Where do we go from here?

toonsy

Down and out?
Down and out?
The defeat on Sunday was just absolutely not good enough for a number of reasons, however before I get into that I must say that any defeat doesn’t give people a right to act like a moron like a small minority chose to do after the game.

Having said that, I can understand why people were so annoyed. I was, and I still am, but I didn’t go around smashing my own neighbourhood up as a result.

My biggest problem is not the defeat. I can take defeat, even to Sunderland, but what I can’t take is the shocking level of performance displayed by the vast majority of those in black and white shirts. I’ve never seen a Newcastle United team so not up for a derby game and that is what has hurt me more than anything else, even the result.

Sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and say we were beaten by the better side. I still think we have a better team, a view echoed by pundits and press prior to the game, but if you don’t perform on the day and your opponents do then it makes things hard. Credit to Sunderland, as much as it pains me to say that.

Where do we go from here though? The Europa League has been and gone and now we’re back in the relegation mix properly, if we were indeed ever out of it. Questions need to be asked, serious questions, but they also need to wait until the end of the season. Right now we must concentrate on getting enough points on the board to avoid being relegated. That is all that matters.

From now until the end of the season I don’t care how we play. I don’t care whether it’s hoofball, longball or anything like that and neither should anyone else in the very short term. We aren’t in a position to be picky about the football being played. What we need are points on the board and pretty **** quickly,by whatever means it takes.

This season has been a disaster from start to finish and EVERYONE needs to take a portion of the blame for it. From poorly performing players to poor management, inside and outside the board room, to training techniques and maybe even our coaching set up. Let’s just limp over the line, write this one off, and then talk about things when we actually know which division we’ll be playing in next season.

As hard as it’s going to be, Sunday needs to be put behind us. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. Our opposition won’t so we need to be up for it from minute one until the final whistle. Let’s do this.

Howay the lads!

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

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346 thoughts on “Where do we go from here?”

  1. Stats and context…I could write a paragraph on each, needless to say pards is not the worst we have had, not so far anyway.

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  3. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying sack him as I do believe there are mitigating circumstances, injury to top players for example and he probably does deserve another season to put us right .I’m just putting some stats out there that’s all . Having said that how long is long enough and given the calbre of players we now have who thinks finishing around 10th is acceptable? .I wouldof thought that when all fit 7th 6th or 5th isn’t unrealistic ,I certainly don’t think flirting with relegation is expected with the bunch we have.

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  4. Kim-enough people have argued about stats on here, they show fck all without context. Several managers inherited much better sides than Pardew did, two had stints in the lower division, almost all of them managed when we had a higher profile in a less competetive league. I don’t think any of them had to sell their best player?, certainly not one with so much impact on how we played.

    That’s without even going into detail.

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  5. All of these comments – what a horrible season. If we don’t stay up that’s it for me (5th time)

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  6. Nope, if our players were fit we would be up there and anywhere near 17th would bring the sack in a third season, I’m not sure we’re covering new ground here, I don’t think anyone here would give him that long.

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  7. lets put it another way then . Compared to his peers do we think he has he been outwitted tactically this season ?

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  8. Dave says, “But B&B firmly believes that Pards is ***** and will get us relegated, do you not see a big difference in that”

    There you go again Dave; another typical, blatant, opportunist misrepresentation. I have never said I firmly beleive that Pardew will get us relegated. If I believed that, I would be calling for him to be sacked.

    Can’t believe the Ryan Taylor news, poor lad.

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  10. If we were looking to appoint a new manager they would probably all have the same badges so that’s not relevant. It’s down to experience and personality. Now I don’t want anybody who cannot demonstrate they are better than Pards. So what have they achieved. Given that the EPL is regarded as one of the hardest leagues to manage in then some success in the EPL is surely required. Given that there are precious few managers available who have taken a team and qualified them for Europe perhaps we will have to modify our standards here. Someone who has managed successfully in a top European League, preferably in more than one so that they have demonstrated the adaptability they will need for the EPL. What else. Silverware would be nice coz pards has not got any on his CV. Close a couple of times though. What other qualities will they need. Ability to work with our board. A win ratio of say 1.68 or better coz we wouldn’t want Souness back would we. What else. Applications on a postcard to Jabba, don’t expect a reply.

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  13. B&B I will hoy one of your many relegation comments up for you tonight when i’m finished, but no doubt you will try to wriggle your way out of it 😆

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  14. Premandup-Exactly…I think collectively we are all happy to have this magically qualified and gifted individual as our manager, but nobody seems to be able to name one and give evidence that they would be interested in us or that Ashley would be interested in them.

    Gutted for Raylor, thing is, he was well within a shot of playing first team left back with how things have been lately…

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  15. I say off with his head. I said when we got the newbies in Jan that nothing will change and I am proven right. We got a few results then but even without the new players we would have expected those results save for Chelsea.

    We know know it was never the players, Ba destroying the team, pitches being the 12th man or fans negative attitudes spreading into the players and thus affecting play.

    It has been Pardew with his unthoughtful out one shoe fits all tactics. Anyone would be better than Pardew for this job.

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  16. Real shame about Raylor TGS. Just read about it. Does that finish him with us? After another season the squad should be further improved and several more players gone I hope (not necessarily Raylor but who knows if we have a new manager by then). Either we need a new manager if we start poorly next season or a different set of players Pardew is more capable of handling. Which do others think is going to happen? Pardew has only himself to blame for this questioning of his ability. The team just doesn’t play well often enough under him. It appears we’re seeing a loss of confidence and form all across the squad. Bringing on inappropriate players like Bigi in big games with too much pressure on. Any team that hangs on to Willo as long as we have is showing no ambition. Hoofball has reared its ugly head all too often again. Dithering on the sidelines and waiting too long to make subs. Sticking with Jonas too long when he is clearly having a poor game. It goes on and on. What must some of our foreign players be thinking? The last 2 home games will be very important, just as much for whether we show fight and determination as picking up points. If we look disinterested and heads drop it will be another nail in the coffin for Pardew.

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  17. Toonsy I love your articles so when descending steep, long inclines don’t forget to “utiliser votre frein.” Brake fluid can heat up and become too thin to operate effectively if you use the foot brake too much on long down hill roads. You probably know this already. Whether that was the cause of the recent bus crash I don’t know, except the brakes stopped working. Anyway here’s wishing you safe trips and many more articles for us to enjoy and discuss.

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  18. So are we agreed that if (and it’s a big IF) Pardew was to leave, it has to be at the end of the season. We don’t need to be changing things now. We need to stay behind the team and hope they can pull us out the ****. A big effort is needed by everyone at the club!

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  19. @JJ I’ll give you that your opinion holds more weight as you don’t drastically swing all over the place. You must admit he is a bit of a miracle worker for keeping us up in 2011 when Carroll was sold, and Shola was the main striker !!
    @Kim
    Definitely, but vice versa last year.
    I think he deserves another season given just how incredible we did last year, I don’t think he is that great though. I know people will say “if you don’t rate why don’t you want him gone now?!”
    Prem @235 sums it up.

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  20. I definitely wouldn’t want to give Pardew another whole season ST@ 244. At most until November. If we are struggling and showing the same type of form as this season he should be gone. In fact I doubt very much that Ashley would put up with it for that long. He has invested significantly now and must be expecting better results than he has received. Just clinging to the bottom of the non-relegation positions is totally unacceptable. Even bottom 10 is totally unacceptable for me. Cardiff is already talking about spending 25M pounds when they come up next season. I’m not saying it’s all about spending but decisive action will be required from Ashley if we continue as we have been.

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  21. Sorry to hear about Raylor. We have missed him this year. Hope he resurrects his career.

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  23. April 17, 2013 at 13:39
    Stuart, most of them had had seven or more managers in the past 10 years.

    Have a look a the managers of them clubs 4 years up until they won a trophy. I guarantee they hadn’t been swapping and changing managers every year or two.

    Liverpool – Famous for sticking with managers – have a strong ethos of stability – a good reason why they win things.
    Leicester – Martin O’Neill had been there for a few years before they won the League cup.
    Blackburn – Kenny Dalglish had been there a few years until they won the league, although they also spent a **** load of cash too.
    Chelsea – Have enough money to buy the best players so makes no difference who the manager is.
    Middlesbrough – Mclaren had been there a few years before they won the league cup and before that Robson had built a good foundation after being there a long time.
    Birmingham – won with Mcleish in his first season before then Steve Bruce had been there five years laying good foundations.
    Swansea – Well there’s an exception to every rule.
    Portsmouth – Redknapp had actually been there about 5 years more or less minus 6 months when he went to Southampton so again continuity,
    Aston Villa – When did they last win something?

    Apart from the facts I have just outlined I would like you to tell me the 7 managers these teams have had in the past ten years – whilst in the Premier league only please.

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  24. Sorry for lack of an article today. Will have some up tomorrow (cheers aussie and premandup) but for today I’ve been busy with Toonsy Jnr and his first birthday bash 🙂

    Fricking beat now though 🙁 😆

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  25. Hope the birthday bash went well toonsy. You only turn 1 once. 😀 I don’t remember mine but I bet I had a good time.

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  26. Groucho – Cheers mate but I’ll be fine unless I do something wrong. We have three sets of brakes on our coaches and they are serviced way more frequently than the industry standard. They are also a lot more modern than tour coaches a lot of which have a new paint job and private plate (usually ex northern Ireland) on there to disguise real age. We also would never drive to/from a ski resort in one hit and have regular breaks so tiredness is less of an issue.

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  27. G2 – I was playing football in the garden with the kids and literally smashed the ball about five gardens away so I did the honourable thing and blamed the kids when I went to get it back :mrgreen:

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  29. Well, West Ham beating Man Utd, and Wigan giving Man City a real run for their money. Everyone plays better than us 🙂

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  30. What is happening at Man City! They haven’t created a bloody chance yet and Wigan with the best chances!

    Come on City!

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  32. Talk today is Toon gonna offer £7M for Carroll.

    Toonsy ,Little ones birthday parties are knackering for parents and very messy too as I remember. Hope he had a smashing time anyway . Can’t do a smiley face ,my emoticons keep refusing to work!

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  34. Hammers doing well ,like I said we’ll get sod all out of that game and you would think City would smash Wigan ,god I hate Wigan and that **** Whelan.

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  35. Wigan are battering Man City because they have had a long hard season in the Champions League and they have such a small squad ….tossers ….

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  36. I dread to think where we would be without Cisse’s goals.
    The lack of a goalscorer is the only thing preventing Wigan from being at least 2 up away to Man City.

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  39. I swear the best city have played lately was against us, and now they’re ***** again. Come on you rich cunts

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  40. Amazing the number of people selling tickets for saturday’s trip to west brom. A flu epidemic must have hit newcastle. Either that or a sense of reality

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  45. Wow man Wigan must be pretty sore. I bet they wish they had Cisse to score some goals for them…

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  50. I’ve just watched the horse punchers interview on the bbc website….. If I didn’t already know he was a complete knacker I would after watching that. 😐

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  52. Oblong he’s on Disability living allowance for a lung condition apparently ,didn’t seem to stop him running round that horse with a scarf over his mouth ,that can’t have helped his breathing like. rolly eyes ,stupid emoticons I can’t cope with this.

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  53. B+B
    BLACKLEY & BROWNLIE
    January 19, 2013 at 12:57 (Edit)
    Aussie, I find it astonishing that people are happy to let Pards spout loads
    of contradictory **** that makes no sense, and just shrug their
    shoulders. This man will take us down

    BLACKLEY & BROWNLIE
    January 20, 2013 at 14:02 (Edit)
    BD – I think he should never have been appointed in the first place.
    I think he will take us down. I predict he will be sacked.
    I’ve been saying it since November that he will be sacked
    around about now.

    BLACKLEY & BROWNLIE
    March 31, 2013 at 13:02 (Edit)
    I think Pards has got to take us down before the penny will drop. I’m preparing myself for it.

    It’s too late for us now as it would be a panic. The most important thing is to do proper homework and get the right man for the job. I’m getting my mentality adjusted to relegation now,

    March 31, 2013 at 20:03 (Edit)
    If I’m honest, and not dishonest, I think the time has definitely come. It’s gone too far now. We’re just getting beyond a joke and it’s time to act. Pardew hasn’t got a clue and the time is right.

    Well B+B what do you say then ? it looks like you think we’ll get relegated by the way I could dig more if I wanted to but I don’t think I need to waste my time

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  55. Dave ,it’s true just been reading his interview in the mirror ,He gets the same benefit as Lewis plus he gets incapacity benefit too. You see the Tories will be all over that like a rash ,the feckless face of the person claiming DLA when they are obviously fitter than they say .It just makes them clamp down on wellfare claiments even more and ruins it for people like Lewis who really are disabled and sick ,it infuriates me no end it really does .

    Dave ,my emoticons been ***** for a couple of weeks now ,rarely if ever work now.Sometimes if I type a colon and close bracket a smile face will appear after I send but that’s all and not often .

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  56. Kim thats the problem the government jumps on it and in the end it effects the people that need it, I know quiite a few that get DLA and there’s fuk all stopping them from working because a few of them work on the side, but I also know a couple that should get help but don’t

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  57. That sadly is the way of the world Dave. Honestly I don’t know how they fool the DLA office cause the forms you fill out are like bloody books and they write to consultants and GP’s and the questions are never ending ,it takes approx 2 days on and off to fill the ****** in ,that’s why a lot of disabled people don’t claim as it wares you out . I found it incredibly upsetting having to endlessly list all the things Lewis can’t do over and over again ,cause they ask you the same fucking questions in multiple different ways like. I don’t know how many ways you can answer that someone can’t talk and can’t walk unaided it’s bollocks. No it amazes me how they get away with it like.

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  58. Agree with most B&B comments @ 278 that Pardew will take us down but I do not think he will be sacked .
    January 12 at 10.00, I was in the bookies and predicted that Pardew would relegate us this season – put good money on it a 6/1.
    I am still expecting to collect.
    Pardew will be given the task of getting us straight back up — he will fail.
    However ,by being relegated we will lose decent players and Shola will be rewarded with a further 2 year contract extension keeping him here till 2016.
    So relegation will have a silver lining for Solanos Trumpet and Moreno.

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  59. Money on us getting relegated? Oh yeah, because “it softens the blow”, nothing softens the blow of getting relegated, and there should be no silver lining. What, pay for your holiday with money made by your team suffering.
    Awful.
    Yawn on the Shola comment. If you want to go looking in the market for a 3rd choice striker for a team that plays with only one up front then go right ahead.

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  60. According to the mirror back in january the Dippers made a cheeky bid for Benny ! ,must of missed that .Anyway they reckon they will be back in for him in the summer when we try to get Carroll back.

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  61. Kim-Sorry to hear about that, the hose guy was a complete c*nt.

    As for you sidewalk…for shame. Honestly I wonder why “fans” who seem to enjoy being snide and miserable at the same time and who want “their” team to get relegated so they can spout “i told you so” bullshit even bother watching us. Clearly they get no enjoyment, so why bother?

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  63. Newkie he might be getting a letter from DLA OFFICE soon to evaluate /update his claim I would imagine.lol.

    Sorry but I could never bet on my team going down ,I know people do but it’s not for me like.

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  70. Mark-the blokes a mug pure and simple.

    And by that I mean the horse bloke, not B&B. 🙂

    What’s just as embarrassing is he only had 3 pints! You can’t say “I was drinking” and pass it off as two pints and two bottles..if drinking was an excuse anyway.

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  71. Thank you, Dave @ 278 None of the comments say, “I firmly believe he will take us down”. The two that come nearest, written 19 and 20 January, taken in context of what was happening at that particular time, were written in despair and annoyance at his latest gibberish. They were written to express my very real fear that he will take us down. There was still a very long way to go at that stage and the transfer window was just coming alive. We had sold Ba and only bought Debuchy! Most people at that time, including no doubt Mike Ashley, were seriously worried that he would take us down.

    The third comment actually supports what I’m saying “I’m getting my mentality adjusted to relegation now,…” In other words, up to that point, I didn’t have the need to start preparing myself. The fact is I’m much closer now to thinking Pardew will get us relegated than ever I was, even in my lowest point in January. However, even now, I don’t “firmly believe he will get us relegated”. That said, you’ve got to be deluded or someone very special not to have a squeeky bottom.

    Clearly the joke was lost on you in the fourth quote. This is in the context of you pushing me for months to come out and say I wanted Pardew sacked. I say: “If I’m honest, and not dishonest, I think the time has definitely come. It’s gone too far now. We’re just getting beyond a joke and it’s time to act. Pardew hasn’t got a clue and the time is right.” The vital bit you omit is the next sentence: “Bris – send a copy of your trusted book of footballing tactics to NE1. I’ll re-imburse you the postage. (followed by a laughter emoticon). The time had come for Bris to come to the rescue. Not only was it a joke, but it doesn’t even refer to or mention relegation.

    Before I go misrepresenting someone, I like to seek clarification. That is why, for example, I asked you the other day to clarify whether you thought Pardew was the right man for the job. You said “No”. How hypocritical is that after you criticised and ridiculed me for months for not calling for him to be sacked when I thought he was not the right man for the job. Indeed, unlike me, you actually come out and support him as much as you can!

    Now we all know you hate the owner who treats managers, players and fans like dirt and who will not get rid of Pardew,the man you believe is not the right man for the job. So will you be honest and principled and confirm for the record, and so that I don’t misrepresent you, that you want Ashley out of the club? If you’ve said I’m spineless for not calling for Pardew to be sacked after everything I’ve said about him, then surely you should be calling for Ashley to get out?

    We all know you’ve ridiculed and hounded me for months for refusing to name names of top managers who would jump at the opportunity of replacing Pardew? Well if you think Pardew’s not the man for the job, you tell us who is? Even you, Dave, would sack Pardew if Ashley would appoint the man you want. SO IF ASHLEY WOULD GRANT YOU YOUR WISH, WHO IS THE MAN YOU WANT? YOU’RE HAPPY THAT I’VE DODGED IT. SHOW EVERYBODY THAT YOU WON’T. Who do you want Ashley to appoint, regardless of whether he’d listen? What do you urge Ashley to do? Everybody will see you keep avoiding this question if you don’t answer.

    Please don’t let your second guessing of what Ashley will or won’t do get in the way of answering. That second guessing is no good reason to stop you telling everyone the name of the man who, in your opinion, is the right man for the job if only Ashley would see it.

    We’re waiting, Dave … RAZZ We’re dying to hear the name … RAZZ

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  72. Whey late I know, but I’ve just lifted the “talking about the derby ban” in the house. We were ****, Pards was ****, the officials were ****, sunderland were slightly better than ****(not much) but they wanted it more(not hard) and deserved the win….but we ain’t going down, chill out people, trust me, I’m a doctor 😉

    I did start reading through alot of the comments and thought I’d strayed onto a kindergarten message board 🙄 😆

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  73. Big Dave – Yes , I do have a bet on us being relegated and yes , it is a bit of a joke.
    Every bet I make loses. Batty recommended a horse on the blog a couple of years ago and I stuck a fiver on it . It came in sixth — now he knows who to blame.
    I have put a £5 bet on us being relegated four times in the last 10 years, always in mid season and we have always stayed up.
    I did not put the bet on in 1998/9 and we got relegated – I got the blame. A few people have asked me to put the bet on this year and breathed a sigh of relief when I did.
    I certainly don’t expect to get relegated and posted 2 or 3 weeks ago that we would finish on 42 – 45 points. Mind you, since losing at the weekend I will revise that to 39 -42 points, still leaving us well safe.
    Anyway I’m just pleased that I wound Solano up.
    I’m off now to browse through the holiday sites for a £35 package deal in the sun.

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  74. Oh Dear B&B “you got me Dave” would have been a better and more succinct reply 😆

    Big D is victorious – again. 😆

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  75. B&B I knew I was wasting my time with you but thought I would give you another chance of showing a bit of back bone, but yet again you have failed to be honest and instead have tried to wriggle your way out of it by making another story up, so I don’t have time to waste on you as I don’t normally waste my time or converse with people I don’t have a bit of faith in to be up front, honest and straight to the point, so while you beat about the bush I declare myself out

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