JawD

Nowt new. Getting linked with everyone left right and centre doesnt help. Well, actually it does probably help the club stop people sniffing around their targets. I reckon Ba and or Taylor will be next ones to be confirmed assuming deals are reached. Mainly as they are probably easier to negotiate. Doubt we'll see any other any time soon. You have top assume they have several targets for forwards though and work down the list. That position has to be a priority though. Would also be fucked off if Enrique left it until the last day to move away, not giving us a chance to react.

Motherfucking cool! I so want that book for my kids

I think that goes for Mr Micky Owen as well. Last game as captain? didnt he go down fighting...

Ok, Ill try and add some common sense to a flailing thread.. On Shearer managing us. WTF was he meant to do with THAT side in 8 games? Pretty much every pundit said he was mental for taking the role and he was destined to fail. The squad was in tatters after being strung out to dry all season by people like JFK. Then to come in and have to play some tough games. No one can say whether he will be a good manager or not. No one. Not even Shearer knows. To say there are only two kinds of management is bollocks. Its over simplifying it. He needs good staff around him but he will get from the off is respect. But thats only the first step. I've no idea if he'd do well or not. But I certainly wouldnt be naive enough to think he could be judged after those 8 games, whatever his character is.

I watched the program and listened to STP today on the radio talking about it. Hard hitting stuff but had to watch it. I like Pratchett and the way he comes across, especially faced with his own shrinking mortality. I completely and for "choice". To steal what the man says "who's life is it anyway?". However, there is always the problem of people being coerced into it by unloving family who want them out of the way "its for the best love".

Keep up lads

Somehow I dont think you can class Carroll being sold for £35M as "at the blink of an eye".

Based on some punters in Ireland sticking large sums on him. Malky Mackay is the expected appointment.

Stopped clock etc

I apologise JawD, I meant to reply to what you said earlier. I'll have another look tomorrow. Was the stadium a badly managed debt ? Most financial experts didn't seem to think so, most of us on here have a mortgage and make repayments based on revenues, earnings etc, so why do amateur football wannabe accountants make out it was some sort of deal with the Devil. What is their alternative ? Save the money up first ? I've asked people like Toonpack and Mad Jock [in response to what he asked me] this very question, and the result is neither of them answer and Toonpack has put me on ignore probably because he realises that he can't. Nobody on here is a football accountant, it would seem. If someone, anywhere, knew how to run a football club that is a success on the pitch and make massive profits to constantly buy the best footballers, how much would they be worth ? Mike Ashley won't run the club into the ground because as you say, he owns it now and its his investment, but this is all he wants, he doesn't want success on the pitch, but he can make a profit without having success on the pitch, and this is what he wants. It is easier, far easier, for him to sell good players for a profit instead of gambling and speculating on getting into the Champions League, and I'm afraid that is what he is going to do. Well, I dont think the finances were spiralling us into a black hole. Seemed ok back them the way it was being done despite what others will say now. But, that said, many are saying a lot of football clubs were pushing too far with debt and wages. The problem was more that if banks pulled the plug on their debt if they got nervous. I wonder how we would of faired if we were in the same boat when the banking crisis hit? I'd have been a little less comfortable. But, fact is we didnt go bust or whatever, we didnt collapse under FS so I agree with you here. It's just speculation and I'm looking at what has actually happened. So, while I agree with your (more or less) on this point, I've still seen little evidence (remember I'm looking at whats actually happened) to say we are a selling club supplying lesser teams as you said earlier. I also agree that I dont think MA has aspirations for the champions league. That was pretty much confirmed by pardew when he said he hoped that by us getting into Europe, it might make MA thirst for more. I kinda agree with that. I hope he does. I think at the moment thye want a top half finish. I still have in my mind (the young team, the managed debt, the lower wage ratio) is all to set the club up as a good prospect to be sold. MA will then be in an ideal place. If he is enjoying it he can keep it and if not, sell it. But he had to sort things out first to try and make it more attractive. I think he'll struggle currently because of his price. He wont want to lower his price and lose out, so the only other way is to increase it's worth. On my previous point though, I still dont really see evidence of us being a Bolton or Blackburn? Im not sure where you get that from. All the first paragraph I agree, wild speculation ie we would have done this, we would have done that, we didn't go bust, we didn't get relegated and we were an established top club who on the occasions we weren't in europe people were waiting for corrective action to be taken etc. Ashleys mouthpiece has said they will be happy with a top 10 finish, see my sig. Is this really good enough for a club like NUFC ? This is the goal of the smaller, selling clubs, that is my point when I talk about Bolton and Blackburn, who also sell their best players and replace with cheaper without giving their managers the money and freedom to replace properly and manage their own football teams and build a good football team by keeping players and improving what they already have. As KK said, the best day will be when he sells, although scarily there are people out there who could be a lot worse yet. Bolton would be happy with top 10, Blackburn would be thrilled imo. We want top 10 but does that mean we are the same as they? Again you mention this selling club thing but under MA, Im still struggling to see where we are selling our best players? Im not sure how you come to that conclusion? Carroll is one player at an obscene figure that could well turn out to be the money at the end of the rainbow if reinvested well (time will tell). I thought Carroll looked good for us but there is already ??? over the signing. Could be a masterstroke on our part yet.

Not yet they don't. Historically they have not, January they didn't, but by 1st September we'll see what they're up to but they do have a long list of players they'll likely ship out yet. The January numbers "add-up" due to Torres/Babel but this window will tell us whether the new owner is going SOB. Of course I expect some of the Benitez/Hodson deadwood will be shipped out as well. so headlines about spending say 50m will need to be netted. Well yes, really depends on what going out the door. At the moment we are only seeing incoming with high expenditure but this could just as quickly be reversed with sales. Or well lowered at least.

To cut through all the crap I'll highlight that what will be interesting is to track our progress v Liverpool. Numbers suggest they are spending well beyond their means. In other words as LM says they are speculating to accumulate. But it's a big risk. They are backing their new manager where it counts in a push to get back into the CL. If they do then their investment should pay for itself. They obviously seen enough of KD to suggest they think he can. We on the other hand dont have that confidence in Pardew and rightly so. Even when Liverpool were struggling last season they had a better base to launch from than we did. I do think you need to build slowly (I know you disagree LM). I'd rather we added the blocks on one by one. I run my own business and this is what I have done. Any time I have tried to push too hard it has usually bit me in the arse. I know football is different but a lot of principles remain. What should happen with us is that we bring players in that will improve the starting 11. If that happens we should reasonably expect and improvement next season over this. IE a top 10 finish. This largely depends on what happens the rest of this window. Two different approaches by us and Liverpool so will be good to see how it turns out. But if we dont progress there isnt a great deal of harm done (proving we are not relegated!). But if Liverpool fail the impact will be worse.

I apologise JawD, I meant to reply to what you said earlier. I'll have another look tomorrow. Was the stadium a badly managed debt ? Most financial experts didn't seem to think so, most of us on here have a mortgage and make repayments based on revenues, earnings etc, so why do amateur football wannabe accountants make out it was some sort of deal with the Devil. What is their alternative ? Save the money up first ? I've asked people like Toonpack and Mad Jock [in response to what he asked me] this very question, and the result is neither of them answer and Toonpack has put me on ignore probably because he realises that he can't. Nobody on here is a football accountant, it would seem. If someone, anywhere, knew how to run a football club that is a success on the pitch and make massive profits to constantly buy the best footballers, how much would they be worth ? Mike Ashley won't run the club into the ground because as you say, he owns it now and its his investment, but this is all he wants, he doesn't want success on the pitch, but he can make a profit without having success on the pitch, and this is what he wants. It is easier, far easier, for him to sell good players for a profit instead of gambling and speculating on getting into the Champions League, and I'm afraid that is what he is going to do. Well, I dont think the finances were spiralling us into a black hole. Seemed ok back them the way it was being done despite what others will say now. But, that said, many are saying a lot of football clubs were pushing too far with debt and wages. The problem was more that if banks pulled the plug on their debt if they got nervous. I wonder how we would of faired if we were in the same boat when the banking crisis hit? I'd have been a little less comfortable. But, fact is we didnt go bust or whatever, we didnt collapse under FS so I agree with you here. It's just speculation and I'm looking at what has actually happened. So, while I agree with your (more or less) on this point, I've still seen little evidence (remember I'm looking at whats actually happened) to say we are a selling club supplying lesser teams as you said earlier. I also agree that I dont think MA has aspirations for the champions league. That was pretty much confirmed by pardew when he said he hoped that by us getting into Europe, it might make MA thirst for more. I kinda agree with that. I hope he does. I think at the moment thye want a top half finish. I still have in my mind (the young team, the managed debt, the lower wage ratio) is all to set the club up as a good prospect to be sold. MA will then be in an ideal place. If he is enjoying it he can keep it and if not, sell it. But he had to sort things out first to try and make it more attractive. I think he'll struggle currently because of his price. He wont want to lower his price and lose out, so the only other way is to increase it's worth. On my previous point though, I still dont really see evidence of us being a Bolton or Blackburn? Im not sure where you get that from.

Something I'm not getting LM, what best players are you on about we have sold to teams lesser than us? I can think of maybe Milner to Villa? I agree every club has debts. It's how those debts are managed. I had no problem with how FS was running the club. I didnt think about finances (who did then?). But, my understanding is we are running in debt? I think of this window differently. I think MA without the sale of Carroll would have still given cash for transfers. Maybe £10M + any sales. I think he has actually SAVED his £10M and just let Pardew have the Carroll money (including wages and new contracts etc). I'd have liked to see him also give him the £10M (assuming it existed). Anyway, thats getting off the point a bit. There is a shit load MA has got wrong, I dont like him and I like his puppet (DL) even less. I think he will fuck the fans over without a blink of the eye. But, I dont think he will run the club into the ground and it's his investment. It has to work or he loses out.

I realise you are trying to be more sensible than the fuckwits/others [or some of them] but where do you find another Arsene Wenger ? And to say Arsenal haven't backed their manager when he thinks he's seen a quality player is also a myth too. Do you think NUFC should be competing with clubs such as Bolton and Blackburn, selling our best players to clubs like Spurs and Liverpool and replacing them with inferior players who in turn will not stay at the club long term even if they are the one player in 6 or 7 from this "bargain" basement who comes good ? Yes or no. On the first part, kinda backs up what I said somewhere else. It's not the amount spent but the manager who identifies a player and then the club back the manager and buy him. Arsenal have backed AW, hence spending £15M on Arshavin. Point is though, they have spent very wisely and off-loaded players as needed. My point here really referred back to your "penny pinching" point. If we are going for £5M players, Arsenal have brought in some fantastic players for that value and under. Finding another AW though? I agree its damn hard. But like I say, my point is that it is possible to build a solid team without always spending silly money. But, Id like to think (well ok, I hope) that when we finally get a team worthy of a top 7 finish, we may need to add one £15M player a season, backed up by one or two £5M players. To your second point, No. But I'll add to it rather than just meeting your yes or no requirement Selling our best players to Spurs and Liverpool. Which transfers did you have in mind? Carroll? Id have sold him for £35M, that was stupid money for an unproven kid. If they didnt have the Torres money no way would he have been valued at that. We had to take it. Who else though? I can't honestly think of another of our top players we have sold. In the same circumstance, I think Spurs and Liverpool would have sold as well. As for replacing with inferior players, again I can only look at Carroll as that is all we have sold? That is a question I can only answer at the end of this window (fucking stupid idea selling him when we did, we should have tried to hold on till this summer so we could replace. As it happens, it didnt harm us in the end as we stayed up. big risk though). I honestly dont think we are competing with Bolton and Blackburn and I think we'll finish above both next season? This said, I dont think we are competing with Spurs or Liverpool either. But we should be building towards that. Should be. Let's see. Alan Kennedy, Terry MacDermott, Peter Beardsley, Chris Waddle, Paul Gascoigne, David Ginola, Sebastian Bassong. Hmm. You knew what I meant.

I reckon we might see someone like Ba. Prob easier to wrap up.

I realise you are trying to be more sensible than the fuckwits/others [or some of them] but where do you find another Arsene Wenger ? And to say Arsenal haven't backed their manager when he thinks he's seen a quality player is also a myth too. Do you think NUFC should be competing with clubs such as Bolton and Blackburn, selling our best players to clubs like Spurs and Liverpool and replacing them with inferior players who in turn will not stay at the club long term even if they are the one player in 6 or 7 from this "bargain" basement who comes good ? Yes or no. On the first part, kinda backs up what I said somewhere else. It's not the amount spent but the manager who identifies a player and then the club back the manager and buy him. Arsenal have backed AW, hence spending £15M on Arshavin. Point is though, they have spent very wisely and off-loaded players as needed. My point here really referred back to your "penny pinching" point. If we are going for £5M players, Arsenal have brought in some fantastic players for that value and under. Finding another AW though? I agree its damn hard. But like I say, my point is that it is possible to build a solid team without always spending silly money. But, Id like to think (well ok, I hope) that when we finally get a team worthy of a top 7 finish, we may need to add one £15M player a season, backed up by one or two £5M players. To your second point, No. But I'll add to it rather than just meeting your yes or no requirement Selling our best players to Spurs and Liverpool. Which transfers did you have in mind? Carroll? Id have sold him for £35M, that was stupid money for an unproven kid. If they didnt have the Torres money no way would he have been valued at that. We had to take it. Who else though? I can't honestly think of another of our top players we have sold. In the same circumstance, I think Spurs and Liverpool would have sold as well. As for replacing with inferior players, again I can only look at Carroll as that is all we have sold? That is a question I can only answer at the end of this window (fucking stupid idea selling him when we did, we should have tried to hold on till this summer so we could replace. As it happens, it didnt harm us in the end as we stayed up. big risk though). I honestly dont think we are competing with Bolton and Blackburn and I think we'll finish above both next season? This said, I dont think we are competing with Spurs or Liverpool either. But we should be building towards that. Should be.

Happy Birthday!

Id agree totally. It's not the value spent its the quality of players (not their fee) and how well they fit into the team. Man City a shining example of this.

LM, you are going on about Liverpools transfer style being the right way (while I would argue they are taking massive risks spending £35M on Carroll and £20M on Henderson - too risky a gamble for me). But have you looked at Arsenal? They spend £10-£14M on the odd occasion and often spend £4-5M on players as well. More often than not though they have net surplus after the window closes having sold players. Here is the list Here is also a net spend table which makes interesting reading. What you would expect to see is the higher the transfer fees the more success? Table and another one, since 2006 a table of net spend. Again, would you expect to see higher payers at the top and visa versa? To support your argument, we are bottom, 20th in net spend. Despite being a current mid table side. But Arsenal are 2nd bottom? Man City waaaaay out in first yet havent won the league. Net spend table Stats eh

Watched that with the kids today, I wasnt that impressed. Bit too "nice". Now Megamind on the other hand I watched yesterday, was class.