Kitman

The dressing room needs characters who understand the club. If we're not going to sign any, it'd be a big mistake to sell someone like Taylor imo.

Wuldn't surprise me if this is just O'Leary bigging himself up in the press. He's that desperate for a job I doubt he'd be laying down the law.

I think it would be a mistake to sell Taylor.

Makes sense, presumably Woy Hodgson knows him from his Blackburn days?

Did you get up early to post this?

I agree with you PP. Until it's entirely clear where Ashley is going with the sale, it's pointless protesting and could even be potentially counter-productive. Also it seems to me a comprehensive picket of his SD shops is going to be much more effective than a few charvas chanting outside SJP with the rest of the country pointing their finger and laughing at them. However I suppose if people want to protest that's up to them, it's still a free country so I'm told.

I can't honestly see the point of starting with Ameobi. But then I can't see the point of Ameobi either.

50-100 about that i reckon On that budget you'll be able to buy the club and sleep in Llambias' office.

Is a cockaroach related to a cockernee in some way?

To be honest I'm surprised you feel like this, isn't it obvious from most of the threads on here that the vast majority of posters think we're shit if not shitter? Absolute dog shit in fact as we have no manager, no money to spend, any decent players are on their way and above all we're owned by Mike Ashley. We can still laugh about though

I think the appointment of JFK would upset me more than werepig O'Leary. I can only see another spell of JFK ending one way.

Assuming this is the book value of these players, to my mind the value of the club would only diminish if the club doesn't get any of the cash. Otherwise you've just swapped assets of $24m for cash/debtors of $24m. Plus you've removed the high cost of their wages. Of course it depends on who (if anybody) you get in to replace them. If Dean Windass came in for Martins and Kevin Muscat came in for Duff for instance, as a purchaser you might think the club is worse off just because your squad was significantly weaker. I know I bloody would.

Yeah, surely if anybody signs it's either a purchase by Ashley or a purchase by Hughton. That would suggest either Ashley's gonna take the cheap option and keep Hughton on, or cheaper still and take over as boss himself! To be honest given his work at the club to date, I wouldn't be that suprised... I can picture Ashley saying to himself "I'll do it, how hard can it be? Who dares wins, Rodney". He'd probably have a better records than Hughton, to be fair.

This, for me, is becoming an increasingly moot point. I can't believe anyone that is/was a self made billionaire is that inept, I wouldn't be surprised if he's doing this intentionally. I don't believe he would intentionally depreciate his assets. I think there has been pride and pig headedness in his decisions, particularly in relation to Keegan, I also think he's been badly advised by his "mates". But I don't think he's set out to fuck us over just to get back at us, if anything I think he's reluctant to let us go because he wants to prove he can make it work for him. At the bottom of this, I don't think he gives a fuck about us, it's all about his pocket and his ego in that order. I have no evidence whatsoever to base my opinions on obviously. I would say the evidence is contrary to wanting success for us or a return to the premiership, and you need to build a hypothesis that best fits the known facts. Selling off our best players and not employing Shearer (who would immediately increase gate receipt if nothing else) makes no sense to me, except in the context he wants to piss us off and ultimately destroy the club, however preposterous that may seem. Maybe he's evil. An alternative theory is he's had severe cashflow problems, tried to flog the club and failed because he's too greedy/proud to accept a realistic price, and is now back for another go having fucked over any chance of us getting back to the prem due to his dithering. Who knows.

Sorry I was being tongue in cheek. I honestly can't see Ashley spending a brass farthing on transfers, and he's probably naive enough to think kids from the Academy can make up the numbers.

He's hardly played for us

agreed, bit rough round the edges, but a wonderfully instinctive keeper. better than harper in my opinion.... And Harper's getting on. Would you be tempted to flog Harper and promote Krul to No 1?

This, for me, is becoming an increasingly moot point. I can't believe anyone that is/was a self made billionaire is that inept, I wouldn't be surprised if he's doing this intentionally. I don't believe he would intentionally depreciate his assets. I think there has been pride and pig headedness in his decisions, particularly in relation to Keegan, I also think he's been badly advised by his "mates". But I don't think he's set out to fuck us over just to get back at us, if anything I think he's reluctant to let us go because he wants to prove he can make it work for him. At the bottom of this, I don't think he gives a fuck about us, it's all about his pocket and his ego in that order. I have no evidence whatsoever to base my opinions on obviously.

And watch Malbranque flourish with a decent DM next to him. It's not rocket science. Unless you're a 62 year old bullshitting lickspittle with a dodgy ticker who doesn't bother turning up to training? I'm not thinking of anyone in particular.......

Stands to reason there'll be someone in for Jonas and Sideshow Berb, on the basis it's a distressed sale so they'll cost next to nowt. Stumbling block will be wages but you'd think they'd want to get away.

Sigining anyone seems a waste of money when we have so many excellent kids on low wages.

that smiley

You'd hope this is just brinkmanship and bluff tactics to force a sale through. Unfortunately the indications are that the club will be off the market around the time the transfer window shuts. It's hard not be to be cynical about all of this. He can certainly expect a hot reception if he dares to show his fat face and I hope the bar staff piss in his beer for good measure.

Out of the gloom, a voice said unto me "Smile and be happy, things could be worse" So I smiled and was happy and lo Things did get worse.