David Kelly

Have we been linked with him or is it just an FM wishlist you're making now Fish?

Defence wise we might be able to get by for a season with just signing one new, quality, centreback. If we just get rid of Williamson and get a quality player to play with Colo and have Taylor, Lacelles and Dummet as back up. I'm not saying it's ideal but you have to pick your battles and we certainly aren't going to have endless funds. It's taking a gamble that Colo can be arsed to recover some form but we've also seen Taylor play well at times when he's not injured. A new main central defender is key though so we need to be looking around the £10m mark. Leftback still isn't a position I'm completely comfortable with but I certainly do see some potential with Haidara and if he's got decent players with him (rather than Williamson) he might be able to push on.

He's definitely a better appointment than I feared so I'm quite happy with that. The fact that Carver and Stone are gone too is also a good sign. Whether or not the any of the other stuff (a board now 75% filled with football people, claims that we will actually make the cups a priority, investments will be made) is just more bullshit or an actual admission that what has gone on before isn't in the clubs best interests and things will change going forward remains to be seen. What I do know is the team we currently have available needs at least 4 players that can go straight into the starting 11 along with further additions to the squad to make sure players out of form or injured can be replaced effectively. Without that, we won't do much better than last season regardless of who is head coach.

He played about 20 games last season for Fiorentina. Only 10 in the league. Don't know if that's down to fitness or form.

Tomorrow? You're optimistic there!

The image I have of you is very similar to McClaren but just in a yoga position. Is that not right then?

Why anyone thought there'd be a fresh start is beyond me. Re Simpson, I know nothing about him but it is good that it appears McClaren is being allowed to bring the people he wants in. There's literally zero point in us having Penfold dictate who our managers work with.

It's this sort of lunacy, not Fish's inability to face the truth about our current state, that keeps this place going and makes it what it is tbh.

Given that Round was coach here under Allardyce and the football then was as bad as it's been the last few years I'm not sure I've got any confidence he's the right man for the job either like.

Clark may be a shit manager but he's a manager. Carver isn't even good enough to be considered a shit manager so I would say Clark would be better. I'd still not be in favour of it mind. Stinks of the usual job for a geordie shit rather than appointing the right man for the job.

"Providing he buys a ticket like the rest of you plebs!"

Record 7th wicket partnership for an ODI for Butler and Rashid. 2nd fastest ODI century for Butler after Root made 104 earlier. Surprisingly good batting from England for a change.

Charnley should have gone as well if Ashley was telling the truth about his plans. He's clearly at least partially responsible for the farce that the the last five months have been.

Of course no one would be happy if we signed no first teamers. But yet again, no one said they would be. Even with our stated transfer policy, it makes perfect sense to get a new manager in place before we start signing players (they have stated the manager doesn't have the final say but he does have a say). So we sort the manager out (not as quickly as it should have happened but soon enough to work on the squad before pre season starts) and then we move onto the players. I've never waited until I knew who we were signing to renew my ticket before so I'm not giving the regieme a thumbs up by doing it now. But even with exactly the same squad as that which ended the season, I'd be confident the product would imrpove. Not enough but certainly at least slightly.

Woodman won't be sacked. They'll be hoping he goes to Palace so we don't have to pay anything.

I'm not falling for anything. I think McClaren can get more out of what he's given than Pardew could (I'm not even considering Carver). Do I think he'll be given enough to get us that elusive trophy win or champions league spot? No I don't. Can I still enjoy the match again with those while still wanting Ashley gone? Absolutely.

Not one person has gone crazy supporting McClaren's appointment though. A few, like myself, think it's positive while not exciting. It doesn't change my opinion of Ashley or make me want him out any less but it gives me a bit of confidence that we'll see something that makes me want to go to the match again next season.

I said that myself about Moscow (well words to that effect). I also saw Bilic's Bestiktas take apart two of this country's supposed best teams in the Europa league and give Arsenal a very good run for their money in the Champions league play off. I would say that Bilic would be at least on a par with Garde in terms of reputation and how happy I'd be with him being appointed here.

He's been getting quite a bit right recently so lets hope he's on the money with this too. Would be a positive sign that we want to improve things.

Please don't use winning a friendly game as winning a trophy! And Bilic has a 55.16 win % including internaitonal football. Don't see any mention of him winning a cup like.

But we aren't an international team. McClaren has won a league and a cup with teams who had never done that before. Surely that deserves some respect?

Your sarcasm detector seems to be off today Fish. I don't think Garde's record is particularly better than Bilic though is it? McClaren has acheived more than both of them although it could be argued he has more failure than both too. I've not got any real problem with McClaren but as you say he's not exciting and doesn't suggest Ashley has decided to do anything different to what's been done before. But he's a much more highly regarded coach than we've had in a long time and even if he's got Carver and Stone working under him, he should be able to get more from what he's given than Pardew got.

Brothers in arms with wild animals! Is this some sort of Keith Lard thing you're admitting to here?

Very little (took Moscow to their lowest position in the reformed Russian league) but he's an exciting foreign coach so must be a better option than the wally with the brolly.