What, for you, has been Newcastle's WORST Premiership season?

[Dokko]

NE5

 

we won't even get into the intertoto this year. Do you class that as progress?

 

do you honestly believe Freddie's only ambition is to surpass the achievements of McKeag?

 

the same mentality that thinks it is a divine right to progress...is the same as the one that doesn't understand that it is possible to get a worse board of directors...both views extremely naive....

 

What do you suggest they do ? Sack Roeder, and appoint a trophy winning manager, like Dalglish ?

 

 

 

Progress?

 

Just some thought would be nice, like allowing us to go another half a season with two left backs, one who hasn't played all season and looks likely never too (and this was determined by most well before the window even opened) and the other who has played one game in 4 months and that took his brother to die for him to turn up.

 

Fuking excellent board you keep sticking up for, we all know previous was shite but this one is comical considering the amount of resources available now compared to then.

 

When do smart decisions start to be made at this club? Under this board? Or maybe it will take someone else, someone who knows what they are doing.

 

As for Roeder, someone with a personalty would be nice, someone the fans can relate too would be a decent start, especially if they are going to be under qualified, under experienced and out of their depth like our man right now.

 

 

 

 

[Dave]

What does how much you are paid have to do with it ? If you want a change of board no matter what, then you have to accept they could be worse - far worse in fact - and if you are prepared to do that, then its not really a good course of action is it ?

 

But that's like not crossing the road because you might get run down, despite the chance of riches on the other side.

 

It's playing it ridiculously 'safe'.

 

It would be a gamble, nobody is under the illusion it would magically fix things overnight. That is lunacy. You just seem completely unable to see the possible benefits, preferring to be happy that we're better than we were 20, 30 years ago.

[Keefaz]

98/99 season for me with 97/98 coming close, in fact i would say end of 97 season and 98/99 season, was so depressing when we lost to arsenal in the cup final, I was in Gran Canaria packed out with geordies. They played High by The Lighthouse Family after the game, still makes me depressed listening to that song now. Only positive for me in that season was Hamann!

 

Tbh, the Lighthouse Family have always made me want to top myself whenever they're played.

[Lenny]

98/99 season for me with 97/98 coming close, in fact i would say end of 97 season and 98/99 season, was so depressing when we lost to arsenal in the cup final, I was in Gran Canaria packed out with geordies. They played High by The Lighthouse Family after the game, still makes me depressed listening to that song now. Only positive for me in that season was Hamann!

 

Tbh, the Lighthouse Family have always made me want to top myself whenever they're played.

 

That is very true, never a fan of them, but that song was just the worst because of that!

[Keefaz]

What do we think was the more depressing cup final: Arsenal or Man Utd?

[GM]

What do we think was the more depressing cup final: Arsenal or Man Utd?

 

Arsenal.

[Dave]

What do we think was the more depressing cup final: Arsenal or Man Utd?

 

1905 v Aston Villa.

[NE5]

What does how much you are paid have to do with it ? If you want a change of board no matter what, then you have to accept they could be worse - far worse in fact - and if you are prepared to do that, then its not really a good course of action is it ?

 

But that's like not crossing the road because you might get run down, despite the chance of riches on the other side.

 

It's playing it ridiculously 'safe'.

 

It would be a gamble, nobody is under the illusion it would magically fix things overnight. That is lunacy. You just seem completely unable to see the possible benefits, preferring to be happy that we're better than we were 20, 30 years ago.

 

Oh, I can see the benefits alright. Thats a bit harsh ....... I didn't say I'm happy either, I just have experience of the other side of the coin and believer me, it isn't pretty.....so I would rather not make the change unless I was certain.

 

 

[Dave]

What does how much you are paid have to do with it ? If you want a change of board no matter what, then you have to accept they could be worse - far worse in fact - and if you are prepared to do that, then its not really a good course of action is it ?

 

But that's like not crossing the road because you might get run down, despite the chance of riches on the other side.

 

It's playing it ridiculously 'safe'.

 

It would be a gamble, nobody is under the illusion it would magically fix things overnight. That is lunacy. You just seem completely unable to see the possible benefits, preferring to be happy that we're better than we were 20, 30 years ago.

 

Oh, I can see the benefits alright. Thats a bit harsh ....... I didn't say I'm happy either, I just have experience of the other side of the coin and believer me, it isn't pretty.....so I would rather not make the change unless I was certain.

 

 

 

We've just established that we can't possibly be certain though, so that implies you wouldn't ever take the gamble.

[Guest Invicta_Toon]

What does how much you are paid have to do with it ? If you want a change of board no matter what, then you have to accept they could be worse - far worse in fact - and if you are prepared to do that, then its not really a good course of action is it ?

 

But that's like not crossing the road because you might get run down, despite the chance of riches on the other side.

 

It's playing it ridiculously 'safe'.

 

It would be a gamble, nobody is under the illusion it would magically fix things overnight. That is lunacy. You just seem completely unable to see the possible benefits, preferring to be happy that we're better than we were 20, 30 years ago.

 

Oh, I can see the benefits alright. Thats a bit harsh ....... I didn't say I'm happy either, I just have experience of the other side of the coin and believer me, it isn't pretty.....so I would rather not make the change unless I was certain.

 

 

 

thing is your totally incapable of recognising the bar has been raised, you would be perfectly happy for 10 more years of non-qualification before even the slightest doubt entered your mind

 

and the intertoto isnt even qualifying by any footballing standard tbh

[Ally]

Ally, Ally.......I have posted on numerous occasions that age has nothing to do with it.

 

I think - really - that certain people on here shouldn't presume things so quickly ..... and I think YOU won't - you can only call it as you see it, it also isn't my fault that I have seen more than the younger lads, and without being patronising, why not listen and accept sometimes some things that happen in the past are relevant ?

 

I know its relevant, and of course having seen the club over a longer spell you've experienced more. We've been spoilt as young fans over the past 15 years, and I appreciate that you've been through some harder times as a fan through relegation etc, but that doesn't make anyone else's opinion less valid.

 

My Dad is 56 (similar age to you?) supported the team since he was a kid, but he doesn't bring up the past all the time. The pre 1990s board was dreadful and the word McKeag is a swear word in our house, but he will still criticise the current lot if need be. They might be better now than the old regime, but that doesn't make them good or immune from criticism. You wouldn't say that Babayaro is a good player just because you've seen worse left backs in the 70s, 80s etc, would you?

 

That might have lost coherence, but hope the point comes out.

 

 

Fair post, but I knew you would make a fair post. I still criticise the board, appointing Souness was a huge mistake as most of us know, although there are still some people around who defend his decision to sell Bellamy. How can anybody say we would not be better off if he was still here ? Amazing.

 

Babayaro is obviously a weak link in the team, and like a lot of people, and your dad, I would tell you the good left backs and the not so good ones and the poor ones. He would be in the middle section in my opinion.

 

You shouldn't really misinterpret my comments about the possibility of replacing the current board with an inferior one to mean anything other than what they say, because it is precisely what it means. It's only because people like me have seen worse directors that we realise such a thing is possible, I understand why some people may not see this. They should listen, its just common sense. If someone who supported the club in the 1950's told me something he believed and backed it up, I would listen to what he said. A bloke I know, told me that Bobby Mitchell was better than Tony Green. Now, I respect this blokes opinion, I don't believe him though  but nah....seriously, this bloke is a lifelong NUFC fan and if he thinks Mitchell was better than Tony Green then I accept he must have been special and I wouldn't argue with him about it.

 

Whatever. I hope you can see my point here. I know a few lads who are in their 20's just like you and they are as passionate about the club as anyone. One posts on here. But you can't disregard the past. People can either accept the club have moved forward a long way under the current major shareholders or not, but nobody else seems to think they can do better and appears to want to prove it either, so if they don't want to believe that, then there is really nothing else you can say.

 

 

 

Aye good points raised there. Good to see a reasonable conversation/debate with you in this thread rather the bickering that often takes place.

 

I'm sceptical of the Fred Out bandwagon tbh, as you say the grass isn't always greener. I couldn't believe how many people were disappointed the Belgravia takeover fell apart, what were they excited about? It was a very anonoymous approach, not even a single figurehead to it. Fred has had some truly incompetent moments, but whats to say the new chairman won't be an even bigger moron? Hell, even Souness is looking to try and buy clubs!

 

'You can't disregard the past', aye as a History student I should definetely agree with you there.

 

[Dave]

Good to see a reasonable conversation/debate with you in this thread rather the bickering that often takes place.

 

[Howaythelads]

What does how much you are paid have to do with it ? If you want a change of board no matter what, then you have to accept they could be worse - far worse in fact - and if you are prepared to do that, then its not really a good course of action is it ?

 

But that's like not crossing the road because you might get run down, despite the chance of riches on the other side.

 

It's playing it ridiculously 'safe'.

 

It would be a gamble, nobody is under the illusion it would magically fix things overnight. That is lunacy. You just seem completely unable to see the possible benefits, preferring to be happy that we're better than we were 20, 30 years ago.

 

That's the first post along those lines I've seen from a member of the "board out" brigade, if you pardon the expression, like.

 

BTW being worried that replacing the board might bring about a worse situation doesn't mean I think the current board has made no mistakes, that comment or similar has been rolled out before and is as big a myth as gemmill getting the odd shag.

 

I'm certainly not happy at how things have gone since Souness even though we're still better off than we were 20 or 30 years ago. I doubt anyone is.

[Dave]

Fair enough HTL.

 

What are your thoughts on Roeder? Like I said before, you said you'd want Shepherd out if this appointment didn't come off. How close do you think we are to classing his appointment a failure?

[Rich]

Has to be 95/96 for me. My Dad certainly hasn't been the same since and I remember my Granddad being totally devastated by football from that point onwards, up until his death even he was never as enthusiastic about them again (and he'd been going since he was a bairn) not to mention the fact that my Great Uncle can barely bring himself to watch a Toon match these days, either, mainly because of that. I wasn't exactly old enough to remember the full impact that it had on the city/club/staff/players, but I've done a fair bit of reading/watching-up on it (there was a programme on ESPN Classic last night that touched upon it for 15 minutes or so with interviews from Terry Mac, Big Les, David Batty and others about Keegan) and it brought it all flooding back to me.

 

That season defines the modern Newcastle United, unfortunately. Still wouldn't swap it for some of the stuff the older generations have had to suffer, mind.

[Howaythelads]

Fair enough HTL.

 

What are your thoughts on Roeder? Like I said before, you said you'd want Shepherd out if this appointment didn't come off. How close do you think we are to classing his appointment a failure?

 

Well I don't want to harp mate and the posts have probably gone unless you can dig them out. I actually mocked the idea of Roeder being appointed as caretaker and was slagged for it on the basis he has a great track record of working with young players. He always struck me at WHam as a wet fart at best. I don't think he's the right man but I do think that we couldn't go for a top manager with a winning track record like previous appointments because such a manager would have expected funds to rebuild that the club doesn't have right now. I think Roeder is doing a "fair" job of stabilisation and that is the maximum he's able to do. I'm actually worried for next season despite that, I think we could be in for a real scrap if we don't bring in some players and that's the problem, because I don't think they have the money.

 

If he doesn't get the club to the point where we're dictating some matches and winning them (which we don't seem to have done for ages other than the odd period of a game), get us to the point where the club is able to attract a good manager when the money is available again then that will be failure for me.

[OzzieMandias]

If you want a change of board no matter what, then you have to accept they could be worse - far worse in fact - and if you are prepared to do that, then its not really a good course of action is it ?

 

 

Forgive me for pointing it out, but it seems rather strange for someone who so strongly emphasizes "ambition" as a positive value to argue that play-it-safe inaction is the best course simply because the struggle to achieve something better is not guaranteed to succeed.

[Dave]

Fair enough HTL.

 

What are your thoughts on Roeder? Like I said before, you said you'd want Shepherd out if this appointment didn't come off. How close do you think we are to classing his appointment a failure?

 

Well I don't want to harp mate and the posts have probably gone unless you can dig them out. I actually mocked the idea of Roeder being appointed as caretaker and was slagged for it on the basis he has a great track record of working with young players. He always struck me at WHam as a wet fart at best. I don't think he's the right man but I do think that we couldn't go for a top manager with a winning track record like previous appointments because such a manager would have expected funds to rebuild that the club doesn't have right now. I think Roeder is doing a "fair" job of stabilisation and that is the maximum he's able to do. I'm actually worried for next season despite that, I think we could be in for a real scrap if we don't bring in some players and that's the problem, because I don't think they have the money.

 

If he doesn't get the club to the point where we're dictating some matches and winning them (which we don't seem to have done for ages other than the odd period of a game), get us to the point where the club is able to attract a good manager when the money is available again then that will be failure for me.

 

Do you think Roeder should be given money (if there is any) to spend in the summer then? I'm not so sure. In my opinion - and this is entirely dependant on there being funds to entice a better manager - we should thank him for saving us exploding and sliding into relegation and move on. He's done a decent job as you say, but i'm completely unconvinced that he can take us further than lower/mid-table on a regular basis. I just think it's beyond him as a manager despite his best efforts. If the money's not there though we're pretty much snookered for now.

 

Your post on Shepherd/failure is here btw, in case you thought I was being arsey: http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=21421.msg398634#msg398634

[Howaythelads]

Fair enough HTL.

 

What are your thoughts on Roeder? Like I said before, you said you'd want Shepherd out if this appointment didn't come off. How close do you think we are to classing his appointment a failure?

 

Well I don't want to harp mate and the posts have probably gone unless you can dig them out. I actually mocked the idea of Roeder being appointed as caretaker and was slagged for it on the basis he has a great track record of working with young players. He always struck me at WHam as a wet fart at best. I don't think he's the right man but I do think that we couldn't go for a top manager with a winning track record like previous appointments because such a manager would have expected funds to rebuild that the club doesn't have right now. I think Roeder is doing a "fair" job of stabilisation and that is the maximum he's able to do. I'm actually worried for next season despite that, I think we could be in for a real scrap if we don't bring in some players and that's the problem, because I don't think they have the money.

 

If he doesn't get the club to the point where we're dictating some matches and winning them (which we don't seem to have done for ages other than the odd period of a game), get us to the point where the club is able to attract a good manager when the money is available again then that will be failure for me.

 

Do you think Roeder should be given money (if there is any) to spend in the summer then? I'm not so sure. In my opinion - and this is entirely dependant on there being funds to entice a better manager - we should thank him for saving us exploding and sliding into relegation and move on. He's done a decent job as you say, but i'm completely unconvinced that he can take us further than lower/mid-table on a regular basis. I just think it's beyond him as a manager despite his best efforts. If the money's not there though we're pretty much snookered for now.

 

Your post on Shepherd/failure is here btw, in case you thought I was being arsey: http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=21421.msg398634#msg398634

 

I know exactly what I said about Shepherd/failure, I used to have it in my sig until I changed to gemmill hilariously abusing other members and getting away with it.

 

You said it in your post, if there is enough money to attract a better manager I think I'd go for it. If we don't I think we're in for a battle next season to stay up if things don't change. Some of this depends on the fitness of Owen, of course. There's a definite limit (and it's not very high) for what can be achieved with what was left by Souness, but I think we could be doing slightly better with a better manager than we are now and next season that could make the difference.

 

I've been having some radical thoughts lately about how the club could possibly improve slightly without breaking the bank and therefore perhaps getting into a position to attract that new and better quality manager. I may post it sometime when I'm going to be away for awhile.

[Dave]

Armed kidnap?

[Howaythelads]

Armed kidnap?

 

[Guest Brazilianbob]

I have gone for 04/05 season, because I don't think we are as bad this season as some would have you believe.

 

Why?  because Owen and Ameobi are both injured.  If we accept that Owen will come back just as good as ever and that Ameobi will score a decent enough quota of goals, we have to look at where we could have been this season with those goals.

 

If you accept that between them, Owen and Ameobi may have contributed another 20 goals between them to our current total, that could mean the difference between us winning 5 games and drawing another 5 that we have actually los, and would have given us a further points haul of 20.  Add that to our current total of 37 points and we are sitting in 3rd spot with 57 points, 2 points ahead of Arsenal on 55 points, but they would have a game in hand.

 

It's not all doom and gloom! If we were to add a couple of quality full backs to the squad and one or two decent centre backs I think we will be firmly established in the top four next season. 

[biggs]

the last 3 seasons in recent years and before that after supermac left i guess everything up until keegan joined as a player.

[Baggio]

I've been having some radical thoughts lately about how the club could possibly improve slightly without breaking the bank and therefore perhaps getting into a position to attract that new and better quality manager.

 

I'll look forward to reading that.

[Lenny]

I have gone for 04/05 season, because I don't think we are as bad this season as some would have you believe.

 

Why?  because Owen and Ameobi are both injured.  If we accept that Owen will come back just as good as ever and that Ameobi will score a decent enough quota of goals, we have to look at where we could have been this season with those goals.

 

If you accept that between them, Owen and Ameobi may have contributed another 20 goals between them to our current total, that could mean the difference between us winning 5 games and drawing another 5 that we have actually los, and would have given us a further points haul of 20.   Add that to our current total of 37 points and we are sitting in 3rd spot with 57 points, 2 points ahead of Arsenal on 55 points, but they would have a game in hand.

 

It's not all doom and gloom! If we were to add a couple of quality full backs to the squad and one or two decent centre backs I think we will be firmly established in the top four next season. 

I see what your saying but I dont think it would really work like that. I think its silly to think that we wouldnt be points better off if Owen was fit but if you are starving the attack of service like we are then I dont think it matters who you have up there. We haven't looked like a team this season, even when we win most of our play has been very gritty with no fluidity. The only good football I recall seeing this season is the 1st 45 against Alkmaar at SJP where we saw what we are capable of.