Maybe, just maybe, next weekend will prove more fruitful in terms of football results?
We’ll see on that one, but on the basis of the performance against Liverpool I wouldn’t want our highly-paid footballers to feel put out by having to play football for 90 minutes. Heaven forbid. Perhaps I’m being harsh? Maybe it’s understandable that the lads are looking a little jaded? I mean we have had to soldier on with pretty much the same starting XI for the bulk of the season.
That’s part of the problem though – strength in depth. We all know it, it’s been said umpteen times by many posters and we have to hope that it is one of the things that will be addressed in the summer. Adding to the overall quality of the squad is a must, but to add quality first you must maintain what you already have at your disposal.
Keeping hold of the core that we have is vitally important for us. Players like Joey Barton, Kevin Nolan and, even though I think it’s futile trying to attempt to, Jose Enrique is equally as important as strengthening the squad is. This is where the problem starts.
It’s very very easy for me to sit here and type that. It’s common sense that you need to keep hold of your better players. Unfortunately it’s not always quite as easy as that and there are other factors that come in to play yet we, collectively as fans, seem to assume that it’s some sort of failing on the part of the club if a player chooses to move on to a better club.
Unfortunately, and this may come across as a big negative, it’s time for a bit of realism.
The fact is that we are, at the moment, a club that is looking to stabilise in the Premier League. We are unlikely, barring some miracle, to be in a position where we can push for Europe next season and top-ten is probably the realistic goal we should be aiming for.
There are an awful lot of clubs that are much much better than us. There is a new top-four made up of Manchester Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City, followed by Tottenham and Liverpool who pretty much have Europe sewn up year-on-year. The fact is that these sides have been improving whilst we have been declining in the last eight years or so.
It will take time, investment, patience and good luck to be able to get in a position to compete over the length of a season with any of those teams, so with that in mind, if you were a player that had your eyes on playing in Europe would you go for the long haul or the short haul option? I’m guessing the latter.
I’m using Enrique as the example here, even though he could still surprise us and sign on again at Newcastle. Put yourself in his shoes. If a team playing in Europe came calling, what would you do? Remember, there is very little loyalty in football, and we constantly get told that footballers have short careers. Why not instant success?
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that when certain clubs come calling there is generally only going to be one outcome. I call it the football food chain, and right now we aren’t near the top of it. It isn’t new and it’s always happened.
Until we can get ourselves to a level where we can compete with the big boys around Europe we will see our better players leaving. There may be odd exceptions to that rule, but it’s generally how it works – in fact it’s how Newcastle, for decades, have worked.
All this talk of aiming for Europe is premature in my opinion. We aren’t going to take the Premier League by storm like last time. We aren’t in 1994 anymore and the league is a very different proposition to what it once was. The fact that this season has been widely regarded as being one of the closest and exciting leagues to date yet the same teams occupy the top spots says a lot.
Players come, players go, but as long as they go to the top clubs I’m not overly concerned as it means they must have been doing something right for us in the first place. It’s just, unfortunately, one of those things.
It’s when we start selling our better players to teams that are worse than us I’ll start to worry!
I just had a look at an interview with Alan Pardew in the Journal live,and the commentaries are amazing reading.There are 38 of them pluss a lot of commentaries to the commentaries and they all seem to be in totall agreement ! The owner is a fat feckin greedy *******,the Manager the joke of the century and the players nothing but a heap of dead meat,except for a tiny minority which will be sold in the summer anyway,without any adequate replacement.This will result in us being relegated next season and some of them seemed to be sorry it did’nt happen already.I find this understandable.Had I harboured such views of “my team” I would have been relived had they dissapeared down to the lower leagues and into total oblivion as soon as possible.AWAY THE LADS ! 😯
arrowhead(Quote)
richietoon
Posted May 2, 2011 at 6:41 PM
“with trepidation”
😯 😯 😯
I’m impressed 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Newkie > still, maybe we can make some more good use out of him next year if we have the rest of the team do his running for him
I dont think we can afford to carry a player, even during the entertainers yrs we found it hard haveing to cover for Ginola then later Robert and they offered a lot more to the team
Big Dave(Quote)
Arrowhead- don’t you know that only psychos and all around social degenerates post comments on the internet? 😉
MDS(Quote)
Newkie meant to add that I feel very strongly that the Captain should help carry the load not distribute his own weight
Big Dave(Quote)
Lads, on the last day of the season, when you hear a raylor song buzzing round SJP, you no who started it 😉
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
I’m going to ban the word Raylor from here in a minute 😆
toonsy(Quote)
just try it sy!
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
@stu79
You’ve got them in knots! Keep gannin son! I’m reet behind you!
How can’t they see it? It’s hitting me in the face every day what needs to be done! I look like a pug dog noo!
It’s great standing on the sidelines for a change and watching Stu running rings round you’s all !!
😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Thing is, and I may or may not be the only one who thinks this Bobby, but the difference between Stuart and yourself is that he can put a point across without being a condascending *****. You can’t 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Who’s Raylor? ❓
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby so tell me then do you agree with keeping a player that dosn’t want to be here ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Dave
Posted May 2, 2011 at 6:27 PM
Are you saying that if Barton, Tiote, Nolan, Enrique, Ben Arfa, Jonas and Coloccini told Pardew they all wanted to leave in the summer we should just roll over and say oh go on then seeing as though you want to?
Every club has players who at some point will want to leave the club, but they don’t always end up leaving.
Sorry, Dave but a player might be unhappy for a few weeks but once he see’s the club going in the right direction, signing good players and moving forward they will soon forget.
The only time we should sell our best players are when we get a ridiculous offer for them and only when we’re confident we have a replacement lined up. If a club want a player enough to make a huge offer they’ll wait a couple of weeks until we get someone to replace them.
A club who gets 50k supporters every home game deserves to have something to look forward to and deserve some hope. We need to build something here and we can only do that with our best players staying.
Stuart79(Quote)
Super, Super Ry
Super, Super Ry
Super, Super Ry
Super Ryan Taylor
😛 😛 😛
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
@toonsy
I thank you for the compliment. 😉
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Nee worries. Any time you want some another spell on the sidelines just let me know and I’ll be happy to oblige 😉
toonsy(Quote)
@big Dave
No I don’t believe they should keep a player who wants to leave.
I can only assume he wants to leave because he sees no chance of gaining an international place staying at the Toon.
Can’t blame him under this short sighted regime.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@ toonsy
Ive heard you say similar things to Stu and he is not a condescending *****. 🙄
You still out for the west brom game? I’ll buy you a pint, if I like you. 😉
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
How does Williamson get a 5 yr contract? Does that give you all hope boys?
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby Shinton number 9
Posted May 2, 2011 at 7:11 PM
“How does Williamson get a 5 yr contract? Does that give you all hope boys?”
Probably fattening him up for a sale Bobby. That’s all these long contracts are for isn’t it? 😛
toonsy(Quote)
Bobby @ 93 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Stuart it would be the manager and others job to convince them that our club is the right place and going in the right direction and if they dont do that then they arn’t doing their job.
But if a player still dosn’t want to be part of that then the club should let them go.
From what I gathered I thought you were in favour of holding them to their contract to set an example that the club have the power over a player with a contract ?
Big Dave(Quote)
Bobby @ 94 are you happy at him getting a 5 yr contract ? and why do you think he got it
Big Dave(Quote)
@toonsy
5 yr contracts – fattening them up for sale.
If anyone dares mention that Tiote will be sold in the summer, many say he’s on a 6 yr contract – it won’t happen.
I can think of a few players who are **** and are on 5 year contracts and we can’t get rid of them. Smith and xisco spring to mind and the next little waster living off our cash will be ranger.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@Big Dave
Am I happy ? What do you think?
I really don’t need to answer that do I? 😥
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Big Dave
Posted May 2, 2011 at 7:14 PM
If a player has recently signed a long term contract with us then comes to the manager and says he wants to leave I would tell him to fck right off, get back on the training ground and help the club achieve their ambitions.
If a player has only one year left like Enrique I would offer him a new contract and if he still wants to leave, sell him.
The two situations are totally different, although I am still of the opinion that the club have fcked up with Enrique, they should have tied him down to a new contract last season – he would have signed too.
Stuart79(Quote)
Bobby so you think we gave Williamson a 5yr contract to fatten him up for sale 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Rangers not really on massive wages, and hes only 19, im sure a ccc team would take him
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Stuart > If a player has recently signed a long term contract with us then comes to the manager and says he wants to leave I would tell him to fck right off, get back on the training ground and help the club achieve their ambitions.
Do you really believe that that player is going to help us achieve our ambitions if we are stopping him achieve his ?
Because I dont think it works.
What did you think of Jose’s attitude at Anfield because I thought it was ***** and looked to me like a player that didn’t want to be here is that what you want for our club
Big Dave(Quote)
I still cannot believe we gave a 5 year contract to Williamson and have let Enrique run his contract down to one year.
Stuart79(Quote)
Dave – I’ve been saying that (and getting criticised for that) about Enrique for ages mate 😉
toonsy(Quote)
@big Dave
I hope it’s because within a year or so, Ashley is to sell up and he will have all his players on long contracts no matter their quality.
He’s looking to balance the books ASAP, players on long contracts and hes duping the fans into long season ticket deals knowing that he will be long gone within 2 yrs. I realise the deals aren’t Tie in deals but they’ve certainly worked in persuading fans to renew. The new owners may well cancel any deals but Ashley doesn’t care about us.
I hope my reading of his personality and actions are right and I do hope he’s gone ASAP.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
DAVE theres nee-body picking on you is there m8 👿
icedog(Quote)
Bobby @ 107 I hope he **** off long before 2yrs 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Ice hows it going I take it the hangover is gone 😆 I heard you were breaking into a few wacko jacko moves on sat night 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Dave
Posted May 2, 2011 at 7:32 PM
Enrique is a totally different situation as I said earlier. Enrique looks out of sorts because he obviously has a move lined up, it’s probably been sorted for a while now as his contract only has one year left. He hasn’t just signed a new contract either.
Some people say that we will only sell players if they want to leave, if Tiote gets sold and the club say “He wanted to leave, what could we do?”. Well how about telling him that he’s just signed a new long term contract and you’re going to honour it and help us achieve our ambitions and fullfill his own ambitions.
I’m only using Tiote as an example as I think he’s the most likely transfer to cause ructions with the supporters.
Stuart79(Quote)
@toonsy
His heart isn’t in the club now because he knows he’s leaving.
He is quoted as saying the club have broke promises. He was gutted we sold Carroll.
You may discredit what I say, but I do actually have access to some players and they all say the same about the regime. They don’t know what their ambitions are. They know as much as us.
They rely on Pardew to communicate their intententions.
Yet we hear Pardew on the news explaining that he is promised the Carroll money but even he doesn’t seem sure. We don’t know, the players don’t know and Pardew doesn’t what Ashley will do.
How you have any faith on them is beyond me.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
DAVE kna got this stinking heed nowt to do with drink,cant even stand t.v.for more than ten min,so just popping on and off here,will phone docs in morn see if i can get it sorted m8 😥
icedog(Quote)
@Big Dave
You say that you hope Ashley is gone in less than 2 yrs.
You might want to join me and Stu in our cause to persuade the others we will achieve nothing and at best mediocrity under Ashley.
Or do you actually like his prudent approach?
Too prudent for me.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
He’ll just say be more responsable when on the drink ice, not like im speaking from experiance 😉 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Stuart I dont think it matters how long Jose has to go on his contract I think that what matters is what we get out of a player that dosn’t want to be part of our team.
So going by what you’ve said I take it you were in favour of keeping Judas at his boyhood club when he didn’t want to be part of it ?
I on the other hand am glad he is away because I would prefer a team of players that want to be part of our club and you can count on them when the going gets rough 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
I will decide wether or not I want Ashley after this summer, it really is his last chance.
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
As I’ve said before the 10 year season ticket deal is a bad thing when it comes to fatboy selling the club, any potential owner isn’t going to be thrilled at not being able to put prices up for 10 years…..so does that mean we’re stuck with fatboy for the foreseeable?? 🙁
richietoon(Quote)
@big Dave
Carroll was forced out the club.
He has repeatedly said he didn’t want to leave. The club told him they wanted the money .
I think you are twisting things.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby there is nothing more I would like than to see the back of the Fat Controller, but until he gets an offer and **** of there is nowt we can do 👿
Ice do you wear glass’s ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Dave
Posted May 2, 2011 at 7:50 PM
No I would have sold Carroll too because the transfer fee was outrageously huge and impossible to turn down as I said @ 88.
I wouldn’t sell Tiote for less than £25m if a club meets that valuation if he wants to leave he can, but unless they meet that valuation he’d stay.
Stuart79(Quote)
richietoon
Posted May 2, 2011 at 7:55 PM
There is no written contract, any new owner could rip up that agreement and set new prices.
To be honest I wouldn’t be bothered at all if it meant getting rid of the fat heffer!
Stuart79(Quote)
ah ok Stuart,cheers. Didn’t even open my renewal with coming over here…I’ll shut up then 😉 😀
richietoon(Quote)
Bobby I honestly dont believe Judas was forced from the club as I really cant see why Nolan would have had to help him make up his mind, and tell him it was an opportunity he shouldn’t miss if he was being forced out.
It just dosn’t make sense to me but I dont have a problem with you thinking otherwise thats your choice
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE just for reading,had eyes done couple of months ago,its not that m8
icedog(Quote)
RICHIE you get your paperwork today m8?the slammer awaits if you didnt 😉
icedog(Quote)
You gan to be the prison *****, Rich? 😉
toonsy(Quote)
@stu
If you owned the club and Carroll wanted to stay and was genuinely gutted that a £35m bid had come in, would you have accepted it?
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Stuart at 1st i thought Tiote was a cracker but lately I am starting to think he is becoming a bit of a liability, I know his tough tackling is his strong part of his game but even after he has had his 1st card he dosn’t calm done at all, and how many games have we had to do without him due to suspensions 5 ?.
I honestly believe he needs to calm done a bit or he is going to hurt someone badly then he will just be another De Jung
Big Dave(Quote)
Where is DJG?
He will tell us all how it really is
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Dave @ 129 – I’m writing a thread about that right this second 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Nice result for the Boro today.
Stuart79(Quote)
Ice what about your computer monitor what size is it and do you have to really focus all the time to see it.
I had to get my eyes tested last yr as I was getting real bad headaches but I got mesel a 24 ins monitor and dont have to be right up to the screen now to read it but I changed the way I work aswell as I dont work real close up anymore so it could be that aswell in my case
Big Dave(Quote)
Bobby Shinton number 9
Posted May 2, 2011 at 8:10 PM
I’d have accepted a bid of that amount unless money was no object a la Man City.
Stuart79(Quote)
That knacka on Twitter is suggesting that Bothroyd will be our new striker for next season 👿 👿 👿 👿 👿
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Bobby just out of interest do you think the Fat c@nt is the only problem with the club or do you think Owlheed can take some of the blame ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
BSN9,
Drop me an e-mail re the time and venue for the WBA gathering. 😉
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
@stu
First thing Ive disagreed with you about.
I totally accept your Tiote argument regarding £25m.
For me, believing in the potential of Carroll and the fact he’s a Geordie, not enough .
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Let’s not forget supermac was sold for a world record fee at the time . £333,333k
Certain players are irreplaceable . For me he was.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby – Don’t forget the 33p 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Supermac irreplaceable, WTF 👿
He was relaced by Paul Cannell for gods sake and we got relegated within two seasons. ❗
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
@toonsy
You don’t hate me? 😉
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
*replaced*
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Who’s got the snooker on? Cracking game this like 🙂
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Ice….pick it up tomorrow(hopefully) bank hol today here too.
Toonsy…..I’ll prob read more books over here so be prepared for more long words 😉 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Bobby I know you asked Stuart @ 128 but if it was me I would have kept him, as he could have been another Shearer and there isn’t to many of them about and to be a Geordie aswell makes it even more worthwhile
Big Dave(Quote)
@TGS
We sold Gazza and got relegated. We sold beardsley and waddle and never progressed.
Geordie Icons come along once ever 10 yrs or more. We’ve potentially just lost another!
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
AndrewNUFC @ 144 aye it is good I would like to see Trump win as I cant stand Higgins after his news of the world appearance
Big Dave(Quote)
Bobby @ 142 – What gave you that impression?
I’m not cuddling you though 😳
toonsy(Quote)
Aye Big Dave I want Trump to win, class player.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)