to foreigners vs English, which should be fairly fucking obvious. Players who have a clear affiliation for the club, whether it be Barton, Nolan or Solano are more likely to put their foot in, chase down a lost cause in the last minute, inspire the other players and that makes these players absolutely essential. Do you trust Cabaye to drag us out of a rut when the chips are down? Personally I wouldn't know because I've never seen a second of him in action and therefore replacing Barton or Nolan with him is a massive gamble. It shouldn't be him in and them out, he should be coming in to compliment, not replace and the amount of people happy to see the latter happen is frightening.

 

The idea of a Man Utd squad under Ferguson built mainly on foreign players or flair players is absolutely laughable. Arsenal's squad is supremely talented but until they get some spine and bottle in there, they will not win anything, their goal is not like ours at the moment, it is to win and they are failing miserably since Campbell, Vieira, Seaman, Parlour, Keown have left. I can't believe I'm having to explain this again, it really is astonishingly simple stuff.

 

Letting Barton and Nolan go this summer would be yet another ridiculous gamble.

[Sifu]

well said Wullie.

[Hanshithispantz]

I agree with what Wullie is saying for the most part like.

[Neil]

What, wait... people are actually happy to get rid of Nolan/Barton this summer?

[Guest bimpy474]

Man United have the most together squad in the country because they keep so many players for long spells and create a solid base. Too many people think football works like a computer game, in a vacuum without the need for management of actual human beings who behave like everyone else.

 

Man Utd are at the top so can do that. We're on our way up so have to evolve to improve.

 

Tell me, do you think in the early and mid 90s we'd have pushed Man Utd so close for the title with Sellars, Venison and Bracewell, or do you think adding something different and replacing them with the likes of Ginola & Albert had something to do with getting to the next level?

 

Nut man that's one of the most ridiculous things you've ever posted.

 

NUFC under KK had heart and soul running right through the squad - Watson, Clark, Howey, Beardsley, Elliott, Lee. It would not have worked otherwise.

 

You need two things to succeed as a football team - grit, togetherness, bottle, whatever you want to call it and ability.

 

Coming back to Ferguson again, since he's the greatest manager any of us will ever see, sometimes you have both and that's great, Rooney, Giggs, Scholes, Keane and yes, foreign players like Vidic, sometimes you have just the talent, Nani, Ronaldo, Berbatov and sometimes you just have the heart - Brown, Fletcher, O'Shea, Scholes for the last two years. The squad will not work without all three if you want continuous progress.

 

I never said it boiled down to foreigners vs English, which should be fairly f***ing obvious. Players who have a clear affiliation for the club, whether it be Barton, Nolan or Solano are more likely to put their foot in, chase down a lost cause in the last minute, inspire the other players and that makes these players absolutely essential. Do you trust Cabaye to drag us out of a rut when the chips are down? Personally I wouldn't know because I've never seen a second of him in action and therefore replacing Barton or Nolan with him is a massive gamble. It shouldn't be him in and them out, he should be coming in to compliment, not replace and the amount of people happy to see the latter happen is frightening.

 

The idea of a Man Utd squad under Ferguson built mainly on foreign players or flair players is absolutely laughable. Arsenal's squad is supremely talented but until they get some spine and bottle in there, they will not win anything, their goal is not like ours at the moment, it is to win and they are failing miserably since Campbell, Vieira, Seaman, Parlour, Keown have left. I can't believe I'm having to explain this again, it really is astonishingly simple stuff.

 

Letting Barton and Nolan go this summer would be yet another ridiculous gamble.

 

agree totally 

[James]

With Wullie on this one.

 

The board have repeatedly failed to recognise the players as human beings, and don't realise that happy players are better players.

[ponsaelius]

Well yes I don't think anybody would disagree with that, the problem we have here is a decision between risking our togetherness/spirit/bottle whatever or paying over the odds on long contracts to players that would not get into any side aspiring for success. None of us know the intricate details of these negotiations but there is two sides to the argument. It's too simple to just say: "give them what they want otherwise the squad will all be unhappy and we'll go backwards"

[Guest]

Those players you list there Wullie were good enough for the top 3 relative to what the Premier League was like back then. I don't think Barton or Nolan in their early 30s are going to be good enough for team hoping to challenge for Europe. Even Bobby eventually replaced the likes of Elliott, Barton, Gallacher and Lee with younger, faster players to make the next step.

[James]

What, wait... people are actually happy to get rid of Nolan/Barton this summer?

 

People have been trying to justify both, Nolan in particular, being out of the first team for months. Have you not seen the team lineups of loads of unproven players in the midfield?

[David28]

Those players you list there Wullie were good enough for the top 3 relative to what the Premier League was like back then. I don't think Barton or Nolan in their early 30s are going to be good enough for team hoping to challenge for Europe. Even Bobby eventually replaced the likes of Elliott, Barton, Gallacher and Lee with younger, faster players to make the next step.

 

Yet he made a big mistake by selling and aging Garry Speed.

[Dave]

f*** him and Barton to be honest, both just trying to play hardball.. well okay fine.. plenty of time left in the window.. tell sign a new deal this week or your off go find another club.

Would rather have to to replace them both than f*** about trying to give them what they want.

 

Taking the p*ss I hope?

 

No not at all........... why is Nolan even being offered a new deal ?

Him and his best mate are both important players but not irreplaceable, both getting on in footballing years and are lucky to be here. I am sick to fkn death of this "rejects new contract offer" bollocks.

 

Transfer list them then, they don't want to be here then fine, if we signed the players we want Nolan should not even be in the starting 11 anyway.

 

Why are you having a go at Nolan for being offered a new deal? f***s sake

 

Basically bullshit from start to end this. Barton, and especially Nolan, mean a lot for the club and the spirit in the dressing room. As well as being great/decent footballers of course. We know nowt about what the new contracts say, but you can't blame them for not wanting to sign contracts which will give them less money than they have now. And yes, they do want to be here.

 

Which is why they're being offered new deals...but you get the feeling that they're after similar wages to the likes of Ben Arfa, Tiote, Cabaye, etc. which they shouldn't be on imo.

 

 

That would be the Ben Arfa that's played four games for us in this league and Cabaye who hasn't even signed, right?

[Guest]

With an ageing and balding Nicky Butt.

[Dokko]

Those players you list there Wullie were good enough for the top 3 relative to what the Premier League was like back then. I don't think Barton or Nolan in their early 30s are going to be good enough for team hoping to challenge for Europe. Even Bobby eventually replaced the likes of Elliott, Barton, Gallacher and Lee with younger, faster players to make the next step.

 

Yet he made a big mistake by selling and aging Garry Speed.

 

He wanted speed to stay but Freddie wanted the younger nicky butt.

[David28]

Man United have the most together squad in the country because they keep so many players for long spells and create a solid base. Too many people think football works like a computer game, in a vacuum without the need for management of actual human beings who behave like everyone else.

 

Man Utd are at the top so can do that. We're on our way up so have to evolve to improve.

 

Tell me, do you think in the early and mid 90s we'd have pushed Man Utd so close for the title with Sellars, Venison and Bracewell, or do you think adding something different and replacing them with the likes of Ginola & Albert had something to do with getting to the next level?

 

Nut man that's one of the most ridiculous things you've ever posted.

 

NUFC under KK had heart and soul running right through the squad - Watson, Clark, Howey, Beardsley, Elliott, Lee. It would not have worked otherwise.

 

You need two things to succeed as a football team - grit, togetherness, bottle, whatever you want to call it and ability.

 

Coming back to Ferguson again, since he's the greatest manager any of us will ever see, sometimes you have both and that's great, Rooney, Giggs, Scholes, Keane and yes, foreign players like Vidic, sometimes you have just the talent, Nani, Ronaldo, Berbatov and sometimes you just have the heart - Brown, Fletcher, O'Shea, Scholes for the last two years. The squad will not work without all three if you want continuous progress.

 

I never said it boiled down to foreigners vs English, which should be fairly fucking obvious. Players who have a clear affiliation for the club, whether it be Barton, Nolan or Solano are more likely to put their foot in, chase down a lost cause in the last minute, inspire the other players and that makes these players absolutely essential. Do you trust Cabaye to drag us out of a rut when the chips are down? Personally I wouldn't know because I've never seen a second of him in action and therefore replacing Barton or Nolan with him is a massive gamble. It shouldn't be him in and them out, he should be coming in to compliment, not replace and the amount of people happy to see the latter happen is frightening.

 

The idea of a Man Utd squad under Ferguson built mainly on foreign players or flair players is absolutely laughable. Arsenal's squad is supremely talented but until they get some spine and bottle in there, they will not win anything, their goal is not like ours at the moment, it is to win and they are failing miserably since Campbell, Vieira, Seaman, Parlour, Keown have left. I can't believe I'm having to explain this again, it really is astonishingly simple stuff.

 

Letting Barton and Nolan go this summer would be yet another ridiculous gamble.

 

Spot on this.

[Guest]

You can't tell me Dave you think Barton and Nolan in a couple of years time should be earning the same as Ben Arfa and Cabaye?

[Hughesy]

I don't think many, if any, people are advocating getting rid of Nolan or Barton this summer. 

 

Most people are quite sensibly questioning the wisdom of securing them on lucrative, long term contracts up to a point in their career where their effectiveness would be in huge doubt for a variety of reasons.  Further to that, most people are also questioning whether either player has done enough over the course of their career with NUFC to date to warrant such a contract.

 

Quite straightforward really.

[ponsaelius]

Another thing btw, is that there's absolutely nothing to say that Nolan is going to be sold. He has 2 years left on his contract.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Totally agree with Wullie!!!!!!

 

That said, I don't think that we are selling either of them in the summer, regardless of their current contract status.

[James]

Well yes I don't think anybody would disagree with that, the problem we have here is a decision between risking our togetherness/spirit/bottle whatever or paying over the odds on long contracts to players that would not get into any side aspiring for success. None of us no the intricate details of these negotiations but there is two sides to the argument. It's too simple to just say: "give them what they want otherwise the squad will all be unhappy and we'll go backwards"

 

Appreciate what they do, give them the contract, and have faith that the manager will persuade them to move on if they are no longer wanted.

 

Trouble is the board are scared of another Nicky Butt scenario, where despite being uncertainties over relegation or whether we even wanted him, Butt announced to them all that he was taking an option out to extend his own £50k a week contract, while taking out loads of bonuses.

[The Prophet]

Do people realise Nolan hasn't left/hasn't suggested he is leaving in the forseeable future?

[Guest]

Who's suggesting we should sell them?

[James]

Those players you list there Wullie were good enough for the top 3 relative to what the Premier League was like back then. I don't think Barton or Nolan in their early 30s are going to be good enough for team hoping to challenge for Europe. Even Bobby eventually replaced the likes of Elliott, Barton, Gallacher and Lee with younger, faster players to make the next step.

 

Yet he made a big mistake by selling and aging Garry Speed.

 

He wanted speed to stay but Freddie wanted the younger nicky butt.

 

Thought Robson wanted Carrick?

[Wullie]

f*** him and Barton to be honest, both just trying to play hardball.. well okay fine.. plenty of time left in the window.. tell sign a new deal this week or your off go find another club.

Would rather have to to replace them both than f*** about trying to give them what they want.

 

Taking the p*ss I hope?

 

No not at all........... why is Nolan even being offered a new deal ?

Him and his best mate are both important players but not irreplaceable, both getting on in footballing years and are lucky to be here. I am sick to fkn death of this "rejects new contract offer" bollocks.

 

Transfer list them then, they don't want to be here then fine, if we signed the players we want Nolan should not even be in the starting 11 anyway.

 

Why are you having a go at Nolan for being offered a new deal? f***s sake

 

Basically bullshit from start to end this. Barton, and especially Nolan, mean a lot for the club and the spirit in the dressing room. As well as being great/decent footballers of course. We know nowt about what the new contracts say, but you can't blame them for not wanting to sign contracts which will give them less money than they have now. And yes, they do want to be here.

 

Which is why they're being offered new deals...but you get the feeling that they're after similar wages to the likes of Ben Arfa, Tiote, Cabaye, etc. which they shouldn't be on imo.

 

 

That would be the Ben Arfa that's played four games for us in this league and Cabaye who hasn't even signed, right?

 

Hope we only give him a three year deal too cos once he gets to 28, it's the knackers yard for you mate.

[Hughesy]

Well yes I don't think anybody would disagree with that, the problem we have here is a decision between risking our togetherness/spirit/bottle whatever or paying over the odds on long contracts to players that would not get into any side aspiring for success. None of us no the intricate details of these negotiations but there is two sides to the argument. It's too simple to just say: "give them what they want otherwise the squad will all be unhappy and we'll go backwards"

 

Appreciate what they do, give them the contract, and have faith that the manager will persuade them to move on if they are no longer wanted.

 

Trouble is the board are scared of another Nicky Butt scenario, where despite being uncertainties over relegation or whether we even wanted him, Butt announced to them all that he was taking an option out to extend his own £50k a week contract, while taking out loads of bonuses.

 

Eh?  Hope the manager can persuade them to move on from their 50k plus a week 4 year deal??  How?  I know Pards is a silver tongued charmer, but I think you are overestimating his charm.

 

I don't think any sensible business model in the world is built around people being persuaded to leave their highly paid jobs.

[Skirge]

A player who is not due a new contract is offered one and knocks it back, I am taking it that its an improved contract and will include more years than his current deal.

Fine okay then stay here on the contract be is on now and lets move on.