Usually I’m not one for getting out the bed sheets and writing protest messages. In fact, if anything, I’m all for giving plenty of time and a good deal of leeway for owners, managers and players to make their mark.
I’m not the hysterical type that makes pronouncements of doom at the latest defeat or because we didn’t whoop the arses of Sydney and Wellington in pre-season games or because the owner doesn’t run the club the way I want him to. But there comes a point when change has to happen, and somewhere along the line you have to make your feelings known.
That time has come for me now.
I was quite prepared to give this current crop of guys half a dozen games to get their act together. I was quite prepared to see if Pardew could get something out of them. After four games of the current season I’ve lost much of my generosity of spirit.
There appears to be no change in the direction we were heading in at the end of last season. What was clear at the time was that we needed about half a dozen players, and in positions all over the park, and a new game plan. Instead we got some useful signings on paper, some replacements for exiting players and a baffling decision to weaken our very suspect defence. There was also some talk about a new style of play.
I’m still willing to give the players the benefit of the doubt, although the rash of mis-hit shots and air swings by players when in very good scoring positions casts a few doubts about their technique and value, and the link up play is too slow and laborious for the Premier League, and there’s far too much room given to opposition in midfield, and defending leaves so much to be desired that … oh what the hell …? Everything is all ****ed up and unbalanced. Everything.
The guy that has to take responsibility for the way the team plays is Pardew (and Mike Youknowwho, of course, but he’s not selling and is hardly likely to sack himself). We all know our record for this year, so there’s not much point in rehashing it, and we all know about the Pardew Out chants. For me, it’s this that needs to be addressed.
The fans want Pardew to go. Another bad performance v Hull and St James’ Park will become as toxic a site as it was in the relegation season (and didn’t that start against Hull as well?). That toxicity will spill down from the terraces and affect the players. That cannot be allowed to happen; they are already a bunch of question marks running around like headless chooks, they don’t need more pressure on them. Supporting the club is all about the team and anything that gets in the way of that needs to be addressed as quickly as possible.
I’m all for a new approach, a regeneration, a reboot, with new personnel in charge. I doubt this is the best time to get rid of the manager, but when is? I say better now than risk a drawn-out battle with the terraces. That can only lead to frustration and anger, and will most likely have a negative effect on the players. A new manager at least gives the players a chance to be born again.
For the sake of the team, Pardew must go.
By Brisvegas
Sharpy, agree totally mate, never any excuse for not giving 100% and that includes when you are 3 or 4.0 down, you never give up .
kIMTOON(Quote)
Kim – totally correct. That’s my point entirely, and I’m sure the same will happen against Hull. When the players names are announced they will be cheered as always, I have no nowt about that. But if the fans then see they aren’t putting it in, they will (and have every right to) let them know.
Re Bruceys comment, isn’t not so much what he said, more how that last bit is worded – I will always be grateful. Probably reading too much into it, but it just sounds strange to me.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Troy, He won’t sack him imo, the only thing that may make him do it is if the toxic atmosphere in the ground reflects badly on his tat advertising.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Sharps, think you are living in hope where Bruce is concerned, though it’s interesting that he hasn’t said he wants to stay at Hull. All he has said is it’s disrespectful to link him with a job where the manager is still there, that’s more telling I think.
kIMTOON(Quote)
ashley will hold out long as possible to sack p45.if things are sstill bad at crimbo then i can see him sacked,dont buy this bollocks he will be sacked if we lose to hull on saturday.
hitman(Quote)
Well it’s Lews 24th birthday today, I had hoped for a birthday win on Saturday for him , but it’s not too late for a sacking to make up for it 😉
kIMTOON(Quote)
In 2013 before the venue increases for all Prem clubs kicked in, we were only the 11th highest wage bill – and that had gone down from 2012. After that last transfer window, our wage spend has again gone down, probably now standing at £60m. We were already miles behind even Everton, ket alone the top-6 spenders.
Since 2013, Stoke, Southampton, West Brom, West Ham and the mackems have increased their overall wage bills and spend more than us – Swansea and Hull, after the window will be about where we are. It leaves us with, by wages, between the 16th and 18th cheapest squad in the league. Almost every other club is funding it by paying today’s wages from nest years’ TV money, and losing money, but compared to relegation, that looks like a good deal.
I’m not defending Pardew here, but we needed that real striker and centre back. He might get the squad organised versus Hull, but it doesn’t seem likely.
With a squad the wages Market rates so low, we need a mentality like a newly promoted club. For all my talk of continuity being important, we almost certainly now need a new manager to instil that mentality, since track record suggests Pardew won’t be able to.
GTE(Quote)
Kim
He can’t let repeated defeats and being stuck at the bottom of the league continue. It doesn’t matter what contract Pards has, Ashley will protect his investment, rightly so, by trying something new.
His new, IMO, will fail as it will be another cheap average manager.
My new would be, one big punt with a top manager, paying top wages for two years, and investing heavily in the squad in January, which will require paying over the odds.
Relegation will cost £50m and no certainty of a return.
Whichever way he turns now, I believe he is going to have to get his wallet out to save his investment or he’s going to have a long 9 months sweating.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Hitman , one thing I’m certain of is if the chants continue and it combines with Ashley out chants too, he may possibly act then as there will be more folk talking about and watching the fans protest than looking at his fecking adverts.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Troy I quite like the thought of the fat **** sweating on our survival. It almost makes up for the living hell he has us in by being owner.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Where was this media sympathy and admiration for Pardew when he was hired, We were widely tipped for relegation at the time by the same “experts”
Chris Hughton must scratch his head at least twice daily wondering what on earth he did wrong at NUFC…
CC(Quote)
Kim – if we were buying a manager out of his current club, I would hope for Frank De Boer over Bruce – but beggars can’t be choosers 😉 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
CC, I couldn’t agree more mate .
Sharps ,Now you’re talking. 😀
kIMTOON(Quote)
Troy – agreed mate. It would be interesting to find out just how good this group of players are under a decent manager as well. I know I rate them slightly higher than you. But if they do turn out to be guff, maybe one or two others should get the push too mate?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
CC – 😆 😆 I wonder if Hughtons condition is similar to Brisvegas head shaking mate 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY
You missed my point mate…you seemed to be arguing with me on points that I never even made. I don’t disagree with a lot of what you’ve said.
The players that play for us are generally committed but there’s a difference between playing like Shearer or putting your health at risk like Shola and these players. The opposite end of the scale is the likes or Marcelino of course. Moral counts for so much and this is a team sport. Part of the team is the manager, Pardew, so it destabilises the whole team when he’s being overly slated. We say these players play for the fans, but they also play for the manager. The manager decides who to pick, what tactics to play and is responsible for the performance. There must be something in the players that gets really wound up when they come out to play for the fans and their manager and they just see this abuse. If they respect Pardew, then they must have this little something inside them wanting to go up to those fans, tell them to **** off, and tell them how hard the manager works and they’re all in it together. If the players don’t feel that way about Pardew, then he’s lost the dressing room and I simply don’t believe that has happened. There would always be someone who breaks ranks in that case…
Hard working, entertaining football is what every club wants mate. But it’s not as easy to achieve as we’d like to think. So many things to balance these days and the PL is so deep in terms of the strengths of clubs these days, it’s crazy.
You’re right about digging in when times are hard and I believe the same. But not every man is the same. Every club wants a talented and hard working player like Shearer, Beckham, C Ronaldo, Giggs, Scholes etc. They are amazing in terms of the effort they put in. But most footballers aren’t that exceptional. They don’t have to bother putting that much effort in and they’re still bloody millionaires…
So our club is desperately trying to find those players who have that combination of skill and attitude…but so is every other club. In fact, Pardew has talked about this plenty, this idea of ensuring that every player has the right character to play for this club.
But when the team spirit is disrupted, it damages confidence and then funny things happen.
My current sport is tennis and when I’m playing doubles and my partner is having an off day, it’s seemingly impossible to stick to the gameplan and play the same way. I find myself going for shots a little bit more to try and finish the rally or sometimes going overboard for a glory shot just because I think we’ve no chance of winning. Every player does it to some extent…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Hes actually slimy enough to win against Hull; He seems to get wins when he needs them (Liverpool & Wolves in his early days, Fulham, Stoke & QPR when we were scrapping relegation)
P.S Carver should be sacked for misconduct immediately without compo. Our esteemed leaders class rubbing off
CC(Quote)
He has to go – the boil needs bursting! That’ll give the new manager a chance to get us to 14-15pts by Jan and then Ashley will have to spend at least £40m to keep us up. Highly unlikely.
Every fan and his mother’s dog knew we needed a CB and a striker. Did anyone watch Riviere play? He’s a definite downgrade on Shola. Cabella’s no better than Marveaux, Obertan or Sammy. Frightened rabbit when the ball comes to him. Those two cones we set out at CB should be replaced immediately. They’re just no good. This team is nowhere near as good as the team relegated in 2009.
georgio(Quote)
Nice long rant TDS – you should stick to tennis.
georgio(Quote)
Hughton was personable but never had the ability to truly cut it at NUFC. Do you really think otherwise?
He did ok at Birmingham in the Championship and terribly at Norwich.
He might be a nice guy and engaged with the fans properly but that doesn’t make him a top manager.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
GEORGIO
Was a bit longer than I intended! 🙂
I think he probably has to go…simply can’t see a way back from this point
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
He didnt do terribly at Norwich they finished higher in his first season then they did under Lambert. He was sacked when they had a 5 point cushion above the bottom three. Brum was borderline miraculous to get them into the play offs with all that was going on behind the scenes and juggling europe as well.
Never said he was a long term answer for us but he deserved to see out his contract which expired at the end of the season; They could have then trotted out the different direction ***** instead of treating him the way they did
CC(Quote)
TDS – I can’t either. The odious Carver too. They’re both too **** thick and stuck in the 80s. Unfortunately it’s too late for this season. There isn’t a good team from the squad we’ve got. The CBs have been so bad in the last two games they should never play again. There’s no one else. Taylor and Satka? Can’t be worse. Strikers? Ayoze and Arma have to a better bet.
I thought the transfer window was poor but I never imagined what we’d be left with after MYM and HBA left. Smart move guys!
georgio(Quote)
Should have added and after I’d seen Riv and Cab play!
georgio(Quote)
CC
Better managers than him have been treated a lot worse…by all sorts of clubs.
Look at what happened to the likes of Moyes at Man Utd, Hodgson at Liverpool and several top managers at Chelski, Why bother letting him see out the contract when you want him gone? Get in the new guy and let him get his feet under the desk.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I’m with Troy and his clan, Ashley is the real problem.
I very much doubt singing a few anti Pardew songs will have any effect on him, he’ll just be thinking to himself – that’s one of the things i pay him for, to take the ***** for me’
Now if the singing was redirected at SD (his only true love) home and away, then it would be a completely different ball game – he just wouldn’t be able to take it and probably off-load the club sooner rather than later.
I wish..
Mr September(Quote)
GEORGIO
I think it’s WAY too early to judge these players! Many of them have just arrived from foreign leagues and they can take a while to bed in. No doubt there’s a problem in defence though…Colo and Willo have been playing together for a long time but there’s just no cohesion or organisation. Terrible. I have to believe that a top coach could get them playing well together, they both have strengths.
Carver seems to be some kind of Geordie connection that they wanted at the club. Just a shame that he seems like some kind of thug. Assistant under SBR but maybe SBR’s class rubbed off on him…if he copies Pardew, it’s no wonder he behaves the way he does…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Well when pardew goes my money on the next manager will be on the a dark horse,the Derby manager,he can talk the talk (even dutch) and don’t think he will be on big money so jabba won’t have a lot of compo to pay,Ime not saying he will be right or wrong for the toon its just a feeling it will be him
icedog(Quote)
KIM happy birthday to Lewis mate
icedog(Quote)
TDS – I could agree with you if they’d shown any kind of promise at all. I think you’re wrong – I think the majority of fans can tell almost immediately if a player is good enough. It took 2 minutes of watching LDJ to know. 5 games is long enough. Colback looks OK and Janmaat too. Ferrarya can’t get fit enough to judge. Got any names of players at the Toon who looked pants but turned out good?
georgio(Quote)
Because it was the sensible thing to do, We were on for a comfy finish in our first season back up. Why play russian roulette with the clubs future for a manager who in his previous premier league foray very nearly achieved a unique feat of managing two relegated clubs in the same season (West ham saving him from this dubious honour on the last day)
For every Pochetino or Poyet theres a Pepe Mel or Terry Connor
CC(Quote)
GEORGIO,I think the young kid Arrons shows a lot of promise mate,and your right fans can see after half a dozen games if they have it or not some players take a while to get to grips with the PL,but you can tell IMO if they can do it given time but time is something we don’t have at the moment
icedog(Quote)
GEORGIO
Come on man…the majority of fans can tell immediately if a player is good enough, yet the likes of Carr get paid very good money to try and spot the good players before someone else does…
For recent examples, how about Colo and Enrique? Tommasson was also pretty **** good at Milan and could probably have done very well for us if we’d used him in the right role. Even **** and Smith did well for us (albeit mostly in the championship) despite having a bad start.
The likes of Ronaldo, Henry and Pires only had ok first seasons and needed more time to adapt. It’s been 4 PL games and a lower league cup opponent for some. They definitely need a lot more time than that.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I just think Ashley is responsible for everything at the end of the day. He knew we needed a proven striker and a decent centre back and choose to ignore the situation. There was money available so there no excuse. This is a very difficult league and Ashley doesn’t make thing’s easy for the manager.
stem(Quote)
There’s so many problems I don’t know where to begin.
stem(Quote)
TDS – maybe you’re right. Most of those players you mentioned we knew a fair bit about and had seen a lot already.
Ice – I agree about Aarons mate. His run and chip against the post was outstanding. He may not make it though. This is what I mean TDS – 20 mins of Aarons was better than 5 games for Riv and Cab. We just don’t have time for them. Arsenal were able to carry Henry and Pires for a season.
georgio(Quote)
Ice, Thanks@179
kIMTOON(Quote)
Where’s Santii?
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuck up the chimnii, Aaachooo, achoo, achoo 😳 😛
richietoon(Quote)
GEORGIO
You’re right, Aarons has looked like a fantastic prospect, but he has a lot of maturing and physical development to do before he’s the real deal. Some players also burst onto the scene but they’re one-trick ponies and are soon worked out. Shame he’s injured as I’d like to see more of him.
Cabella looks tricky but I really think he needs time to adapt. Not convinced about Riviere though…his history suggests that he’s very much a confidence player and, at the moment, we need a gritty player (like Lambert) who will make a nuisance of himself and be there to bang the ball in the back of the net when he has a chance.
It might still require one or two additions but I still think we have the making of a good squad. We just need a manager who can make us play without a natural number 10 (Cabaye/SDJ).
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Someone (not me) had a good idea on another site. It’s something like this (well, my interpretation is, anyway…)
We have to accept that:
1 – We won’t get a decent manager – or a decent anything – until Ashley sells.
2 – A boycott won’t happen. Just not realistic.
3 – Ashley’s skin is as thick as his waist; “Cockney Mafia Oot” banners will achieve nothing.
4 – We need to make the club the opposite of the SD advertising hoarding that Ashley has turned it into.
Instead, we need to mount a co-ordinated anti-SD campaign. Do things newsworthy so they get on MOTD, into the papers, onto Facebook.
Things like covering up the official SD banners with parody ones, in the same font, saying things like “SPORTS DIRE-WRECKED” and “SWEAT SHOPS DIRECT”.
When they start to confiscate banners, get rows of supporters kitted out wearing shirts (covered up on the way in, natch) that spell loads of these messages out around the stadium. Get them on TV and pics – get witty, clever and news-worthy.
We need to ditch counter-productive “Pardew Out” and “Hatem ben Arfa” chants and songs for anti-SD ones. Surely we can write some good ones and get them sung clearly enough that they can be heard on televised games?
If we can turn this club into a vehicle of BAD publicity for Ashley’s empire, then maybe he’ll consider Rangers a better bet after all?
Whumpie(Quote)
Sack him, bring Pulis, McClaren or Moyes, but Graham Carr deserve some of the blame, that Ligue1scouting policy is part of reason why we lack that drive and determination,we just signing average ligue1 players atm, we need players with the will to win like Barton Nolan Carroll had when promoted, we need more english players, the impact a Perch, a Guthrie or a Leon Best had has not been compensate as MYM wasnt better than Perch, Anita not better and not as talented as Guthrie who we should have kept, and Riviere not better than Leon Best, if even your role players are not fit for this league, how to survive, for me, our scouting policy since 2011 slowly is becoming an issue. Need a new manager that will drop at least Gouffran, Obertan, Rivere and build around Cabella Ayoze Aarons, and I rather see Sameobi playing and giving a shot now.
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
And sign a TARGET MAN this Winter, Id take Carroll back on the cheap!
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
Sell Anita and give more playing time to Abeid and Bigi
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
TDS – I’m reposting the words you wrote, so I’m not sure how I’m missing the point?! 🙄
My point is this though mate. If someone was slagging off someone you gave a **** about you’d defend them wouldn’t you?. You said yourself when you play doubles and your partner is having an off day, you try that bit harder. Do you see our players doing that?. Are you seeing a leader in Captn Colo?. I’m not mate, and neither are the fans.
It needs Ashley to get rid, and I know you are saying that too. What I’m saying is that this isn’t down to the fans IMO.
Sharpy17(Quote)
As a distraction I’m looking forward to watching Hull’s game tonight. Can’t be any worse than the dross on Saturday. Amazing that virtually a new team with a new manager played so much better than us, looked cohesive with a sense of purpose compared to our lot with far fewer new signings to bed in and the second longest serving manager in the league 😯
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Whumpie I agree with you. Hit Knacker Ned where it really hurts – his pride and joy Sports Direct. He won’t care about throwing Pardew into the bear pit that will be SJP on Saturday to have vitriol hurled at him. What he won’t like will be anything that adversely affects his one true love.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Sharpy – that’s why I changed my opinion about giving Pardew 10 games. It wasn’t losing on Sunday – it was the manner of losing. Almost no effort, no confidence, just a resignation that we were going to get spanked.
There’s never a good route back from that – especially when the manager has a disciplinary record as bad as Pardew’s.
We need a backbone of players with backbones – and yes, that probably means more Brits. We need an inspirational boss who can instil some belief. And that means a new manager.
Who would we get, though? I mean – who the hell would come to this shambles of a club?
Whumpie(Quote)
Yep, we need to focus all that vitriol and spite against Sports Direct – not spread it over a plethora of personal vendettas that don’t even register on the owner, let alone anyone watching on TV.
If we could only co-ordinate things, get some proper thought, consistency and drive behind a focused campaign, I reckon we could really get under Ashley’s skin and make him think about moving on.
Trouble is, it may get a lot of fans banned. But that’s the point – get enough of them involved that it becomes counter-productive. Sooner or later you have to stop emptying your own seats and creating even more of a news story than the protests.
I live 350 miles away but would love to see it happen. But who would lead it?
(And by the way, I still love “SPORTS DIRE-WRECKED” – imagine that unfurled along the front of the stand on a live Sky game! Ashley would go mental. 😆 )
Whumpie(Quote)
Nooooooooo!!! 😯
Big mistake if sacked pardew !!!!! 🙁
Manager of the year !!!!
He Our best ever chance for go down ….
Please save him….ashley…!!!
😥 😥 😥
Shame on u ….silly fans !!!!
…. 😆 hope hatem score to night…! 😎
Hi troy…it s time to take a bottle of vaseline..man.. 😆
djebs(Quote)
Whumpie- I think Tony Pulis waits for the job
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
Fuuuuuuuuckkkkkk pardewwwwwwwwww !!!!!!!!! 👿
djebs(Quote)
Right – time to start writing those anti-Sports Direct songs. Ideas here please!
Whumpie(Quote)
Condition for pards be sacked….? 😉 😉
djebs(Quote)
i think thats the way to go whumpie.this could work in getting the ***** out the club.great idea.just needs sorting
hitman(Quote)
http://mobile.newsnow.co.uk/A/733666339?-11058:809
More paper talk or could there be something in this?. The players certainly don’t seem to be playing for Pards, coupled with the fact that Colo has been gash on pitch.
Kim – happy birthday to Lewis. Have yous done out nice to mark the day?
Sharpy17(Quote)
lol Colo as manager 🙄
he can’t even do what he’s good at, I dread to think of him as manager…
mark(Quote)
I thought the Koeman link this morning was as daft as it was going to get but hats off the telegraph with that load of ****…
CC(Quote)
There is one way to shift this lot out of toon,thing is its a bit over the top and extreme,if 30/40 thousand fans invade the pitch and sit down peacefully and refuse to move to allow game to start,what’s the cops going to do arrest everyone? think what the press would do with that,I know it would not happen (pity) but this lot give you evil thoughts
icedog(Quote)
Whumpie
I think it’s a good strategy to unfold sports dire wrecked banners
He would hate that.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
the Sherwood / Ferdinand link seems a favorite of the Chron.
mark(Quote)
MARK IMO if it happens the Derby manager will get the job,rags as normalwill get it all wrong
icedog(Quote)
hull looking good from the off
http://firstrows.biz/soccer/hull-city-west-ham-united-frsfd4f8
mark(Quote)
aye ace, hes defo one of the favorites
mark(Quote)
I don’t know why supporters don’t bring banners with derogatory remarks re sports direct to the games. Along with Pardew out banners it would be a nice fit.
Stuart79(Quote)
I see Abel Henandez is off the mark for Hull. He was one I wanted us to get!!.
Him and Gomis would have our front line looking a bit different like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
think thats 4 debut goals?
Hull r a bit weak at the back, but will be too much for us with decent strikers.
West ham have a decent squad too.
Barfa on soon
mark(Quote)
@Sharpy. Shola and C Cole would improve our forward line 😀 although theres only room for 1 under Padews system
mark(Quote)
heres Barfa
mark(Quote)
Thinking Steve Tisdale
Stuart79(Quote)
I think the Sports Dire Wrecked banners are a great idea – but don’t these banners get checked at the turnstiles?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tim-sherwood-would-jump-chance-7776605
kIMTOON(Quote)
@Sharpy17
😛 have they got state of the art banner detectors like 😉
I don’t think you declare them at the turnstiles, some fat bas**** will hide them down his kegs
mark(Quote)
Sharpy, @206, Thanks from Lew 😀 Just had family over for a bit, caught a bit of the Hull Game, saw Benny get 20 mins.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Mark – it was a genuine question mate. Some of these banners are a good size. They may not mind Pardew Out signs but they may check as if someone holds up a Pardews a C*nt they its gonna cause offence to parents and kids at the game. If they do check them, then Ashley won’t let those ones in, and if they don’t check them now then you can guarantee they will after the first time they are shown. This fat **** bans Jornos for writing a story about NUFC – what do you think he’d do to a fan having a pop at his beloved SD?!.
He ain’t gonna sit there and accept it in his own football ground now is he?!
Away games may be more likely or more laxed with anti SD banners.
Kim – sounds like a nice family day 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)