Coca Cola Land

[Neville Neville Neville 0]

Am I the only person genuinely excited about Championship football. It probably helps that I've been out of the country for the last 2 months (and won't be back till beginning of June) and next season I'll be in Sheffield, surrounded by away games within easy reach, but I'm genuinely looking forward much more than I would have been to another season of same-old in the premiership.

 

I don't know about you guys but unless we were going to have a really good summer clear-out and very serious squad investment and a complete sort out of the club from top to bottom, I wasn't that enamoured with the thought of another season of dross. I don't think that will/would have happened, so for me I'd rather be in a league where I will go into every game thinking we have a proper chance of competing rather than this season where I've expected nothing and rarely been proven wrong.

 

Ok, so the club loses a lot of TV money, and prestige, and with that our team will (as difficult as it is for me to imagine) be weakened. But as fans, what do we lose from dropping out of the premiership. Whatever shambles of a squad may remain by August, it will be much much closer in ability to the majority of the league than this season. With this, we may have games that are genuinely exciting for the on-pitch tussles rather than the off-pitch relegation implications. I can't remember the last time Newcastle were involved in a series of exciting even football matches, and there is definitely the possibility that this will happen reasonably often come August.

 

So, its likely that we'll be watching a lot more football where we're involved in the actual match. So, Old Trafford and Anfield may be swapped for the Keepmoat or Glanford Park. Do we lose out? Its been a long time since a trip to one of the big club's big stadiums has regularly brought a competitive match rather than an onslaught where we've got 10 men defending pretty badly behind the ball. And, I'm looking forward to getting reacquainted with a number of stadiums that we've not been to for a long time, and hopefully atmospheres better than the Boltons, Blackburn, and Wigans of this world.

 

Fair enough, it will be a while before Gerrard, Rooney, Ronaldo, Fabregas, Essien, grace our hallowed turf again. But, how much joy do we get watching our hopeless team ripped apart by the creme de la creme of world football. Its not like watching Gerrard against Makelele, where you're watching 2 players at the top of the game trying to get the edge over the other. Its watching Gerrard against Nicky ****ing Butt, where its probably an insult to Gerrard to call it even a contest. And, paired with the lack of star players, there is a perceived lack of quality football in the championship. I'm looking forward to finding out whether this is really the case. I think the championship has a good few tidy teams (having watched them regularly I can definitely say that Doncaster play cracking football), as well as its fair share of hoofball teams.... but is the premiership these days that different. I will be surprised to see teams as geared up to "ugly football" as Bolton, Stoke, Blackburn, etc, although I'm sure a few will give it their best shot. I honestly believe that if we kept together our entire team, that we would be in the bottom half of quality of football in the championship.

 

I've expected relegation since Boxing Day, and for me the main bad thing about being relegated, is that we've not been relegated due to any teams finding form in the last few games, or an obscene points total, or due to a really strong premiership bottom half. We're just really shit..... and I'm just glad that we'll be closer to our peers come August. You never know, we may even experience back to back victories and pipe dreams like that.

 

I for one, as a fan of Newcastle United, am looking forward to life in the Championship... although it would be nice in a few years to escape it through the roof rather than the trapdoor.

 

And thats why I spent a couple of hours moping, and now can't wait for August (regardless of what happens to Ashley and his cronies, and our shite squad, and whether Shearer stays) and hopefully enjoying watching football matches involving Newcastle United again

 

(btw I'm not drunk, as I'm teetotal)

(btw 2 I'm actually a pretty pessimistic chap, so this isn't an insane message from the likes of GeordieLad based on us wiping the slate clean and coming back soon and stronger... its about enjoying next season)

[Andrew 4857]

depends on the summer we have, if it goes how most expect then no, it'll be just like this season has been

 

if its done right and we shift a ton of deadweight then get in players who can get us up then it will be great, seeing us win more often than not in the championship will be so much better than seeing us this season fail again and again in the premiership

 

but like I said, it will require the right summer and while not massively optimistic if the start is that shearer stays and has the say on transfers then it will be heading in the right direction

 

 

btw I didnt read your post because it was really long

Edited May 24, 2009 by Andrew

[Asprilla 96]

All I know is that I'd rather be in the Championship with the Great Soprendo managing us than in the Premiership with Sam "Bluetooth" Allardyce.

[Nyff 0]

Which ever cunt it was rattling on about how we would be fine if we had given Fat Sam a chance really boiled my balls. It was one of them commentator on SS. What a bastard.

 

I am sort of looking forward to the Championship. As has been said; if we have a good summer of transfer activity and get some players who really want to play for the club then I think we can do it. Our problem at the moment is the age of our team, and the fact that many of them are overpaid hangers on who really aren't up to playing at the level we need them to play at. I'm hoping some of the youngsters get a chance and we put together the right mix of young and not-so-young to get a great little team who play with a bit of style. Lets see the entertainers again...again...

[Ayatollah Hermione 14053]

I sincerely hope we get Shearer next season, or at least Dowie because another chop and change or Kinnear could see next season be another disaster. The inevitable has happened but there's always a next season and it needs some stability and clever planning. Just a shame this is NUFC where its hard to find.

 

I'm not looking forward to it though. Once we've had our first experience of a Plymouth hack-fest, we'll soon wish we were battling draws out of Portsmouth IMO.

Edited May 24, 2009 by Stiva

[Jimbo 175]

Kinnear is just unthinkable

[Ayatollah Hermione 14053]

Kinnear is just unthinkable

 

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

[Jimbo 175]

I think if Shearer gets the job full time you'd see the likes of Houghton and co gone and a full Shearer appointed staff brought in.

[timmyotool 0]

Yeah its great i canny fuckin wait.

[ImpossiblyDaft 1]

I'm not looking forward to it though. Once we've had our first experience of a Plymouth hack-fest, we'll soon wish we were battling draws out of Portsmouth IMO.

 

Having done the same thing a tier lower, I'd have to say at any level its what you make of it - if you go in thinking you're too big, you'll hate it, if you go in looking forward to new places and such, you'll enjoy it for a season at least. Few teams play the turgid football that Stoke did.

[Andrew 4857]

I'm not looking forward to it though. Once we've had our first experience of a Plymouth hack-fest, we'll soon wish we were battling draws out of Portsmouth IMO.

 

Having done the same thing a tier lower, I'd have to say at any level its what you make of it - if you go in thinking you're too big, you'll hate it, if you go in looking forward to new places and such, you'll enjoy it for a season at least. Few teams play the turgid football that Stoke did.

thats one thing I'll give the championship, a lot of teams really do try and play good football, which I suppose could be down to the lower stakes lack of "dear god if we lose this its really bad" feel to matches,

[Billy Castell 0]

The 1st division will be a lot more competitive, and you'll give more of a shit about the matches. There isn't a 'big 4' or whatever, so you could be one of a number of teams who can go up. I just hope you stuff Burnley next season

[N174Life 0]

We were having this sort of conversation on some Spurs' boards when we were still around the bottom, and the general consensus was it would suck because we've a lot of talented players who simply probably wouldn't want to spend a season in the Championship. I think it's different for Newcastle because you really, really need a top to bottom clear out of your squad. I'd say you could reasonably expect to replace 10-15 members of your first team squad, for the best in the long run. Sucks now for y'all, but you'll probably bounce back up.

[palf 0]

Kinnear is just unthinkable

 

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

[Geordieboyo 0]

For anyone asking can it be all bad......

 

All of our away contingent will be forced into South Wales TWICE. Think on that.

 

Noe I have to live down here so it will make it easier to get to a few games, just remember to get the jabs first

[TicTacWoe 0]

Kinnear is just unthinkable

 

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.

[ImpossiblyDaft 1]

didn't read the original post just the first few lines

 

is it really that bad? what not to be in the topflight.. yes, yes it is

 

Am i excited about it? of course i'm fucking not, were about to lose some decent players, drop down with a fucking awful owner/staff, and you think watching games against Blackburn are bad? i've a feeling we ain't seen nothing yet as far as that goes.

 

"good summer and transfer activity"

 

does anyone remember how hard it was to get people to come to us recently... while we were in the premiership, theres nothing going be exciting about the people we're likely to be getting in anytime soon

 

A lot of teams in the championship do play good stuff (or at least try to), the worst by a mile were Stoke and they stayed up. So you're looking at West Brom, Cardiff, Swansea, Ipswich, Bristol City, all the promoted sides, who all try and play and teams like Derby, Preston etc aren't bad either. The odd game will be a bit dodgy, but its hardly like some nightmarish land where everyone is a clone of Allardyce and Pulis.

 

And as for signing players - the exciting thing is they may actually treat it like it matters, not the names.

[Jimbo 175]

Coca Cola Land, Is it really that bad?

 

Ask Leicester, Leeds, Charlton, Southampton and Norwich

[Billy Castell 0]

For anyone asking can it be all bad......

 

All of our away contingent will be forced into South Wales TWICE. Think on that.

 

Noe I have to live down here so it will make it easier to get to a few games, just remember to get the jabs first

 

Don't forget Plymouth. It takes 8 hours to get there from Bridlington so God knows how long from Newcastle.

[paddy 17]

For anyone asking can it be all bad......

 

All of our away contingent will be forced into South Wales TWICE. Think on that.

 

Noe I have to live down here so it will make it easier to get to a few games, just remember to get the jabs first

 

Don't forget Plymouth. It takes 8 hours to get there from Bridlington so God knows how long from Newcastle.

about a week

[ImpossiblyDaft 1]

Coca Cola Land, Is it really that bad?

 

Ask Leicester

Simple answer - only if you make it bad. Same as League One, even (though there you get teams that divide into playing teams and clogging teams more neatly).

 

A large part of what players in the Championship are missing is that they're either more one-dimensional or that they're lacking consistency; a large number of sides are prepared for this and are well organised so that you wouldn't notice and the quality of football is generally good. The ones that aren't are directionless shiteheaps like Charlton this season and us the one before. As long as you don't act like Leeds, and the big if of Ashley not making more huge fuckups, it would be a fun season.

 

Just expect to see lots of generic bowl stadiums, they seem to still be in fashion for some reason.

[Fop 1]

Kinnear is just unthinkable

 

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

 

Never underestimate an idiot.

[dbsweeney 0]

Maybe I'm being foolish ... but I honestly think that Ashley will sell up. Either that or he has realised that he has made a colossal fuck up of the situation.

 

Surely even he can't have ignored the calls from countless media outlets that we 'deserved' to go down because of the way we were run.

 

He had his way of trying to run things (including trying to save money) and had his little mouthpieces spout it to the world.

 

It didn't work as his pennypinching has ended up costing him a great deal more.

 

He is a businessman and he will realise when he made wrong choices.

 

I actually think that he will sell up the club and take what he can get for it and run.

 

No 'billionare' (from India or otherwise) will take an interest in us. But a few millionares will scrounge up enough cash and buy it. With the Championship, you don't need a billionare to run a club, for the obvious fact that players don't cost as much.

 

The best possible thing is that (hopefully):

 

Shearer does stay on.

 

We sell the players we can no longer afford (Ashley will simply sell 'em for what he can get--cut-price sale etc.).

 

We keep those few that are worthwhile (they're the cheaper ones anyway).

 

Shearer brings in his own group and sets up a regime that lays a ground base for clearing house and setting up a proper structure.

 

-------

Mind you, I dont think we'll 'boing, boing'.

 

We'll be back in two seasons (if not longer).

[ChezGiven 0]

Coca Cola Land, Is it really that bad?

 

Ask Leicester

Simple answer - only if you make it bad. Same as League One, even (though there you get teams that divide into playing teams and clogging teams more neatly).

 

A large part of what players in the Championship are missing is that they're either more one-dimensional or that they're lacking consistency; a large number of sides are prepared for this and are well organised so that you wouldn't notice and the quality of football is generally good. The ones that aren't are directionless shiteheaps like Charlton this season and us the one before. As long as you don't act like Leeds, and the big if of Ashley not making more huge fuckups, it would be a fun season.

 

Just expect to see lots of generic bowl stadiums, they seem to still be in fashion for some reason.

 

Unfashionable stadia is a real no-no.

 

Stadium fashion anyway, "This season am sitting in the Primark stand".

[ChezGiven 0]

Kinnear is just unthinkable

 

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

 

Never underestimate an idiot.

 

Yep, a few people made that mistake with you.