Tom_NUFC

all the best

I think that there is money available, but I don't think that money will be thrown around like it was at times with Shepherd. I think that's a good thing.

I haven't bought anything for a while. Last one was when it first came out.

Yeah, it's mine. I stuck it up on N-O.

Happy Birthday

Newcastle Durham Upton, Wirral Liscard, Wirral Great Ayton, North Yorks Stokesley, North Yorks Alnwick Rothbury Alwinton Thropton Hexham York Edinburgh Radlett, Hertfordshire Bath

Interesting, although I'm sure they were careful in selecting the questions asked. But quite good none the less. He started by saying that he had outstayed his welcome and Bolton, and that he "must have been mad" to turn down managing Newcastle, when the job was offered to him three years ago. Turning to the topic of the backroom staff, Allardyce revealed that he intends to build a team of 18 to 20 people in various positions to work with the first team squad. Ideally, he'd like his backroom team to be people who have been rejected as youngsters or who have had their careers ended through injury, and have then gone to University to study Sports Science or Sports Psychology. He feels that people that have done this have a 'football mentality' and can understand what it is to be a footballer. He commented that missing out on Europe this season may work in United's favour. It would allow more time between games to implement the new training methods and resolve the injury problems. He has been speaking to a number of players who feel that they have been rushed back from injuries in the past. Allardyce thinks that it is no good rushing a player back who is only 80 or 90 per cent, as they are not fully fit and will simply break down again, thereby worsening the club's injury problems. Players must be allowed to make full recoveries before taking part in games again. Allardyce also revealed that he hasn't made a final decision on who is to captain Newcastle this season, and that it might even be a player he is yet to sign. He is still hoping to bring in three or four new faces before the season starts. When asked if reports in tonight's Evening Chronicle were true, that he is looking to sell Obafemi Martins in order to raise funds for new signings, he responded with a firm and confident "no". No names of new signings were mentioned, but he is looking to bring in a left back. He also said that the squad was in need of 'big defenders' to play against big opposition players, and that they are also needed to defend against set pieces, as many games are won or lost on a free kick or a corner. Allardyce cited, the friendly match with Carlisle as an example. Newcastle, he said had played the better football and dominated the game, but went a goal down through a free kick, and therefore ended up with a draw when they had deserved a win. Allardyce wants to instill the new training methods into the players this season, so that when new players join the club, it is not just him and his coaching staff who are telling them what to do, and that the players are also showing them what to and helping them as well. That way everyone is in it together, fighting for each other. Tactics-wise, Allardyce said that he prefers to use 4-3-3 over 4-4-2, as he feels it allows more players to both defend (5 rather than 4) and attack (3 rather than 2). However, tactics have to be altered according to the opposition. He feels that while Newcastle has good players, Manchester United's players are better, and therefore it wouldn't make sense to play the way they do against them, as they will win. What you have to do, is play another way, and try to confuse them. Allardyce cited his time at Bolton. Over the last ten games in which Bolton played Arsenal, they won five, drew three and lost only two. Despite Arsenal having better players, Bolton played a system which upset Arsenal, and "kicked the shit out of them". When asked about how he gets perceived 'bad boys' to play for him, Allardyce revealed that you have to find out what went wrong at their previous club, that he talks to the player in question and finds out what he can do for that player to help him and make him feel wanted. On a similar subject, discussing his management technique he said that he uses different techniques for different players. You have to 'bollock' some players, because that's what they respond to best, but that doing the same to another player might make him completely lose his confidence, and so you have to use another tactic to get the best out of them. He said that something he has learnt is that "you can't go fighting people."He revealed that as a young manager he wanted "to fight everyone" but it doesn't work (something we know only too well from the Souness era). On the question of what he would change about Football, he feels that the offside law needs to be looked at. He doesn't know what it is anymore, nor do the players, the referees or linesmen. It is inconsistent, FIFA and UEFA need to resolve this and clearly define the law. Allardyce was also asked what motivates him, to which he answered that he wanted to put something back. He had achieved his childhood dream of being a professional footballer, and then having retired, he felt a 'hole' which could only be replaced by either managing or coaching "besides, I know bugger all about anything else."

Aye, I agree with that. Tried it, it wasn't disgusting, but I won't be bothering again.

Just wondered if anyone else is going to this on Tuesday?

Nah, Liverpool is a bit of a dump. It does have some very nice areas, but on the whole, it's awful. I've got relatives on Merseyside (Wirral), so I've been down that way more times than I can remember since I was born. You drive through Liverpool from the Motorway to the Mersey tunnels, and it's full of derelict buildings/half-demolished buildings, huge bits of wasteland, and it's not like it's a temporary thing, I've seen it year after year. You think about some of the ugly eyesores of the 60s and 70s in Central Newcastle - thankfully we don't have too many, but central Liverpool is full of them. Outside Lime Street station is pretty bad - you've got St Georges Hall directly opposite the station, which is a lovely building surrounded by awful 60s monstrosities. Admitedly, in the last few years the centre has been tarted up a bit mind. And despite numerous trips to see us away at Liverpool and Everton, the area around the two grounds is incredibly desperate, and I can't think of a worse, more deprived area I've seen.

Byker Walker Elswick Scotswood Killingworth (New Town) Longbenton Howdon Sunderland Seaham Newton Aycliffe Consett Blyth Cambois Newbiggen Middlesbrough Stockton Billingham Thornaby Liverpool Birkenhead Brixton Wembley Finsbury Park Wigan Leicester Watford Stoke Grimsby

Jack Penate - Heard a bit of him. Not fussed either way Kate Nash - Haven't heard enough to judge Hadouken! - See above The Twang - Nothing new, Happy Mondays rip-off, but I like the Happy Mondays. I like these. CSS - I like them New Young Pony Club - These aren't bad either. The Gossip - No no no no no no NO! Not a fan. The Horrors - Saw them live, they were OK, but nothing special Orson - Aaaaggggh! Which tw@t gave them a deal? Just Jack - Who? Amy Winehouse - Na. I don't get the fuss.

Tet Offensive (your debut album could be - Get Yer Tets Out) The Screaming Leaves ==Some off that generator== Infected Anarchy and the Barcodes Panting Rat Santa Fe and the Whirling Crevice Destructive Sucker Yak Puke Keen Gonad Good Flea and the King Hate Agenda Killing Science Leg of the Demented Library Crucial Fate of the Darkest People Fashion Hamster Destruction of the Fat Elvis Retro Anus Atomic Tuesday The Vapour The Ways of Zulu

Newcastle United-tastic

when I was at Primary School, we had the 'Eric Gates Game', out of the blue someone would be accused of being Eric Gates and we'd all run away from them incase they gave us the 'Mackem Lurgee'. So my bet is that the other two didn't want to catch the Mackem Lurgee either.

bye bye badman

Aye it was a bit of a toughie.

WHAT? 2 more people have left? Nah, just a couple of posters

dunno what's gone on or anything, but it appears we've lost two good posters.

Working in the Orange Call Centre in New York (North Tyneside, not NYC). F*cking horrid job, and I can't stand call centres - terrible places.

Surely you mean, the only one in Consett without an Orange Tan.

I blame CSAD - Close Seasonal Affected Disorder.

how f*cking sh!t is that interrupting the commentary for a f*cking programme about f*cking 70s Disco

Global warming? possibly, but whatever, I don't like it.