TicTacWoe

As I said before Gunnarsson from Coventry, recently voted their player of the season, young but has experience, taelnted, versatile, longer throws than delap to stick on Carrolls head, scandinavian so wont mind the weather, is 21 so will only get better, means we wouldnt have to play Butt.

Anyone have a reliable figure of what ( if any) pay off the little is getting? He had at least a year (maybe two) left on his contract and I've heard somewhere that he was on around a million per year, can't remember was it an article or forum rumours though.

I know what you mean, I reckon some of them could look better in the championship but I reckon the midfield will be equally toothless (if not in some cases even worse) in the championship. Our squad is not well suited to the championship, I reckon Boro and West Brom have a much better chance of coming straight back up then we do. I reckon we'll be around the playoff positions or mid table.

Still, regardless of how think fans can be this seems pretty mad. Could you have imagined a section of fans giving Shearer or Le Tissier abuse on their last games for their respective clubs?

Burnley are winning the playoff final if anyones interested.

He wouldnt get a deal anywhere near as good elsewhere. The only clubs who would take a gamvle on him now are the likes of Blackburn or Fulham, teams that simply don't pay the sort of money Duff is on, even for their top players so in many ways it suits Duff to stay. In saying that I know for a fact that he thinks the world of Shearer and does try his best, but remember he is on 70k per week, yes 70k.

There have been many mistakes made this season at the club, undermining Keegan, selling Milner, appointing Kinnear etc but one which I think to some extent which is overlooked is how poorly managed the transfer window was. The signing of Ryan Taylor as part of the N'Zogbia transfer sums up our scouting system in recent years. Wigan fans will tell you that the only times he ever played well was against us otherwise he was at best a squad player who most fans were happy to be rid of. It's as if no one actually checked whether or not Taylor was any good at all, they just figured oh well, he scores against us he must be good. Then there's Nolan, once a hot prospect and supposed future international, now joins the list of has-beens that we've been collecting at this club for the last few years. In the games he's played for us he has more often than not been completely anonymous, it's hard to believe a central midfield player could dissapear as much as Nolan has in some of his performances for Newcastle. Our current midfield is almost entirely made up of players who "used to be good" (Nolan, Butt, Geremi, Duff, Barton, Smith) but for one reason or another ceased being of any use to a premier league side long ago. All of these players would have been good signings 5 years ago, but typical of the last few years at this club, we go for them after anyvody else wants them. We've also been sickeningly unwilling to take a risk on younger players in the last few years in favor of these overpaid wastes of money. In the long run it would have been better for the club in every sense if we'd gone for youth (and I don't mean 16 year old kids I mean players between 18 and 24) instead of these guys, we might still be down, but at least we'd have a sensible wage bill and a team to build on for the future. When we entered the January transfer window we clearly needed a couple of new faces, but in selling Given and N'Zogbia (never mind Milener earlier in the season) and getting in Taylor and Nolan, we actually ended up with a weaker squad than before.

Harper will imo be the best keeper in the championship by a country mile next season, he's still better than at least 4 or 5 PL first choice keepers as well, so in that sense it would be foolish to let him go. However, the Dutch coaches rate Krul very highly and he has been touted as future Holland no1 for some years now so I'd be very wary of losing him. I think if he's happy to wait another season or two (he's still extremely young in Keeper years) then I think we should stick with Harper and groom Krul to be the next no1 for years to come, if in fact he is the real deal.

touche forty odd posts so I guess some care, or like myself are curious or just trying to talk about anything other than the misery of today

good shout actually, forgot about scotland, if he got a run in either side up there I could imagine him scoring 30 goals a season easily.

heh me too! Was more referring to Carroll as I'd like to see him get a proper run with a more proven goalscorer at this level.

Gunnarsson, recently voted Coventry player of the season, can play in midfield or defense, isn't slow as fuck, is only in his early 20s and has already had several years of regular first team football. He was a former handball player and has recorded longer throws than Stokes Delap who's throws accounted for a good few goals for them this season as everyone knows. With the likes of Carroll and Ameobi up front next season we could seriously benefit from long throw ins. I'm not suggesting we adopt the Stoke approach for one minute, but he would be a very valuable asset imo and in any case is a decent, tidy footballer regardless of the throw in factor. In my opinion he could make a good premier league player in the future as well. Whoever we get I just hope we don't go for any more slow as shit players, has-beens or perma-crocks.

I forgot to mention it there but I honestly don't think Ashley will appoint him again. I mean, he just can't be that fucking thick. It'll be either Shearer or Dowie IMO and I don't see anyone else that would take the job on why don't we get a respected proven manager like curbishley or coppell who could get rid of all the shite that is abundant in our club and has some sort of tactical knowledge to get us back to the premiership Wouldn't mind Coppell at all but he's taking a break from football, not sure about Curbishly. As much as his touchline hysterics are a a laugh I would be seriously worried if Dowie got the job, his record is abysmal.

Well he actually knows a great deal about world football, usually knows his stuff regarding the south american leagues and what not, but lately he does seem to be spouting some shit alright.

True, and also Marcotti talks about us getting rid of Gonzales, who is on loan, and soon gone.

Cant really argue with what the man says He's ridiculously optimistic regarding who we'll keep and how much we'd get for those we sell. We wont get 10 for Martins, 4 million for a 30 year old Duff? 4 million for Nolan? Not gonna happen and we almost certainly will lose Bassong. Also I don't think we should necessarilly get rid of Lovenkrands. And this whole thing about Butt being dependable, what a load of shit, people just say this because he plays all the time and gives it his all, but he's fucking hopeless.

Some of them are too old some of them have had too many injuries, but it's the likes of Duff and Nolan, players in their late twenties that make me wonder.

No but I don't believe that anyone could have motivated Players who simply are not good enough to suddenly turn into world beaters. Butt and Duff for instance, they genuinely care, they're just totally shit now.

Just out of interest would you have Duff back? He was amazing for your lot, did well for a while at Chelsea then gave up being a footballer for some reason.

The clamour for Shearer to stay has little to do with how the team has performed in the last 8 games. It's because he loves and understands the club, is hungry for success and is a strong character who commands a lot of respect. In addition he would be given more time and wouldn't fuck off somewhere if he did well. He's had the balls to speak out against this regime and on top of all that he didn't sign one of the players who played in his 8 games and has inherited an almighty pile of crap for a team.

Word up north is he's going to Celtic (from Aberdeen and Hearts supporter rumour mills) Would be a tad surprising but it wouldnt be the end of the world, Krul is very highly rated and I reckon would do a decent job

With the season theyve had regarding injuries would he really want Owen?

Another crock though with serious injury history for a young player

But theyre completely skint, otherwise I could see it, same with West ham, theyre both financially fucked

and frankly that is several top qualiy championship players Got to be five hasn't it? not sure what they average but i would have thought between 10 and 20k For top championship players yeah, but a lot of first team championship players are on between 5 and 10 k