tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15083755.post113943843939295503..comments2023-10-30T10:30:06.191+00:00Comments on Cheer Up Alan Shearer: Alan Shearer for Newcastle Utd (v Portsmouth), 4 February 2006LBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06234702470107953581noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15083755.post-1139592589973271652006-02-10T17:29:00.000+00:002006-02-10T17:29:00.000+00:00El Tel: Yeah, it just goes to show that no-one at ...El Tel: Yeah, it just goes to show that no-one at the club reads or pays any attention to B&W&RAO. We're just shouting in the desert...<BR/><BR/>As you might have been able to tell, I'm glad we lost patience. Though perhaps that's speaking too soon - we haven't heard who Fred's getting in to replace him yet... Don't fancy Roeder long-term, though.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03008553685046831301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15083755.post-1139577190075212382006-02-10T13:13:00.000+00:002006-02-10T13:13:00.000+00:00Oh, and...6. I don't think you can make a sweeping...Oh, and...<BR/><BR/>6. I don't think you can make a sweeping statement that any side isn't going to win the Premiership for the next decade. Another Abramovich could appear out of thin air and pump millions into (say) Leeds. Conversely, the Russian could tire of his plaything and pull his money out of Chelski. Questions of money aside, teams' fortunes wax and wane - I think Man Utd and Ferguson, imperious for so long, got a bit complacent before Mourinho arrived, while the Invincible tag looks a little odd for this season's Arsenal...Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03008553685046831301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15083755.post-1139576999866714932006-02-10T13:09:00.000+00:002006-02-10T13:09:00.000+00:00El Tel: Hall certainly regarded himself as somethi...El Tel: Hall certainly regarded himself as something of a saviour, and to be honest, the fans were happy to do the same. From the brink of relegation to the old Third Division in May 1992 to the Premiership in August 1993? Phenomenal. He was, after all, the man who took the gamble on bringing Keegan back.<BR/><BR/>Lord B: While there's much in your piece that I can't really argue with, I have to pick you up on one or two points.<BR/><BR/>1. It's looking unlikely it'll be O'Neill, given his Sunderland connections / allegiance. At least, I hope that might rule him out of the running...<BR/><BR/>2. Souness's signings. Boumsong, Faye, Babayaro and Moore - all poor. But Owen, Parker, Emre, Solano and Luque (even though the latter hasn't lived up to his billing yet)? They were inspired. (Of course, you could argue they were all Shepherd's work rather than Souness's...)<BR/><BR/>3. Everyone harps on about how unrealistic we are to expect success. Why? We have the fanbase and financial clout to compete with the best, so why should we be disappointed when it doesn't happen? Of course, this attitude is routinely interpreted as us arrogantly thinking we have some "divine right" to success - which we don't. The flipside is also taken to be the "Small clubs - know your place" attitude. Well, that's not true either. It just beggars belief that we haven't achieved anything for so long. It's not so much, then, that the expectations are unrealistic - but that the reality is so poor.<BR/><BR/>4. Given the opportunity I'd retain more than just Given, Owen and Parker. Not too many more, granted, but...<BR/><BR/>5. A thankless task? The job's continually referred to as "a poisoned chalice". And, in some ways, I can see why. BUT (and it's a deliberately big but) if the new man comes in and gets things right, it'll be the most thankful job he'll ever have. Fans may have been surprised and disappointed by Souness's appointment, but no-one wanted to see him fail.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03008553685046831301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15083755.post-1139440303209972252006-02-08T23:11:00.000+00:002006-02-08T23:11:00.000+00:00there is a very interesting article in the guardia...there is a very interesting article in the guardian today about the amount of money that Hall and Shepherd have stripped out of the club. <BR/><BR/>*nips off to find a link*<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1704798,00.html" REL="nofollow">Ah, here it is</A><BR/><BR/>Very interesting.<BR/><BR/>STswisslethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16708248700851998044noreply@blogger.com