RlCO

£15m is a paper quote, secondly, that ish bit included money we were yet to recieve for Woodgate. This is nowhere near the classification of 'good business', not in football terms or money terms. Selling Dyer is good business. Sacking Souness is good business. Improving the team to improve revenues is good business.

Money is irrevelevant, I'd be amazed if Owen was sold for pure money reasons. The only reason Owen might leave is if Allardyce actually really doesn't like him... #1. I agree with completely. Would I have 15mil for Owen? Like many others, I would. (Or, yes, Martins, I don't love him that much...) Are we so desperate for the money that we'd need to sell him? I don't think so. #2. This is the only reason he might be sold... not sure if it's the only reason he might leave. Of course money is relevant and it's naive to think it isn't, whether we're owned by a billionaire or not it doesn't take away from the fact the club is being ran as a business, no other business would turn down £15 million for a player who could possibly leave in the summer for alot less if we don't qualify for Europe due to a buy out clause, or even for free in 18 months time. Woodgate is proof that the club will cash in on a player if they feel financially it's the best time to sell, we may have Mort here now but I'd be surprised if he didn't do the same. We've been down this road before, you seem obsessed with money. On absolutely no account would Owen be sold for financial reasons, everything I've read from Mort and everything he's done so far confirms that to me. If he was sold for money reasons alone it would be a disgrace, and show an alarming precedent from the new regime. I'm not obsessed with money, it's called being realistic which is what happens when a club is being ran as a business. Realistically we would never get a chance to get £15 million for Owen again, if we don't qualify for Europe what would his buy out clause drop to? The club should offer him a new contract and if he refuses to sign it then cash in on him in January. Ashley has just pumped in nearly £200m for the cause of making this a succesfull club. Do you seriously think he's going to sell the best footballer on the books just to claw back £15m? But the £200 million he's spent is still there, by wiping the debt off it will only add to the value of the club. Do you think he won't cash in on Owen and risk losing him in 6 months for half of that if we don't qualify for Europe? He's not Abramovich who seems happy to throw money at a club with little chance of getting it back, he's a business man and there is no way he's going to risk losing that sort of money. Do you think that attitude is the mark of running a succesful club, abramovic style or not? I can only think of Man U that actively sold good players, but the difference to us is they did it from a position of having a steady supply of better players coming in and revenues to buy them. Ferguson is on record as having admitted selling some of those players was a mistake. Yes I do. If we get offered £15 million for Owen then we would be idiots not to sell unless he signs a new contract, Allardyce will realise he has a better chance of replacing him with £15 million in January rather than £6 million or whatever his buy out clause may be in the summer, it doesn't mean we're not being run properly, it means we realise we're getting the best possible deal that will likely be available to us. I'd be more worried about how the club was being ran if Owen were to walk away for half of what we could of got for him in January a few months later, do you think Liverpool were wrong to sell him for £8 million when they did or do you think they would have been better off letting him walk away 12 months later for free? Plenty of clubs cash in on their better players, we wouldn't be the first or the last. Liverpool were right to sell as he made it clear he was going to leave anyway, he's done nothing of the sort here, although with the attitude of yours that he could be easily replaced, and fuck off if you don't like it, I'd be right behind him if he said he wanted out. The fact is you've taken this 'the club is a business idea' way over the top to the complete disregarding of Owen's stated ambitions and the not too distant recent record of NUFC being unable to build a squad of good players without spending more than they recieve. If you think there's a player out there who'd come here that's better than Owen for his realistic selling price then name that player.

What didn't your mate Sir Alex clear that with you? Of course it was part of it, just watch Saha go at the end of the season. It's not just about speed, it's about strength in the knee on his preferred leg. Anyway discussing this with you is like looking for something worthwhile in the Sun, you don't get the club is a business, you don't get the most of us here understand he is the best striker at the club and you don't get that strength isn't about running really fast. So you claim to know why AF sold him, but I can't? That's a good one. Saha? Exactly my point, you are advocating his sale on predictions of the future. I know the club is a business. How do you increase revenues at a football club? Not by selling good players. Go and read some of Allardyce and Mort's comments if you are confused about their intentions and philosophies regarding football and business. And strength is now what Owen's lost, not speed? That's debatable at the very least. oh, and for the Sun comment, fuck you too

Money is irrevelevant, I'd be amazed if Owen was sold for pure money reasons. The only reason Owen might leave is if Allardyce actually really doesn't like him... #1. I agree with completely. Would I have 15mil for Owen? Like many others, I would. (Or, yes, Martins, I don't love him that much...) Are we so desperate for the money that we'd need to sell him? I don't think so. #2. This is the only reason he might be sold... not sure if it's the only reason he might leave. Of course money is relevant and it's naive to think it isn't, whether we're owned by a billionaire or not it doesn't take away from the fact the club is being ran as a business, no other business would turn down £15 million for a player who could possibly leave in the summer for alot less if we don't qualify for Europe due to a buy out clause, or even for free in 18 months time. Woodgate is proof that the club will cash in on a player if they feel financially it's the best time to sell, we may have Mort here now but I'd be surprised if he didn't do the same. We've been down this road before, you seem obsessed with money. On absolutely no account would Owen be sold for financial reasons, everything I've read from Mort and everything he's done so far confirms that to me. If he was sold for money reasons alone it would be a disgrace, and show an alarming precedent from the new regime. I'm not obsessed with money, it's called being realistic which is what happens when a club is being ran as a business. Realistically we would never get a chance to get £15 million for Owen again, if we don't qualify for Europe what would his buy out clause drop to? The club should offer him a new contract and if he refuses to sign it then cash in on him in January. Ashley has just pumped in nearly £200m for the cause of making this a succesfull club. Do you seriously think he's going to sell the best footballer on the books just to claw back £15m? But the £200 million he's spent is still there, by wiping the debt off it will only add to the value of the club. Do you think he won't cash in on Owen and risk losing him in 6 months for half of that if we don't qualify for Europe? He's not Abramovich who seems happy to throw money at a club with little chance of getting it back, he's a business man and there is no way he's going to risk losing that sort of money. Do you think that attitude is the mark of running a succesful club, abramovic style or not? I can only think of Man U that actively sold good players, but the difference to us is they did it from a position of having a steady supply of better players coming in and revenues to buy them. Ferguson is on record as having admitted selling some of those players was a mistake.

That's basically speculation, nothing more. He's had an injury that Ruud Van Nistelrooy got before he joined Man Utd. He's had an injury that Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo have come out of. I really don't get the 'overall game' comment, he's never had one as far as I can see. Money is irrevelevant, I'd be amazed if Owen was sold for pure money reasons. And as for getting Anelka, he signed a contract with Bolton at the start of the season, so it's quite clear Allardyce didn't want him. The only reason Owen might leave is if Allardyce actually really doesn't like him, which unless they are both total liars, is just rubbish. When did Rooney do his cruciate.... metatarsel Aye, because that's the injury you were on about. Yes it was. Hence the full stop. OK, sorry. But how is that injury relevent to what you're on about? I.e. effecting his game? It would be pertinent if another player had had two injuries like Owen but the metatarsal alone isn't really going to make any difference so I don't get the Rooney comparison. Well I'm not sure what you're on about either, but I don't think having those two injuries would affect his game, certainly not physically anyway. The point is all that was basically speculation as to possible effects, you'd be mad to sell him for those reasons. And to my mind, Sam would definitely have had him AND Owen, unless he thought he would make too much noise from the bench. No way would Sam think Shola is better than Anelka, and possibly not even Martins on the experience front. Ok, seeing it was my post originally, let's get the facts straight. I was referring to the acl rupture not his broken foot and as someone who has had the acl reconstruction let me tell you it is never the same. Rico your example of van nistelhorse is a bad argument because his game was never about blinding pace. That and his move to Spain which is a not as physical league has helped him. Taggart knew that and that's part of why he moved him on when he did. He got the best years out of him and then cut his losses. Owen has the intelligence but pyhsically he won't age into a Shearer or Hasselbank or a Viduka. I made no reference to reoccuring injuries just the major one he suffered and has recovered from but that will effect him at some point down the track. If RVN was peddled for fitness reasons that's news to me. And like I said, a 90% Owen is far better than we've had for years, I can't believe people are shocked that he can't run as fast as when he was 19. To reduce his game simply to 'he can run fast' you might as well sell him as Martins can do him in the hundred metres.

Money is irrevelevant, I'd be amazed if Owen was sold for pure money reasons. The only reason Owen might leave is if Allardyce actually really doesn't like him... #1. I agree with completely. Would I have 15mil for Owen? Like many others, I would. (Or, yes, Martins, I don't love him that much...) Are we so desperate for the money that we'd need to sell him? I don't think so. #2. This is the only reason he might be sold... not sure if it's the only reason he might leave. Of course money is relevant and it's naive to think it isn't, whether we're owned by a billionaire or not it doesn't take away from the fact the club is being ran as a business, no other business would turn down £15 million for a player who could possibly leave in the summer for alot less if we don't qualify for Europe due to a buy out clause, or even for free in 18 months time. Woodgate is proof that the club will cash in on a player if they feel financially it's the best time to sell, we may have Mort here now but I'd be surprised if he didn't do the same. We've been down this road before, you seem obsessed with money. On absolutely no account would Owen be sold for financial reasons, everything I've read from Mort and everything he's done so far confirms that to me. If he was sold for money reasons alone it would be a disgrace, and show an alarming precedent from the new regime. I'm not obsessed with money, it's called being realistic which is what happens when a club is being ran as a business. Realistically we would never get a chance to get £15 million for Owen again, if we don't qualify for Europe what would his buy out clause drop to? The club should offer him a new contract and if he refuses to sign it then cash in on him in January. Ashley has just pumped in nearly £200m for the cause of making this a succesfull club. Do you seriously think he's going to sell the best footballer on the books just to claw back £15m?

Money is irrevelevant, I'd be amazed if Owen was sold for pure money reasons. The only reason Owen might leave is if Allardyce actually really doesn't like him... #1. I agree with completely. Would I have 15mil for Owen? Like many others, I would. (Or, yes, Martins, I don't love him that much...) Are we so desperate for the money that we'd need to sell him? I don't think so. #2. This is the only reason he might be sold... not sure if it's the only reason he might leave. Of course money is relevant and it's naive to think it isn't, whether we're owned by a billionaire or not it doesn't take away from the fact the club is being ran as a business, no other business would turn down £15 million for a player who could possibly leave in the summer for alot less if we don't qualify for Europe due to a buy out clause, or even for free in 18 months time. Woodgate is proof that the club will cash in on a player if they feel financially it's the best time to sell, we may have Mort here now but I'd be surprised if he didn't do the same. We've been down this road before, you seem obsessed with money. On absolutely no account would Owen be sold for financial reasons, everything I've read from Mort and everything he's done so far confirms that to me. If he was sold for money reasons alone it would be a disgrace, and show an alarming precedent from the new regime.

So did you get your boss's job or did you skillfully manouvre a hated co-worker into unemployment?

We have 4 games before his trial starts - 2 days before the Liverpool game.

Not in the sense that he has a predisposition for injury. There's a subtle difference between prone to injury and historical bad luck. He's had two freak injuries, nothing in my opinion that suggests he won't return to form. And let's face it, at 90% he is still better than anyone we've had here for years.

Hence the RVN example. People keep saying he's injury prone, but when you break it down it's a crock of shit. But you said you were on about broken foots not cruciates.... I was on about both.

Simon Pegg doing a broad scots accent? I'll reserve judgement on that for the moment.

Hence the RVN example. People keep saying he's injury prone, but when you break it down it's a crock of shit.

Finally realised he can be dropped more like.

That's basically speculation, nothing more. He's had an injury that Ruud Van Nistelrooy got before he joined Man Utd. He's had an injury that Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo have come out of. I really don't get the 'overall game' comment, he's never had one as far as I can see. Money is irrevelevant, I'd be amazed if Owen was sold for pure money reasons. And as for getting Anelka, he signed a contract with Bolton at the start of the season, so it's quite clear Allardyce didn't want him. The only reason Owen might leave is if Allardyce actually really doesn't like him, which unless they are both total liars, is just rubbish. When did Rooney do his cruciate.... metatarsel Aye, because that's the injury you were on about. Yes it was. Hence the full stop. OK, sorry. But how is that injury relevent to what you're on about? I.e. effecting his game? It would be pertinent if another player had had two injuries like Owen but the metatarsal alone isn't really going to make any difference so I don't get the Rooney comparison. Well I'm not sure what you're on about either, but I don't think having those two injuries would affect his game, certainly not physically anyway. The point is all that was basically speculation as to possible effects, you'd be mad to sell him for those reasons. And to my mind, Sam would definitely have had him AND Owen, unless he thought he would make too much noise from the bench. No way would Sam think Shola is better than Anelka, and possibly not even Martins on the experience front. You didn't understand my question? OK. The only thing I could gather was that you thought those in combination affected his game, as I had only given examples of one injury per player.

The former? editor of the Sun was on Question Time last night, he didn't half come across as an absolute cock.

That's basically speculation, nothing more. He's had an injury that Ruud Van Nistelrooy got before he joined Man Utd. He's had an injury that Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo have come out of. I really don't get the 'overall game' comment, he's never had one as far as I can see. Money is irrevelevant, I'd be amazed if Owen was sold for pure money reasons. And as for getting Anelka, he signed a contract with Bolton at the start of the season, so it's quite clear Allardyce didn't want him. The only reason Owen might leave is if Allardyce actually really doesn't like him, which unless they are both total liars, is just rubbish. When did Rooney do his cruciate.... metatarsel Aye, because that's the injury you were on about. Yes it was. Hence the full stop. OK, sorry. But how is that injury relevent to what you're on about? I.e. effecting his game? It would be pertinent if another player had had two injuries like Owen but the metatarsal alone isn't really going to make any difference so I don't get the Rooney comparison. Well I'm not sure what you're on about either, but I don't think having those two injuries would affect his game, certainly not physically anyway. The point is all that was basically speculation as to possible effects, you'd be mad to sell him for those reasons. And to my mind, Sam would definitely have had him AND Owen, unless he thought he would make too much noise from the bench. No way would Sam think Shola is better than Anelka, and possibly not even Martins on the experience front.

I didn't mind the likes of Crystal Palace, you can hardly say they have fair weather support that you can maybe level at the likes of so called Premiership clubs Bolton or Wigan. And it was a London game we could be certain of winning and making the train journey worth it! Definitely time for a league shake up though, it's no wonder clubs like Derby can't organically grow a supporter base when you can go from Chelsea to Hull in one season. p.s. have a look at the bottom 3 in the championship: Norwich, Sheff Wed and QPR

That's basically speculation, nothing more. He's had an injury that Ruud Van Nistelrooy got before he joined Man Utd. He's had an injury that Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo have come out of. I really don't get the 'overall game' comment, he's never had one as far as I can see. Money is irrevelevant, I'd be amazed if Owen was sold for pure money reasons. And as for getting Anelka, he signed a contract with Bolton at the start of the season, so it's quite clear Allardyce didn't want him. The only reason Owen might leave is if Allardyce actually really doesn't like him, which unless they are both total liars, is just rubbish. When did Rooney do his cruciate.... metatarsel Aye, because that's the injury you were on about. Yes it was. Hence the full stop.

Eye of the Tiger, Shola, Eye of the Tiger

That's basically speculation, nothing more. He's had an injury that Ruud Van Nistelrooy got before he joined Man Utd. He's had an injury that Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo have come out of. I really don't get the 'overall game' comment, he's never had one as far as I can see. Money is irrevelevant, I'd be amazed if Owen was sold for pure money reasons. And as for getting Anelka, he signed a contract with Bolton at the start of the season, so it's quite clear Allardyce didn't want him. The only reason Owen might leave is if Allardyce actually really doesn't like him, which unless they are both total liars, is just rubbish. When did Rooney do his cruciate.... metatarsel

I'd say it's more than likely you are owed it than the payroll has made a mistake. On that basis I'd just make an off hand comment about it so you can at least say you queried it. The fact you queried it to the cleaner should not come into it

That's basically speculation, nothing more. He's had an injury that Ruud Van Nistelrooy got before he joined Man Utd. He's had an injury that Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo have come out of. I really don't get the 'overall game' comment, he's never had one as far as I can see. Money is irrevelevant, I'd be amazed if Owen was sold for pure money reasons. And as for getting Anelka, he signed a contract with Bolton at the start of the season, so it's quite clear Allardyce didn't want him. The only reason Owen might leave is if Allardyce actually really doesn't like him, which unless they are both total liars, is just rubbish.

I think naturally Legend status goes hand in hand with periods of relative success, unless it's in recognition of proper genius (gascoine, beardo)

These are my general views about acrossthepond's posts too. I never really cared if he was a dyed in the wool ex-pat Geordie or a well meaning yank soccer fan, the major point is he talks bollocks.