For me it was the biggest reason and had more of a detrimental effect than many people think. You can throw blame at Alan Pardew, the players, the coaching and so on but the simple fact is that the whole squad and management structure were left short by a lack of strengthening last summer.
Lessons were learned in time for the January transfer window but by then it was too late and the rot had started to set in. It’s easier to pick yourself up from a blip, but when things are continually going against you then confidence and belief will start to drain and as we saw last season, players who previously had no issue with performing well became unable to even do the simple things right out on the football pitch.
Fast forward a year and here we are, with pre-season training under way and with no new additions to the squad, so just what is going on at United?
Not a lot it seems. There are plenty of rumours of course but then that is no different to us or any club at this moment in time. The problem I’m having is that all of this has a sense of déjà vu about it. We’ve been here and seen it all before and I’m starting to believe that we’re going to end up in the same kind of situation as we found ourselves in last term. In fact it could be argued that we’re worse off as last term we had the chance to build from a position of strength whereas we don’t have that luxury this season.
Rumour has it that Joe Kinnear – the “dynamo” now behind our transfers – is to jet off on holiday for a couple of weeks which is handy considering that this and January should be the busiest times of his year. I don’t know how true it is and perhaps there is more than a hint of stirring by the press but it honestly wouldn’t surprise me.
It seems as though everyone is cracking on with business whilst we dither about and stand still whilst reported target after reported target fall by the wayside. Angst is building amongst NUFC and I can completely see why. I just hope it ends up being misplaced and that, despite my own particular gut feeling, Kinnear can actually get something right.
I won’t be holding my breath…
kim explains pardew and kinnear better than i could 🙂
stem(Quote)
Munich @975 ,I live in hope as ever as a Toon fan 😉 The one consolation is that long after Joe ,Pards and Jabba are pushing up daisies the Toon will still be there and hopefully thriving.
KIMTOON(Quote)
I guess I’m hopeful, but not optimisitic, that Pardew will do better this season with a healthier squad available. Like you, Kim, I have serious doubts and the jury is pretty well set against him as we’re entering closing arguments so Pards needs to really put on a display now to recapture our imaginations.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/165/8821648/al-fayed-was-incredible-khan
Congratulations to Fulham and Al Fayed, what he achieved at Fulham was quite amazing. Hadn’t realised that he was 84, well done to that man. It seems like the new guy coming in is a nice guy who looks forward to engaging and communicating with the fans and moving the club forward.
I don’t want to speak to soon, because the new bloke at Fulham may turn out to be a bad ‘un, but it’s a real pity that our lot are making such a hash of engaging the fan base. We have a non-communicating dictator in charge who has the local rags terrified of speaking out of turn, whilst alienating the majority of the punters. Pity really.
Munich Mag(Quote)
No progress at all then. All that’s happened this summer is we’ve remembered how **** Pardew is. Can’t believe we’ve got to mid July and there’s not even a sign of a new player. And unbelievably the only name we keep hearing is **** too. What’s the matter with the fckers? Have they forgotten what the job is?
georgio(Quote)
Munich ,Yeah Al Fayed wasn’t a mega spender but saved Fulham no doubt on that .What’s more important is he really loved the club and most of if not all the fans loved him for it too. It’s clear he took over the club out of appreciation and love for the club and not as an self promotional tool for himself or Harrolds ,after all that’s a quality store which needs no promotion. It’s a crying shame our owner isn’t cut from the same cloth ,he is everything Al Fayed is not. As for the new guy ,well he seems amicable enough he certainly has an act to follow ,he wouldn’t of had that issue if he’d bought us . 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
18 to go 😀
KIMTOON(Quote)
Noooooooooooooooooo ,too soon for the new article 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Oh well. On to the next thread.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
985
richietoon(Quote)
Bent is a lot more selfish than Cisse, way way way more in
fact, I’d go as far as to say there’s no comparison really, he even make Ba look like the complete team player….Bent would get very few assists…if any at all.
richietoon(Quote)
RICHIE agree hes ****
icedog(Quote)
Don’t want to see Bent at the club
Munich Mag(Quote)
Bent he aint really a team player
Munich Mag(Quote)
almost 1000 posts on one article 😯
Munich Mag(Quote)
I bet toonsy is happy that the blog is so popular 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
Though I was sure that Rodz or one of the Aussie lads would push us over the 1000 mark….
Munich Mag(Quote)
B&B would have certainly helped us over the 1000 posts line, but he’s not allowed to play here any more.. 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)