acrossthepond

Scum. Ashley is feeding our club poison and every so often Dekka comes along to tell us what idiots we are, it's actually Turkish delight and we should be asking for more.

I think we will thrash them.

Hall's only on loan. Harper/S. Taylor/Enrique/Guthrie/Jonas/Carroll/Lovenkrands/maybe Routledge are the only ones I could see being PL quality. Nolan, Simpson, Colo, Williamson, Shola (only because we'll never shift him) could be squad players. Smith, Barton, Butt, R. Taylor, Best are all worthless and should be purged as soon as possible.

Aye, he should have told FS to fuck off and he wouldn't accept anything more than minimum wage. Fair point, you could hardly expect him to turn down that kind of wedge but for that salary he owed us much, much more than he ever gave. We're well shot of him. Whiskey nose probably thinks he got a good deal and let's face it for a free it hasn't been bad business, but I hardly think Owen is still the kind of calibre of player Man U would expect (like most of SAF's recent purchases.)

The Zog definitely had the skills to make it but he suffered from poor management here. SBR signed him and would've made him a star. He even did ok under Souness, but after that he got dropped and never really had a prolonged run in the first team (in his preferred position) again, and the less said about his interactions with Kinnear the better. Of course being a sulky bastard didn't help, but I can admit that sitting on the bench or alternatively at LB and watching the lukewarm performances of Duff could've hurt his morale. He could shoot too - one of the sad few in our squads of the last 5-6 years who was properly willing to have a go. With him last season we probably would've stayed up. If you remember the goal he scored away against Boro (now I misremember it myself - was it last season or the season before?) there was the evidence of a player who really could change the game (an ability most of us misattributed to Martins because of 'that goal' against Spurs). I could have seen him performing a moment of magic in hopeless games such as Fulham at home, Portsmouth at home, etc. I couldn't see really anyone else in our squad last season being able to do that. But of course we sold him to fund cloggers such as Nolan and the rest is history. I'd have him back, ego and all.

I think a simple 'Dear Dekka, go fuck yourself and your fat mate', would surfice tbh. I don't know, that doesn't sound too reasonable to me.

Ashley is a forward-thinking businessman who's just trying to run the club in a modern fashion. Criticising him will only disrupt his plans. We should all unite behind him as he rebuilds the club from the tea lady up.

Inspector Fish, you deserve a promotion. CT is a tiresome fellow on many levels and his Jonas obsession is almost as bad as Gemmill's Martins one. Jonas is not what he was hyped to be, but he contributes a lot to our team that the rest of our squad simply are not capable of doing. I remember several games where he had an absolute field day against the opposing right back - . Would I like to have someone better? Yes. Would I prefer to still have Milner? Yes. But considering the state we're in, he's one of the better players in the side. Why didn't Mike buy us a better winger if Jonas is so shite? By the same token, why did he buy him in the first place if he's so shite? Oh, I know, because he was supposedly going to be on a free so Ashley could replace Milner and still make a profit (all for the good of NUFC and nothing to do with filling his own pockets of course.) Too bad that didn't work out either and we ended up paying for him as well, all thanks to the expert scouting staff employed by Ashley.

How am I a mug? I told people what was happening, that PUMA would be taking over, they did, I was told at the end of the deal adidas were ditching us, I presumed it was the end of the 09 season, I was wrong. Next time I get exclusive info, I'll pm good cunts and that's it. You give people information you think they'll be interested in and you get it thrown in your face. By the way, calling someone a mug doesn't work in a yank accent. "You murg". Your info was good. I believe you legitimately did know that Puma would be taking over making our kits after Adidas dropped us. The reason you're a mug is that you edited the post to make it seem as though your info was 100% perfect and you were an ITK god. It's hilarious that you would be so concerned with your image on this forum that you would do something so pointless that would never have even worked anyway considering the quotes were already there. Maybe you'd like to explain why you decided to edit the OP? I look forward to a legitimate non-mug reason but I doubt it will be forthcoming.

What an absolute mug. I mean that is truly comical. But yes, that Italy shirt is absolute shit. I hate all of this imprinted image nonsense, looks like cheap charva crap.

Isn't that what we said when he went down with Charlton? I agree that Burnley and Portsmouth are nailed on and I just can't see SAFC being the third worst team. Wigan may be this year's Hull and Bolton or Wolves will go down.

He'll last six months or so. Nice to see him deserting the sinking ship that is Palace the same as he deserted Sheff U

based on what evidence though? one not completely awful transfer window and the fact we're leading an absolutely terrible league? Based on the voices in his head on current evidence. CT, you say you "feel confident." Can you describe what gives you this feeling of confidence? You aren't worried at all that Hughton is obviously not going to cut it in the Premier League and so therefore his "plans on the go" will not be sufficient to make sure we don't go straight back down? See reply to Andrew. Successful entrepeneurs can be gamblers and can fuck up, but they usually learn pretty quickly. I think he has now decided to be hands on with regard to decision making and the mistakes of previous seasons wont be repeated. There is no evidence of this, only an opinion based on working with some very successful retail people. With regard to Hughton, none of us know whether he will cut it or not. He is very highly thought of as a coach and has done very well this season, particularly bearing all the off field distractions etc etc. He has handled the press well and let the results do the talking. The circus club and usual stories have not got off the ground under him. He also imo makes very good substitutions. Apart from a handful of quality managers, the rest of the possibles are a big big gamble as we know only too well.... Strachan at boro, Bruce at Sunderland...Each a short time ago would have been considered a much better choice than Hughton. Honestly, I am really starting to think next year could be quite promising. I don't understand how Ashley being more hands-on is supposed to help - surely we'd be better off if he just employed someone who actually knows what they're doing and stood off the day-to-day (or month-to-month) running of the club? This is the bloke who thought giving Dennis Wise authority over a football club instead of Kevin Keegan was a good idea...what benefit will we gain from him being more involved with decision-making rather than less? No argument with your first sentence. He is highly thought of (as a coach) and has done well this season, although a bag of rocks would probably have got us where we are so far. He has handled the press well and has let the results do the talking. The problem is that the results have so far been overwhelmingly positive - which I think will not be the case next season. My point is that he hasn't cracked under pressure because there has been none, whereas in the Premier League he looked out of his depth - isn't that why Mike and Dekka decided to bring in Shearer in the first place, to steady the ship? Who was the captain when that ship was being steadied? Well, it was Clipboard Chris and his buddy Calderwood, who weren't up to the task and neither will they be in the PL next season when we have an even weaker squad. Substitutions, well, I'd say there have been some excellent ones and there have been some questionable ones. Nobody's expecting Hughton to be perfect. By their nature, however, substitutions mean that you have some quality options on the bench to make use of. I doubt that will be the case, if we continue as we are, in the PL. Certainly the likes of Pancrate and R. Taylor will not have the impact in the PL as they have had in this league. Your point about quality managers, well, that's just the "devil you know" argument that got us Roeder instead of the class managers who were available at the time and got us Hughton instead of the decent managers who were available at the time. I think people like Curbishley and Dowie would've been much better choices than Chris Hughton at the start of this season and I think he could've been kept on as a coach and continued to do an excellent job. Unfortunately now that he's been promoted no doubt he won't be happy with going back into the backroom staff if we ever do appoint a proper manager, so that's another asset of the club mismanaged by Ashley.

based on what evidence though? one not completely awful transfer window and the fact we're leading an absolutely terrible league? Based on the voices in his head on current evidence. CT, you say you "feel confident." Can you describe what gives you this feeling of confidence? You aren't worried at all that Hughton is obviously not going to cut it in the Premier League and so therefore his "plans on the go" will not be sufficient to make sure we don't go straight back down?

I dont understand this... Gutierrez will do fine Barton has ALOT of PL experience but also ALOT to prove. Smith ALOT of PL experience. Guthrie has a good amount of PL experience. Raylor good amount of PL experience. None of the above are fantastic footballers but should do a job in the PL. Im not saying that its good enough, it does need improving but its not as bad as some make out. New owner in and a cheeky 10mil bid for Rodwell and play him instead of Smith. Jonas and Guthrie will do fine for our ambitions next year. R. Taylor is a Championship player, I'm not sure Barton will even play 5 more games for NUFC (and he's worthless anyway), and the less said about Smith, the better. "A lot" is two words, by the way. As for CT's post, need I remind you under whose watch all of the players you rate as not good enough for the PL were brought in? For all you talk about Ashley running our club as a business, "lean and mean," you appear to be conceding that he's lumbered the club with dross. Parker, Milner, N'Zogbia et al may have been on mega wages, but at least they were Premier League quality. Now we've got no money (thanks to being relegated owing to Fat Mike's terrible decisions and the shit players brought in by the shit staff he employed) and no good - even decent - players. I know which situation I'd prefer. This transfer window brought us one potential PL player in Routledge and one player who might provide passable cover in the PL (Simpson). It also brought in someone who isn't even good enough for this level, let alone the PL. There were plenty of signs of planning for the short term, as evidenced by good loan deals so far this season, but there are little to no signs of planning for regaining our status as a Premier League club.

For me he can stay as long as he keeps a lid on his blatant racism. I never called for him to be banned or anything of the sort. I just think it's a bit pathetic how he's now trying to pretend that the entire board doesn't know who he is.

Stevie, just post as yourself man if you're going to post at alll. I've no idea why you stopped posting in the first place tbh but I admit have enjoyed the break... 'Pardon?'

Didnt he score a couple of neat volleys and a couple of placed finishes? He's not as bad as some people make out imho. He has still got alot to work on imo. Beginning with not thinking he's God's gift to NUFC. Oh, and cutting his hair ffs.

Aye, the half-time entertainment's over now. Back to the game, right?

Pardon? You're really terrible at this mate. Anyway, Alex had you rumbled within 3 posts, I'm just realising it now. How'd you know I was talking to you? I didn't quote your post or anything. 2bias posted before me...how do you know I wasn't addressing him? Who is Stevie, anyway?

You're not blatantly Stevie are you?

Got this (for PC) yesterday and am hooked already. It runs a bit slow on my laptop but it's the business and no mistake. I've heard it's properly long as well, not like these 12-hour-wonder 'top' games they seem to be spewing out these days.

Decent window for the Championship. How'd we end up in the Championship in the first place? Oh yes, it was the catastrophic failings of Mike and Dekka (and Dennis and all the rest of your chums.) I don't understand how you or anyone else can see past the fact that we went down because of Mike Ashley and his cronies. We would still be a Premier League club if not for them. End of. The outlook is not rosier. We are a league lower and instead of looking to advance in the league we were already in - that would be a rosier outlook - we are looking just to get back into that league. It only looks better because of how much lower we have sunk, all on account of Ashley. Don't you understand that "letting him rebuild our club" is what has led us to this point in the first place? It's like you have completely forgotten the agony of relegation and just how shit we were over the past season, the indignities of forcing out KK and replacing him with Kinnear, all of it. And now you talk about "rebuilding." Don't you understand that we only need to be "rebuilt" because his epic mismanagement has already destroyed us? Don't you understand that we aren't going forward under Ashley, we're only going back to where we were before him? And in a worse situation, I might add, since we will be even less equipped to compete in the PL in 2010-11 than we were in 2008-09. We're talking two steps backward for one step forward here. Didn't work out for the Soviets and I really don't think it's going to work out for us. But I look forward to reading what bollocks you'll be spewing this time next season when we are 6 points adrift and heading back down the drain - "oh but Mike's put us on a much better, more sound financial basis." A sounder financial basis for what? Surviving more relegations brought on by his own failures?

Class how Parky titles these threads. Throws the lure, you click just to find out what it is...and then are confronted with an OP of pseudo-scientific babble/Mayan end of the world/conspiracy theories. Don't ever change Parky man

I also agree that in the long term our top priority should be to finish top six and play in the Europa League. It's a nice dream to make top four but I doubt it will ever happen again unless something very fundamental changes in the EPL and in football in general. Obviously, that won't be happening for a while and we face a period of substantial rebuilding ahead of us, and if Ashley is in charge of that period - and for all CT's insistence that he wasn't responsible for bringing in Smith and his ilk on their high wages because he didn't sign their contracts, he has told us that he will be responsible for buying and selling players in one statement of his or another (Happy Face will know) - then we are probably going to face a struggle to survive year after year. Let's look at Fulham. They haven't spent mega money - I think we can all agree on that - and have been transformed over time from Second/Third division also-rans to PL strugglers and finally to European competitors and a high-midtable side, and they have accomplished that not by going for trophy signings (sorry Leazes) but by signing solid PL performers and by maintaining stability in the club, hiring a decent manager and giving him authority over his team, both in selection and transfers. Look at players like Aaron Hughes, who we once derided as not good enough for us and who's an absolute rock for Fulham. Players like Hughes, Abdoulaye Faye, Matty Taylor, James McFadden (or even, dare I say it, Damien Duff) who have been PL players for some time and have proven themselves at that level without costing mega money would be the kind of players we should try to target to help keep us up and to build on something for the future. Shite players like Best who are under 25 and could provide a sell-on value are not the kind of players who will keep us up, even if we are paying fees for them, and even if we do stay up for the first season on that sort of a transfer scheme, the long-term prospects for the club are extremely bleak under Ashley, and he is the only one who can be held responsible for that.