The Future of NUFC

[Mr. Slugworth]

Forgive me for stating the obvious here, but it seems to me that there are 2 different schools of thought with regards to the future of this club: -

 

1.  Although Glenn is far from a world-class manager, he is the right man for this job at this point in time (let's face it, KK's entertainers might as well have been 100 years ago).  We need a steady, calm head to steady the ship.  Slowly but surely, GR is making changes that will benefit us in the long-term and his transfer policy (although incredibly frustrating) is the right thing to do.  We have identified the right players that Glenn wants and NUFC will go all out to persue those targets in the summer (say what you like about Fat Fred, but he has always backed his managers with cash).  Fred isn't the smartest or most savvy chairman (and he ain't the richest) but he does love the club and desperately wants to see it win some silverware 

 

We've got some exceptional young players here (Martins, Milner, N'Zogbia) and some seasoned pros (Owen, Dyer, Duff [he'll come good again, you don't lose class]).  With 2-3 smart acquisitions in the summer and a few more the year after, we've got a very good team.  The youth teams appear to be in order and there's every chance that we could produce the next Shearer, Gascoigne or even Carrick.  If we readjust our expectations, all get behind Glenn and give him time, we'll be back up amongst the big boys in 3-4 years... 

 

2.  The club is rotten to the core.  Fat Fred is sucking the marrow out of the club and only cares about his dividends.  Glenn is a decent coach, but a sh*te manager and he is unable to attract top players to the club.  His contacts in world football are non-existent and although he aspires to match Wenger's scouting network, it could never happen.  The squad is unbelievably sparse for a PL club and the club's failure to sign a left-back (ffs, anone would do until the summer...) shows how deep the problems lie.  The promising young kids who've been thrown into the deep-end have had their progress stunted and confidence shattered.  The infrastructure of the techincal and coaching staff is light years away from Arsenal, Chelsea and even f*cking Spurs!!

 

The club holds fans in utter contempt and have lied to us in the hope that we won't notice (they think we're all stupid).  There never was any money to spend as Souness blew it all on sh*te and Fred wasn't competant enough to see what was going to happen.  The club are f*cked for money (thus, Ottmar Hitzfeld and the like were never approached) and Glenda is all we can afford.  Fred has lied to Glenn and is keeping him in the dark (as he did with SBR) but Glenn hasn't got the balls to stand up to him.  We won't sign anyone of any note in the summer as no one wants to join a sinking ship... 

 

Of the two, which do you agree with most?  I'm feeling optimistic today so i'll go with the first one... 

[BottledDog]

A little from column A, a lot from column B.

[Cajun]

We have a decent base to work on, it depends on how much we can afford to invest. Even if we do get a few quality youngsters coming through the youth/reserves over the next few years we will still need some quality experienced players.

 

I think we should definitely be in for Sidwell in the summer if he lets his contract run out, that would be a step in the right direction.

[Guest andynufc84]

 

Relegation

[ElDiablo]

 

Relegation

 

Lovely.

 

 

 

I think we'll still be bumming about 8th or 9th, but be a much better team than we are now, hopefully with a better manager in place. There again I can only see the sides above us improving too, so who knows?

[Lloydie]

Answer 1 about the squad and the manager, but a bit of Answer 2 about the chairman.

[Guest andynufc84]

 

The future?

 

Leeds united if we're not careful

[Cronky]

I think Roeder's done a decent enough job. The problem is the Chairman, and the way he's cocked up all the major decisions over the last 3 years. We need new ownership to stop us falling behind the likes of Spurs and Villa, but Shepherd is determined to stay on. I think he's got it in his head that once Owen is fit, he'll win trophies for us.

 

The way you've put the dilemma, it's like Roeder and Shepherd's fates have been tied together. I'd like to see Roeder given a chance under a new owner.

[toontownman]

I thought 1 and 2 depended on whether we had won or lost, thats how it goes round here isnt it?

 

Bits of both tbh.

[Mick]

A little from column A, a lot from column B.

 

I'll agree with that.

[pedro111]

Probably another decade of mid table mediocrity stumbling from one calamity to the next.

 

Sad, but probably true. 

[Nate]

Probably another decade of mid table mediocrity stumbling from one calamity to the next.

 

That was my first thought.

[Guest Sniffer]

I'd agree that we have some very good players but I don't have much confidence in the management.

 

Saying that, I do believe that losing Owen was a huge blow and if he had not had that freak injury his goals would've made the difference and we'd be about 5th or 6th in the table. Not because we are good but because there is such a drop off after the top four.

[ATB]

I go for number 2.

 

As long as Fat Fred and Roeder (as a manager) are in the club we want climb the table. Wi will rather go downwards.

 

 

Shepherd Out! Roeder Out!

[Guest Eternal Reflector]

Forgive me for stating the obvious here, but it seems to me that there are 2 different schools of thought with regards to the future of this club: -

 

1.  Although Glenn is far from a world-class manager, he is the right man for this job at this point in time (let's face it, KK's entertainers might as well have been 100 years ago).  We need a steady, calm head to steady the ship.  Slowly but surely, GR is making changes that will benefit us in the long-term and his transfer policy (although incredibly frustrating) is the right thing to do.  We have identified the right players that Glenn wants and NUFC will go all out to persue those targets in the summer (say what you like about Fat Fred, but he has always backed his managers with cash).  Fred isn't the smartest or most savvy chairman (and he ain't the richest) but he does love the club and desperately wants to see it win some silverware 

 

We've got some exceptional young players here (Martins, Milner, N'Zogbia) and some seasoned pros (Owen, Dyer, Duff [he'll come good again, you don't lose class]).  With 2-3 smart acquisitions in the summer and a few more the year after, we've got a very good team.  The youth teams appear to be in order and there's every chance that we could produce the next Shearer, Gascoigne or even Carrick.  If we readjust our expectations, all get behind Glenn and give him time, we'll be back up amongst the big boys in 3-4 years... 

 

2.  The club is rotten to the core.  Fat Fred is sucking the marrow out of the club and only cares about his dividends.  Glenn is a decent coach, but a sh*te manager and he is unable to attract top players to the club.  His contacts in world football are non-existent and although he aspires to match Wenger's scouting network, it could never happen.  The squad is unbelievably sparse for a PL club and the club's failure to sign a left-back (ffs, anone would do until the summer...) shows how deep the problems lie.  The promising young kids who've been thrown into the deep-end have had their progress stunted and confidence shattered.  The infrastructure of the techincal and coaching staff is light years away from Arsenal, Chelsea and even f*cking Spurs!!

 

The club holds fans in utter contempt and have lied to us in the hope that we won't notice (they think we're all stupid).  There never was any money to spend as Souness blew it all on sh*te and Fred wasn't competant enough to see what was going to happen.  The club are f*cked for money (thus, Ottmar Hitzfeld and the like were never approached) and Glenda is all we can afford.  Fred has lied to Glenn and is keeping him in the dark (as he did with SBR) but Glenn hasn't got the balls to stand up to him.  We won't sign anyone of any note in the summer as no one wants to join a sinking ship... 

 

Of the two, which do you agree with most?  I'm feeling optimistic today so i'll go with the first one... 

With the way things are going, I'll pick much of 2 and some of 1.

 

The problem with the club is the evident lack of ambition. Its all very well mouthing off about European dreams and so on, but fact is, if you don't reinforce the squad when needed, you stagnate. Our state is worse. We seem to be regressing.

 

Onyewu's loan signing was the single positive from a transfer window that was open for a whole month. We appreciate it when Roeder is talking about how he 'won't be rushed to panic buy' and admire his conviction when he talks about how he intends not to burden the club with worthless signings.  But I don't know how long we can go on with the gaffer in this self-congratulatory mood. But we don't seem to have the stomach to haggle and strike a deal on players we want. LB and FW are crying out for more bodies, and we land a CD and look at an unknown Martinique international to fill the forward slot.

 

If reports that GR refused to sign Sol Campbell in the summer are true, then I'd hate to believe he turned him down because we already have Bramble, Taylor, Ramage and Moore and that we're 'building for the future'. Not too long ago, this club was challenging for a CL place. Now we're supposed to be content with 7th and 8th place finishes and a 'decent' run in the UEFA Cup.

 

If we're to seriously challenge for a CL berth in the coming seasons, then we need a good third striker. One who will be able to give Owen and Martins a good run for their money. Then we'll have to pack off Bramble as soon as his contract expires this summer and get a decent CD and see off Bernard and get a decent LB. We'd not be were we are had we had 11 Nobbys in our team. Carr contributes next to nothing during games and has to be packed off. Or we should at least get a worthy RB (Kris Gate will not do) and relegate Carr to the bench.

 

Above all, we should get a coach who makes the experience of watching the team play entertaining and worthwhile. Newcastle's inability to impose themselves in a match is costing us points. We retain the ability to knit together a well worked move that sees us score in a snap, but we can't play in bursts if we're to have higher ambitions. A new, dynamic coach is in order, but its certainly not because I have anything personal towards Glenn.

 

The future does not look promising.