Football: WORLD CUP 06 and close season/transfer discussion.

[Dio]

Do you see that happening at Newcastle within his playing career?
With the likes of Chelsea, Manu, Arsenal to contend with.

It's an interesting point (but note that you yourself didn't even mention Liverpool - which is where I think he'd prefer to be, my suspicion with the Gerrard situation was he didn't want to play for any other English club but knowing that Liverpool would force a Chelsea move if he left, he stayed put).

Frankly, given the way Abramovich can bankroll the club then the way the league is at the moment, unless a player's prepared to move to Chelsea they aren't going to win the Premiership. I genuinely can't see anybody else winning it for the next five years unless a salary cap system comes into effect.

[Dio]

Local BBC news says "Solano expected to join tonight."

Get in. Just get in.

[PaulEMoz]

[Dio]

Should be Shearer in golfing gear there as well. Didn't I tell you Slaley Hall had a good golf course?

[PaulEMoz]

Should be Shearer in golfing gear there as well. Didn't I tell you Slaley Hall had a good golf course?

Hehe.

My mate had to do a runner from Slaley Hall after his credit card was declined. Doubt Owen will have that problem, somehow.

[PaulEMoz]

GET THE FUCKING FUCK IN!!!

[Dio]

Zippedeee doo dah, zippedeee day....

And once more the best keyword for the Geordie accent will be "NolBERto SolAAAAno!"

How fast Mr. Souness and Mr. Shepherd's reasons for not walking the streets of Newcastle can go through 180 degrees!

We looked at Slaley for the wedding, but Gosforth Park was far cheaper for similar standard, even without considering transportation

[PaulEMoz]

It's definitely beer time for me now. What a fantastic day, nay, week. Even if Solano is suspended for the next two games.

Amazing what a week can do, though. Give Shepherd his dues, he must have been worried about his job at the very least and has certainly pulled some quite fantastic irons out of the fire. Our first team suddenly looks almost immeasurably better.

[Dio]

It's been a week of resounding critic-answering, hasn't it? Big players? You betcha. Extra, quality strikers? Two, check. Fan favourites? No worries.

Bit disappointed it was Milner that had to make way, he worked very hard for us in the Intertoto, but the balance in the first team now looks scary.

4-4-2 with quality wingers, a creative spark and a quality holding midfielder plus top class target men is what the fans have begged for - and we bloody well have it now in Solano, Emre, Parker, Luque, Shearer + Owen.

[PaulEMoz]

Bit disappointed it was Milner that had to make way, he worked very hard for us in the Intertoto, but the balance in the first team now looks scary.

Well even then, it's not too bad, because it's just for a season's loan, and he should be a better player when he comes back to us. So we've even won out there in the long run, I reckon. Now all we need are some results and the corner will have truly been turned....

[Mat T]

Think of us Leeds fans! I am happy, we have shifted on Bakke (one of the last big earners at the club) and the eternally dreadful Michael Ricketts.

Both on loan but hopefully Villa and Cardiff will take them permanently respectively.

[Guru-Meditation]

Coo, you might actually score a goal this weekend

[Dio]

Next weekend, I presume you mean. Against Fulham? I bloody well hope so!

[mac monkey]

Do you see that happening at Newcastle within his playing career?
With the likes of Chelsea, Manu, Arsenal to contend with.

It's an interesting point (but note that you yourself didn't even mention Liverpool

...thats right i didn't mention Liverpool, because if i were honest, we are not part of that group yet

IMO i would consider Liverpool & Newcastle very similar as in the sense of battling it out for the scraps!!
Both clubs & fans have high expectations, which is rightly due. But until we get some Russian billionaire bailing us out we will have to make do with the hard way round

I bet sat.10th Sept can't come quick enough?

Anyway just my point, will let you get back to your party

[Dio]

No, you're quite right. Newcastle should (note should!) stay up there because the level of local support will keep them in the Premiership's top money earners. I'd like to think it's possible that Newcastle (or, for different reasons, Liverpool or Tottenham or Villa, any other 'big support' club with solid second-tier credentials - ok, that maybe counts out Villa while Deadly Doug is still there ) could win the Premiership but the gulf in class is larger than it's ever been.

Hopefully we'll play to our capabilities and actually look like a genuine second tier team this year now though.

I think the bigger danger for competitive football is Arsenal or Man U dropping away into the second tier. Or, worst of all, both. I'm still expecting a salary and/or expenditure cap to come along in the near future (based on percentage of ticket, shirt and TV income, so the 'big boys' can still comfortably outspend the rest of the division, but it limits outside money's ability to bankroll a club). If Chelsea win both Premiership and CL this year it will be talked about, and if they do it two years in a row it will happen.

And you bet your arse Sky will make a big point of the lack of competition in the Premiership when the TV rights come up - is that this year or next year?