SNSUN

Mental. Absolutely mental. If it weren't for Rafa they'd have gone down the season he brought them up. The Newcastle FC forum isn't great, but I'm off to see the reactions on this news...

When is the start of our pre-season training? The fitness tests etc? I see Birmingham posted that they are already back and undergoing fitness (not surprisingly as they're in the Championship so start earlier) so maybe if he's undergoing fitness tests/training with them, it's less important to get him in for our fitness tests at the start of pre-season training, hence why we've put the offer on the table and backed away... ...does that make sense? Bit convoluted but still...

Shows that Genk are selling if the price is right. (I.e Maehle) Trossard has good stats on paper, but can he make the step up, as Jahanbakhsh and even our own Elyounoussi have failed to do? We shall see. Has been linked with Arsenal though.

I quite like this approach, it might make them think twice about standing resolute. If they're in that much financial shyte (and having had Harry Redknapp as manager they most likely are screwed) then turning down £14 million would be madness and surely people they owe money to will be pressuring them to sell their assets as they already have with Jota. And if this falls through, I hope they go into admin and get deducted 10 points. There, I said it.

Targett + Vokins and Valery + Ramsey as our full backs going in to next season would leave me very uneasy. Yes there’s the January window but we don’t want to be scrambling around at the bottom of the league come December due to a lack of foresight. Still, in Hasenhuttl we trust I guess...

Unless Potter can pull a miracle or two out the bag, I have Brighton for one of the relegation spots this coming season. Along with Sheffield United and, dare I say it in case the wife sees this, Norwich. Burnley could struggle too with an ageing squad. Of course Skatesmouth are now minted, so they will be promotional certainties.

Speaking of debuts, Martin Cranie was far from a bad player, but he had a poor debut starting in an unfamiliar position at left back. Probably not the worse debut but IIRC he scored an own goal...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fans-saying-same-thing-birmingham-16447690.amp They sound pretty ****ed off about the fee. But they need to realise they're in financial trouble and, as supporters of a team that has also been in financial trouble in the last ten or so years, we know what it's like to have your jewels sold on the cheap. If 14 million is classed as cheap these days! I think it would be a decent signing. I have echoes of JRod in my head when we signed him from Burnley and he certainly made the step up.

Yep clearly, we totally are. Bunch of screw ups. I mean, the FIFA transfer window has been open one whole week and we've done nothing in that time. (Apart from confirming Djenepo of course but that's irrelevant.) We should write off the next nearly 8 whole weeks and use the squad we have, Hoedt, Carrillo, Clasie et al.

Jack Butland >>> Joe Hart

...from West Ham and Valencia. I still think Boufal has something to offer Saints now that we have Hasenhuttl in charge. Maybe they can have Hoedt instead...

A quick Google search - the bloke looks like Alfred E Neuman from the Mad Magazine covers. You can't unsee it.

Ings/Adams (or equivalent signing, we seem pretty keen on getting him)/Long with Redmond around - it doesn't look like he'd get much game time if he stayed. A loan would be sensible with a recall clause after 6 months IMO. Who is the next young striker we could call from the youth teams if the shyte hits the fan and everyone gets injured? N'Lundulu?

I posted this last month on another thread. I don't know how accurate it will be, especially as we have been linked with a goalkeeper since... ...Okkkkkkk, end of the season. Phew. So now we look to the summer activity. A 25 man squad needed and some of the youth like Sims will now qualify as part of the 25 man squad if we want to keep them in there. So this is my squad for next season, including transfers in and out. Obviously Ralph's will be different and of course it is dependent on finances but this is what I'd like to see. OUTS would be loans if we can't sell. I think I have the youth ages right. GK: Gunn, McCarthy, (Lewis - youth) OUTS - Forster/Rose RB: New RB (Valery, Ramsey - youth) OUTS - Cedric LB: Bertrand, Targett. OUTS: McQueen CB: New CB, Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard, (Alfie Jones - youth) OUTS: Hoedt, Stephens DM: New DM, Lemina, Hojbjerg, Romeu, (Slattery - youth) OUTS: Reed, Clasie AM: New AM, Ward-Prowse, Redmond, Armstrong, Sims (Johnson - youth) OUTS: Boufal, Elyounoussi, Hesketh, Davis STR: New STR, Ings, Long, (Obafemi - youth) OUTS: Barnes, Austin, Gallagher, Carillo That's 21 senior players backed up by youth, with 5 incoming signings as part of that 21 as I doubt we'd sign more than that. Which leaves four spots for players we can't get rid of! So we refer to the OUTS: As I figure we will probably be stuck with Stephens and Elyounoussi, then they can pick up 2 spots, and I would give Boufal a go under Ralph's guidance too, which takes us to 24. The 25th spot I would either give to Reed or Hesketh, and because of his versatility, I'd go for Reed. So the final 25 senior players are: Gunn, McCarthy, New RB, Bertrand, Targett, New CB, Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Stephens, New DM, Lemina, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Reed, New AM, Ward-Prowse, Redmond, Armstrong, Sims, Elyounoussi, Boufal, New STR, Ings, Long. That should at least provide us a stepping stone for a better placed finish next season, with a view of completely getting rid of the deadwood/rot next summer. Of course I've not factored in players that could be wanted by other clubs - Redmond, Bertrand, Ward-Prowse and possibly Lemina will probably have their admirers, with either of the goalkeepers, Hojbjerg or Bednarek possibly left field transfers too. But I feel it should be more about adding to the group this summer, not dismantling it and starting again. However those 5 incoming players would need to be of better quality than what we have already... RB - Needs to be of first choice quality, or very near potential first choice quality, irrespective of Valery's promise. He needs competition and it will only be good for us in the long term. (Especially if Valery becomes our most sought after player next summer. (Like Wan Bissaka at Palace.) CB - No brainer we need a first choice, someone that is equally comfortable in the back 3 or in a back 4, and dominant. (In a similar vein to VVD, Alderweireld et al if possible) DM - A mobile tank - more Wanyama than Schneiderlin. Someone that can shield the defence but get forwards if needed. AM - A playmaker with goalscoring capabilities. Someone that can change a game. (Even though I've included Boufal, who could still prove a disappointment, I still feel a signing here, even a younger player, would adequately equip us for a full season.) STR - Someone that can frigging score more than he misses! A target man with mobility. (We can't rely solely on Ings, Long and Obafemi for goals all season!!!) So there we are - that's my 25. I'm sure it's wildly inaccurate as to what will actually happen but we shall see... Since that post, with recent rumours, it seems the CB could be Jansson, the AM is Djenepo, the STR could be Adams but the DM and RB is anybody's guess. Have we even been linked with a defensive midfielder?

'Tis. Daniel James/Ben Godfrey/James Maddison...those are the sort of players a middle of the Premier League table team should be signing (and we were linked with James not so long ago), not one of the richest clubs in the world with aspirations to get back to World Dominance. Investing in youth is one thing, but United are the sort of club that should be buying players at the peak of their game - similar to Liverpool with VVD and Mane from us. I still doubt whether Solksjaer is the man to bring success to that club but we shall see.

He seems to relish the challenge he’s taken on. Shift the deadwood and bring in his own players push up the league and he’ll be gone. But it would be worth it. Ball, Strachan, Adkins and Koeman have been my favourite managers since I’ve supported Saints, but Hasenhuttl could usurp them all if he keeps on impressing.

That's probably half of what they're looking for! But it's wise to start low and work your way up, even though it's a bit "West Ham"! As long as we don't miss out on him for the sake of, say, a million, then if that article is true, it's a sensible, if slightly tight, stance.

Would be a decent bit of business for that money. He's their best centre back and has been linked with Benfica. However he only recently said he's happy to stay next season. But at 28 would he be tempted to jump to the highest level...

Jordy Clasie to join Frank de Boer at Atlanta United in the MLS. #fakerumouroftheday

I like Reed, bit of a terrier, but he’d be a squad player and at 24 you’d think he’d want first team football. I haven’t seen much of Slattery but he’s looked decent when I have, and at 20yo he’s probably the way to go in central midfield. The money we’d get for Reed would probably outweigh keeping him as a backup.

Media love in for Villa next season then. Shame, as Derby would have been the more beatable team next season. McGinn looks like a decent player.

Tall and looked fairly quick, but too often played the easy pass. Although little trick for the build up to the winner. No harm on a free. Little Ben Reeves celebrating too. Bad times go on for Sunderland.

That’s what i assume. Signing as a back up, either Lossl genuinely thinks he can displace Pickford or he’s one of those that’s just happy to earn his money for doing very little. Of the relegated keepers though, I would rather have Etheridge.

That’s what i assume. Signing as a back up, either Lossl genuinely thinks he can displace Pickford or he’s one of those that’s just happy to earn his money for doing very little. Of the relegated keepers though, I would rather have Etheridge.