The Newcastle United Blog

65 responses so far ↓

• 1 Hadrian // Dec 31, 2007 at 13:00

  isnt he laughing of the fact we have been linked with the dutch pancake jol?
  if our chairman has any doubt about sam , he needs to act on it , or we will suffer with lack of transfer funds .
  cant understand the thoughts behnd freddy bankrolling such a large backroom staff(and the payoff’s they would need) when he was already hiding so much debt .

• 2 scott 9 // Dec 31, 2007 at 13:06

  im really confident we will win one wednesday im off to the game cant wait in fact ive never been so confident about winning a game all season we will take all the points on wednesday i just have that feeling were due a win

• 3 Obafan // Dec 31, 2007 at 13:24

  Perhaps he now is laughing with it, but will he be laughing if SA comes to ask for money for transfers in January. I think he will not be given lots of money, because they don’t know if he will be there much longer.

• 4 Alan // Dec 31, 2007 at 13:35

  >>It’s also the responsibility of the players to give of their very best and not drop into mediocrity.

  It would be great if this were the problem. However you can see from the body language of the players and the way in which their effectiveness changes from game to game as a group that the problem is in the instructions they are given. They either don’t understand them, or more likely, they are contradictory (as in telling NZogbia to attack, attack but make sure that you let nothing get through and more importantly not giving other players clear instructions on when and how to cover him when he goes).

  This kind of thing leaves players hanging out on the line and explains why they are committed in some games and totally lost in others.

  I think its the backroom staff that needs time to gel, especially when there are 20 of them, and not the players.

  Assuming Allardyce is getting the club as a whole organised then he should be allowed to complete the task so that the next guy can build from there.

• 5 goalcentre.com // Dec 31, 2007 at 13:49

  Still too early to sack Big Sam. Look what he did at Bolton. It did not happen over night. It takes time. Even Sir Alex was just one game away from the boot but he managed to turn it around. So give this big lad some chance. Happy New Year.

• 6 carl // Dec 31, 2007 at 13:56

  i can remember mort saying, as we are all new to the club we have no expectations for this season, see where we are at the end and go from there, so i cant really see them getting rid, i think they will back him in january, due to the acn mostly,but also to add that bit more quality we need so badly.cant see it being too much but i reckon 10 - 15mil

• 7 carl // Dec 31, 2007 at 13:57

  mort will already have sams shopping list i think, as one thing he does know is to move fastly in the market

• 8 Marc Kobrin // Dec 31, 2007 at 13:59

  goal centre and carl - my thoughts exactly

  we need a bit of level headedness and stability - there is the ferguson 2 or 3 games away from the sack legend, and carl what u said rings true so lets give them time to BUILD a team

  happy new yr all!

• 9 Howie // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:00

  we have to give him time end of story

• 10 carl // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:10

  we will come good , i myself have slated sam many times but after many thoughts and arguments on this site and on a level head i say we just stop moaning and back him 100% whatever, get to end of season then question things

• 11 dave // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:16

  Does any one on this site actully know what they are talking about,have you seen the last 20 games pathetic,its people like you who accept mediocrity without question.

• 12 Dragoner // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:18

  YES. more positive bloggers backing the team and manager. so refreshing

• 13 Johnny T // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:19

  Goalcentre …. ” Look what he did at Bolton. It did not happen over night” What exactly did he achieve at Bolton? Lets not forget bolton were universaly despised for the ugly, hoof and rush football that FSA had them playing. He’s trying to employ the same rubbish tactics here. IT’S NOT WORKING!

• 14 Davy // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:20

  The way I see it is that I would love Newcastle to be doing well under Allardyce so that the only speculation there should be at present would concern new signings to strengthen a good looking squad. The reality is that that is not the case.

  At the start of the season, with the usual high expectations already in place, we had a new manager quickly followed by a new owner and chairman. We weren’t the only one’s to change wholesale but we were seen as a club that should do well if BS managed to bring his strong willed influence to settle the team from the back. He stated that he had taken Bolton as far as he could and this was a huge new challenge for him. However, does anyone not from the area know what this club means to the region. Allardyce is playing to pick up points here and there by playing a deep midfield with two “wingers” to link up with a lone frontman on the break. This tactic to nick results has not worked and he has frustratingly also used it at home giving the impetus to play football to the opposition who should be inferior on paper. We all know about the players being used out of position and new signings not used at all. Our defence is still not settled and we struggle to shoot nevermind score.

  We are not one of the big four anymore but we do have long term potential to get back there - because of the money spent week in week out by 50,000 fans. We would love to win the league, a cup or two and get back into Europe. That is not going to happen at the moment and I agree that a manager should be given time to develop a side for the future whilst trying to play attractive but solid football to keep the fans happy(ish). I do not, however, feel that that man is BSA. The similarities with Jack Charlton are frightening - where he had a system and forced his players to play to it rather than looking at his players and playing a system to fit their own strengths.

  I feel that if we are truly looking to the future then there is only one man who should be given the time to develop Newcastle into a force in English football - Alan Shearer. No suprise there but I think he knows what fans want, he is a fan himself, he is an intelligent man with a great football brain (two entirely different things - see P. Gascoigne), he has the coaching badges required and would gain the respect of players as he has been one of the best footballers in English history.

  I wish I didn’t have to write stuff like this and hope that if he doesn’t go BSA can turn things around. It’s not down to his personality after all and I want us to do well - just can’t see it at the minute I’m afraid.

• 15 Ben // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:20

  Finally people are getting behinde big sam!time is critical, we saw gainst chelsea we can compete with them, no just winning those annoying games against lower clubs!think once sam has full confidence in his team we will see a more expansive style of play, man city against giro central the other day played 4-5-1 with midget vassel upfront, thats a managers tactic who took us to various semi and quater finals as Englands manager, solets stop questioning his decsions and suppoert him!He knows what hes doing, u dont last neaarly 10 years in the top flight if your tactics are crap and decsion making isnt up to it. Once he finds a gel at nufc where defence can accommodate attacking football we will be fine, confidence is lacking in our defence which is sad given there good start when we were playing more expansive football but since then defence has become weak and as a result we are shutting up shop too early!

• 16 carl // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:27

  http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article634012.ece another story of barton being a knob

• 17 Leo // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:30

  i wonder if he actually laughed off the speculation, bit like santaclaus does hohoh. but hahaha would be amusing if he was hugging his bellie as well at the same time, or even mike ashleys bellie…

• 18 Macas // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:32

  Let’s see what Mort says if we lose to Man City, Stoke and Man U. We are in a false position at the moment and it will be interesting to gauge the reaction of fans after the next 10 games. While I would love Sam to succeed, so far I have seen nothing to suggest he will. Bad tactics, bad management and bad use of transfer kitty - let’s hope his New Year’s resolution is to employ some positive tactics both home and away, but I seriously doubt it.

• 19 Cockney Magpie // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:36

  We are being linked with David Albeda from Valencia, i dont really know much about him is he any good?

  Also that Korean fella is not giving up, he really wants to join us even tho there are 4 other prem teams that want him, i say give him a go, if he wants to play for us that badly n other teams want him he must be worth a shot, specially for free!g

• 20 toslem // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:36

  it’s not just sam, the players need to look at themselves. let their abilities and attitude do the talking. week after week we read promises of what they are going to achieve the following weekend, and against the better teams usually they perform, but what the hell has Derby and wigan got! fear of relegation. Does that mean we will start performing, if we end up in the bottom three?

• 21 Marguerite // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:36

  Do you think Mort’s statement will quell the speculation? Unfortunately I think not.

  Why do so many people who are not remotely connected to our club feel forced to comment on Newcastle affairs and sit in judgement on us and decide how we the fans think and feel?

  I am sure the rest of my fellow fans are also sick to death of having to put up with the unwanted comments from Fergie (get over the 5-0); Phil Brown of Hull (Excuse me), Gareth Southgate(And again!!!) not to mention every TV pundit / ex player offering their twopenceworth.

  Please would they all shut up and get lost. Stop poking your nose into our affairs. Perhaps for a change go and find something / someone else to talk about.

  This is our club.

• 22 carl // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:40

  agree, they havnt got a clue, all these people say we are fickle, etc and over ambitious and we still think were a top 4 team. wtf are they talking about! its just our passion for the toon is overwhelming and they just dont understand that

• 23 Hadrian // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:41

  i hear sam hates to see anyone dribbling the ball on the pitch . if he thinks this entire city must adapt to him and not the other way around then he doesnt deserve the toon job.

• 24 mark // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:41

  Big Sam Allardyce! tra la la la la!

• 25 Dragoner // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:43

  If what you say is true Hadrian then he doesn’t deserve the Toon job. I do not think it is true however, he had Diouf at Bolton who loves to take on a defender or two

• 26 stjames // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:44

  Chris Mort has spoken his mind and that’s good.

  Now it’s up to Sam to show he has the capacity to build a team that can play football. It’s rather urgent though.

• 27 Robert(From Serbia) // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:50

  come on Sam,turn things around !!! i belive in you !!! by the way,happy new year m8s

• 28 carl // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:51

  dave - yes mate watched every game, and yes its poor, but we cant just sack him , we need to see if he can change first. dont you think big sams sat down with mort and discussed our rescent performances.hes well aware of what has to be done from now as even the likes of sir bob have thrown in a few hints! lets see what happens on wednesday as this is a big chance for sam to get it right, no excuses!!

• 29 carl // Dec 31, 2007 at 14:53

  oh and dave mediocrity we dont accept but at the moment we are a mediocre team.can you accept that?

• 30 ObaFan2 // Dec 31, 2007 at 15:00

  Alan Hansen in the Mirror today says he thinks it’s an ideal time for Shearer to take over…….

  Well he’s Shearers buddy as a tv pundit and I usually have time for what he has to say, with him being a Jock he imo tends to give good unbiased views. Well this is strange statement for him to make.

  Also Southgate’s come out and said Shearer should say one way or another if he’s interested at all in the job……….. Soutgate concentate on your own club, we ain’t bothered what you think lmao. Did you see him after the Smoggy game, he was like a kid, so excited that he’d managed a win so so funny.

• 31 ascotinlessables // Dec 31, 2007 at 15:02

  I have followed NUFC for many, many years through thick and thin (most of it thin I might add!). I also have, like so many supporters of the team, a desire to see success. What completely baffles me is the hysteria from the media and some sections of the fans that somehow success and Champions League football should be delivered instantly. The club, its ever changing management and players have underperformed for a very long time I believe that the carousel must stop. We all need to think very carefully before expecting instant success, it will not happen. The club needs to be re-built from top to bottom and from my position from afar, this is slowly happening. A season or two more of mediocre results is a small price to pay for long term satisfaction on the terraces.
  Get off Sam’s back and give him and the management of the club some space to get things right and not look at every result as if Armageddon was just around the corner. The watchword must be patience and we need to trust that for once we can build success on rock not sand!Just look at what Ferguson had to endure at MUFC before he got it right. Do we really in our heart of hearts believe that somehow Sam can produce instant miracles.
  Get real and get behind the management and the team for the long haul!

• 32 Gateshead Glenn // Dec 31, 2007 at 15:05

  Ed, who are this royal ‘We’ that are pleased that Mort and Ashley are backing Big Sam ?

  It’s good that we don’t have a Board that are (over-)reacting to pressure from the fans and especially the media (who are having a ‘feeding frenzy’ at present). However, stability is only good if you’ve actually got the ‘right man’ in place. It is probably too early to judge but the signs aren’t very promising at all.

  When SA was appointed (by the previous regime don’t forget), like alot of fans I had doubts about his style of football. I was willing to put these aside as I consoled myself that at least we’ll be fit, strong and well-organised,i.e. hard to beat and competitive.

  So far this season we’ve too often been a ’soft-touch’ home and away. We seem to have an inferiority complex not just against the ‘big boys’ but against everyone! Big Sam seems so pre-occuppied with stopping the opposition that our players lack self-belief and confidence. We still can’t defend effectively and going forward we’re totally lacking any fluency or flair.

  Unfortunately, I feel that SA himself (like many of his team selections) is a ’square peg in a round hole’ on Tyneside. His whole football philosophy is wrong for NUFC. He’s made it very clear that he won’t change his ways or his tactics as he believes that they’re right. These served him well at Bolton, where expectations were rightly more limited, but are no good at a ‘big club’ like NUFC.

  Contrary to the media stereo-type, most NUFC fans aren’t impatient, unrealistic whingers. We’re used to failure, so even tho’ we’d really love a Cup to cheer (anyone will do!) we don’t expect to win the League this year or even in the very near future. However, we do demand that the team on the pitch is able to challenge for a place in the top 6. With our resources and fan-base, a place in the UEFA Cup each season should be the minimum target. Anything less is failure.

  We can cope with getting beaten, so long as the team is at least trying to win. We will not tolerate boredom and mediocrity on the pitch. If we can’t have a trophy at least give us some hope and some entertainment!!

  Big Sam, be warned — you cannot afford to lose the goodwill of the fans by negative tactics and team selections. Half-term report : ‘Must do better’ (MUCH better!).

• 33 Rob Kirton // Dec 31, 2007 at 15:18

  The start of this season saw a board openly undermine their manager. It was a good team with a good manager. They lost their confidence and results suffered.

  Spurs have since recoverd and are now poised to overtake us in the league, and I suspect they will maintain that status; having first received the usual boost a new manager brings.

  Sam will not know when he is going to get the boot. Might be 5 years, might be 5 weeks. Ashley / Mort aren’t that dumb.

  It really is hard to read this one. Mort laughed off speculation. He didn’t give Sam fullsome praise. Good move….

• 34 big pea ov the weab // Dec 31, 2007 at 15:34

  bring in moriniho if sam has to b replaced other wise leave him to it for a while c wot he can do next half ov season

• 35 ObaFan2 // Dec 31, 2007 at 15:42

  Mouriniho doesn’t need NUFC like we need him so why should he bother? May aswell say Fergie and Wenger for the Toon for all the good it’d do.

• 36 steve // Dec 31, 2007 at 15:50

  Sam has apparantly given Mort his shopping list

  Davies
  Nolan
  Speed
  Gardner
  Joe Calzaghe

  Good luck to Taylor once he goes to West Ham, my mate (one of west ham physios, reckons is a done deal although he has been wrong before!)

• 37 Cockney Magpie // Dec 31, 2007 at 15:54

  Sir Bobby hits the nail cleanly on the head here …..

  “Let’s make it clear, I don’t think Sam deserves the sack. You should only sack bad managers or those that don’t fit in.

  “Sam certainly isn’t in the first category and should be given more time to acclimatise to a new club and all the anticipation and expectations that surround it.

  “The trouble for Sam is the style they (Bolton) produced had an upper ceiling. What would be considered success for Bolton - slightly above halfway - is regarded as failure at Newcastle.

  “To break into the top six, you need flair as well as method. Big Sam’s challenge is how to become a top Newcastle manager, even if it means sacrificing some of the things that have made him successful in the past.

  “Organisation and stability can take you so far but I don’t think Newcastle fans can be satisfied without cheering on players that can attack and entertain.

  “What the fans wish for is not just the right result but Newcastle playing the ‘right’ type of football with plenty of wit, the ball being passed along the deck and plenty of creativity in midfield. If Sam can trust his flair players, fans will forgive him if they don’t win every week.”

  Speaking about Mike Ashley’s terrace viewing habit:

  “It’s because he’s new to football and wants to see how the fans think.

  “It’s a great idea but, in my view, has probably served its usefulness now.

  “It might be best for Mr Ashley to put on a suit, step back and start making strategic decisions detached from the groans of die-hard supporters.”

• 38 ObaFan2 // Dec 31, 2007 at 15:56

  BSA shopping list… more pies !

• 39 ObaFan2 // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:04

  If you read between the lines Cockney Magpie you might se that SBR is saying:

  1, BSA underestimated the job at Newcastle and needs to adapt to NUFC and not the other way around and insinuates he isn’t fitting in.

  2,BSA’s not a bad manager but not a great manager.

  Also obviously NUFC is not Bolton and we will not accept their style of play.

• 40 Bill f // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:04

  Don’t know if anyone read todays Telegraph, but the scouse tv pundit, (the one with caterpillars on his forehead) was strongly pushing his co-presenter (geordie legend) for the managers job. Now I am not one for conspiracy theories (oh yes I am ) but is there a bit of “go on mate I’d like to have a go” cant harm if you say something going on here.

  My New Year prediction is that Sam will still be manager at the end of this season. What happens after that will depend on where we are in position and performances. I am going to stick my neck out and say that he will lead us into the promised land.

  Back to bunker.

• 41 Cockney Magpie // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:09

  yes i no Oba fan2 and i agree with him

• 42 Pi55 Off Sam // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:13

  I’m starting to feel that this is just a site set up for Fat Sam by his propaganda machine!

  After watching Newcastle play this season how can anyone be pleased he is still here?

  Sam is self obsessed and extremely egotistical to the point where he thinks he is the King of football managers with a winning, trophey and achievement record as long as your arm…….

  Sam you are nothing, you’ve won nothing, achieved nothing and have no tropheys to your name. Leave this club before we’re asking you to with the Coca Cola Championship!

• 43 steve // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:15

  @Bill f - Sam will lead us o the promised land ? only if thats the new name for the championship!

• 44 Bill f // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:21

  Steve, it was a bit of a tongue in cheek comment but you have to believe in miracles.

• 45 Cockney Magpie // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:24

  To say something positive about BSA we only have 1 real injury now and thats Ramage so at least he is doing something. I say what the hell give him till the end of the season and if we are still moving backwards then start thinking about replacements, at the moment he is part of our club so lets give him all the support he needs, ive been thinking that altho we havent seen progression on the pitch it has to start from behind the scenes and basically we dont know how well we are progressing behind the scenes but im guessing he is doing ok because the injury list is slowly disappearing, lets give him a chance and see wat happens shall we?

• 46 Bill f // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:25

  Steve getting back to one of your earlier comments, it does make sense. Calzaghe and Barton what a great tag team.

• 47 John // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:35

  When compare with that fcuking G.Souness, Big Sam’s performance is much bettwer than him.
  If u have to use Big Sam to compare with that fcuking and sh*t-eating G Eriksson @ ManC, it will be to unfair to Big Sam, since the structure of the team was seriously damaged by Fat Fred in the last 10 years, but Eriksson has large amount of backup funds from former thai minister Thaksin…who is different from Ashley.

  So, plz be patient to Big Sam,maybe he can help us to win the FA Cup in May 2008.^.^”

• 48 craig chisholm // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:35

  i am pleased he is stayin, we need to stability and we will never get that by sacking managers every time we hit a bad run. its unbelievable really. sam has lost just 8 prem games and people have been calling for his sack. its about time we got behind our team and manager instead of constantly on his back, atthe minute we as fans are not helping the team one little bit. we need to give sam two full seasons to make his mark, not just 8 friggin defeats.

• 49 big pea ov the weab // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:41

  i think we should just keep it shut n c wot happens at end ov campain a dont think were going to b relugated so wots the worrys

• 50 Pi55 Off Sam // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:42

  The people who are saying back Sam, can I ask, what do you think of the style of football we are playing?

• 51 Hammy // Dec 31, 2007 at 16:48

  Must admit after the summer signings I was expecting better……….all the players looked great on paper and just what was needed, however Sam for whatever reason seems to drop form players, play players in the wrong position and then blame everyone but himself when we lose or put in a poor performance.
  Chris Mort and Mike Ashley may be new to football but not to business, Sam will need to buck his ideas up if he’s gonna be here this time next year.

• 52 Bobby Ollox // Dec 31, 2007 at 17:16

  Sam, we want you to stay, you just need to learn a few of the rules.

  we will forgive you getting beat 3-4, as long as we have more than 12 shots in a game. You will not be forgiven for losing 0-1, if you havent tried.

  You must play 2 wingers, and at least one striker - always. ( Preferably one of them should be Chrissie Waddle, but that is not essential)

  You could take the best 4 defenders in the world, and they would still play like the keystone kops if you put them in a black and white shirt. We know that and we dont mind. dont waste your time trying to sort out the defence - just sort out the wingers and the strikers.

  Aggresive little puffed up gob-shites ( Barton, Smith, and the one we sold to west ham) - not welcome here - (this rule does not include gun-toting, rubber legged fur coat wearing, aggressive south americans - who are very welcome)

  We wont win anything, we dont expect to win anything, but we expect to die trying….

  We want to see you bleed on match of the day each week - this petulant nonsense with the BBC has gone on long enough - we come first - so swallow your pride and get in front of the cameras.

  Hope your taking notes - theres a test later.

• 53 Hadrian // Dec 31, 2007 at 17:16

  Talk of the country again aint we , seems i cant click on a website without some southerners view on the fans , the club , our manager , alan shearer .
  every single one of them is a blatent attack on us , all full of snide digg’s , nearly all of them untrue .
  who the hell is in our corner? have our local media not the arse to stand upto this? its pretty pathetic .
  and southgate needs to keep shut , the guy gets uglier by the day .

• 54 Nick Dryden // Dec 31, 2007 at 17:48

  Ed I think in future your subject titles need to carry the caveat ” in my opinion”.
  Because frankly you are so pro Sam, based on god only knows what, that you come across as if you are speaking for all of us and that clearly is a long way from the truth.
  Why do you want time for Sam to make us the new Bolton. Sam has never won and we will never win anything with his alledged ‘’style”.
  Sam can not adapt. Science has it’s place , but science and art aren’t mutually exclusive.
  Good players want to play for a footballing team, not become known as a bunch of cloggers. Why do you invest so much confidence in Shepherd’s worst appointment to date. Maybe I am missing something. None of the pro Sam lobby have offered anything credible in his defense, other than we have no viable alternatives, it would cost too much etc. Hardly a ringing endorsement of why we should accept and have continuing mediocrity imposed upon us. A 5 year plan with a guy who plays good passing football involving the midfield or at least won things would be the go and possibly keep Sam to focus on off field matters and behind the scene improvements. Sam could be very valuable in this aspect, but sadly his ego tells him he is a top man in his field. Again based on what is anyone’s guess. If playing players out of position, bypassing midfield , getting people to kick the other team off the pitch, have no shots on goal, finish midtable and pocket £3M a year , is deemed the way forward, then I give up !!! I thought we somehow deserved better than that.

• 55 Cockney Magpie // Dec 31, 2007 at 18:26

  We already know its Eds opinion coz its Eds website!

• 56 Toon Barmy // Dec 31, 2007 at 18:33

  What Sir Les has to say on our current situation:

  Ex-Newcastle striker Les Ferdinand fears Sam Allardyce could be the first managerial casualty of 2008.
  Ferdinand: “I fear for Sam. There is obviously a problem. A manager will only get time if people can see the club is going in the right direction. I’m not sure people are seeing that.

  “Lots of Geordie fans have told me that the players don’t know what they’re doing - and I agree.

  “Sam’s come into the job and he’s clearly not happy with the way things were at Newcastle. So he has started to make changes - but the players don’t seem to be adapting to his changes.

  “It’s up to Sam to convince them his system can be a good one and can work - but no one is seeing it’s working. The players aren’t and the fans aren’t.

  “And the owner sits among the fans, so he’ll have no doubts what they think.

  “I thought he was the right man for the job because he had great ideas at Bolton. But there were no expectations there.

  “He’s gone to Newcastle with a big reputation and big expectations.

  “A few weeks ago, they lost 3-1 at Blackburn, but at least they played with endeavour and a shape.

  “But against Derby and Wigan - teams you’d expect Newcastle to beat if they want to be in the top half - they lacked both those.

  “Results are not getting to the fans, it’s the manner in which the team has been playing.

  “As long as you are committed and know what you are doing, they’ll back you. But they are not seeing that at the moment.”

  Now thats Waddle / Bobby / John anderson / Bob moncur / now Sir les & countless others, the fans who want BS out are justified, give the fans what we want Sam, go to win games with our strongest team in their / our favoured positions, you are the only one who persists with these tactics, they arn’t working for us, it is making you look like you dont know any different (1 trick pony),these tactics you persist with may be good enough for under achieving teams,but not for a big club.
  I hope sam is listening to fans players past & present and gives us attacking football, but sadly a lot of fans wont hold their breath, May be Mike ashley could ask sam to give fans what we want to see attacking football & back him or sack him.
  Before i get slagged off you can play attacking football with a strong defence.

• 57 Ed Harrison // Dec 31, 2007 at 18:36

  Nick - the articles are my opinion so Cockney Magpie’s right there. But the value of the site is we’d like to share our opinions and have a good banter around the club on various topics.
  Remember - we all want the club to be successful - that’s the bottom line.
  I’m probably too pro for Sam - because he’s our current manager - I so want the guy to succeed. But we welcome other comments and that’s what we want on the site. I’ll write some articles as leaders on a topic and then you all chime in with your opinion. As long as we respect each other’s opinions it works great.
  I’m not always right - I was wrong once about 21 years ago - just kidding…

• 58 Ed Harrison // Dec 31, 2007 at 18:42

  Gateshead Glenn - I was wondering when someone would pick up on the “we”. Since this is a one man site - it’s me - but it seems to sound so much better to write “we” then “I”.
  

• 59 Hammy // Dec 31, 2007 at 19:15

  I’d agree with Sir Les, a guy who still gets a hero’s welcome everytime he’s at St James.
  Still can’t understand how he was forced out after a great season with Shearer,

  anyway he’s hit the nail on the head, it’s a pity BSA does not tune into this site, maybe his laptop does not have an LCD screen, just a mirror.

• 60 hanzemre // Dec 31, 2007 at 20:55

  If Sam gets it right the manner of the playing, most fans will give him time to imprint his masterplan during this transition period, as results are not really getting to the fans. So far that has not consistently happening and eventually made fans felt annoyed and are worried as if he was not listening to the fans and learning something from those pathetic uncommitted displays.

• 61 Nick Dryden // Jan 1, 2008 at 9:32

  Point taken Ed. However, if you are such a positive person, how can you stomach all of Sam’s negativity. Yes they may have played well at Chelsea against it has to be said against a very weakened team ( a bit like when we played Arsenal with half their team out) but instead of pushing on and trying to win the game when we had a bit of momentum, Sam immediately goes on the back foot bringing on Roenthal instead of Emre to try and hang on for a point and inevitably gets caught, if a tad unfairly on this occasion, despite Chelsea’s hatfull of other chances. We all want positivity. You want to look forward to games, knowing we are going to have more than one shot on goal in 90 mins. You want to talk in the pub and at work about players who get you off your seat, not just hoof it 60 yards aimlessly. Yes I am a romantic, but if we can’t have a modern day KK, then let’s go for someone with a track record. Why did the top 5 never approach Sam. It was because Shepherd had to have a geordie and failing that an Englishman!
  Look at Benitez, Mourinho / Grant, Wenger, Sven.
  4 of the top 5 are foreign coaches with great Cvs.
  Shepherd put Sam on £3M a year because 1) He wouldn’t entertain employing a foreign coach and 2) No one with an ounce of self respect would work for Shepherd without ridiculous money. So we get a poor man’s Mourinho with no plan B.

• 62 Toony // Jan 1, 2008 at 12:00

  Because Ed have been around long enough to know that miracles dont happen overnight. We need stability to turn things around, and if we just keep sacking managers when things are tough, then no one worth their salt will want to manage us anyway… Sam will turn it around, but try to back him till he does will ya?

• 63 craig chisholm // Jan 1, 2008 at 12:14

  nick dryden, this is in no way having a go mate but the first line of your post made me laugh when you said ‘how can ed suffer all of sams negativity’. bloody hell nick, if you want to look at negativity all you have to do is look at all the people calling for everyone to get sacked every time we loose a game - now thats negativity. i know we are playing hit n miss at the minute. sometimes we are playing good and sometimes its shite but i am sure it will come good in the end. we need to give the entire team time, backing and great support. at least if it all goes wrong for sam after we have acted like true fans then we can know that he will have messed it up through his own doings and not because of getting alot of added pressure from mega negative fans. jenas was a bit right, it is a goldfish bowl sometimes. at the end of the day we are higher now than last season in the league and the bloke has lost just 8 prem games…..seems a bit harsh the way we are calling for his head eh!!

• 64 valle // Jan 1, 2008 at 13:23

  We got rid of Fat Fred, we got rid of Sir John and we got rid of the board… Now for the sake of the children of tomorrow lets get rid of Anal Oliver

• 65 Nick Dryden // Jan 1, 2008 at 17:23

  Craig as I said on another thread, I certainly didn’t want SBR or KK or even Gullitt for that matter to be sacked.
  But let’s put it in to context. We had the great misfortune to have Shepherd as our chairman.
  No on else in the top 5 as we were at that time would have sacked SBR in the first place and then appointed 1) Souness ( he was going to be sacked at Blackburn) 2) Roeder who got West ham relegated with some phenomenal players and 3) Allardyce who has never won anything and played the worst style of ” non - football” ever.
  In the 6 or 7 months Sam has been here, have you ever honestly seen anything to remotely suggest he’ll get us competing with the top 4 any time soon.

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