British Football Thread (all divisions)

[Threadfin]

OK thanks, but what an odd thing to spam, eh?

In a different forum we were talking about which teams we'd predict would suffer the drop this term. One of my three was Watford, and I was the only one to put them forward. And based on this display, I reckon they've got a shot.

With twenty minutes gone, Watford had completed 19 passes, to Liverpool's 209! Abject display, and we always see a new-manager bounce in this league. Alarm bells must be going off after such a performance. Ranieri's probably thinking, what have I done?

Liverpool go top pending later results.

[Jimbuna]

Hopefully TOON will manage a drawer against Spurs today in front of the new owners but the next transfer window can't come quick enough.

[Threadfin]

European glory is a long way from the Championship. Newcastle had better turn a corner if they hope to stay up.

The atmosphere at the start was electric. I found myself swept up in it, even on tele, and when Wilson struck it seemed for a time that Newcastle's ascendancy had arrived.

But of course you've still got Shelvey, and well, someone pulled the plug and Toon slumped to another defeat. I feel sympathy for Bruce who will surely be on his sword soon, this can't go on, especially given the outlay.

Calling Big Sam, or whichever firefighter they bring in to stave off the drop. Three from eight's relegation form for certain, and the oil boys had better pony up in January.

[Jimbuna]

It might be too late already come January.

The money being made available is not just for transfers but also factors in improvements to the stadium, academy and training facilities so whoever replaces the cabbage will have to be a very experienced person indeed.

My thoughts are we will be relegated and the clubs turnaround will begin in the Championship.

[Threadfin]

Yes, maybe so, but for five minutes yesterday I bet you dared to dream. Even I did and I'm no closet Newcastle supporter.

Investment in the facilities is a good way to go about things. The staff, the players, the advertisers, will all benefit from that. Probably even the locals too.

But gobs will be spent on transfers. I laugh at the 'assurances' claimed separating the Saudi royal family from control of Newcastle. Which assurances exactly are those? Anyway, not much to do about that now, that's done and dusted as the fit and proper persons test is rather narrow in how it goes about it.

The point I'm making is that Newcastle are now, in my view, the personal prestige plaything of these oil barons and as such they will spare no expense bringing the best and brightest talent to Tyneside. A vanity project needs to succeed, and with endless stacks of cash they will attempt to make it so. The fear is, in an attempt to lure the best, a club like Newcastle might pay over the odds, attaching value to the optics instead of sporting considerations. This backs a club in to corners, over-paying an under-performing player is cancerous, and as clubs who have followed a similar approach recently -- like United and Barca -- have found, these players hang around as dead weight, wages out of reach of another club who might otherwise take him off your hands.

In order to make Tyneside an attractive destination for players in demand, money will be the carrot. Over time, should they prove successful in climbing the rungs of the European heavyweights, there will be other reasons the players who could improve Newcastle on the pitch might choose to go there. At the start of this project however there are pitfalls in plain sight. it will be interesting how the new regime chooses to proceed.

[Jimbuna]

So it starts, eight out of ten games in November and December are live on Sky and BT. Everyone wants to watch us now

[Threadfin]

Looks like their first cash injection was to the broadcast companies!

Hey, how much would it cost to put Newcastle on every week?

How much you got?

*opens briefcase*

About that much. And anyway it's about time since they've been neglected for far too long!

[Jimbuna]

True that

Mind you, I usually stream every game

[Jimbuna]

The latest attack on TOON by what is fast becoming obvious of a corrupt PL whose strings are being pulled by the so called 'Big 6'

The same 'Big 6' who schemed secretly to be part of a breakaway super league and were only prevented from doing so by pressure from fans almost worldwide.

Hopefully this will end up in court and each clubs shady dealings will be brought to light.

Premier League clubs have voted to temporarily block teams agreeing lucrative sponsorship deals linked to a club's owners after the Saudi Arabia-backed £305m takeover of Newcastle.

Eighteen clubs voted in favour of the ban at an emergency meeting on Monday.

Newcastle voted against and Manchester City abstained, with both questioning the legality of the move.

It means a temporary one-month ban on deals linked to club owners while the issue is debated further.

That prevents Newcastle signing sponsorship deals with companies linked to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns 80% of the club.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58920229

[Threadfin]

I'll not address the whataboutism, because I don't know how clean or dirty these clubs are. But this seems to be an effort to prevent financial doping. Otherwise clubs can move the needle on their FFP figures by sponsoring themselves, which at least circumvents the rules, if not violates them straight up.

If your argument is that 'everyone's doing it' then I don't think that's a reason to not address it.

If you feel this is targeted at Newcastle, you may have a point, because I think City does some of this too. But I don't know enough about the money side of football to be throwing around accusations. But you can bet I don't trust any of them to play fair.

[Jimbuna]

No surprises today then....Steve Bruce leaves by 'mutual consent' and the search is on for his successor.

Jones will be the caretaker until the appointment and hopefully the team can get a few points on the board so as not to be too far adrift come the transfer window in January.

[Threadfin]

You'll end up with Super Frank Lampard.


Grass is always greener eh?

[Jimbuna]

Lampard would be fine by me but I believe talks have already commenced with Paulo Fonseca.

[Threadfin]

Fonseca could be a good choice. He has more experience than Super Frank, and more success too. Roma's the biggest club he's managed, plus a stint at Shaktar. Wasn't he to be Spurs gaffer a couple years ago, but it fell apart over money or taxes? Maybe that's no problem for oil-soaked new owners, but they should be wary they don't pay over the odds (and later get stuck if things go wrong)


Lampard may become a good manager, but judging by his time in charge at Stamford Bridge he needs more experience. He seemed surprisingly naive during his time there. And the fact that Tuchel arrived and with the same players turned Chelsea from one of the most porous sides in to probably the best defensive side in the league. Tuchel's done well, but that reflects badly on Lampard too. He needs to do what Stevie G is doing, pay his dues down the ladder. Lampard had a stint at Derby was it? But he was promoted too fast and if I were a Newcastle supporter basking in our newfound riches, Lampard is not who I would entrust with the keys.

[Jimbuna]

Not disagreeing with the above but anyone (Lampard included) has got to be better than who we've just departed company with.