Fantastic article in the NOTW by Martin Samuel.

[merlin]

That decision almost certainly cost us the game against Partizan Belgrade, and with it, 15m in revenue.

 

Simply cannot agree with that comment - the team we had on the pitch, irrespective of whether or not it should have been strengthened, should certainly have been sufficient to beat Partizan Belgrade.

 

One theory is that Shepherd waited for the result of that match before committing funds to the strengthening of the squad, and it is a position with some merit.

 

It's the only sensible way to operate. You can't spend 15m you don't have and expect to get away with it. We bought Alonso and Kuyt with the CL money, once we'd qualified for the group stage.

 

 

 

Is this why the Chairman was right to spend 17m on Owen, but also right NOT to support his manager prior to a CL Qualifying campaign....!!??

 

Owen was to be Shearer's replacement.

 

and as said, the team we had at the time should have been more than adequate to get through the qualifiers.

 

 

Owen NOTHING like Shearer - purely a chance taker, would never be able to hold the ball as Al did.

The story that he was Shearer's replacement is nonsense - Shearer's Replacement should have been Ashton, with a player like Owen playing off him.

Also, saying the existing squad was good enough for Qualifiers is just arrogance - it WASN'T - FACT.

You can never take anything for granted in Football - we lost on Pens at HOME - enough said.

[Offshore]

That decision almost certainly cost us the game against Partizan Belgrade, and with it, 15m in revenue.

 

Simply cannot agree with that comment - the team we had on the pitch, irrespective of whether or not it should have been strengthened, should certainly have been sufficient to beat Partizan Belgrade.

 

One theory is that Shepherd waited for the result of that match before committing funds to the strengthening of the squad, and it is a position with some merit.

 

It's the only sensible way to operate. You can't spend 15m you don't have and expect to get away with it. We bought Alonso and Kuyt with the CL money, once we'd qualified for the group stage.

 

 

 

Is this why the Chairman was right to spend 17m on Owen, but also right NOT to support his manager prior to a CL Qualifying campaign....!!??

 

Owen was to be Shearer's replacement.

 

and as said, the team we had at the time should have been more than adequate to get through the qualifiers.

 

 

Owen NOTHING like Shearer - purely a chance taker, would never be able to hold the ball as Al did.

The story that he was Shearer's replacement is nonsense - Shearer's Replacement should have been Ashton, with a player like Owen playing off him.

Also, saying the existing squad was good enough for Qualifiers is just arrogance - it WASN'T - FACT.

You can never take anything for granted in Football - we lost on Pens at HOME - enough said.

 

The fact that Owen is not the same type of player as Shearer is neither here nor there......he was bought as Shearer's replacement,

 

I agree you can't take anything for granted in football, but the squad we did have then 'should' have been more than capable to not go out at home to Partizan. That is not arrogance, it is widely held opinion.