Paul Mitchell (Sporting Director)

[SUPERTOON]

No doubt Eddie will be asked loads about this tomorrow. 

[junkhead]

40 minutes ago, Myleftboot said:

How’s Bunce changed training?

 

Might be wrong but in one of the clips in preseason the players were warming up for the fitness work with some strange yoga moves led by a woman (not shown) with a loud voice. Haven't seen that before in footage. Sounds like the type of cringey thing a new guy would do in his position 

 

Also Dan Hodges was head of performance before Bunce arriving as a director. Hodges has been with Eddie and JT from the start at Bournemouth so they're probably very close. Physical performance and pushing the players hard is key to Eddie's style, so imo that's another thing that provoked the 'Germany interview'. But listening to Eddie, Bunce and Mitchell since then it's fucking clear that there's no drama, they'll just have to be professional and find a way to work together for the benefit of the team. 

Let's see what they do in the future. If there's even a hint of a lack of a plan, OCD Eddie will notify us at the first opportunity.

 

oh and Craig Hope can fuck off with that doom mongering shite - he writes as if this is still Ashley's circus.. Nowadays there's a culture of professionalism, togetherness and motivation (at least around the first team) that puts to shame most PL clubs. Of all people he should know that, this summer has shown him up, clueless about transfers, clueless about the FFP hole in June, clueless about Amanda's exit, clueless about Mitchell's arrival.. Luke is the same, the Athletic lads didn't do much better either.. Waugh repeating we're interested in Bowen all summer, Tapsoba being plan B etc...

 

 

Edited September 12 by junkhead

[KetsbaiaIsBald]

1 minute ago, SUPERTOON said:

No doubt Eddie will be asked loads about this tomorrow. 

I hope so. Fortunately this is one of the areas where he excels.  

[KaKa]

1 minute ago, junkhead said:

 

Might be wrong but in one of the clips in preseason the players were warming up with some strange yoga moves led by a woman (not shown) with a loud voice. Haven't seen that before in the footage.

 

Also Dan Hodges was head of performance before Bunce arriving as a 'director'. Hodges has been with Eddie and JT from the start at Bournemouth so they're probably very close. Physical performance and pushing the players hard is key to Eddie's style, so imo that's another thing that provoked the 'Germany interview'. But listening to Eddie, Bunce and Mitchell since then it's fucking clear that there's no drama, they'll just have to be professional and find a work together for the benefit of the team. 

Let's see what they do in the future. If there's even a hint of a lack of a plan, OCD Eddie will notify us at the first opportunity.

 

Last year there were so many complaints on here about the injuries. Centred mostly around not rotating players enough.

 

For a while now, there have been complaints on here about the neglecting of getting better options for the right wing.

 

There's certainly things that need sharpening up on, and sometimes that means bringing in new people with fresh ideas. You can't just surround yourself with people that think like you do all the time, it's just not realistic.

 

The more I read about all this, the more I really think that this sort of thing is what led to the changes this past summer. 

 

When it all kicked off with Ashworth, we were already hearing that he was being marginalised by Howe, and this was being enabled by Amanda and Mehrdad.

 

Don't think PIF liked that at all, and all the changes were made to put things in order, and make sure everyone was operating within the boundaries of their roles, as it should be.

[The Prophet]

33 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

This is what Hope is saying:

 

Howe's power has been diluted, with Mitchell, Eales and new performance director James Bunce taking greater control across all aspects of the club's day-to-day running. Bunce is around training every day and, during pre-season in Germany, it was interesting to note Howe's body language - like a hedgehog raises its quills - as he prepared a session with the new man watching on.

 

The volume of intensity in training, it is said, has been reduced compared to previous seasons, an instruction on the part of Bunce aimed at lowering the number of injuries and optimising performance. 

 

So far, Newcastle have taken seven points from nine, have picked up two injuries - neither is serious - and, by Howe's admission, have not played as well as he would have liked, with some key players still lacking fitness. 

 

There is, then, a balance to be found.

If Bunce can increase player availability, that is good news for the club. If Mitchell can implement a recruitment strategy that gets ahead of Profit and Sustainability Rules, that is good news for the club. But to suggest that some of what went before was substandard - when Howe and others took the club from 19th to the Champions League in less than two seasons - was perhaps not the wisest ploy.

 

Subtle.

 

I don't think we should immediately dismiss a journo because he's reporting potentially bad news, but the framing of it is there to see. He's been at it since Mitchell arrived.

[RobsonsWonderland]

12 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

Subtle.

 

I don't think we should immediately dismiss a journo because he's reporting potentially bad news, but the framing of it is there to see. He's been at it since Mitchell arrived.

Hope is nothing but a doom merchant at best or a shit stirrer at worst.

 

Numerous examples where he aims low no matter where we are in the League or as a club.

 

But in the modern world of journalism... Clicks matter not the number of papers sold.

 

A reporter is now able to be judged by his bosses on how many hits his stories get over others.. whilst in the old days it was only paper sales 

 

 

Edited September 12 by RobsonsWonderland

[KaKa]

13 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

Subtle.

 

I don't think we should immediately dismiss a journo because he's reporting potentially bad news, but the framing of it is there to see. He's been at it since Mitchell arrived.

 

The way he's going on is so weird.

 

The worry for me is that he is being fed this from Howe's side to make things difficult for Mitchell.

 

This whole thing is really beginning to piss me off to be honest.

 

If Howe really wants the level of control that is being reported he's going to have to find a club at the opposite end of the table, or in the Championship.

 

At the end of the day, the ownership were aiming very high when they went for Emery first, and that tells you they aren't here to mess about.

 

If not for how precarious our position was, we likely end up getting him. Things have changed a lot since then. We are in a much stronger position now, with some very good players that a lot of top managers will feel they can compete with, and with a highly rated DOF that will continue to bring talented players in.

 

If this noise doesn't die down, it might be time to get a manager in that understands the structure the club is trying to put in place.

 

 

Edited September 12 by KaKa

[RobsonsWonderland]

3 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

The way he's going on is so weird.

 

The worry for me is that he is being fed this from Howe's side to make things difficult for Mitchell.

 

This whole thing is really beginning to piss me off to be honest.

 

If Howe really wants the level of control that is being reported he's going to have to find a club at the opposite end of the table, or in the Championship.

 

At the end of the day, the ownership were aiming very high when they went for Emery first, and that tells you they aren't here to mess about.

 

If not for how precarious our position was, we likely end up getting him. Things have changed a lot since then. We are in a much stronger position now, with some very good players that a lot of top managers will feel they can compete with, and with a highly rated DOF that will continue to bring talented players in.

 

If this noise doesn't die down, it might be time to get a manager in that understands the structure the club is trying to put in place.

 

 

 

Can't see Howe choosing Hope as his mouth piece.  And hope would not keep quiet if he did

[KaKa]

Just now, RobsonsWonderland said:

Can't see Howe choosing Hope as his mouth piece.  And hope would not keep quiet if he did

 

I hope you're right, and things are actually much different than he is claiming behind the scenes.

[80]

56 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

The Craig Hope story looks a lot like the editor forcing a sensationalist title on what was a much less sensationalist story. I dealt with similar.

 

 

 

Read to me like he was partially walking back his original aggressive take on the interview, rather than declaring civil war. With Waugh doing the same thing in a similar article today, albeit from the opposite end of the spectrum. They seem to be settling on it being a badly handled interview.

[80]

36 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

Last year there were so many complaints on here about the injuries. Centred mostly around not rotating players enough.

 

There's certainly things that need sharpening up on, and sometimes that means bringing in new people with fresh ideas. You can't just surround yourself with people that think like you do all the time, it's just not realistic.

It's probably good news if Howe has made changes to training in consultation with Bunce. And potentially surprising to be honest, subject to the details. Among other things it palpably demonstrates his willingness to engage and seek improvements. 

 

I'm sympathetic to Bunce being brought in, not least as impacts in fitness and such are generally tangible and clear. It was a concern of mine throughout last year that our training might be unsustainable - particularly with the added load of Europe and our current echelon of player (highly talented or God-tier athletes but generally not both until we reach the tippy top). And as I've said in the past, there comes a moment when running faster and trying harder is no longer an option when looking for ways to win.

 

In short, I agree it's good to have things livened up with fresh ideas, perspectives and personalities every so often. It's part of how you keep a leader vibrant.

[Danh1]

1 hour ago, KaKa said:

 

Last year there were so many complaints on here about the injuries. Centred mostly around not rotating players enough.

 

For a while now, there have been complaints on here about the neglecting of getting better options for the right wing.

 

There's certainly things that need sharpening up on, and sometimes that means bringing in new people with fresh ideas. You can't just surround yourself with people that think like you do all the time, it's just not realistic.

 

The more I read about all this, the more I really think that this sort of thing is what led to the changes this past summer. 

 

When it all kicked off with Ashworth, we were already hearing that he was being marginalised by Howe, and this was being enabled by Amanda and Mehrdad.

 

Don't think PIF liked that at all, and all the changes were made to put things in order, and make sure everyone was operating within the boundaries of their roles, as it should be.

Seen people whinge all season about injuries and lack of rotation, then Bunce comes in and people whinge about it.  

 

I am talking about Twitter as opposed to here (I know, social media). But sums people up. Same people whinge about how shit the summer has been but then cry “there was nowt wrong with it” when the old recruitment processes were criticised. 

[80]

33 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

The way he's going on is so weird.

 

The worry for me is that he is being fed this from Howe's side to make things difficult for Mitchell.

 

This whole thing is really beginning to piss me off to be honest.

 

If Howe really wants the level of control that is being reported he's going to have to find a club at the opposite end of the table, or in the Championship.

 

At the end of the day, the ownership were aiming very high when they went for Emery first, and that tells you they aren't here to mess about.

 

If not for how precarious our position was, we likely end up getting him. Things have changed a lot since then. We are in a much stronger position now, with some very good players that a lot of top managers will feel they can compete with, and with a highly rated DOF that will continue to bring talented players in.

 

If this noise doesn't die down, it might be time to get a manager in that understands the structure the club is trying to put in place.

 

 

 

...This, though, reads like disloyal hysteria.

 

It's what I've been getting at for the past couple of weeks. If in doubt, trust the people who've consistently delivered the goods and nurtured and protected the club with their every word and deed.

 

If within two months, Eddie Howe has suddenly become a millstone around our neck who is putting his personal preferences ahead of footballing success, that tells me there's bullshit afoot, not that a whole new unambitious side to his personality has emerged. Doing a 180 and talking about getting rid of him this quickly is ridiculous and playing into the hands of arseholes.

[KaKa]

10 minutes ago, 80 said:

...This, though, reads like disloyal hysteria.

 

It's what I've been getting at for the past couple of weeks. If in doubt, trust the people who've consistently delivered the goods and nurtured and protected the club with their every word and deed.

 

If within two months, Eddie Howe has suddenly become a millstone around our neck who is putting his personal preferences ahead of footballing success, that tells me there's bullshit afoot, not that a whole new unambitious side to his personality has emerged. Doing a 180 and talking about getting rid of him this quickly is ridiculous and playing into the hands of arseholes.

 

That's why I added the caveat I did about if  the reporting is true.

 

I've backed Howe to the hilt during his time here, but that doesn't mean he's beyond reproach.

 

This is a potentially major blind spot he might have and the impact is too great to overlook.

 

Yes, he might have delivered the goods and nurtured the club up until now, but if reports are true, it appears he was going about things in a way that overstepped his boundaries.

 

Ultimately that is then not going to work in accordance with what the ownership wants to put in place, and so it is going to be damaging in the long run anyway.

 

You guys all want to compete at the top and they are trying to put in place the kind of full scale operation with top level individuals in place in important roles that helps achieve this.

 

We cannot under any circumstances have a manager that feels he has to have his hand over everything, or only have people he knows alongside him.

 

Important to note that just after we hired Howe, @cherryred the Bournemouth guy, raised this need for control as a potential issue, and so this is not something new.

 

 

[Disco]

A lot of it is to trying elongate a story but already starting to get tired about how much I’m reading about this bloke.

[Coffee_Johnny]

5 hours ago, KaKa said:

 

The way he's going on is so weird.

 

The worry for me is that he is being fed this from Howe's side to make things difficult for Mitchell.

 

This whole thing is really beginning to piss me off to be honest.

 

If Howe really wants the level of control that is being reported he's going to have to find a club at the opposite end of the table, or in the Championship.

 

At the end of the day, the ownership were aiming very high when they went for Emery first, and that tells you they aren't here to mess about.

 

If not for how precarious our position was, we likely end up getting him. Things have changed a lot since then. We are in a much stronger position now, with some very good players that a lot of top managers will feel they can compete with, and with a highly rated DOF that will continue to bring talented players in.

 

If this noise doesn't die down, it might be time to get a manager in that understands the structure the club is trying to put in place.

 

 

 

Bloody hell. You’ve changed your tune. It’s not two minutes since you were ridiculing people for believing Hope’s patter. That reads like you’ve swallowed the bait, line, rod, fisherman, jetty, and small coastal town in one gargantuan bite. 
The number of assumptions, man. 
1. Howe’s ‘side’ are feeding Hope.

2. Howe is a control freak who can’t handle devolved responsibility/working in a team.

3. This will get us relegated.

4. PIF really wanted Emery.

5. They’d have a better chance of getting a similar profile manager now.

6. We should get rid of Howe (as all the above speculation is accepted as valid). 
 

You’d no doubt feel better if you retained some semblance of your original skeptical frame of mind about this. Remember Hope’s modus operandi, this is what he does. He’s a shit stirrer. A modern example of a classic embittered hackneyed red-top journalist. Such people live off creating drama with no regard to the worry and disharmony it creates. 

 

 

Edited September 13 by Coffee_Johnny

[Shelveys Hair]

@KaKa Complete utter bollox

 

Best start since 2011

5th most points in the league since Howe took over

Eddie Howe has money in the bank, Mitchell has a failed window so needs to earn it or fk off

 

 

 

Edited September 13 by Shelveys Hair
Replied to Coffee_Johnny by mistake sorry mate

[KaKa]

2 hours ago, Coffee_Johnny said:

Bloody hell. You’ve changed your tune. It’s not two minutes since you were ridiculing people for believing Hope’s patter. That reads like you’ve swallowed the bait, line, rod, fisherman, jetty, and small coastal town in one gargantuan bite. 
The number of assumptions, man. 
1. Howe’s ‘side’ are feeding Hope.

2. Howe is a control freak who can’t handle devolved responsibility/working in a team.

3. This will get us relegated.

4. PIF really wanted Emery.

5. They’d have a better chance of getting a similar profile manager now.

6. We should get rid of Howe (as all the above speculation is accepted as valid). 
 

You’d no doubt feel better if you retained some semblance of your original skeptical frame of mind about this. Remember Hope’s modus operandi, this is what he does. He’s a shit stirrer. A modern example of a classic embittered hackneyed red-top journalist. Such people live off creating drama with no regard to the worry and disharmony it creates. 

 

 

 

 

Which is why I said IF it turns out any of what he is saying is true.

 

Oh and for what it's worth ...

 

1. The Bournemouth fan mentioned this being a potential issue years ago.

 

2. There have already been issues with him and Ashworth.

 

3. We already all saw the interview he gave before the new DOF had even got his feet under the desk, which kick started all of this negative reporting in the first place!

 

So yeah ... there's all that as well.

 

 

Edited September 13 by KaKa

[PauloGeordio]

All of the discord is fuelled by the click bait wordsmiths. Some folk still actually believe that every word that is printed in the rags is factual.
2 days until match day, thank fook 

[Lush Vlad]

7 hours ago, Danh1 said:

Seen people whinge all season about injuries and lack of rotation, then Bunce comes in and people whinge about it.  

 

I am talking about Twitter as opposed to here (I know, social media). But sums people up. Same people whinge about how shit the summer has been but then cry “there was nowt wrong with it” when the old recruitment processes were criticised. 

Certainly a balance to be had. If we don’t return to anything like the intensity we had before and regularly surrender so much of the ball and control of games to the opposition. Then I think there could be something in the stories around training. We certainly don’t look fit like a typical Howe team. 

 

That said. He always starts slow and 3 league games, one of which we had 10 men for an hour. Is probably not a fair sample size

 

So I’m more than happy to actually wait and see how we shape up over the next 10 games or so. 

[Menace]

If you read the Douglas article, its polar opposite to the shite that Hope is trying to spout.

[Ghandis Flip-Flop]

2 minutes ago, Menace said:

If you read the Douglas article, its polar opposite to the shite that Hope is trying to spout.

Honestly look at the rag that Hope writes for, its entire modus operandi is to make and keep people in a perpetual state of anger. If you don’t believe anything written on the front pages of the Mail, why the fuck would you give credence to what's written on the back?

[Menace]

https://archive.ph/YqDsD

 

The article in question

[Nucasol]

9 hours ago, Ben said:

Civil war

No Hope is such a shitstirring twat.

[KaKa]

6 minutes ago, Ghandis Flip-Flop said:

Honestly look at the rag that Hope writes for, its entire modus operandi is to make and keep people in a perpetual state of anger. If you don’t believe anything written on the front pages of the Mail, why the fuck would you give credence to what's written on the back?

 

Yes, true. And I'm really looking for all this to die down and prove to be nonsense.

 

If he's really just doing all this to stir up the fans then there's something seriously wrong with that guy.