Christmas Tree

What's "a better still"? Stool

So Hughton was a cunt for being part of it? What about Beardsley? Steve Stone? The Tea Lady? Hughton never complained about anything so the idea Ashley changed managers for a better still is just daft.

Definitely not. Replacing Hughton for a more experienced guy makes sense, but Pardew! The only connection seems tha casino one . Bizzare

Paper rumours tonight that West Ham are after Barton in January with a 3million bid. Absolutely gutted if we lost Barton. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Trans...icle648245.html

It feels like the love of your life has just dumped you and you dont have a clue why. This website is one of my only salvations. It does though make it harder stepping into the real world full of half lifes who've never been to the match but say 'you're taking it too seriously' or 'don't worry about it'. I honestly believe only 1 in 10 fans actually give a fuck about the past or future of the club. If we get a result on saturday I know someone at works going to muse 'see, not that bad, eh?'. They just dont understand. And they'll be right man I've seen 11 year old girls with better use of smilies then you. It doesn't make you seem like some happy go lucky joker as you think yourself to be, it just makes you look like an even bigger cock. Think your on the wrong forum

FYP. We've no idea why he appointed Pardoo, have we? ??? We dont but he obviously thinks he's better, hence the appointment?

Literally everything has been done to scupper any sort of chances of progress though. It's the most counter-productive way to run a football club; Spurs have had their heads screwed on for a while and we've been the total opposite. I admire those looking for positives but we're being run by Mike Ashley and managed by Alan Pardew. There shouldn't need to be anymore said. This is my point about Ashley and his inabiltiy to change. We know the KK thing was window dressing while he conspired behind the scenes cost cutting and whatnot and selling key players, so I don;t count the KK ep as Ashely making a move. If MA for one moment recognised the sheer opp in front of him, the absolute jaw dropping potential he's landed this was the moment to go for a MON and the like. It would have been a statement of intent and I don't for a moment believe he can't let go 20m or so cause he can. He just doesn't really get it, but it isn't his fault it is what has bought him success in another arena. Not neccesarily. He'll have watched Oneill blow a wad of cash on a lot of shit at Villa (below us in the league btw) and still being no further forward. Consolidation in the prem has not yet occurred and he will have known that few "big names" would be prepared to work to his financial constraints. Whay that then left him at Pardews door is a strange one. However survival this year iirc, puts the club nicely back in the black and he / NUFC will then be in a very strong position either for a sale or further progress.

Literally everything has been done to scupper any sort of chances of progress though. It's the most counter-productive way to run a football club; Spurs have had their heads screwed on for a while and we've been the total opposite. I admire those looking for positives but we're being run by Mike Ashley and managed by Alan Pardew. There shouldn't need to be anymore said. I think its fair to say that Spurs last few years havent been a bed of stability. (not in our league, but Jol, Ramos etc).

Fair comment. Mashleys first goal is stopping the club losing money and bringing financial stability (he's well on the way) to his investment (otherwise selling is a lot harder). With respect to this he is looking for a low maintenance squad that has enough about it to survive in the PL this season. The problem with this strategy is that it is high risk with no long term benefits as such (mainly if your rivals continue to spend, you continue to fall behind competitively). With guys like MA you have to look hard for clues and they tend to come in two forms: Ego defence (hiring and sacking KK, buying beers, wearing the Smith shirt). Business instinct (cutting costs, looking for players with contractual issues, re-writing the rulebook regarding managerial contracts and going against precedent). If I was a business competitor of MA I would always keep one eye on him, cause although he comes across as furtive and reckless he has a strong survival instinct and isn't interested in playing by the rules (he's laid waste to the sector in which he does his core business and made a lot of cash out of just being ultra destructive to his competition. These kinds of guys are always dangerous and when things go for them the are often unstoppable. But........What has happened here is that he has entered a buseiness arena (football) which he had no clue about (but shows signs of learning). He made two catastrophic erros ie no due dilligance and underestimating how much football is a good will (customer led) market. That it thrives on expectation and is one of the sole outlets left in England of true male identification with himself, his surrounding and his peer groups. The latter is the hardest for Mashely to understand because he is a true loner, a renegade who has by his own guile made good. It is a real tragedy for our club that Ashley has the wrong character traits for football, but the right ones for pure business. He has failed to understand his public and this will be his ultimate downfall. Because he can't change. Another good post. The only bit Im not sure I agree with is his ultimate downfall. He has weathered quite a bit over the last three years both in business and in Football and in both cases it has been the fall and rise. I think his mindset is that he will succeed regardless of the fans. Appointing Shearer was probably his last desperate act. Everything since (even though we dont agree) has been a calculated gamble. He felt the Squad was good enough to get promoted. He was right. He felt Hughton could oversee that promotion. He was right. He has put rigerous financial controls in place. Which is so far certainly looking right. He has appointed someone he thinks is btter than Hughton. I still think he is driven by determination to prove that he can do it his way and stick two fingers up at everyone else. If we stay up the finacial picture for the club continues to blossom and again he will probably make decisions down the road that suit his goal. He probably also knows that an suitable offer for the club is only a distant possibility. Therefore it is in his interests to make us profitable. The unanswered question is whether we become succesful as a side effect. Profitablily and competitive success are distant strangers in a high value market like football. The value of the assets (players) and the wages of good talent makes it very difficult/impossible to have both. Spurs have just about managed it by just sneaking into the CL and having a 50k wage cap for blue chip talent. But it has taken them 10 years and a succession of good coahces to take them a few yards forward each year. If they hadn't sneaked into the CL they would have had to start cutting back about now (despite a good academy and scouting setup). They have also capitalised on a wayning Liverpool and these opp only come along once a decade or so. Man C are now the new 4th place side if others slip up (think they'll finish second). What Newcastle can achieve within the the next 5 years or so (if everything goes right) is regular top 7/8 finishes cause the next leap is costs massive money. I think thats his plan though. I think he (and probably a lot of fans) would snap off the hand of being a team that can compete for Europe over the next five years and maybe even sneak a cup. It doesnt get us back to our heady heights, but its certainly a doable scenario in his eyes.....(if everything goes right). All sounds great..... and then you remember Pardew

Fair comment. Mashleys first goal is stopping the club losing money and bringing financial stability (he's well on the way) to his investment (otherwise selling is a lot harder). With respect to this he is looking for a low maintenance squad that has enough about it to survive in the PL this season. The problem with this strategy is that it is high risk with no long term benefits as such (mainly if your rivals continue to spend, you continue to fall behind competitively). With guys like MA you have to look hard for clues and they tend to come in two forms: Ego defence (hiring and sacking KK, buying beers, wearing the Smith shirt). Business instinct (cutting costs, looking for players with contractual issues, re-writing the rulebook regarding managerial contracts and going against precedent). If I was a business competitor of MA I would always keep one eye on him, cause although he comes across as furtive and reckless he has a strong survival instinct and isn't interested in playing by the rules (he's laid waste to the sector in which he does his core business and made a lot of cash out of just being ultra destructive to his competition. These kinds of guys are always dangerous and when things go for them the are often unstoppable. But........What has happened here is that he has entered a buseiness arena (football) which he had no clue about (but shows signs of learning). He made two catastrophic erros ie no due dilligance and underestimating how much football is a good will (customer led) market. That it thrives on expectation and is one of the sole outlets left in England of true male identification with himself, his surrounding and his peer groups. The latter is the hardest for Mashely to understand because he is a true loner, a renegade who has by his own guile made good. It is a real tragedy for our club that Ashley has the wrong character traits for football, but the right ones for pure business. He has failed to understand his public and this will be his ultimate downfall. Because he can't change. Another good post. The only bit Im not sure I agree with is his ultimate downfall. He has weathered quite a bit over the last three years both in business and in Football and in both cases it has been the fall and rise. I think his mindset is that he will succeed regardless of the fans. Appointing Shearer was probably his last desperate act. Everything since (even though we dont agree) has been a calculated gamble. He felt the Squad was good enough to get promoted. He was right. He felt Hughton could oversee that promotion. He was right. He has put rigerous financial controls in place. Which is so far certainly looking right. He has appointed someone he thinks is btter than Hughton. I still think he is driven by determination to prove that he can do it his way and stick two fingers up at everyone else. If we stay up the finacial picture for the club continues to blossom and again he will probably make decisions down the road that suit his goal. He probably also knows that an suitable offer for the club is only a distant possibility. Therefore it is in his interests to make us profitable. The unanswered question is whether we become succesful as a side effect.

Sensible post that like Leazes.

It feels like the love of your life has just dumped you and you dont have a clue why. This website is one of my only salvations. It does though make it harder stepping into the real world full of half lifes who've never been to the match but say 'you're taking it too seriously' or 'don't worry about it'. I honestly believe only 1 in 10 fans actually give a fuck about the past or future of the club. If we get a result on saturday I know someone at works going to muse 'see, not that bad, eh?'. They just dont understand. And they'll be right man

One last fag eh Soemthing like that. Let's hope it's easier than when I kicked the old jungle tobacco circa' 96. Honestly mate, and at the end of the day you have to do whats right for you, but these feelings will pass. They did after KK and they did after he announced he was going to re-name the ground. (should have been here for those threads). Even last year when Hughton got appointed they're were very similar threads to now about Ashley not having a clue, fucking us over etc etc. Basically what most came round to thinking was that there were various reasons why we played well during the promotion season but we would still need a change of manager once promoted. Its the replacement that is the big issue not Hughton going. Pay your admin fee and at least make your mind up at the end of the season.

One last fag eh

Cancelled my season ticket after Keegan went but have to be to a few games since. Out of everything thats happened lately, I really dont see this week as the straw that breaks etc. If you kept going after Keegan, after JFK, after relegation..... Imagine if you hadnt been there on 5-1 day..... A few weeks will go buy, some decent results may be achieved, new players may come in, Ben Arfa may return etc etc... Theres always shit associated with supporting NUFC whther its McKeag, Gazza, Beardsley or waddle. Thats part and parcel. When Saturday comes...... A great a very true phrase. When Saturday comes you enjoy matchday and all that goes with it and support your team for 90 minutes then argue the fuck over good and bad decisions. While the internet is good, it also leads to a lot of grown men, with too much testosterone, having too many hystrionics. Give yerselves a slap.

I was thinking today on issues liek this, how much has Pardew watched of our team and what will be the advice he gets from Pedro and Stone. I actualyl hope he phones Hughton because he is such a top bloke he would offer any help asked for i bet. My worry is he goes for the "obvious" and experienced choices and the absolutely frightening situation will be when it coems to good old English battler Smith against "unkown" foreigner Tiote. Things like this will come down to what Pedro and the like tell him and if he's stupid enough to think the likes of Smith should be in the team! Think he will listen more to Nolan as Captain, particularly because he needs to get the players on side. We all know our best team anyway so its really just a case of who's fit. Once the Liverpool game is out the way, it will interesting to see what he does with the likes of Vuckic. Im also sure he has being studying the back catalogue of every one of our games over the last 6 weeks.

Im a big Krul fan but and whilst he's done ok, he hasnt done as well as I thought he would when he got his chance. Like most part of his game but the shot stopping that we got so used to under with Given, hasnt really materialised in his game as yet. (and yes I know he has made a few good saves). Having said all that, he should still keep his place as he offers far more than Harper who is far too static. I would have also thought that it was still too soon for Harper anyway.

All depends on whether Barton and Nolan are back.

At least its sounding like Gerrards not going to make it.

Not suprising considering he hasnt met the squad yet. Should have met the players before the press.

Putting all this weeks crap to one side, does anyone know whether Barton and Nolan have recovered from injury and start.

I watched about an hour of it live. You dont go to a peaceful demonstration armed with snooker balls to throw. The stuff being thrown was unreal. Credit to the cops, I would do that job trying to hold a line like that while some spotty kid is trying to cave your skull in with steel bars. Also saw the charge with the horses which is why I mentioned the water canon. Thought it would do a better job of moving them back without risking injury to student, police and horses. Dont if they're just not pc anymore or were banned.

Fucking Scum. Cant see why they dont use water canons on them.