If I am honest, I am really not looking forward to this fixture! A Boxing Day away trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United is not the game I would have picked after a tough loss to Sunderland. I guess there are no easy games in the Premier League but it is a daunting task to pick up three away points against one of the premierships form sides.
United have won seven and drawn one of their last eight games at home so the likelihood of a victory is remote. I think most fans would like to see a battling display and for us to take it up to them for the full ninety minutes. We will be without Tiote who has picked up enough yellow cards to earn a weeks rest and Krul and Elliot are still out with injury.
Manchester United have a few injury concerns as well. Chris Smalling looks like he may return from a groin injury but Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojas are still nursing some wounds. Also missing are Fellani and Blind from their midfield ranks.
I personally think that Man U will be too strong for us but saying that we have performed really well against some of the so called ‘top’ teams this season. I can only hope that Man U come out expecting to win and we catch them sleeping.
One can only hope!
Ps: Have a merry and safe Christmas everyone! – Aussie.
I agree Troy and Stuart, bang your heads together, you might come up with something coherent eventually 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
NEWKIE
I know what you’re saying but I just don’t see it happening to be honest…the only way we could get someone like that would be to take a real gamble on a manager I think. And Ashley isn’t a dreamer like that, I think he wants a solid base on which to build. And a solid base means consistent top 10 finishes, which I think Pardew is perfect to deliver.
I know there are twats at every club but there seem to be very few decent fans who post positive posts about our club so the only ones who are seen are the twats.
I really hope things get better but I don’t like to see a manager hounded out by the fans…especially not when he’s doing an ok job. I could understand it if he went to Spurs or Everton as a little step up…but it says a lot about his feelings if he’s seriously considering going to Palace…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Newkie: a lot of the team that went down were transferred to save money. We got promoted with the highest points total from the championship ever with a first time manager. The squad and team were left in disarray by arguments between Shearer and Ashley. We had that ugly **** Dowie as coach. Your memory seems as short as TDS?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/5lfd
Munich Mag(Quote)
Also, there were serious mutterings of us “doing a Leeds” when we got relegated. Remember?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
@TDS
youre right, Ashley does like a solid base. Based on this, I don’t think he’ll hire S Bruce as he’s a relegation risk, he’s proved nothing @ Hull. I don’t think he’ll hire Pulis, for the same reasons he got rid of Big Sam. punt ugly football…
I think in time we’ll get someone decent 😯
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
ERIC
Our most regular 11 in the Championship:
Harper
Jose Enrique
Simpson
Colo
Saylor
Smith
Nolan
Jonas
Guthrie
Carroll
Lovenkrands
The likes of Willo, Raylor, Barton, Routledge, Raylor, Best, ****, Krul and Shola contributed too. I’d say that seems a rather good squad to get promoted from the Championship with…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
So Ashley went from having to pay Pardew off to get rid of him to having another club pay to take Pards off his hands.
Got to admit, nicely played by the big man 🙂
MDS(Quote)
Pardews Gash aka Mark
In time we’ll get a new owner mate… 🙂
I think we’ll be very lucky if we get anyone better than Pardew to be honest and I really can’t think of any obvious candidates to be honest. I think Bruce is pretty poor too but is the obvious Ashley choice for me. Frank de Boer my realistic choice but it’s a risk for him and for us. So I can’t see it happening…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Eric – No no, I remember that mate…If it’s too difficult for you to remember or piece together who I was naming then Fabricio Coloccini is the International footballer on the 80k who remained with us. We also kept his fellow international Jonas Guiterrez and the fantastic Jose enrique who were both supposedly on about 50k. A lot of those who left were total ***** like.
“highest points total from the championship ever with a first time manager” 😆 love qualifications like that, what it basically says is that we didn’t break an average Reading side’s points tally when we were bigger favourites than they were in the respective years to win the league.
We had the usual turmoil teams experience when going down, I for one had plenty of faith that our lads would bounce back, I suppose if I lacked that conviction then yes I would be putting a lot more emphasis on how good Hughton did as you are doing now.
Newkie(Quote)
Or maybe…Ashley is planning a big investment in the club and wants a CL level manager to take us to the next level with a huge transfer pot in the next 2 windows?
Ooooh…a flying pig…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Can someone please explain to me how a manager, any manager is supposed to achieve a top 7 finish with no money to improve the squad unless he sells his most valuable and influential players?
You can rob Peter to pay Paul and expect to improve. It doesn’t work!
Look at the facts, we haven’t spent any of the money the club has received from Sky for the last three years. That’s about £60m/£70m in total minimum yet people still expect more than what we have had recently.
We should be more interested in where the money is going rather than why we’re not challenging higher up the league
Stuart79(Quote)
76% of toon fans on a survey on the Chronny web site want to see the back of Pardew. There is no smoke without fire…
Munich Mag(Quote)
😛 in time, I mean the next month or so. I don’t think he’ll be in any hurry to appoint his main man. He might call up Carver etc for the time being.
FDB would be ideal for me but I’m not going to speculate on here 😉
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
TDS: cast your mind back. That squad (minus some other good players) was also the team that got relegated.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Mark – Who’d you reckon we’d get mate? I don’t think Ash cares aboutugly football anymore, he did when he wanted to be our mate (as I think that sentiment was genuine as he is a minted but lonely bloke at heart). I think he would be more than happy with Pullis style football, but Pullis would demand too much money on player transfers and may leave if he didn’t get them, Ash wouldn’t fancy it. I think he’d like Bruce as well as he would love to manage us and wouldn’t mind getting shafted for it, but would Ash pay to get Bruce on board? Have my doubts. Tim Sherwood or Ally McCoist are more likely as they are out of work..
Newkie(Quote)
MM
The survey was likely signed by people who had extremist views about Pards. You’ll find that many people were apathetic about the manager, understanding his difficult position, but not bothered to vote.
That 76% is not a true reflection of the toon fans.
Like me, thousands would not have voted. It would have been mainly those who hated Pardew that bothered. That males for distorted results.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Eric – cast your mind back, that squad was predominantly managed by a man with serious health and mental issues and two other average blokes in Hughton and Shearer. The squad was better than that, and proved it when it got promoted and when many of them started playing in the PL again…
Newkie(Quote)
STUART
Please. People really need to stop quoting finances unless they properly understand them. It’s clear where the money is going and unlike Southampton and other clubs, we have avoided going into further debt. We have signed loads of players and there’s a lot of money there in terms of agency fees, wages, singing on fees etc.
Pardew definitely hasn’t had a transfer budget to crack into the top 7 but I don’t think that was the intention. Stablise as a top 10 club and then bring in more revenue from sponsors who want to be associated with a stable top 10 PL club. Our value to a sponsor now is greatly reduced until we’re more established and less volatile.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
ERIC
Yup. And we all said it was an absolute joke that we got relegated with that squad!
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I don’t go anywhere near the Chronicle website since they are massively biased and that’s not what I want from my news sites. So yeah, most readers will be heavily anti-Pardew so no surprise there.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
@ Troy Stavers @767
how very predictable of you to say that.. 🙄
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
Stuart79@ aren’t you a season ticket holder who goes to the majority of home games ?
Has Pardew really received horrendous abuse throughout his 4 year tenure at NUFC ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
So what is your point TDS @770. That Hughton could take the same team back up minus all he sellable players makes him useless? 🙂 ******.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
@767: why didn’t you vote then Troy, if you think it is all skewed in the other direction?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
@767: is it beneath the great and wonderful Troy to vote?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
@Newkie. I have no Idea who he’ll appoint m8. I wouldnt like to speculate to be shot down on here by the ‘told u so’ crew…I know who I’d like him to sign & I know who I wouldnt want, all of the obvious choices really.
But youre probably right, someone we don’t like, will get the job.
lets wait and see..
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
good point Eric. Why wouldnt Troy vote for his beloved? he probably voted a few times in support and it still came out *****.. 😆
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
Troy@767, whereas you doubt the true results stated in the Chronicle survey, I also doubt your own clarification of the said argument that 76% isn’t a true reflection.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Troy, why wouldn’t you have voted ? Surely if you had have voted no then that would give a true reflection of the question whether you would like to see Pardew go to Palace ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
Eric if I remember right you and Worky were the founding members of the Clueless Chris fan club, also I think you might find that it was the senior players that had more say, hence why he got sacked because he couldnt pull them into line 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
ERIC
Nah. It makes Hughton ok. He did an ok job, that is all.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
anyone that could be arsed to read a article regarding the sacking of Pardew would normally be a toon fan …How hard is it after reading the story to hit a button ‘YES’ or ‘NO’
there have been many articles, 90% of them were FOR the sacking of Pardew.
I read a Palace blog last night and Pardew was way down the list of fans favorites. So even his beloved Palace fans werent too fussed about him either..
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
Newkie – I reckon Pullis & Sherwood are the obvious choices. Personally I’d love FDB but he’s said he won’t leave Ajax half way through the season – but if he said he’d come in the summer I’d stick Beardo in until then.
Outsiders, maybe McClaren or Eddie Howe?!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
TDS – You must be a complete quarter wit! Our wages to turnover ratio as reduced over the last 2 years so please don’t use that excuse. TV money has increased by up to £30m per season – our expenditure hasn’t increased in line with this. We have also sold players for roughly the same amount of money that we have spent on buying new players. Now unless I’m stupid and I’m missing something we are one of the smallest spenders in the PL on Agents so I really don’t see the SKY money having been spent on this…
The facts are there to see. Look at the P/L on player trading – it’s almost break even. Look at the P/L excluding player trading and we will have made a huge profit! Our expenditures (minus repayment of Ashley’s loans) haven’t increased in line with the increase in the SKY money alone. It’s not hard to work out…
Now I accept we are probably paying Ashley back the loan but I wish they would tell us! It doesn’t make any sense otherwise!
But please, don’t hide behind the reality and the facts that are in front of you.
Stuart79(Quote)
Big D @781: you have that one wrong mate. That wasn’t me. My TV service doesn’t even get The Championship so it could not have been me.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stuart79@773, did you see my question there mate ?
I was always of the impression that despite some pretty ***** runs whilst in charge of the toon, Pardew actually got off quite lightly when compared to the likes of Fat Sam, Souness etc ?
It seemed often that the fans didn’t really turn on Pardew as such, despite the run of bad results, abusing Peleghrini, head butting the Hull player etc etc.
I don’t blame the purported fans vitriolic abuse as the main reason for Pardew leaving. A lot of fans patently didn’t want him to be manager at the toon, as has been shown in subsequent polls and surveys…
Munich Mag(Quote)
We’re a tough lot to please. Percy is gone now. I just saw the announcement. Who’s next to suffer under Ashley then?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Will the real Eric Sykes please raise his hand ? 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
It wasn’t as if we ever really wanted him Munich mate. He got 2% of the votes on one poll before he came to us. Now we’ve got to continue to work on the owner. Get him out and a decent owner in and we’ll be fine.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Sharpy the problem for me is are Pullis, Sherwood, McClaren or Eddie Howe? a real improvement from Pards ?
I just can’t see the point of getting shot of one average manager for another but then again there seems to be some Toon fans that want shot of Pards no matter what
Big Dave(Quote)
What about Joe Kinnear Big Dave mate. Nobody has mentioned him yet. 😯 As I understand it he’s a close friend of Ashley as well.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Compo package agreed and Pardew has permission to speak with Palace.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric @ 786 I don’t think I got it wrong I think I read enough posts that showed me that you along with Worky thought that Hooters was a god like figure that could do no wrong. 😀 I remember seeing people quote his game ratio despite the fact that he had a full Prem team managed by the senior players in the Championship 😕
Big Dave(Quote)
Is there anything that isn’t for sale at NUFC? Clear to me that Ashley is just trying to recoup as much of the money he’s owed as fast as he can so he can do one to Rangers.
But reports of Colo taking the job??? Doesn’t surprise me to be honest…
Stuart79(Quote)
Big D@791, it looks to me like Pardew is getting shot of us mate. A slight difference there…
Munich Mag(Quote)
The Ashman will be upset by this one. Now he’ll have to go out and find someone willing to work with him. No easy task. Does anybody know of any unemployed sycophants?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Munich – I think he’s been shabbily treated at most away games and the Cardiff game last season was by far and away the worst treatment I have seen of a NUFC Manager.
Stuart79(Quote)
What about a tag team combination of Joe Kinnear and Ian Dowie? That shouldn’t cost Ashley too much.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Big D: it wasn’t me. I don’t get into the ratio stuff. If you said that I wound up Chuck, then that would be me 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy @ 793 and where is that from ?
G2 I wouldn’t be one bit surprised if he was brought in to help Carver or someone, but I would be amazed if we brought a top manager in, that IF pards go’s but I don’t think he will unless he knew Jabba was going to screw him this window again.
I have always said that Pards etc are just Shields kept in place to save the real problem ( Jabba ) from getting abuse, while he is here we will be an average middle of the road club.
Big Dave(Quote)
Stuart79: didn’t Coloccini recommend Facundo?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It has been harsh treatment for Percy, Stuart mate but he does hold some questionable records with us. Four losses in a row to the mackems? Some of the most horrible defensive tactics ever? Horrible goal differences and losing runs? It’s all there in black and white mate.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
As far as I can tell it is official now mates. Percy is gone. He may show up at the training ground to say his goodbyes to the staff and the lads but it’s a done deal.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Stuart79, it’s probably the toon die-hards who travel away who are perhaps more militant than the punters who roll up at SJP then saunter back off home.
They spend there hard earned cash to travel away so are perhaps allowed to criticise when due ?
The treatment of Pardew at the Cardiff game was also shocking, I remember it well.
The question is whether it was all undeserved ?.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Stu @ 795 Colo ????? hope not he is a **** Captain never mind Manager but wouldn’t surprise me with Jabba as it would save on wages 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Well Saturday will be interesting now
kimtoon(Quote)
Big D: again, just so you know, I was really annoyed when we were relegated and i couldn’t see the games, so it couldn;t have been me praising Hughton.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Thought Colo wanted to go home 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
Kimtoon: how about Thursday?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Dave – they aren’t who I’d choose, I’m just thinking of realistic options who could maybe match or better what Pardews been doing.
I agree it seems daft to get rid of one average manager for another, but it proves that Ashley can turn a profit on absolutely anything – even Pardew 😆
McClaren and Pullis have the experience and could maybe handle the pressure of the post better. But Ashley may look at the job Eddie Howe is doing at Bournemouth with very little and see him as an up and coming manager who may well turn him a profit in a few years if he does a good job – if not, then he probably wouldn’t have cost as much as McClaren or Pullis.
Sharpy17(Quote)
G2 what makes you think its official
Big Dave(Quote)
Eric 😆 bloody hell, doh , Christmas messes with me head 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
Dave – SSN has just confirmed it mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Given we aren’t allowed to reach a Europa spot or get there via a cup win, I would settle for entertaining football back on the agenda. So a top manager is pointless but an attacking manager would be nice.
kimtoon(Quote)
Let’s be honest mates. Anyone who takes on this job will have to have a tremendous set of plums on him. It’s got to be one of the most difficult positions in English football. I’m interested to see who has the nerve to try it on.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Sharpy, only confirmed he has permission to talk to them ,not gone yet. 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
The new manager will not only be under the microscope from the supporters but will have to deal with a true mental case in Ashley as well. Ashley, the man who wants something for nothing. He wants a mid table team in the Prem for little or no expenditure compared to 6 or 7 other teams in the division.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2, it’s less nerve and more happy with your lot I suspect. No one of real note will lead us until that muppet sells up I fear.
kimtoon(Quote)
Colo next manager??
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
Nice to see Jamie Carragher trying to contain his laughter when he was told Colo was favourite for the job. Pretty much how I reacted to be honest… 😆
Stuart79(Quote)
posted on another site
Collo does have his badges but not the continental a class, so Collo can’t manage Newcastle in Europe
sounds like a perfect match 😀
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
Ashley is in another tight spot now. I love it! Come on Mike show us your ambition! Show us the knowledge of the game you have gained in the last 7 years. Show us a decent managerial signing.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Club Statement: Alan Pardew
Alan Pardew
Newcastle United can confirm that Crystal Palace have made a formal approach requesting permission to speak to Alan Pardew in relation to their vacant managerial position.
Crystal Palace have offered compensation at a level whereby Alan has now been permitted to speak to them.
As a result of this development today (Monday), Alan will not be at training on Tuesday. Training will be the responsibility of assistant manager John Carver.
The Club will make a further announcement in due course.
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
Kim – I know, that’s what I posted. But it looks pretty nailed on now like I reckon.
It may be Colo til the end of the season, then Frank De Boer to come in – hopefully.
Sharpy17(Quote)