Kitman

Jimmy Krankie. Because there can only be one.

I think that's clutching at straws myself. I don't think we will spend more than 5 mill on a player and there's only 2 more to come maximum so we are paupers to all intents and purposes. Be delighted to be proved wrong

It's the way he advocates something as if it's never occurred to anyone else and as if he's known it all along. Let me know where you're camping CT, I'm sureI can organise a live fire exercise... Its called been friendly and thoughtful, qualities you seem to be very much lacking. I dunno, he strikes me as a decent human been

I think Bothroyd would be way too expensive for us. He's available on a free transfer, so the fees would be too much for us to afford at this time.

If a free transfer is so expensive, sounds like we'd be better off paying a transfer fee.

I can't remember shola ever holding down his place for a sustained period of time. Dunno whether more games would have improved his skills significantly but it can't have helped being injured as much as he has.

These 2 new signings better include a beast of a striker. We still haven't replaced Carroll. Would be nice to have someone who can head a ball in fact.

If Gejon won't eat his own plums, I don't see why you should take some punishment

Funnily enough I'm reasonably optimistic for the season, I just can't help myself. NUFC has a habit of trampling on hope but I'm still hoping we'll bring in a bitchin' striker and no-one else will leave. Just having some decent strikers after last season's post January dross would be something to look forward to.

Sometimes this place is priceless

I have to say it's might impressive finding the right bank statement from 2002 in your loft. What are the chances of that, eh?

Both, I don't care really. And as for the Scots, if they want their own sovereignty then let them have it. However no Scotsman should then ever be elected to the Westminster parliament imo.

The thought occurred to me but then I remembered Nacho Gonzalez and Xisco. Some of the latest signings could actually be good. I think Wise got the job because he knew Ashley and/or Llambias then got the push because he's a shit talent-spotter. I can't see him attending games without getting spotted tbh. He's cause an argument in an empty house. Yes, it's hard to see the attraction of Dennis Wise. Maybe he's a loveable cheeky chappy in person, like a miniature Terry McCann. Unless you're driving a taxi

The thought occurred to me but then I remembered Nacho Gonzalez and Xisco. Some of the latest signings could actually be good.

I thought you might say that In a literal sense I expect Llambias and his legal team sign new players. Aren't we talking about the decision making process though? If your question is, who is advising Llabias/Ashley/the board who to target, it's a good question. I expect that's Carr and others, I don't think Pardew is involved to any significant extent. If I could be arsed I'd go and look up the players he signed at West Ham, I wouldn't expect them to be like the playes you've mentioned. Happy to be corrected if that's wrong. My belief is that they've always wanted to split transfers away from the manager and they've done that with Pardew and all the previous managers. I think they'll be taking advice from someone on who to sign, would be interesting to know who that is. One for the conspiracy thread maybe

I think it's an interesting theory. It's speculative of course What you're actually trying to do is describe something really complex which is a relationship at the top of a big highly resourced organisation with loads of decision-making which is intertwined and interdependent. No contract in the world sets things out in specific terms (or if there is specificity its on one aspect of things). The balance of power and influence that Pardew has is a function of how effective he is at influencing the ultimate decision maker. Sir Alex does not set the MUFC transfer budget (as such a thing does not exist for one ) and does not sign off on negotiations. His influence is a function of him and his relationship with the chief executive and Glazers. Saying 'it works this way, it works that way' is just pure bullshit speculation on everyone's part. Its dynamic, evolving and usually based on developing trust and influence. Just like in every other commerical organisation in the world. Its called politics. You're reading way too much into it, Chez. I don't recall claiming it was a contractual arrangement, and that wasn't my intention. I was kicking about an idea ie pardew has fuck all meaningful involvement in transfers, he's happy to put up with that and that's probably been the arrangement from the get-go. Yes it's bullshit speculation but that's the nature of the forum, none of us have the inside track including you. Aye but its the quality of the speculation thats troubling. Reading the shite in this thread and then being told its ME reading too much into a situation is a bit much. I was just giving you my view too anyway. The implication of Pardew's impotence is that Dekka has signed Ben Arfa, Tiote, Cabaye, Ba and Merveaux in the last 12 months. No sorry, the scout went to see them and the Dekka made the decision. Half the time he's some thick as fuck casino owner, the next minute he is making the best signing in the premiership last season. Its like Ant and his arguments for ignoring Ba's or Merveaux's stats and saying we dont have a goal scorer but then using Erding's stats to say he isnt one either. Its cake and eat it time again. I would say the implication of Pardew's impotence is simply that someone else is framing the football decisions. that might be Carr, I doubt that's Dekka. I don't think I've ever called Dekka thick as fuck, just an odious cunt. However I wasn't speculating on Dekka's position, I was speculating on Pardew's. fwiw, I don't credit Dekka with signing the players you mention, but I doubt Pardew had much to do with it either, he seems limited to me in that sense.

I think it's an interesting theory. It's speculative of course What you're actually trying to do is describe something really complex which is a relationship at the top of a big highly resourced organisation with loads of decision-making which is intertwined and interdependent. No contract in the world sets things out in specific terms (or if there is specificity its on one aspect of things). The balance of power and influence that Pardew has is a function of how effective he is at influencing the ultimate decision maker. Sir Alex does not set the MUFC transfer budget (as such a thing does not exist for one ) and does not sign off on negotiations. His influence is a function of him and his relationship with the chief executive and Glazers. Saying 'it works this way, it works that way' is just pure bullshit speculation on everyone's part. Its dynamic, evolving and usually based on developing trust and influence. Just like in every other commerical organisation in the world. Its called politics. You're reading way too much into it, Chez. I don't recall claiming it was a contractual arrangement, and that wasn't my intention. I was kicking about an idea ie pardew has fuck all meaningful involvement in transfers, he's happy to put up with that and that's probably been the arrangement from the get-go. Yes it's bullshit speculation but that's the nature of the forum, none of us have the inside track including you.

I think it's an interesting theory. It's speculative of course

Happy birthday! Hope your twenties go down in style, kicking and screaming in a deluge of booze, drugs and loose women!

Lol indeed !

Plus we would have the expense of moving up his changing room peg. And that's as a minimum. He might also need his own 'high and mighty' sized shower and we'd have to have a look at the height of the home changing room doors too. Eh, Deadman?

Paddocklad is suggesting that Carr is acting as a sort of DoF, see above. I don't disagree with your analysis of Llambias, although I bet he enjoys calling the shots. The question is whether Pardew has much involvement in transfers in and out; as time wears on I've become more convinced he doesn't play any significant part in either, although I expect his opinion would be canvassed at some point especially regarding incomings and squad needs. It's inconceivable that he'd be totally in the dark but the Carroll episode suggests he knew fuck all about his transfer out, similarly he said consistently he'd like to keep Nolan, only to see him sold. He seems to be up to speed with Enrique and Barton's situtationa but that's possibly because nothing has happened yet. I suspect he's loosely kept in the loop from time to time but has no say in outgoings and probably very little on incomings. That's what the current situation suggests to me anyway based on his public comments vs what actually happens. Regarding his stubborness, it depends on whether you think he signed up to this way of doing things when he took on the job. If he did, he's got nothing to be stubborn about, imo. He'll be presented with the final squad on 31 Aug and he'll get on with his job in the meantime.

This is not only seriously offensive of the NOTW but it's also seriously breaking the law assuming a police investigation was under way at the time. Invasion of privacy, fraudently obtaining information, impeding a police investigation, tampering with evidence etc. And that's before you get into whether they've commited any legal offence against Milly Dowler's family by interfering. If this is true, I'd like to see whoever was involved lose their jobs, be publicly outed and go to prison, including those responsible for sanctioning the tapping. If the editorial/reporting staff know they have skin in the game other than relying on someone else's pockets to bail them out they might think twice next time. Wouldn't surprise me to see the press close ranks on this.