OTF

I got that actually, it was two separate points. The first was that the international players (eg. players representing their countries England or otherwise) will have enough money by the time they're 35 (unless they're Obafemi Martins who's broke and is already 40) to retire extremely comfortably. The second was that if there was more of a focus of keeping local players in their local sides, then it would be a lot less like constantly being away for work. Plenty of time during the week to keep in contact with friends and family (more-so that the average person working 9-5). You can understand them doing everything they can, however I don't think any of it has worked. In the end if the players are good enough they will rise to the occassions. More revenue from TV is a big motivation, but so is trying to make the league less predictable. Outside of th UK most people (read: twats) like supporting winning sides when there is no side that you can attach yourself to geographically. For this generation that's Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and to a lesser extend Liverpool (who can fall back on their European exploits in the face of repeated domestic failure). Seeing some different sides in the Champions League will begin to redress the avalanche of support for the big four clubs. I'm sure we'll eventually see Manchester City overtake the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool in the league, and whilst this being purely financially based is not a good thing the fact that there will be a set of five sides fighting for the coveted four positions is. It could be heavily slanted in favour of the team that finishes fourth. For example, team five hosts team six in a single match to determine who travels to plays team four. Both games will have extra time and then a penalty shoot-out. Only two extra games are added with only three teams involved. At the same time it will keep the top four keen right up till the end of the season as they try to push for a top 3 finish to guarantee their involvement. It might just be me, but I'd love to see the likes of Villa, Everton, or even Spurs (whom I hate) knock out Liverpool from the Champions League, thus compounding their financial predicament.

Talksport: What about the team selections, Alan? Smith: Nicky, myself and Kevin I think have been doing a fine job with the selections. Until such time that Mike appoints a manager we'll continue to do so to the best of our ability. Talksport: You do understand, Alan, that Chris Hughton has been appointed manager? Smith: Chris who.. now? (murmuring in the background) Smith: Chris is an excellent train.. coa.. ahh manager who has the full respect of all players in the side.

Seems 100% home & away record is only acceptable.... Even then the performances would be criticised by some. There would be something wrong if anyone who saw the performance against Swansea did not criticise it.

70k a week. Wonder if that's true. If so I'd hate to see Manchester Cities books.

Who really cares what the overpaid under-appreciative players think? Seriously, four weeks annual leave is what most people get and they don't get to swan about during large parts of the week getting into whatever mischief they please. Plus after 10-15 years of professional playing the 'international players' can effectively retire at the spritely age of 35. If there was more local based players in each of the sides needing time off to go back home and visit family etc would not be such an issue. More games is not the issue. I like this idea. Over the length of a season it's pretty much always going to be a case of the top four teams being the four who spend the most. The four who spend the most will be the four who earn the most, who will be the four who already have the international market cornered, who make the most from merchandise sales, who make the most from TV and who have the money from their previous involvement in the Champions League.

Liverpool will still finish in the top 4 this season anyway.

I hope that's just bullshit talk. No way in the world there should have been anything even resembling a happy dressing room after that match.

Doncaster leading 1-0.

The only time the lazy bastard ever runs is when there's a sniff of a goal about. Case in point Carroll's goal.. who was there to clean up the scraps if it was headed across goal or the keeper parried it? Kevin Nolan. That's the kind of play where he gets his goals. Worth putting up with the other 89 minutes of woefulness? Has needed a 'rest' for a long time now, but we all know that Hughton doens't see it. Keeps thinking that putting him out there will bring us goals, because early in the season he was getting them. The more performances like that we put on, the more other teams will realise that we're crap and will keep the pressure on like Swansea did all game.

More like roadkill for most of the match.

Utterly embarrassing to come out of a hopeless toothless performance like that without losing. So many of our players were horrendously bad. Despite us being completely dominated all game our manager could do nothing to even change the way we were playing. They all got a HUGE break there with what was a good ball into the box from Best, and good positioning and a quality finish from Carroll.

The worst part is that the Swansea players know that it's going to happen, so they're breathing down the necks of our defense so that when they do get the ball passed back to them it doesn't realieve any pressure at all but instead they have to lump it forwards usually straight back to Swansea. Rinse and repeat.

On more than one occassion he has looked EXACTLY like Nicky Butt in the midfield. Passage of play normally goes like this. Ball passed to Nolan in midfield. He has 10 yards of space between him and the nearest defender. Tries to take his first touch without looking at the ball. Ball richochets off his leg and Nolan moves over to grab it. He now only has 5 yards of space. Having gathered control of the ball, Nolan commences moving towards the goal at almost full pace. The ball is almost casually dribbled at times it's dangerously far from him but it's ok because at his blistering pace there's no way in the world that the opposing defender has closed the five yards of space. Except he has, and with ease he picks Nolan's pocket. Having been dispossesed perhaps from pure astonishment Nolan falls to the ground like he has been fouled, even though he clearly was not. Play continues and not only have we lost possesion but we're also left with only 10 players as Nolan indignantly picks himself up from the ground blowing hot air the entire time.

Surprised to see Hall selected ahead of Williamson who is on the bench... Unless it's like Jonas a few weeks back and he's on he bench in name only and has picked up some kind of minor knock. Agree about lovenkrands misuse out wide... He's never looked good down the side for us, I fear Jonas will be a big loss in this. Puts more onus on Routledge to hold possession and pull Swansea out of shape to make space for our Other players... And they're off... Come on Toon

That's what she said. 0-0 (TV factor, away from home formation back etc). Ugly game here we come.

A wake up call is definitely long overdue. Football needs to be tribalised again.

Why? Id think its pretty close to that amount tbh Based on what? Media bullshit? ...cause I'm still waiting on Ashley's 50 million pound 'war chest' to open. Can someone spike Coloccini's gatorade so we can find out for sure what he's on....

If they put one fact in an article it doesn't mean the rest isn't completely made up nonsense. Fat chance that Coloccini is on anywhere near 80k.

With Hughton 'a tactical decision' is AKA 'a mistake'.

Agree that Lovenkrands should have played. I think Hughton also won't start him in the next match. Seems to be the best finisher off the boots that we have. Makes the best runs off the ball as well. Should be starting, but Hughton would rather use battering rams. The only reason for keeping Best in the side could have been so as to not dent his confidence by 'dropping' him. As a forward you have to appreciate being dropped if both of the guys being played are coming off the back of doubles.

True. This has been a recurring theme across the season. We get a chance to steal a break and we blow it.

Smith and Guthrie. But Hughton will keep playing Nolan because he thinks he's going to score again soon. Another away match so I think Hughton will revert to his more defensive formation with one striker. Probably Nolan with Carroll who will have long balls lumped towards him. Going to be a brilliant one to watch on the telly

At least there's a short turn-around for the players to make ammends.

Alternately he may have wanted to ensure his place in the Cameroon team by playing regular first team football - something that he wasn't going to get at Newcastle. At the dawn of his career this World Cup will be his swan song. From there he'll play out his contract in Turkey and retire.

Busy period, but in the end all they're doing is playing a game of football that lasts 90 odd minutes. If they couldn't do that every 3 to 4 days you'd have to question their fitness and the ability of our staff to manage their helath and fitness. This should be a period we relish as compared to teams with much smaller squads coupled with longer injury lists.