Isegrim

So you're partly defending Robson suggesting that Viana wasn't necessarily a bad signing (in that he is/was a talented player I presume), yet you're saying its Robson's fault his signing turned out the way it did? 58437[/snapback] Exactly. I don't want to start of another 'is he/isn't he left winger/defensive midfielder' argument but I think if he was given a chance in the middle he could've made it. 58570[/snapback] I disagree, yes Robson got it wrong by playing him out of position but if you look at Viana's last two seasons he has exactly set the world alight with his return to the centre of the pitch and I think SBR saw from training that Hugo would be slaughtered playing in the centre hence he used him on the wing in a damage limitation move when playing him. Isegrim as much as we all agree with your logic it has been obvious, as chayton said, that Souness is here for the season and only if the team looks like being in a relegation battle would he be sacked. It's obvious the fat man's geordie dream is only a season away and Souness is the tool to clean out the dressing-room for Shearer's reign. 58749[/snapback] Without signing Owen we would be in a relegation battle. How long does Souness contract run?

Well, when I saw the fixture list I said Souness will be gone after the ManUre game. And I still think Souness would have got sacked if it hadn't been for the negotiations which lead to the signing of Owen. Without Owen I think we would have 6-9 points less. Regardless of what Sheephearts plans are, when not having success then you are walking straight onto a point of no return. Losing against Blackburn for example would have been such a point.

Whoa! I've just started getting a funny noise when I turn my steering wheel to the right too. I'm taking it to the garage tomorrow because it's worryingly lout. Sort of a clunky grinding noise. 58550[/snapback] You just want another day off tbh.

Of course I don't blame Souness for taking the job, because it saved him from being unemployed. I blame Sheepheart for appointing him. Sheepheart also dwn't get praise from me for making the money available. That was just appeasement (but I also think that you actually cannot say that Fat Fred was keeping the powder dry anyway). The purchase of Owen gave him and Souness a new lifeline, because Sheepheart knew that an early sacking of Souness (which in my eyes would have been inevitable if we hadn't signed Owen) would have put himself under huge pressure as well. What hiring of backroom staff got vetoed so far by Sheepheart? Souness so far was allowed to make a couple of changes with probably only the reserve team being the notable exclusion. Btw, I think changing the club doctor was a good decision. If Souness had his hands in then kudos to him.

I admit that I am biased against Souness as a manager (not as a bloke). Though, I try to critizise him just for the things I think he is responsible. I would have no problem with people defending him with some valid points, unfortunately I rarely read them. That's why I am puzzled when people who I thought know about what they are talking (like you) come up with points that absolutely make no sense to me. Or with absurd comparisons. I don't blame Souness for spending too much money at all. It's the board's choice how much money the manager has available. I also give Souness credit for most of the summer signing. But I don't think you have to be a genius of a manager to spot the likes of Owen, Luque, Parker and Emre. But he did a very good job in persuading those players to sign for Newcastle. Well, I have been very critical about the club's medical staff in the past - even under Robson. So I don't blame him solely for the injuries. There was an interesting piece in one of todays papers (I think it was the Guardian) where Lampard talks about his record. He says that he has been free of any injuries, especially muscle injuries all the time, what is partly a case of good luck, and partly one of the right life style and preparations. I think it's the same the other way round. Newcastle have too many muscle injuries (hamstrings) that it can be based on pure bad luck. And I am a tad bit sceptical about these stories about the training pitches. Actually I don't have great faith in the coaching ability of Souness and his staff. Actually there are too many people employed who only got there jobs because of their footballing past and not because of their education. To learn about training regimes etc. is part of getting your coaching badges. So with a manager who doesn't have any, it doesn't give me great confidence in his knowledge about these things. Well, a manager is sort of responsible for teaching his players not to do any mistakes. You win together, you lose together. A manager gets credit for things player do right, but also for those things players do wrong. That's something I totally don't understand. Again, a manager is responsible for the team affairs. If the crowd isn't happy because a team that should easily be placed in the top six is languishing in midtable and playing very poor football then the crowd has every right not to be satisfied - and the manager is responsible. Yes, that's Souness and this Garraway slag who are to blame. Again this strange comparison to the days under Keegan and Robson. It baffles me when someone after the last 13 months can say that there is hardly any difference between the days under Keegan and Robson and the era under Souness so far. If the premise is right and the problems are more or less the same, then why were those two not managing teams that were languishing in the bottom half of the table?

The thing is, I was really excitedwhen Gullit came , and I actually loved his aim to play sexy football... ... then I had to realise that my former idol is just an incompetent tosser. I wish he would just shut up, so that I can eradicate him from my memory.

What does that have to do with anything? The recent Robson bashing from some people (NUFC.com included) is pathetic. 58251[/snapback] My point is that if you see above, Souness is being blamed for buying a crap player - I'm merely pointing out that if SBR had had his way, he'd have signed him as a direct replacement for Woodgate. But then again, if that had happened certain people would have a totally different opinion of him and base his crap performances on shit coaching... Fact that a lot of people need to get their heads around, we all know Souness is shite, but Robson wasn't that much better - otherwise we would have won something in the 5 years he was here... 58357[/snapback] I still fail to see what SBR has got to do with the fact that Boumsong plays crap under Souness and doesn't look worth 8m. Fair enough, SBR was interested in the player too, but we all know that he doesn't spend all his money wisely... So, SBR was (nearly) shite because he didn't win anything here. Wow, that goes straight into the line with your comment about the Keegan times being something like a disaster because of the inability of hanging onto a lead in some games. I want the old Chayton back. The one who posted loads of interesting things and whose posts used to make sense.

Tabloid twisting of another interview. http://www.zeit.de/2005/46/Hitzfeld_46 Hitzfeld only says that he had offers from ManUre, Milan, Real and Chelsea at different times in the past.

Not so neutral! 57489[/snapback] Huggel should get a lifetime ban for sheer stupidity... 57490[/snapback] Isegrim, what do you make of Magnin? He's been linked with us in a couple of Swiss papers and I'm not too sure myself. He's looked great playing for the national team - very solid defensively, dangerous going forward and his set-pieces are usually very good. I haven't really seen anything of him at Stuttgart though. 58002[/snapback] I don't rate him very highly. He didn't set the world alight at Bremen and I have seen him a couple of times for Stuttgart where he looks very committed, running down the flank but always wasting the final ball by putting the cross behind the goal.

I heard the rumour that the tyre burst when Gemmill entered the car as it couldn't cope with the weight...

Not so neutral! 57489[/snapback] Huggel should get a lifetime ban for sheer stupidity...

I'm just skipping through newspaper reports. According to Miliyet Emre attacked a cameraman.

That's why made sure I went into the office this morning just to make sure to be the starter of such an important topic before concentrating on other stuff. I knew Papa L. would start posting again...

The Turks won't take part in the World Cup next year. And as it looks it is the best for all sides concerned. Ugly scenes after when and after they failed to qualify. And Emre was in the thick of it. He could have been sent off during the game for kicking after a Swiss player. Also there was loads of fighting after the game with stewards, fans and players (according to Jorman and Swiss TV most notably Emre) beating and kicking the Swiss players and staff. One player had to be sent to hospital after he got kicked in the bollocks (if he is too happy to be sent to a Turk hospital I don't know)...

You obviously haven't seen Harry Kewell recently 57026[/snapback] Or never heard of Tim Cahill...

I just wait for Australia beating England in the quarter-finals now...

I'm really, really sorry SLP. R.I.P.

She had all the bits she's supposed to have! Here you go then - things that make you go "awwwwwww......." 55913[/snapback] Not may bottles in that rack! 55918[/snapback] The one on the right has got the right idea. Lou, your cat looks evil. If I were you I'd check that it has no plans on world domination. 56174[/snapback] Hmm, I think it is probably the only normal being at Lou's home (and with it I don't mean Lou this time)

He'll just call him Carl Cort anyway...

I was Bridget for a couple of days when the old board went crazy. The only time when I wasn't Isegrim was when I had to change my name to butthead because of lost bet with Cheyne (before he started taking pills) that reached back to the days of the forum on .cock.

Myself - I think I deserve a good kicking.

I know, I just looked for a reason to post this picture...

Why would anyone want two mediocre teams in the top flight? Anyway...

Who cares about lyrics anyway, they just need bigger tits and they will storm the charts in Poland...

yes. 55588[/snapback] So that this malarky has an end: Cruz Azul beat Tigres in a two-leg final. Next question: What was the nickname of Berti Vogts?