Gemmill

No offence, but that looks like a flyer for an absolutely shocking nightclub.

No. So Owen "cost" £16m. What do you think happens to the £8m for Jenas? 24855[/snapback] You don't include assets on your balance sheet? What manner of balance sheet is this? You're not even self-employed are you?

Am I gonna have to get all chartered accountancy on your asses?

I thought you didn't like management speak, David? 24785[/snapback] Just cos I'm right.

Yes, of course we have, but as that money hasn't been recieved, it does make it easier though. 24768[/snapback] How? 24774[/snapback] From a cash flow point of view it does make things a bit easier. I still reckon he was free.

Ah well. Would have been nice, but not the end of the world.

He's basically free I reckon.

You've answered your own question. The reports of him being worth 15-20m were "crap". 24669[/snapback] Thats fair but I question whether the sale has been for tactical reasons, more to balance the books. I have been a big critic of Jenas but with our injury record selling players may come back to haunt us! 24681[/snapback] I know what you're saying, but I don't see how selling a player who's been nothing but disappointing for us on at a profit can be anything but a good thing. Keeping him in as "another warm body" in case of injuries when he's clearly a very saleable asset wouldn't make any sense.

It was both at different times. Souness and Shepherd got an ovation for what frankly has been a fantastic piece of business. Where's the nightmare? 24661[/snapback] Fair play to them on the transfer, but I thought the fans were finally seeing sense regarding Souness. 24679[/snapback] Aye, you're right. Souness Out chants would have been entirely more appropriate. Welcome to Newcastle, Michael.

Have we got Solano like?

You've answered your own question. The reports of him being worth 15-20m were "crap".

You're definitely right about people being too hard on him when he first came. A lot of people had made their minds up before he'd even managed one game. To be fair the jury is still out, but he certainly wasn't given a fair crack of the whip by a lot of people.

It's class. It's like he's going....."Go on.....sign it.......O.......W......E.....N.....YESS!!!" 24618[/snapback] Souness: "What you looking at Thompson?" *Phil Thompson slinks away to cry some more*. 24624[/snapback] "Are you gonna cry Phil? Gonna squirt a few?"

It's class. It's like he's going....."Go on.....sign it.......O.......W......E.....N.....YESS!!!"

So you admit that 8 million pounds was cheap for him?

well if 5% = 25 jobs 100% = 500 jobs so I doubt they're going to fire 600 people.... If it had been Liverpool or Everton now............................... 24443[/snapback] Fair enough, I didn't bother reading the article. The radio got it wrong, not me.

No idea. Just going on what they said on the radio.

Does Ketsbaia's mobile help out when he gets busy? 24434[/snapback] They work alternate shifts. Driving the business forwards.

Aye I heard this on the radio. 600 further jobs to go apparently. It does make you wonder what these 600 people are doing at a football club. That sounds like a massive workforce to me.

Careful! He runs his own business while the rest of us just lead "dreary 9-5 existences". Financial wizard I reckon.

Crouch 7m Owen 16m Essien 26m How much would you pay for him and on what basis? Did we pay too much for Shearer? Could Owen have the same impact? If he scores 80 goals in 4 seasons how much is that worth to us. I think too many are believing the media hype so I'd like to hear the thought process that went into you deciding the value of this footballer to our club. 24406[/snapback] Errr i don't think Owen is worth that much! Like it or lump it, mate! I don't care how much other clubs spend! Madrid signed him for 8m, then one season later....he's worth 16 million! How and why?! He had a pretty good season at Real, but not that good! I'm happy that he's here, and if he starts performing, the price we paid for him will not bother me one bit! 24413[/snapback] As I've already said you're ignoring the fact that when Liverpool sold him they risked losing him a season later for nothing. 8 million was a discounted price. You can't compare that to what we've paid if you're trying to make a realistic assessment of his value.

Liverpool sold him for 8m cos he was in the last year of his contract. If you look at the money that changes hands for top top strikers, we didn't get a bargain, but we certainly didn't overpay to the extent that's being suggested - most people are comparing what we paid to what Real paid and that's not a realistic comparison.

The only thing we "smack of" at the minute is Michael Owen-ness.

DK, you are getting carried away. We've still got Souness as manager, Owen isn't going to single-handedly transform our team into top 4 contenders. The atmosphere will be great at Fulham to begin with, but to be honest it might go pretty flat if we perform like we did in the second half against ManU. If we want champions league football next year, we have to change managers NOW. Souness is incapable of managing a top 4 side, no matter who we have as players, I am more certain of that than anything else in the world. Also, you seem to be forgetting that our squad is still paper thin, and our defence is far from alright. A few injuries and we are still in the shit mate. 24319[/snapback] He's not getting carried away, he just had a head start on you in the sense that he wasn't manically depressed to begin with. This has allowed him to reach higher on the mood swing-ometer than you. 24326[/snapback] He's getting carried away if he thinks we are going to get in the top 4. As for me, I feel the best I have about the club for ages. Soon Souness will be gone and the only way is up. Throw a defeat of the mackems into the equation, followed by their relegation, a couple of cup runs, and yeah, life is pretty sweet! 24339[/snapback] I feel like we're really making progress with these therapy sessions.

More bitter articles like this please. I'm loving them. The Football 365 letters page is quality today too. It's positively citric.