NJS

I still think you're being too quick to stick the knife in. Nobby has said he's shattered implying an obvious lack of match fitness. Emre talks about "more to come". Theres still the "gel" factor which I think takes time. The thing that gives me hope was the last half an hour against West Brom - that was a sign of a team with a few footballers in it who know how to pass and retain possession. Once again I accept its "only WBA" but its a sign of things to come I feel. I think people are ignoring this as it was a bit short - fair enough - but as I said it gave me hope.

I'd also add tht the comparisons with the past are based on 2, 3 or 4 seasons. Now that Souness has "his team" I think he should at least get more than 3 or 4 games to be judged. Last season imo should be written off and the slate wiped clean.

Starting to get results is a start - it breeds confidence which is a huge factor in football. I'd rather we were winning a few games (admittedly against poorer teams) then being like the Mackems and playing "well" like against us and Man U and getting nowt. I have no problem with people saying "lets get some better performances now" - I share that view - but I think we could do with slightless less "enthusiastic negativity".

Wasn't there a stat that he featured in all but 3 games under Souness and only a couple, if any, played more games under him?

A BIT risky for work? - glad I waited till I got home.

Simply in terms of creative midfielders. One thing I do agree with Souness on is that the better teams don't have "lazy" wingers like Robert anymore and prefer more adaptive footballers whether they're nominally wide men or not.

Really? I don't remember those at all. Sure you aren't being a bit of a fibber here, mate? Anyway, what's all this about his 'defenders?'. As I've said over and over again, all I give a shite about is what players produce on the pitch for Newcastle. Robert produced more than the rest of the midfield put together, dispute that all you like but you'll be wrong according to the facts. When Shearer put his dispute with Gullit ahead of the club, I suppose that wasn't him being a selfish twat? 51831[/snapback] Most of us lean towards "on the pitch" but as I said there are limits - what are yours - rapists? murderers? Robert's contribution when he was good last year was the best of a bad bunch but most recognise his standards had dropped generally (and I refer to the attacking side here). I've seen enough promise in Emre and Nobby to think in big picture terms he won't be a critical loss.

I honestly don't see how a player refusing to play in a team when named just before kick off is a non story. The injury thing is clearly bollocks - why did he leave the ground? I don't dislike Robert as a player and don't know the man so can't comment on a personal level but I do think he has a very non-team attitude to football which I think is why he ins't the player he likes to think he is.

I'm not a "zero tolerance" person by any means and always had the "on the pitch matters" attitude but just think there are some limits (agree on the no debate )

Can't speak for others but the reasons i defended Robert (under Bobby and Souness) is because of what he had done for us and was still doing for us in terms of goals scored, created and generally being the only midfielder likely to do either at times. The manager doesn't even need to come into my defence of Robert. 51116[/snapback] I realise theres an element of that in people argument and what I said probably more applies to Bellamy in terms of the blind (imo) "never did any wrong" views. I always recognised the balance in Robert which benefitted us most of the time but by the end was going too far to the "too much bother" side.

I don't recall those threads on here NJS. Ans I'm not particularly interested by the opinion of one Pompey fan who posts on a Sunderland messageboard. Robert probably does have an attitude problem. But then so does Dyer - remember, the player most responsible for Robson's dismissal? You could also argue Shearer has an attitude problem - he didn't take kindly to getting subbed. I'll base my opinions on Robert by the facts, not idle tittle tattle expressed by some on here. Our most productive midfielder, and a player linstrumental in getting us to 4th/3rd in the prem, despite wierd protestations we were somehow punching above our weight. And are we better now without him? Not in my opinion. 51110[/snapback] Dyer has been a little shit on several occasions and I've never been eager to defend him but I stand by saying that Robert is the king of selfishness. All of his articles (especially the well timed one) pointed the finger a others and never accepted responsibility for himself (in contrast to the similarly criticised Titus one). I'm not denying what he did for us and the fact he's obviously a good player but the point is that some players go too far too often in stirring things up. The lengths to which some will go to defend such behaviour just because they don't like the manager is wrong imo.

Cue Robert on SSN calling his manager a liar as he wasn't injured?

I remember threads started about 10 seconds after Bellamy scored for Blackburn and also the initial honeymoon period for Robert at Pompey. Some of the bile is stupid considering what he did for us but this latest thing does prove one point that "outers" made at the end. Robert is a selfish twat who doesn't care about his team. Would any of his defenders care to deny that? Theres also a Pompey fan who posts on the SMB who took about two weeks to see through him and reckon a lot of their fans are the same. When the story broke yesterday he said "Good - Taylor will play" - you know the player who scored 2 and won them the game.

How come some reports say a £9m loss and others a £4.5m profit?

The Journal described his omission as "a change of heart" - probably due to the conditions but said he will be included in the squad on Sunday.

In his recent interview didn't Luque say that Souness had told him he bought him to play on the front left of a 4-3-3?

The only people who say he brandished the leg like a gun are the coppers who shot him. As they would. 47724[/snapback] likewise if anyone he knew had been there, they would have said he wasn't. As they would. Are you really saying you think a copper would go and shoot someone for absolutley nothing ? {BTW, I knew you would be saying that, but just wondered if you would spell it out] The point is, no one else was there, there is only one witness. Tough shit. 47969[/snapback] No I don't think they "just shot him" but I do think it seems over-zealous in the circumstances and its an easy chance for them to cover up something which was probably a mistake. However I think that miistake should not just be ignored. Theres only one witness one one side of the fence in lots of cases - most rapes for instance but they still sometimes get a chance of a trial. Turning your question around do you think coppers should be allowed to shoot people and "get away with it" with the use of a reasonably sounding excuse which can't be questioned?

The only people who say he brandished the leg like a gun are the coppers who shot him. As they would.

Independent witnesses or the word of those involved?

Congrats

I've read that the original letters have been destroyed by the "primitive" testing available at the time but they do have some envelopes which are still pristine which could be used for modern DNA based testing. As an aside I remember it as one of the first "official" acknowledgments that people from Sunderland weren't Geordies or at least spoke very differently.

Their problem with the Airport is twofold - As it was paid for largely by Tyne & Wear Council they reckon they paid for something that is too far away (doesn't stop them polluting it with their deckchair shirts every summer) and also that technically its in Wolisingham, Northumberland and not Newcastle so shouldn't be called that. Petty bastards? no....

I've only ever heard/read so called "real" reasons for the rivalry from the Sunderland side. Crap about the civil war when Newcastle was royalist and Sunderland Cromwellian mainly due to economic reasons. I've always described it as a pure football rivalry - there is no trivial shit like religion or politics to get in the way. I forgot to mention they have a HUGE chip on their shoulders about the recent development and investment in Newcastle/Gateshead. You can also mention things like the Metro and the Arport and get huge bites.

I think its because of Gullit that Shepherd is now "anti-foreign". On the other ones I don't like that they turned us down - one of the positive things about Souness is how he didn't hesitate - I know that will be twisted to him knowing he was on his way out but I still got the sense of him being eager to come to us - none of this "I haven't finished my work at Bolton" bollock.

Well, as long as he isn't another Souness... Of course there is no guarantee that Hitzfeld wouldl succeed and it's far from certain that he will even come. Though, to compare someone who won the CL with two different teams and has been the most succesful manager in one of Europe's major leagues in the last decade with a Swiss nobody is plainly ridiculous. I also don't know what is presumptuous in saying that Souness will fail. That is an assessment by his work over the last twelve months in charge and a string of poor results and poor performances. But of course, it looks very likely that he will be succesful. Is this a flying pig I see outside my window? 46488[/snapback] some people just won't admit they are wrong because they have been wearing rose tinted specs © 46535[/snapback] My position hasn't changed - of the managers on Freddies shortlist (and not any mythical one) I still think Souness was the best choice. If that changes and he will entertain the idea of a Hitzfeld then thats fantastic. If his next list starts Shearer, goes through Allarydyce and Bruce to O'Leary then I will have a similar view - none of them appeal.