Paphos People

Must be pleased to have got away with a 2-0 defeat there? At least the teams below you all lost as well.

Enjoyed my Sunday afternoon viewing yesterday - Bristol City beating West Brom was a great result for us!

How can you be happy wth a two nil defeat ?
TBH Kenwyne Jones should have scored and I didn't think their penalty happened in the box.
Typcal of WBA to drop ponts and that's why you should be safe, it'll be Forest dropping points next week.
You are right about the other reults going for us. It's Fulham at home this Sunday, we badly need 3 points. I am under no illusions, haven't been since we drew at home with Pompey in December that we will be in it right till the end.
I've just got to believe that we can get more points than Pompey, Burnley and maybe Hull. If we can't then we deserve to be relegated. What bothers me is that Hull, Wolves,Wigan and West Ham seem more up for it than us.
Anyway Lorik Cana came out with the immortal words this week................." We are too good to go down !!!!!"
You have to laugh !
Gary

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So close yet so far away

I see Mike Ashley gave Newcastle United an interest free loan of £25m in December. This was required as the club is, like Pompey, running at a loss.
Will his adoring geordie fans give him any credit for this loan ?
Will they give him any credit for choosing Chris Hughton as manager instead of the Messiah, Alan" Weetabix head" Shearer ?
I was amazed to read that the wage bill is still £40m a year with turnover now only £50m. That is 80% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I also read that the loan is offset by a parachute payment due in August. So that £11m has already been spent !
Gary

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So close yet so far away

I don't even want to think about what financial manouevering Ashley is getting involved in - I was pleasantly surprised when we made some decent signings in Janaury and didn't ship anyone else out, but with this regime one good decision is invariably followed by half a dozen disastrous ones!

There's a slim chance he's learned his lesson and will run the place properly from now on, but i remain very worried what lies on store for us if we do secure promotion...

Well Martin you don't seem to have attempted to answer the points I made about praise for Ashley. As for worrying about what happens when you get back up, I think your current squad will be good enough to survive relegation, but that is all. I haven't a clue regarding whether funds will be available for transfers.
All sorts of rumours on our sites about Ellis Short having lost patience, not prepared to give any more funds etc.
Isn't this sort of thing the reason football is so compelling ?
Gary

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So close yet so far away

Ashley's got a long, long way to go before he gets any praise from me - the only reason he's had to put in another 25 million is because his criminal incompetence got us relegated, and there was no great insight in appointing Hughton, it was the cheap option, plain and simple.

Hughton himself deserves a great deal of credit though - we could easily have struggled like the smoggies this season but he's somehow moulded a team out of what he was left with, and his work on a tight budget in the transfer window looks very good.

Good news for your lot Pompey going into administration - that's one less relegation spot for you to fight for!

Yes it is good news but old hat. I've been thinking there was only 2 places to worry about since Xmas !
Gary

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So close yet so far away

You off to the match tomorrow?

Fulham should be knackered after their European exertions....

Our game is being streamed live on Bet365 so I'll be sitting watching it on the PC!

Our match is on Sunday and yes we'll be there. Fulham may well be knackered I hope so. Their result last night was pretty impressive and you have to hand it to Roy Hodgson.
I'll take a win, knackered or not.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

Martin,

Can't see it on the bet365 list - you sure? In London for the weekend so could do with watching in on the PC!

Discopants, you are in serious trouble, but I would not wish relegation even on you!

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Roger

"Be who you are, not what others want you to be"

Hello Roger, Glad your back across here enjoying the nice weather.

Over recent weeks the other teams in the Second division seem to have been closing steadily on the Toon so I dont think promotion is the foregone conclusion it was before Xmas. I still hope you get promoted as the area needs it but I think you may have a battle on your hands now.

Sunderland are in deep trouble and I think they need 10 points to be certain of safety. I hope Fulham are knackered but I feel they may still have too much for Mr Bruce and Co. I think Sunderland need to get the points from their home games. I do hope they do manage to run Fulham ragged as we have them the following week in the Cup.

Cheers

John

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Never let truth get in the way of a good rumour.

Thanks for your opinions Mr Rodger and Boogs.
I do not want to giraffe on your party but believe me, we will not go down.
Now start talking about something else.
Thank You, Gary

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So close yet so far away

It's definitely on my list, but might just be for people outside the UK. If it's being covered though some kind soul will re-stream it I'm sure - check this page closer to kick-off and there will be some links you can watch on:

http://myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=66882&part=sports

Still confident?

Little joke for you:

My mate Jimmy had just bought this dog
Its a clever little thing....
when sunderland lose it lies down,
when they draw it sits up
I said what does it do when sunderland win?
I dont know he replied, ive only had it 3 months

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So close yet so far away

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So close yet so far away

Decent article, especially this bit:



Winning games is always going to be more fun than losing every week, no matter which league you're in. You can't tell me you haven't enjoyed your promotion seasons a lot more than the rubbish you're sitting through right now?

They say the Premier is the only place to be but to be honest, the standard of some of the football I've watched this season has been dreadful and that's from us and the visitors. In fact, apart from Chelsea, no one has impressed me.
The atmosphere in the stadium is no better either, cos if you are not winning you are likely to sing less and I've been shocked at the small numbers the away team bring. Fulham and Wigan recently brought about 100 fans !
I see Barnsley are taking 3,000 to the SportsDirect.Com arena today so the atmosphere should be great.
Yes Martin right now there is no doubt that a Mag is having a better time than a Mackem.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

Another three points, another few goals - it is all coming together. However, I will not be convinced until we are ten points clear with one game to go. Still waiting for the Toon to snatch defeat from Victory!

If we get back into the Premiership I think any right minded person will say we will struggle unless Ashley really does have a plan.

Discopants - I don't think you will get drawn into a real relegation fight, but you are mighty close to one and you must beat Bolton next week. A very disappointing season for you.

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Roger

"Be who you are, not what others want you to be"

We are in a relegation fight.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

According to todays papers Ashley has had to put another £10m into the club just to make sure they do not fold before the end of the season!!!!!! This money is being used against the parachute payment due in August and sponsorship money coming in from Northern Rock and Puma the new shirt sponsors for next season.

Even with all his cost cutting initiatives it seems the club is still in trouble, could we have another administration on our hands?

Cheers

John

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Never let truth get in the way of a good rumour.

John,

You been on the "Wacky Baccy" again? He is protecting his investment and intends to lead us to the "Promised Land" when he can take the glory and the profit.

Glad to see you are still around and be in touch before May for Maureen's trip.

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Roger

"Be who you are, not what others want you to be"

Roger

Understand what you are saying, I am just surprised at the extent of the financial issues your club still seems to have despite all of the actions taken over the past year or so.

Have you seen the price of the May flight now, glad we all booked when we did.

Hope you are Kathleen are well.

John

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Never let truth get in the way of a good rumour.

Interesting statistic - Newcastle's home supporters have now had 18 goals to celebrate in our last 4 games - that's only 1 less than the mackems have managed all season....

Goal of the season so far from this chap:

Keep that photo Martin. It'll be a long time before that mask is out again.
Over 50 games isn't it ?
What a joke !
Gary

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So close yet so far away

With talk that he was going to be sacked if they didn't win last night, I see Agent Bruce did what he had to.

Question is, can they now manage another 3 months without a win??

His tactics were all wrong and this win had nowt to do with him.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

There's no pleasing some people!

He's not getting any credit from me. There was an improvement by a number of players which resulted in a win. I don't think it was a coincidence that Ellis Short was at the match and is supposed to have addressed the players before the kick off.
Darren Bent was intent on scoring you could just tell and he could have had 6.
Bruce harps on about not telling his players to use the long ball so why do they do it. Some of his substitutions are a laugh. He's blamed everybody and everything but himself for this outrageous run and surely would have been sacked at any other club.
It's nothing to do with him being from Corbridge. He's got a lot to answer for. Hope I'm wrong but I don't think he's the man who will take us forward.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

At least he signed Darren Bent - you would be in a whole world of trouble without his goals!

Was kind of hoping you would get relegated so we could rescue him - already lives in Newcastle anyway apparently....

Quinn had been after Bent long before Bruce arrived on the scene. I see that deluded streak has not left you Martin.
I mean sign Darren Bent !....................... you couldn't afford him and he would turn you down.........again.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

He only turned us down before as he knew he wouldn't get in our team, and he was right at the time.

Heard a rumour he has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave if you don't finish in the top half - any truth in that??

I'm not actually thinking he'll come to us by the way, apart from anything else we'll not be shelling out those kind of wages for a while, but if someone like Arsenal came calling?

Taken from this morning's Mirror.
Quote:
Steve Bruce will keep his job as Sunderland boss even if the club is relegated - but his squad will be hit with an automatic wage cut of £20million.
The Geordie has been assured he will be given a long-term crack at turning the Wearsiders into a force, and has been given an extraordinary pledge of loyalty from chairman Niall Quinn.
Bruce’s side grabbed their first win in 14 games and 108 days when they beat Bolton 4-0 on Tuesday, in front of watching owner Ellis Short.
Quinn says that “even if we don’t win again until the end of the season Steve Bruce will stay as our manager.”
But Irish legend Quinn has also revealed that Sunderland have become a rare example of a Premier League club who are protecting themselves against dropping out of the top-light.
Sunderland’s £50m wage bill will be slashed to £30m because all playing and senior staff at the Stadium of Light have contracts that state their pay is reduced by 40 per cent on relegation.
Quinn is convinced it won’t come to that as a season that promised a top ten breakthrough heads for its conclusion with the Mackems still just six points off the bottom three.
He said: “If we go down, he’ll still be the manager. I just feel he shares the same passion that the fans have, the owner has, we all have. And he does it in a diligent way. The way he carries himself and projects our club is everything we wanted.
“We’re trying to make a step up in the toughest league in the world. We know it’s going to take guts and determination and hard work aligned with other stuff like a good transfer policy, getting things right tactically and in terms of motivation.
“There were some tough knock-backs but we think he's the right man to get this club where we all want it.”
Even top earners like Darren Bent agreed to relegation clauses in their deals to help protect the club from meltdown if the worst happened.
Quinn added: “There would be a 40 per cent reduction in our salaries if we went down, players and senior staff like me. We could then breathe. People used to say you can’t do it but we have for every new signing.
“We say to players don’t come unless you are prepared to accept a penalty for failure. We have to have a performance-related wage structure.”
Owner Short visited the players this week to deliver a pep talk. Quinn revealed: “The players know they have to keep to that standard from the Bolton game and that was one of the messages Ellis Short gave them yesterday.
“He said: 'I’m delighted with how you played the other night but I’m not here to pat you on the back about it, I’m here to tell you everyone expects it in the next ten games'. The players agreed with that. It was a good chat.
“If you trace back to when Steve Bruce came here, he knew he was coming to a big club, he felt it was a step up in his career, he felt he’d done his apprenticeship, worked his ticket elsewhere and made good success stories. But he knew the pressure was probably a little greater here, but there’s been nothing like feeling it and living it for the six or eight months since then. He knows an awful lot more now.
“As good as his signings were in the summer, and as well as he prepared to bring players into the club, he’ll look for something different this summer: he’ll look for character.”


Read more: http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread ... z0hx9mTxqy
Gary

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So close yet so far away

It's a bit of a strange one - you always hear people talking about how it's best to stick with a manager for the long term, but surely that only works if the manager is actually any good to start with??

True. I have doubts about him. Time will tell. As for Bent, I will be surprised if Arsenal or Man United don't come in for him. I haven't heard anything about that clause you mention.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

Thought you were a bit unlucky yesterday, although Man City were garbage first half in particular.

From the games I've seen your midfield looks much better without Cana and Cattermole in it....

You might be right about midfield. I think Cattermole has problems handling the situation at our club tbh.
Jones is out for a month, Hull have replaced Brown and might get a kick on from that plus their fixtures are easy, we are not out of it yet.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

Another routine 3 points at home last night - we're actually starting to play some decent football now as well, which is a bonus.

Really don't want this season to end - enjoying it too much!

Well why doesn't your club apply to spend another few seasons down there ?
Do us all a favour !
Gary

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So close yet so far away

Gary has a point Martin if we stay down we can have a proper Derby next year.

The season is 36 games old for the TOON and they are finally starting to play "good football" against Scunthorpe

Can't wait till next season for 6 easy points.

Cheers

John

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Never let truth get in the way of a good rumour.

Getting worried already??

I'm not getting worried about playing football against you lot none of the Premuer League teams will be shaking in their boots.
What I am getting worried about is listening to the narrow minded,deluded, " we are a big club" , toon toon toon, we once nearly won something crap that your fans will feel confident enough to spout once again.
BTW Columbia, touche
Gary

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So close yet so far away

Slightly confused at what you're Touche-ing me for....Thanks. I've not posted on this thread for ages. I do read it however for the

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Alison - Ali for short

Sorry it was meant for AllaPaul !
I am surrounded by black and white b******s.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

I'm sick of the title of this thread. There should be a " do not" in it.
Well folks I am now confident that the little Mackems will, once again, be a Premier League team next season.
I am also confident that the geordies will be too.
I do feel that the geordies should now acknowledge that we will be the top dogs as we are now an established Premier league outfit, capable of holding our own, while the geordies have now taken over our previous mantle as the North East's yo yo club.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

I see Discopants has been at the "Sherbert" again - talk about deluded. You can hardly describe the Mackems as a established Premiership team for goodness sake it is only in the last week they have managed to win a game or two. Without Bent (nice name, strange he chooses to live in the Toon and not in the City of Darkness) they would certainly have been relegated and they won't be able to keep him for next season. The landlord in my local pub (The Cumberland Arms in Tynemouth) is a Mackem and he reckons Bent will be going to South Africa. I have said I will show my Axxe in Fenwicks window if he goes as a player (he might get there as a spectator so I have hedged my bets accordingly).

On the Toon front I am still waiting for them to blow it, but to do so they are running out of games! Looking forward to renewed rivalry next season assuming we go up and the Mackems don't go down!

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Roger

"Be who you are, not what others want you to be"

Deluded.......mmmmmmm now there's a word that every pot bellied beer swilling geordie footy fan knows really well. Ah my old friend Roger, biting are we ?
You know it's the truth. Darren Bent's nickname is the truth and the truth is you'd love to have him.
The only reason he won't go to the World Cup is that Capello doesn't like his style of play. His goals scored prove he is good enough. Either Heskey or Cole are being touted as going and he's scored twice as many goals as those two put together.
Personally I hope he does go and England play Argentina. Then we can watch him run rings round that hapless scarecrow that passes for a centre back at the SportsDirect.com Arena.
Roger, I am sorry to have to tell you that I was recently reminded that you are a good friend of Boogs. If that is the case, our friendship must end.
Oh and please, if you do reply, try to refrain from telling the world that with a few minor tweaks the toon will be challenging for a top 6 finish next season.
Gary

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So close yet so far away

I see Barton is back in the squad for your trip to those giants from South Yorkshire..............Doncaster Rovers.


He'll be playing sweeper is he ?
Gary

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So close yet so far away

Oh here we go, couple of wins after 4 barren months and suddenly discopants is getting cocky again!