Optimistic Nut

I've said all along, my judgement on Ashley will be made by February 3rd, after the transfer window. If he's strengthened the squad and Owen is still there, even without a new contract, I'd settle for that. If not, and Owen's gone, then yeah, that's when I'll turn against Ashley.

And in anycase, where does it say he'll stay? He's, for the first time there, said the amount he'll take...£250m, which is more or less what he's spent on the club.

If we strengthen the squad in January and the summer, what difference will it make?

As opposed to a group who've been set up to get him out, want him to speak to them, and then have sly digs at every opportunity.

Why should he talk to the NUSC when all they've done from day one is try to get him out? Look at the countdown thing on there. Done by amateurs. Agree about the official website though, he could use that.

F*cking quality last 20 minutes to this match.

Almost as bad as Sergio Ramos. 22 and has 8 red-cards already. (although to be fair he is a defender)

Again, fair enough, but within those two "interviews" have been some interesting comments. - He's still trying to sell the club. - There is money available for him to spend to get us out of trouble in January. - Owen's been offered a good contract, and says there's nothing he can do if City come up with a better one. - He's admitted he made mistakes.

Running riot now, Rooney makes it 5.

4-1, good header by Fletcher.

Not sure, but very good goal from Gamba there. 2-1. Rooney makes it 3-1.

True. Although people have been whinging about his media silence, there's been 2 direct quotes in the last 4-5 days where he hasn't really said a great deal wrong, the latest interview obviously tounge-in-cheek, and still people moan.

Well I don't see much difference between the two? Ashley bigs up Kinnear saying he's better than Capello, O'Neill bigs up Young saying he's as good as Messi & Ronaldo. Doubt Villa fans criticised MO'N for that even though it's not true.

Ashley Young is as good as Messi & Ronaldo don't you know. Obviously Martin O'Neill's just taking the p*ss out of their fans there.

He'll have said it, but would have meant it in as much as Keegan really believed Smith & Duff were crucial to us and would be good once fully-fit/had a run of games in their proper positions.

That Sonko bloke who took the throw-ins late on against us could take a half decent throw-in himself!

I like this idea actually, put a relegation release clause of £10m or so in his contract, should keep him happy Nah, I just meant if we go down this May, he can go for Free. After that it'll just be his regular contract.

I bet Big Sam's relishing the prospect of a few thousand Newcastle fans giving him stick at this one.

Confirmed. Three-year contract.

Put a clause in the contract which says if we go down, then we'll tear up the new contract and he can go for Free anyway. That way nobody loses, we give him a new contract and if we go down, then we would have lost him for Free anyway had he not signed the contract, and it also means Owen's not concerned about signing a new 4-year contract or whatever and then end up being stuck in a team who's been relegated.

I'd imagine Arsenal had some sort of hefty sell-on clause included in the deal as well.

David Craig on SSN now saying he hasn't rejected the offer and that his advisors are still looking at the contract.

I'd like to see him play for the next 20 games on the trot or more and then enter into a new contract," he said. "The most important thing is that he's available for selection every week and we can control it." "Whether that means we lose him at the end of the day or not is non-negotiable because if it happens it happens but we want to see him fit, playing and scoring on a regular basis.

We should have had Owen tied down at the beginning of last season but Allardyce wanted him to prove himself that season first before offering anything...begs belief really.