Now, while I’m only targeting a certain group, that group is large enough to be a very destructive force to our club.
I believe they had a major role in affecting team morale during our relegation season, with their antics in the stands and marching with bed sheets down the streets but I feel that the single most contributing factor, to their negative influence on the club is the enormous pressure they put on our players.
Yes, I realise, pressure is part of being a professional footballer, but I honestly believe that our fans take it to another level with unrealistic expectations, and a major lack of patience shown in players, especially foreign players first arriving at the club.
A great example of this was shown, when players like Coloccini and Enrique, now massive fan favourites, were labeled, “slow”, “weak”, “off the pace”, “foreign mercenaries”, “inconsistent”, “unreliable”, “not hard or determined enough”, “too insistent on playing pretty football”, and most importantly “not good enough for this club at this level” – bollocks!
Even our own ex Andy Carroll, had been written off by many and was almost sold for around a million pounds. Leon Best, is another example but injuries forced the fans and manager to give these players a chance and they came through.
Had it not been for our relegation, these players would most likely have been replaced like many before them, and left to rot in the reserves on massive wages, as a major drain to our club. Yet relegation, forced our hand, and they were played and allowed time to adjust.
After promotion, the same fans came out and said, “these players have just found their level, they will struggle in the Premier League”, and again because of the time they were given to gel and settle, they proved to be quality players. This time was probably only afforded to them, due to Ashley’s refusal to spend.
I accept there are players that are never going to cut it, but I truly believe that fan pressure and a lack of patience may well have destroyed many a decent player that has come to our club in the past.
This is something I would hate to see happen again, but is very likely, considering the number of new imports we have coming into a new team and a new league this season.
Some players, especially the French it seems, need to feel loved and wanted to perform. With Yohan Cabaye, Hatem Ben Arfa, Sylvain Marvaeux, Mehdi Abeid, Demba Ba all coming into the team, I can only hope that our fans give these undoubted talents the time to adjust before writing them off.
It took Premier League greats like Marc Overmars, Robert Pires,, Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani, Didier Drogba and Nemanja Vidic at least a season to demonstrate their full potential. What makes our own new players any different?
Anyone who has played football and watched football (or any sport), knows just how key confidence is – its what gives teams such a boost at home games. I can see things turning sour very quickly, both on the field and in the dressing room, and the “fans” will only have themselves to blame.
I believe much of our success last season, came through the fact that we had so little expectation, and most of the fans just wanted to survive.
If we continue to back the team through thick and thin, and show a lot more patience, this club will fulfil its potential at a far more rapid pace.
My question to you is, do you think our fans will have the patience, with manager or players, to allow them time and confidence to gel and play to their full potential? Or will we again, be our own worst enemy?
Thanks to JJ for sending in this article.
Poor SMB’s 2-0 down
jay jay(Quote)
Off topic but anyone seen this bullsh1t:
http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20110720/st-james-park-upgrades-continue_2281670_2397139
witters(Quote)
There is a case in point. it would appear that anything the club do is Bulls**t and has to be critised. JJ you point proved within 2 posts.
Premandup(Quote)
well said mate half of our fans seem to be very negative, i think them fans wernt born in the early 1980s
tony(Quote)
If they all take a season to settle in then we will be in trouble.
I don’t think any fan expects great things this season, they haven’t really strengthened the squad enough to expect anything other than mediocrity.
That’s not me being negative but just realistic.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Good article JJ, it is a bit of a worry.
However I think Relegation brought down a massive lump of reality on most fans, hopefully that 35m doesn’t allow the fans to forget that humbling day and remember that we supported the lads through thick and thin in the Championship.
That’s what it’s all about isn’t it?
Not Ashley, not Pardew, not even the players to an extent, it’s about Newcastle United Football Club.
Daverism(Quote)
I think we’ll **** it into Europe this season 🙂
jay jay(Quote)
I’m still targeting 60points in the league and both cups. 😆
Premandup(Quote)
“What is a club in any case? Not the building or the Directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get out clauses or the marketing departments or the Executive boxes. It’s the noise , the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city” – Sir Bobby Robson
Burnsy(Quote)
Toonsy – having studied in Barcelona for a year I have always compared us to catalan fans, in terms of the fanaticism for the club, the region, ‘the language’ and the city. This is something you cannot control, its inheritant in us as geordies. The fervent passion we have for the region and the city culminates in our passion for OUR football club which sits in the middle of our city. This passion will spill over, it is a passion that is impossible to control. Its what makes us the toon army, its what makes us have 40,000+ turning up to games in the championship, its what makes us sell out every away game, its what makes us idolise and love local heroes such as Jackie Milburn and Alan Shearer..its what also makes us “adopt” people into the geordie nation and love them as our own..such as Keegan and Tino, its what makes us sing “get out of our club, get out of our club, you fat cockney b@#$%&d, get out of our club”, and finally, in reference to your question toonsy, its what makes us in many cases – our own worst enemy. You are correct. However – this is something that we as geordies will never change,its something I dont want us to change. AP said when he came to the club that a special type of character was needed to play at this club. Even a cockney knows that. I am proud, that like the calatan fans, we take our club very seriously and if we are unhappy with the regime we protest and make it know in no uncertain terms we are not happy with a or b, I am proud that as a geordie we turn up and fill St. James park 50,000 plus and expect to WIN, I am proud that of our fans and the people – that is what gives me the most pride- the fans. And if we were to change, well, we may as well all go and follow cheslea. TOON ARMY
alex(Quote)
Witters>
Aye mate. Its disgusting and a pathetic way of writing it off as if it was nothing!
“We’ll be encasing them in” or something like that-disgusting imo!
GeordieDan(Quote)
Burnsy, absolutely spot on!
Its totaly bollox about the supporters playing a part in our relegation too. I remember Man Utd supporters protesting and marchibg like the French a couple of years ago against their owners. Think they won the league that year.
Stuart79(Quote)
What utter rubbish. Toon fans not patient have ya seen our trophy room how patient do we have to be!!!!! Bet you believe all the garbage the club feed ya. They were proven to be liars at KK’s hearing but have continued to spout utter tosh which some idiots actually believe. The clubs biggest enemy isn’t the fans who have turned up season after season regardless of which division we are in it’s the dodgy lot at the top with the puppet manager. It’s all about making money for FCB that’s ALL they are interested in. Older fans have been down this road before and we know were it’s heading. Lack of ambition, investment and interference with the playing side don’t build successful clubs.
Do you honestly believe it’s only toon fans that have a pop at players you should try sitting among Manure fans they were beating us 5-1 and they were still moaning and having a pop if a player miss placed a pass.
So does that mean Man Utd employ players who are capable of dealing with pressure because they seem to do ok despite the crowd!!!!!!!
Steve(Quote)
booby i agree, Im expecting nothing but another season finishing half way up with highs and lows, Top 10 would be good progress and joining the second season club (which i very much doubt)
QPR without Taarabt werent great in the fizzy, Norwich played some nice stuff when i saw them but are a team effectively put together with league 1 players, Swansea look half decent but i cant see them finishing above us, Wigan without Zog might are *****, The chicken farmers are doing a canny job of putting blackburn in the fizzy (hopefully for the duration) and i believe we are better then Wolves, Stoke and Bolton.
9th-12th again…
CC(Quote)
I think were the bestest fans everest 😛
alex(Quote)
This article is half right: the toxic atmosphere created by disgruntled fans played a massive part in our relegation. It’s also true that said fans have been guilty of turning on new or young players too quickly, especially defenders.
This has nothing to do with fan’s dismay at an unforeseen £35 million warchest remaining mysteriously touched, despite pardew’s comical spin regarding club expenses.
Ashley is running the risk of alienating fans yet again, before a long hard season has even begun. Every single action he takes seems neglectful – or at worst – designed to undermine supporters; from the removal of the singing section, failure to reinvest funds to the sale/sacking of popular club personnel.
For fan’s to just meekly accept each and every cycnical decision amounts to nothing more than docile obedience in the face of gross mismanagement. t
boater(Quote)
@Alex
I couldn’t agree more with your comments. The fact that many of us criticise the current regime, is solely down to our passion for the club.
But equally, if we are doing well, such as the Keegan and Robson era’s, I am more positive than most.
Alex, you’re right, it’s because we love the club so much.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@Boater
Same sentiments as well.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@premandup
From boater;
For fan’s to just meekly accept each and every cycnical decision amounts to nothing more than docile obedience in the face of gross mismanagement. t
That cap fits your heed. 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Well “love” does make some people say and do fairly stupid things. Not sure its ever been a valid excuse in a court of law though
MDS(Quote)
Well I’be noticed many of you top quality ‘posiive’ types certainly seem to enjoy slagging off xisco, and used to readily enjoy ripping into Michael Owen. Not that I would suggest hypocrisy, of course.
Although generally speaking I dislike players being booed while the match is in progress there are times occasionally when a player (or players) deserves it. When Dyer showed a complete lack of respect to Sir Bobby for example.
BSN9 is right by the way, if the new foreign lads take a season to settle, or if those who have suffered big injury problems are unable to regain form quickly, we are going to have much bigger problems to worry about than whether they get booed or not.
Hopefully we will still get some new faces in, hopefully good ‘uns, then we may actually be able to look forward to something more than treading water mid table.
Pootle(Quote)
Alex.#10 – Great post. This is a great article and I think that you’re both right. Although I know many many Barca fans and they are much more patient than us Newcastle fans. I am not one of the impatient ones tbh but I have heard and spoken to many toon fans on blogs and there is just so much negativity it’s frighting. You don’t see that with Barcelona fans. Maybe it’s because they’re such a great team (the best in the world in my opinion) and very rarely lose that fans are more calm and patient about it all, why wouldn’t they be? Now that I think about we can’t compare us to them we are Newcastle United and there is no other team like it. Fans have suffered sooooo much heart-ache it’s surprising there are still so many of us around. We just need patience more than ever this time and support the club more than ever now as it is a very critical time in our history, if we mess up and put all sorts of pressure on the players and we make them lose their confidence like the article says then I think we’ll go down and never recover this time. We would be just another Leeds if we’re not careful as most of our players would leave if we went down again! We can’t be a yo-yo club we have to survive again and maintain our status as a premiership club and improve if we can. With these signings we can already improve no doubt, but we need more players, at least one more striker and a LB/RB. We have to be patient and I believe WE WILL PAY FOR A GOOD PLAYER BEFORE SEPTEMBER.
We have to support the team now more than ever!!
Sorry for the long post 😛
Howay The Lads
JP…from The Rock(Quote)
Funny how people were saying broon ale is on draught in Kansas and other places. Got me thinking, is there anywhere in tyneside where it’s still actually on draught. My social club sells Brown Ale by the bottle and LCL by the can! and now they’ve moved brewing to Tadcaster in yorkshire haven’t they? Disgraceful 👿
DJG(Quote)
Yeah i had an american come up to me in a bar disgusted we didn’t have it on tap. I’ve never seen it on tap.
Rorycn(Quote)
It’s amazing how many times I’ve heard fans say be patient, the transfer window still has weeks to go.
The trouble with that theory is, knowing this regime, it’s more likely players will exit at the last minute and not leave us enough time to replace them. (on purpose of course).
They are predictable as Pardews soundbites. 🙄
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
For those going to Columbus:
Open training session to the public at Crew Stadium on *Monday, July 25th* 10am to 11am. Fans should enter through Gate 6 on the West Side of the stadium.
If you still need tickets for the Crew match, here are the details:
Crew Supporters Union in conjunction with Toon Army America and Fourth Street Bar & Grill are throwing a massive party the night before the Crew-Newcastle Friendly and we hope you’ll join us!
Fourth Street Bar and Grill
Fourth Street is fencing in their back parking lot for a beer truck and live music from The Nephews. There will be 1/2 price drinks and apps till 9pm.
MDS(Quote)
I don’t think everything Ashley does is ****.
Reducing the wage bill by getting rid of highly paid non-performers is good – that said our squad still has a good few non-performers.
Getting rid of the dead wood is great but means little if we don’t replace them with better players.
Selling Carroll for £35m is good – but only if the squad is made stronger afterwards. So far we are potentially only slightly stronger and we are very weak up front, and have little strength in depth.
I love NUFC and want us to be more than a premier league mid to lower table make-weight. I won’t apologise for that and I’m not being unrealistic – I’m not expecting us to break into the top four.
We have been a much better side than we are now, and it was a series of bad managers and bad decisions from Shepherd and Ashley that have dragged us down – not bad support from the fans.
Pootle(Quote)
Anyone got any decent links for the match tonight then?
I’ve found a couple but they don’t look the most trustworthy. Get em posted plz!
Half 1 in the mornin’ is very late on a ‘school’ night just to find out there’s no working streams.
Cheers in advance. 🙂
GeordieDan(Quote)
Getting rid of the dead wood is great but means little if we don’t replace them with better players.
——————————-
They started getting rid of the dead wood after relegation Since then, they’ve brought in Simpson, Ba, Cabaye, Marvaeux, Ben Arfa, Tiote, Best, Williamson, etc. Certainly some good players in that bunch…
MDS(Quote)
BS @ 19
My response was based on the fact that there are many things to comment on in the link. Whether it is lack of respect for the dead, use of funds, poor PR etc. To dismiss this as simply Bullshit shows a complet lack of respect. It was presented as an attack on the club with no reason or explanation and exemplified the arguement presented in JJ’s article, hence my comment.
I do not accept every aspect of this management, but I do respect their efforts on behalf of NUFC even when I do disagree. I also respect those people who instinctivly distrust them and present the arguements against them. Debate is valuable and opinions are always woth listening to.
I find however that to simply oppose everything and not even enter the debate to unrealistic. Normally you offer more than that. The cap does not fit my head.
Premandup(Quote)
Well said at 30. While I can certainly understand people’s compaints re; ashley, even though I disagree with some of them, what I can’t understand is the people that complain about every thing the club does without even giving credit, no matter how small, when it is due.
MDS(Quote)
@premandup
I’m basing it on months of comments made by you.
You often criticise the realists but prefer to label them doom mongers.
The cap fits you perfectly IMO 😉
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@MDS
I believe credit is given out where it’s due, it’s just lost in all the justifiable criticism that’s due also.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby, does the b and the s in your name stand for bullshit?
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Both are due at times IMO, I just don’t ever see the credit from you and a few others. That doesn’t make you a “realist” by the way, it makes you a pessimist
MDS(Quote)
I’ve never used the term doom mongers. Shows how much you listen. I fail to accept the term realist because there is no reality being presented, rarely any facts. The current regime has made mistakes I recognise that and they have done some good things. I’m sure our lists would however be very different. I think that they are an improvement over FFS and others that went before. There are signs that the team is improving again, and there is the potential to become successful. Imply changing the owner is not going to guarentee success and may well jeopadise what improvement have been made. I don’t know the future, nobody does, but looking round there are very few owners that have covered themselves in glory. I’d ather build than simply tear down. But hey if the reality train is built on rubble then I’m not a passenger. I also do not remeber ever insulting anybody on this blog, if I have then I apologise. But I am not apolgising for supporting NUFC and being optimistic for the first time since Sir Bobby left.
Premandup(Quote)
I AM BORED TO TEARS with the i hate ashley, i love ashley, i don’t mind ashley. Regardless what anyone thinks we’ve got him and he isn’t going anywhere. He is a top businessman and he will make us strong in a business sense. He’s not on mission to destroy us as that’s ludicrous.He doesn’t seem to know alot about the way the football market currently works but to be fair it is a law unto itself. In no other business would billionaires come in spend 800mill like abramovich just to win a cup(champions league). Football does however effect thousands of people which is why emotions run high. Let’s discuss the players we have, the opponents we will face and leave all the backroom stuff/transfers to the lads in charge of it. We could do with a top striker but so could have the premiership and beyond and half of them would rip you arm off for players like tiote,ben arfa and ba. Rant over. On topic, i agree we get on top of players too quickly, but if a player is big enough and good enough to stick it out and show their quality ala collocini then you’ll see them defennded and supported to the hilt.
Rorycn(Quote)
Well maybe him calling it Bullshit was a bit strong, but then again I could see how some people might find the whole ‘by tarmacing over the ashes we are helping them to stay for eternity’ bit not only patronizing but offensive.
Personally speaking I thought the statement was a bit crass and tasteless. Doesn’t really have any bearing on the way the football side of things is managed though.
Pootle(Quote)
Pootle I also think the whole incident is poorly thought out, and unless the families have been involved, very unlikey, then as you say tasteless and offensive. Making those points would have been valid and sensible. To merely condemn without comment or explanation was the point I was making.
Premandup(Quote)
Pootle@38…I agree, the wording of the statement was absolutely all wrong, crass and insensitive imo. Whoever this Facilities Manager Eddie Rutherford guy is…sorry mate, the tarmacing may be a sensible thing to do, but you got the statement a bit wrong.. 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
I agree with how poorly worded some of the press releases are. It’s all a bit unprofessional and isn’t too dissimilar to the quality of copy my company releases when interns are tasked with writing them. Ah well.
With regards to money being spent. I am 50/50. I don’t like the lies from the club and believe they treat the fans like idiots as if we can’t figure do basic maths and realise we haven’t spent anywhere near enough money when taking into account all of the incomings.
However, I also understand why we haven’t spent much. Look at our current squad. It’s not perfect, but in direct relation to our objective of a top 10 finish, it’s more than enough. People need to understand that the level of investment will always reflect the aim. It’s all about optimum spend. These aims would have been agreed with Pardew. He wants to aim top 10 and no more….Fair enough, but don’t expect to be backed heavily.
~ El Toro ~(Quote)
@premandup
You say there are not many facts from the realists but I tend to disagree.
We counter the fantasists with nothing but facts. The very group I put you in are the fantasists and the name speaks for itself .
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
“…Can’t do basic maths…”
~ El Toro ~(Quote)
It’s getting a little political tonight wot wot. 🙂
DJG(Quote)
” Regardless what anyone thinks we’ve got him and he isn’t going anywhere. He is a top businessman and he will make us strong in a business sense”
NUFC is a football club. It business IS football. How can it be strong in a business sense and not strong in a football sense?
The strength of the football side of things should be relative to the clubs ability to generate income.
Pootle(Quote)
The strength of the football side of things should be relative to the clubs ability to generate income.
———————–
I agree. But the finacial situation is not good right now (150M debt, operating loss for all but one year in the last ten) so I don’t understand why people think we should going on a spending spree to field the best possible team on the field
MDS(Quote)
To premandup and others who confuse fierce passion and loyalty NUFC to equate to negativity if you believe as a fan that the owners of said club are not running the club correctly. Lets say for i.e I got married and in the beginning my wife did a multitude of things that made me upset and angry and nearly tore the marriage apart, but I have to stay with her. Now lets say things start to get better, a little better, however the odd lie and negative comments still come now and again. Its gonna take any sane man a while to be able to trust, respect, like, love (woteva u wanna call it) his wife again. Substitute the wife for Ashley (who in effect is Newcastle United at the moment as he calls all the shots). The ‘negativity’ is born from distrust from a man who has continually upset the Newcastle faithful. So yes, we can look on the brightside..thats one option. However although you can forgive you can never forget. NEVER. Especially when it effects a club you love more than anything in the world. This is passion. This is what we are about as toon fans. I will not knock ANY fan that now believes in Ashley, good on ya and I hope im there one day, God knows i do. I was at the emirates in 08 when we lost 3 – 0 to arsenal, ashley was in crowd – i loved him, thought he was amazing. However times change, things happen, there was a point during last year, (and I apologise in advance if this offends anyone) that I wished serious bad health on the man – I hated him. I have never hated anyone and yet I hated him. These deep feelings have turned more into numbness to him – however, like you premandup, I hope to one day look on the bright side. However everytime something positive happens, we take a step back imo. Hughton gets us up, gets team spirit up, gets fans onside – hughton gets sacked. Carroll scores goals, carroll gets number 9, carroll wants bigger contract, carroll gets sold. You see where Im coming from, I like many newcastle fans now need to see positive actions upon actions to repair the damage that has been caused for me to not be ‘negative’ if thats what you wanna call it. Though I will be at St.James 1st game of season cheering lads on as I always do – its what makes us fans
alex(Quote)
No Premandup, you were snidely trying to imply that people who are critical of many aspects of Ashley’s tenure are unable to do anything but criticise. You have also since implied that we are incapable of discussing facts – which, ironically, I would suggest is the other way around.
In fact if you read Witters original comment it in no way implied anything other than the statement about the tarmac was bullshit. You then twisted it to suit your own agenda.
He used the word Bullshit, I used the word crass. Maybe he found it more offensive than I did. Neither of us suggested it had anything to do with Ashley or the general running of the club.
Incidentally I find Witters to be relatively supportive of the current regime, so your initial criticism seems misguided anyway.
Factually speaking.
Pootle(Quote)
At 47. Jeez, man. I suggest a deep breath and a bit of valium.
MDS(Quote)
😆
alex(Quote)
” I don’t understand why people think we should going on a spending spree to field the best possible team on the field”
I assume by ‘spending spree’ you are talking about the sort of profligate waste perpetrated by Shepherd?
Show me where some of the more prominent dissenters have asked for that?
I want us to buy a striker of reasonable quality, maybe Long, but not huge expense by using some of the Carroll money.
I would like us to sell Enrique to help fund buying a couple of fullbacks. I would like a RW of reasonable quality hopefully paid for by shifting Smith, Xisco, Loven, and Routledge (although Joey and Guti) can do the job this season if we can’t shift our surplus.
Explain to me how that would amount to a spending spree?
Providing we get decent players we might be able to actually finish higher than 8th too and/or have a decent cup run, which would al help increase our revenue.
Pootle(Quote)
Show me where some of the more prominent dissenters have asked for that?
———————–
Really, man? Did you just start on this blog or something?
MDS(Quote)
evening lads , hope yous are well and good 😀
i very much doubt this but is the game on the internet 2nyt?? if it was i would of stopped up , 01.30 kick off isnt it??
Army69(Quote)
Incidentally I think you’ll find that if you look back, it was generally the Ashley fan club who were wanting a ‘spending spree’. It wasn’t the dissenters producing the fantasy football lists and teamsheets laden with names like Gervinho, Gameiro, Barnetta, Menez, Sturridge etc, etc,etc and on it went!
But that wasn’t us doubting Thomas’s doing that – because we, frankly, we never believed Ashley would actually spend the money.
Pootle(Quote)
@pootle
Spot on fella.
I have never heard one realist ask for Shepherd style of spending.
All we ask is the continuing strengthening of the squad.
That means exactly as you say. The same type of buys that have been made but using the Carroll money to it’s full use so we have strength in depth .
I gave the name fantasists to those dreaming about big money buys. I told them to wake up and smell the coffee and jump on the reality train.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
” Really, man? Did you just start on this blog or something?”
Lol. That’s what I thought – you can’t show me.
All the fantasy football style lists come from Ashley’s supporters because they are the only ones who thought we would actually buy anyone expensive.
Explain to me again why the plan I laid out before to strengthen s few positions amounts to a ‘spending spree’.
Pootle(Quote)
@MDS
oh dear. 🙄
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@MDS
Cat got your Tongue ? 😛 dog chewed your typing fingers? 😳 or just plain stuck for comebacks? 🙄
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
” That means exactly as you say. The same type of buys that have been made but using the Carroll money to it’s full use so we have strength in depth”
Careful Bobby. You just suggested that, although we need more players, the ones we just bought were a reasonable start.
The happy-clapper High Command says us dissenters aren’t able to say anything constructive. They’ll charge you with heresy!
Pootle(Quote)
Ah a good old battle of opinions tonight it’s refreshing and long overdue!
Now I think realism is survival. Then realistic is top ten and ambitious is top seven.
Anything above that is fanciful. now on paper with the squad we currently have and even without an influx of spending top ten is the best we can hope for. Even if we brought sturridge n zog matuidi it doesn’t even guarantee a top ten finish.
Therefore either way the way to define realism and fanciful is purely based on each ones opinion as none of us will know how well we may or may not do until 12 games into the season.
Liam southern toon(Quote)
Bobby I take it we havn’t got anymore new players in ❓
JJ good job on the thread mate 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Evening…
Tell you what concerns me:-
Pardew: “It’s not particularly great news on either of them. “It’s looking like neither will be ready for the start of the season. “Fergie has probably got more chance than Guthrie. “It’s OK, we can cope, but if we lost another two, then it won’t be OK. “I wouldn’t say we’re on a knife-edge with injuries, but our squad isn’t particularly big.”
Great. What happens if it’s Colo and Saylor? Would that be a Premier League centre back partnership replacing them?
What happens if it is Ba and Best?
Jose? With Fergie being injured? Would be great to start season with Perch versus Walcott….NOT
A real concern for me. Injuries are like taxes, you’ll always get em….we just don’t have the cover and we aren’t actively in the market.
Moreno(Quote)
Moreno I agree mate and we could get ourselfs in a lot of trouble if the Fatman doesn’t start to invest properly, its all good having a financally stable club but if we dont have the players to keep us in the prem it wont be much good
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave,
we all know they are capable of leaving it until the last minute and bringing a Shefki Kuqi in as cover. Not good enough imo.
Pardew said we are looking at 2 new signings. A Striker and Neil Taylor?
Well Neil Taylor ain’t coming, neither are our first choice strikers and our current crop of back up players (with the exception of Dan Gosling and Mike Williamson – depending who you are playing) just ain’t good enough – yet.
The issue will be the fact we have to get rid of Xisco and Smith first. I understand that. What if we can’t though?
Moreno(Quote)
Just to add to that….
”There’s loads of time left ffs!”
I HEAR (A LOT OF) YOU CRY!
True, but the noises coming out of the club regarding transfers ain’t great and…”but if we lost another two, then it won’t be OK.” is a real concern for me.
We are more likely to lose players at the moment than bring them in.
Moreno(Quote)
Our first 11 isn’t too bad and looks capable of a top half finish. What worries me is that SQUAD is very weak.
It needs investment. Investment that I don’t think we are going to see, and I’m worried that we won’t improve on last season due to injuries and Tiotes suspensions (if we don’t sell him on the last day of the window).
We’ve had a weak squad for a long time now, and if the owner showed a tiny bit of ambition we could improve so much and with that improvement more money would come into the club.
NorthernPaul(Quote)
” A real concern for me. Injuries are like taxes, you’ll always get em….we just don’t have the cover and we aren’t actively in the market.”
Of course, this is true. And a very serious concern too.
Even with the sort of buys I was talking about before, if we got the right players in it would improve the overall ability of the first team and add a small amount of strength to the squad – maybe the difference between finishing 10th or 7th/8th.
But, and its a very big but, that would depend on us having a relatively injury free season. The really worry is what happens if we DON’T get anymore players. We currently lack decent cover in far too many positions and have too many players who have injury question marks against them to consider not buying a few more players.
Incidentally some people seem to think undersoil heating will make a big difference to the injury situation, but I think i’m right in saying most of our problem injuries last season didn’t happen at the training ground so I can’t see that making much difference to be honest.
Pootle(Quote)
” Well Neil Taylor ain’t coming…”
The other worrying sign here is that N Taylor ain’t coming because we wouldn’t pay more than £1m for him.
I sincerely hope that isn’t a sign of how much we have left to spend.
I’m sure even Ashley realises he’ll probably have to spend more than that to get a decent striker.
Jesus. Even Carlton Cole would cost a lot more than that.
Pootle(Quote)
And don’t forget Cabaye (and probably the other new boys) has been told we are trying for Europe this year, presumably ad a selling point.
If we have a poor start to the year, whether from injuries or other reasons, they may begin to feel they’be been sold a pup.
It would be hard not to agree with him considering that the squad as it stands today looks very unlikely of reaching a European spot.
Pootle(Quote)
Both Marveaux and Cabaye have said that the vision is Europe, but that it will take time. At no point did they say it was the aim for this season…..
toonsy(Quote)
any links for the game tonight lads
pavel is a geordie(Quote)
Pootle
July 20, 2011 at 23:20
“The other worrying sign here is that N Taylor ain’t coming because we wouldn’t pay more than £1m for him.”
Maybe because that is all the club think he is worth?
toonsy(Quote)
before I go scrounging around, does anybody have a bead on a stream for the game tonight? I imagine those greenhorns in KC will finagle some rube goldberg contraption to connect a camera to them innernets.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Wow! A lot of people seem to know the details of what goes on behind closed doors and in the minds of other people. Scary Midwich Cuckoos.
And oh dear, BS9 really does think he is a realist. All this time I thought he was just joking. It seems that his brand of Realism is: I believe, therefore it is true. Which is much closer to Idealism. Yet again he is shown to be a cloud of fluff.
By the way, JJ, good article.
Brisvegas(Quote)
FSOTC – For those of you who will be up and about I’ve done a match thread for you all. It will be up for 00:45 UK time, 45 minutes before kick-off 🙂
toonsy(Quote)