Big TRon

Hilarious. Simon Barnes is my favourite sports writer.

How many poor man's Gerrards do we need? Didn't we buy Barton to do a shit job of impersonating Gerrard?

He looks like a fat toad now he's putting on the lard. Oh, and yes, he is a bit of a cunt.

yeah. Enrique looke ok too I thought.

or maybe other players were crap when it mattered in the league?

Sam's been a big let-down for the most part but I think he's found a good 'un here. Fantastic in defence tonight and did well in midfield when asked. He actually looks like a top quality player and Allardyce deserves credit for bringing him here for a relatively low fee.

Well the result wasn't a disaster, that's a plus point. Watching that though, I don't think it will be much easier at home. it's not like we are going to pass them to death, and I don't think we are going to out-muscle them either. That line up was too confused to do either tbh.

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcast...-name_page.html The Sunday Sun has us linked with Nolan. Doesn't mean much, but if there's any truth in it, Mort would be advised to keep the wallet closed IMO.

Jose isn't a fan of international management. He's on record as saying he thinks it's for old men. At the moment he would want the day to day intensity of club management so he was never going to take the England job. And he's not taking the newcastle job either!! But no one claimed he was. All I said was that IF he's still available at the end of the season (and that's a big if) I could quite well see Ashley making a big move to get him, assuming he has ambitions for the club we are led to believe.

Jose isn't a fan of international management. He's on record as saying he thinks it's for old men. At the moment he would want the day to day intensity of club management so he was never going to take the England job.

Well there was that run and cross against City that Viduka was too slow to get to, but that might have been a fluke like most of his goals to be fair. You really think he's good, don't you? No, I just don't think he's 'gash'. I would prefer Anelka or Drogba by a mile but...

yes...and he specifically said it was because he was going to be Bobby's no 2 with a view to taking over when Robson retired. The reason he turned it down was because he knew the old duffer would NEVER retire!

There's a lot of jealousy involved because the passion surrounding the club is something southern clubs could only dream of, and it's a big draw for real football people, especially managers.

Doesn't mean we've only got the £10m to spend should he go for that much. I don't think we'll be able to compete for Huntelaar, same as we are out of the race for Anelka (realistically). Bent and Defoe could be possibilities.

Well there was that run and cross against City that Viduka was too slow to get to, but that might have been a fluke like most of his goals to be fair.

The story is probably made up, but Mourinho, even when he was having problems with Abramovich was mentioning us as one of the under-achieving clubs in the Premier he would relish resurrecting. It's not as stupid as it sounds. He loves the Premier league, and despite what the southern press think most football professionals see Newcastle as a big job. I still expect Mourinho will go to the continent for his next job, but it isn't the craziest notion that if things don't turn round by the summer, Ashley will make a bid for Mourinho's services if he's still available.

What would be the point in sacking him now? Put yourself in Mort's shoes, wouldn't it make more sense to let Allardyce work with his squad till the summer and see if he's worth backing before blowing your wad? By then you might also have targeted a suitable replacement if that hasn't happened. Plus it keeps the media off your back who will undoubtedly scream blue murder if Sam gets sacked after 6 months. We aren't Chelsea where it's ok to sack a legend like Mourinho because the owner wants to be entertained.

Emre just isn't built for the EPL. For me, he has to be playing in the final third of the pitch, maybe in a Beardsley type role to see the best of him but he's never going to be any use to Sam. If we get decent money I'm not fussed to see him leave.

Shearer is pointless as a pundit...he really is. Sitting on the fence might be sensible when you are on the other side of the camera but as a pundit, having an opinion usually helps. Gavin Peacock is probably the best in terms of intelligence, but I have to admit I quite like Supermac *prepares to be shot down in flames* ok he's an arsehole, and wrong a lot of the time I admit, but he isn't scared to voice an opinion. and that's what it's all about lads.

What's admirable is even though he's supposed to be senile, he still talks so much sense.

the girl in his party hardly comes across as a damsel in distress, seeing as she's been charged with assault and actual bodily harm as well.

Look at the thread about Martins and how his pace is useless because he's thick, just look at the players we've let go in the last few years: Robert Bellamy Dyer Martins (possibly) All fo them have come in for tremendous stick for one reason or another, but when their gone, the football inevitably becomes turgid and pedestrian. SBR used to shield Robert from criticism by arguing you had to look at what he brought to the team, not just look at the negatives. I think we are gradually losing are dynamism and replacing it with solid, dependable drudgery.

I voted for only if he can't be sold. I don't think he's good enough to justify the baggage.

He's hardly a scapegoat. I'd rather say he has far too many bum boys who turn blind eyes on his mostly poor performances. Possibly but then you could argue that his critics turn a blind eye to his assets and over-exaggerate his faults. "touch of a rapist", "can't trap a bag of cement" - although as he's no target man, trapping a ball isn't quite as important as it would be for Alan Shearer ot Viduka.

who would this 'suitable replacement' be then? Btw, I'm not going to argue that Martins is better than he is, but he's one of the few quick players we've got left. Strikers of that type without his flaws are usually way out of our price range and very, very hard to get.