Baggio

He's a good striker who just didn't fit in with Chelsea's formation. It'll be similar to playing Owen up top on his own.

I thought it was "Bitch"? You thought wrong, "Dickwad"!

I thought it was "Bitch"?

Racist. Monkeyist more like, that comment was an insult to our simian cousins. Especially as I also call Dougie Hall a monkey. Where? Those two clueless monkeys up front should get sent to join Dougie Hall on Gibraltar. Well, it is in relation to that I called Dougie Hall a monkey yesterday. And I actually rather had those two on Gibraltar than in the first team. But if you prefer some else "non racist" animal description for the pair of those two, I have a whole arsenal of animals available that I can call people. Do you prefer donkey? Cocks? Or ostrich regarding their hiding abilities? But of course it is easier to throw the racist card at someone you disagree with. Ridiculous tbh. So i'm in the wrong because I pointed out calling black players 'Monkeys' is racist? Fucking hell

Also, I can't see Shepherd sticking his nose in when it comes to transfers with Shearers in charge.

Shearer would no doubt give the club a much needed lift, it makes you wonder how much of an influence Shearer had in our turn around last season.

Milner is just an average winger who's lack of pace means he's unlikely to get much better. If Dyer ever gets anywhere near full fitness he should be an automatic choice down the right, Solano as back up with Milner sold to Villa, probably to fund a multimillion pound raid on Fulham for Zat Knight

Racist. Monkeyist more like, that comment was an insult to our simian cousins. Especially as I also call Dougie Hall a monkey. Where? Those two clueless monkeys up front should get sent to join Dougie Hall on Gibraltar.

Racist.

One of todays papers has us linked with a January move for Distin.

If a bookmaker has set his odds wrong he's well within his rights to cancel the bet, even if the event has already taken place. Its happened to me a few times.

They still had the shirts in the club shop before our last home game, shorts were only available in 30 inch and socks were available in boys.

Terry Mac on SSN now!

So far this season they're unbeaten, played 6 Won 1 Drew 5 I'm expecting a draw against them

Boro had Partizan Belgrade, Villareal, Lazio and Egaleo and still picked up 9 points. People fear the name of the club rather than the team, I bet plenty of fans are worried about playing us.

I'm not really worried, our home form has always been pretty good in Europe, even under Souness we looked solid at home. 3 teams out of 5 go through so I expect us to go through.

I can't say what he played for Inter because I rarely watch Italian football because I can't stand it. But from the games I've seen him player for Turkey he looked far more offensive than he does for Newcastle. But even as a deep lying playmaker he is not doing enough for me. He works hard and wins a lot of balls, what is quite nice and I think that is why so many people rate him. My problem is that he more or less loses all the balls he has just won, so the balance of his effectivity is close to zero. I haven't seen any spraying of balls at all. As for Duff. Again I don't disagree and I was one of the few here who said that I only regard him as a good signing when we do sign players for positions where we actually need strengthening. That hasn't happened. Still, I think we will see better performances from him, but at the moment he is just totally out of form, something that happens to footballers occasionally. And finally for the takeover. I am not convinced that a take over from a hedge fond is actually a good thing for a football club. I rather stick with Fat Fred tbh. For me Emre is our best outfield player, the problem is he seems to suffer from the rest of our outfield players not having a footballing brain like him, I have no doubt that if he was in a team like Arsenal's (why he turned them down for us I'll never know) he'd be one of the best midfielders in the league. Duff is out of form but so is everyone else in the first team, it reminds me of the Souness days when nobody had a clue what they're supposed to be doing. Belgravia isn't a hedge fund as far as I'm aware.

Maybe if he had a striker in front of him who was making himself available... Emre's hiding in attacking play does not help, too. Sorry but Duff has been shite since he's been here, he doesn't beat his man, has little pace, can't shoot from distance and his crossing is poor. If getting into the team is based on ability then N'Zogbia should be in there in front of him every time. I don't disagree. He certainly has to improve to warrant a place in the starting line up. But IMHO he is suffering from the same problem as our strikers, i.e. that there is no linkage and understanding between the players. Duff certainly isn't playing well. But today he was struggling because every time he was up against three players. The lack of a second striker and the fact that Emre is not involving in our attacking game meant that Duff was always up against three players (same applied for Milner). Not actually an easy task. But if Martins deserves time, so does Duff, eh. Slight difference in that Martins is a young lad coming to a new country, Duff is a 27 year old who's played in England for the past decade, you expect players like him to hit the ground running. Emre hasn't ever been an attacking midfielder, he's a deep lying playmaker (similar to Carrick) who sits deep and sprays the ball about, Parker is supposed to be the box to box player out of the two. The problem is we have a thin squad, a tactically inept manager, a piss poor backline, nobody fit in midfield who can pick the ball up and run at people and we don't have a fit striker capable of scoring 20 goals a season. Lets just hope this takeover can be sorted in the not to distant future.

The full article. http://www.nufcmismanagement.info/shepherd-sale4.html Newcastle United Rejects Initial Offer By Andrew Murray-Watson, The Sunday Telegraph, October 1, 2006 The major shareholders in Newcastle United have rejected a bid for the listed football club from Belgravia Group, a secretive Jersey-based investment group. It is believed that Sir John Hall, who controls 28.8 per cent of the club, his son Douglas, who owns an additional 12 per cent, and Freddy shepherd, the chairman, who owns a further 28 per cent, have rejected an initial approach. However, talks are continuing and Strand Partners, the boutique investment bank, is understood to be optimistic that the trio will accept a revised offer. An executive close to the negotiations said: "Talks are ongoing and there seems to be every chance of a deal being struck." Newcastle is valued at £91 million and it is believed the Halls and Shepherd will only accept a bid significantly in excess of £100 million. Sir John will be offered the title of president at Newcastle, should a deal with Belgravia be concluded. Newcastle also received an approach two months ago from Polygon, a publicity shy US hedge fund. The bid for the club adds to the growing interest in top-flight English football from outside investors. Several clubs, including Chelsea, which is owned by Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire, and Portsmouth, owned by Alexandre Gaydamak, are in the hands of extremely wealthy foreigners. Earlier this month Randy Lerner, the US sports billionaire who owns Cleveland Browns American football team, bought Aston Villa. Increased TV revenues from Sky, the satellite broadcaster, has also attracted buyers looking for a quick return on the investment. Prominent figures within English football, including Arsene Wenger, the respected manager of Arsenal, have warned that the influx of foreign owners into the Premiere League could result in English football losing control of its destiny. The "bung" crisis engulfing English top flight football in controversy could cool interest from overseas buyers. Lord Stevens, the former head of the Metropolitan Police, is set to publish his report on transfer activity in the Premier League tomorrow. He is expected to highlight a large number of transfers as worthy of further investigation to establish whether club officials or players' agents took backhanders to secure deals.

Maybe if he had a striker in front of him who was making himself available... Emre's hiding in attacking play does not help, too. Sorry but Duff has been shite since he's been here, he doesn't beat his man, has little pace, can't shoot from distance and his crossing is poor. If getting into the team is based on ability then N'Zogbia should be in there in front of him every time.

Another poor game from Duff, what a waste of money he's turning out to be.

This thread is fucking fantastic!

Expect Viduka here in January...

I will bet you 100 quid and give you odds of ten to one that you are wrong. Having had my nose stuck in Harrington all week, I'm tempted to take you up on that offer, even though I know it's wrong. He's wrong, I think The Fish is getting confused with Texas hold 'um and Omaha.