adios

Clearly @ewerk at work.

Decent video too.

He was quite happy to go in dry when they were bent over the desk for Sissoko. Which btw means they need to up their bid by 3.45 billion by my estimation.

That only holds true if all other things are equal, which they're clearly not. Rafa had a longer time with superior squads to prove his worth. Keegan took Newcastle straight from the verge of Division 3 to challenging for the Division 1 title. He was just a black swan in terms of motivation, though that passion may ultimately be the reason he shouldn't be rated as a top manager (stroppy cunt). I don't think it's anywhere near as distant as you're making out but as you've implied, I was a far more naive fan back then, so could be wrong. It's also worth pointing out, though, that I'm obviously aware of my cognitive bias when it comes to Keegan and am trying to adjust for it.

Aye, I think Rafa pips both of them, I just don't think it's anywhere close to "far, far superior".

Aye. Defo my favourite Newcastle manager in my brief glory-hunting lifetime.

Agree with @Andrew on pedigree. Relative to what other coaches were capable of at the time, Keegan's man-management and coaching (he worked with some very average players) were phenomenal and put him up there imo. Might be rose-tinted glasses. Robson is a much easier comparison because their times at Newcastle/Liverpool just about overlapped iirc.

Judged by the standards of their day I'd say it's a lot closer.

Not to mention repairing to the huge hole you knocked through the floor for midnight raids on the fridge because you're a fat greedy bastard.

So that's what Oxlaide-Chamberlain is for.

*looks down from computer screen, wipes crumbs off top*

Amen to that.

Hopefully this ends the risk of another generation of Gemills running around.

Cheers I'll put it on my list of things to waste my quickly receding years on.

I've heard lots of good things about Bourdain but have always avoided it because I'm the most boring eater on the planet. Would Parts Unknown still be worth a gander for me? For the culture and politics and that.

Here's to another 6 in a row. FTM.

Aye, best of luck with it @wykikitoon.

I think we agree on most of that tbf.

Seems optimistic.

I just don't think the numbers even close to add up anymore. ETA: Probably haven't added up for a decade in reality, which only leaves them even more fucked.

Aye, that's all you said about their movements in the January transfer window. £30m wasn't it? Everyone but you thought that was a piss-take but I guess that'll be hindsight too. I'm only taking the piss btw, I enjoy your podcast and all that, but you're off your head when it comes to the Mackems lately.

When are you going to get sick of your still-overly-optimistic downgrading of their chances every 6 months just to appease your mates over the road. I mean, you'll be right eventually by virtue of eventually predicting at least one fan will turn up for a match I guess.

They're a terrible investment, not some sleeping giant. They've overpaid for years for mercenaries just to stay afloat in the Premiership because who the fuck on those kinds of wages with any kind of choice at all wants to even pass through that shithole? That three-quarter-empty stadium will be a millstone around their neck every bit as much as the unmanageable debt. I can't see how they're not headed for administration and points docked. They'll likely bounce between there and the bottom end of the Championship just by virtue of just how bad League One is, but I can't see them rebuilding any semblance of a Championship promotion side in the near future. By which time the Premiership will have pulled even further away with even the poorer sides being half a billion or more better off. All in my ill-informed opinion.

What's Marveaux up to these days?

Does Lua Lua have to read the Europe thread too?