Hughton faces selection headache.

Posted on September 4th, 2010 | 230 Comments |

A right proper selection headache!
A right proper selection headache!
I think we are all in agreement when I say that we have strengthened the squad over the course of the summer transfer window.

Brilliant, fantastic, just what we needed. But where are all of these new faces going to fit in?

That is a problem that Chris Hughton must now face, but given the fact that we won’t be seeing our beloved Newcastle in action again for a week I thought we could try and work it out ourselves.

I think the main problem is going to be in the midfield, particularly in the centre of midfield. We have an abundance of players who can play varying roles in the middle of the park nowadays, which adds depth and will hopefully instigate competiton for places. In truth, the fact that we have started off pretty well so far this season probably hinders the selection process a little and makes the decision to leave any of our current players out of the team very hard indeed.

Joey Barton is finally starting to show the form that made us pay near on £6 million for him a few seasons back whilst Alan Smith has performed remarkably well given the fact that most people had tipped him to struggle this season. Kevin Nolan has also done his bit for the team, and having seen him play at Wolves last weekend I can assure people that he does do more work than the camera picks up on!

Those have been our three midfielders this season, and as I have just said, they have all performed well. But what about the new faces such as Cheick Tiote and Hatem Ben Arfa? How are they going to fit in? What about Danny Guthrie, or Haris Vuckic, or Dan Gosling when he is fit, how will they fit in?

I don’t know to be honest, but it should be good trying to work it out and to see what your ideas are about it all.

Ben Arfa has apparently been told that he will get to play in his preferred position, which is in the middle, just behind the striker, or the role that Kevin Nolan has been playing in fact. If the H-Bomb is to play in that role then where does that leave Nolan? Does he move back in the midfield? Will he be dropped completely? I feel the latter will be a bit harsh on our club captain as he hasn’t done a lot wrong so far this year, yet he still attracts the boo-boys for some strange reason.

To be honest, the fact that Nolan is captain will probably mean he gets the nod to play in most games if fit and performing to and acceptable standard. The problem is that to accomodate both him and Ben Arfa then either Joey Barton or Alan Smith will need to be dropped. There is no way Barton should be dropped on his current form, so that would point towards having to leave Alan Smith out. Would a central midfield pairing of Nolan and Barton have enough tackling and defensive nouse about them to be of any use though?

If it is defence that we want then we could always draft in our new defensive midfielder, Cheick Tiote. To do that though then one of either Nolan or Barton would have to be dropped. I can’t see Tiote being played from the start in the Blackpool game and feel he will have to earn his place in the first team, something I think Ben Arfa won’t have to do as he is the Hollywood player the home crowd want to see the most of.

I almost forgot to mention Dan Gosling, Danny Guthrie and Haris Vuckic. How the hell are they going to get any games? All this is even giving me a selection headache!

Anyway, these are just my thoughts on what we could do with the midfield. I’m sure that we will find out soon enough, but for the life of me I really can’t work out how we will line up in our next game. It’s certainly a dilemma, but I am pretty sure it is a nice one to have.

It’s all about having options!

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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230 Responses

  2. I don’t think Ben Arfa will start the Blackpool game. When he does get to start he may sacrifice Routledge (not literally) and move Barton out wide, just so he can accommodate him and Nolan, with Tiote to come in eventually for Smith.

  3. I see Tiote and Smith trading out on a situational basis; when we need the strong physicality of Tiote he’ll be the one in. Also when can leave them both out and have Nolan and Barton in when we want to be more aggressive offensively.

    Ok so when Ben Arfa is in it pushes Nolan back to Barton’s spot, and presumably Barton out, who has played well indeed but already has 3 cards doesn’t he.

    I think that we really have to see if Barton and Nolan can hold down the Middle well enough to keep them both on at the same time.

    Without thinking too far out of the box, I think out best front 6 looks like:

    ———Andy————
    ————-HBA———
    Jonas—————-Rout
    ——Nolan—Barton—–

    The problem is I think this set is going to see Barton in card trouble even quicker than he has managed thus far. I think that makes him the first odd man out in the case of the midfield. Second is probably Routledge but I’m not real sure about who else can play out there.

    And now I have TiredHead. I don’t envy CH the task of sorting this all out.

  4. I see what you mean, I think I would go with a 3-5-1-1 formation, that way we can cover both attack & defencive players as follows:

    ———-Harper———
    Perch—–Colo—–Enrique
    Routy-Barton-Toite-Nolan-Jonas
    ———Benny Arfa——–
    ———–Carroll———

    This way, if required, Tiote can drop back into defence when we need him, we then have Benny Arfa, Routy & Jonas attacking to help Carroll up front, with Barton & Nolan controlling midfield but also able to join the attack too or defend if required.. :)

    Isn’t this exciting, it’s been too long sine the last time we had this sort of headache at the club :) HWTL..

  5. Or maybe a 3-1-4-1-1

    —————-Harper————-
    Perch—––Colo-—–Enrique
    ——Toite————
    —–Barton-Nolan——
    Routy————-Jonas
    ————–Benny Arfa——––
    ———–Carroll——————

    Below would be other players who can play in the above team positions if required also:

    Tiote can swap with Williamson & Smith
    Colo Can swap with Tayls & Kadar
    Barton can swap with Gutherie
    Nolan can swap with Vuckic
    Benny Arfa can swap with Loverboy
    Carroll can swap with Ranger or Shola

  6. I’d expect to see Chris making more use of the subs bench now he has an excellent one but I do think he will prefer to win games late instead of early. It’s risky but does seem to have instilled a stronger work ethic and a better mental toughness in the squad

    ………………..Harper
    Perch…..Will…….Collo…..Jose
    ……………..Smith
    Rought..Nolan…Barton…Jonas
    …………..Carroll

    Subs Krul, Tiote, McLoven, Hatem, Sol

    I think he will play Smith for security and then bring on Hatem for him late in the game regardless. If we are ahead we dont need Smith, if we are behind well need to get goals so we dont Smith.
    Thats why I guess it i so tough. If there is any team we should come out attacking against at home its Blackpool but that does leave you open. Glad I’m not Chris. He aint getting paid enough

  7. I think we will play a flat back four, so 4-1-3-2

    Smith & tiote will cover the DM slot where red cards are common.
    Andy up front with three alternatives if he’s not there
    Nolan / HBA as the no 10 depending on the weather / opposition
    which leaves 3 attacking midfielders, Routledge, Barton & Jonas, with Raylor, Guthrie etc as back-ups

    however, I susspect that CH will be more defencively minded playing 7-3 rather than 5-5

  8. likin RKW’s midfield setup and feel Hughton will probably go with that at home to Blackpool, unless he wants to introduce HBA slowly and bring on as a sub – indeed he may choose to keep faith with the lads who’ve done so well thus far anyway and take time to blood the new lads.

    CypToon – not sure what you’re drinking mate but there IS NO WAY IN HELL Hoots will EVER play ONE CB in the prem. I see where you’re coming from and we might well have decent options to play wing-backs, but for sure the defenders in your formation would be CBs and not full-backs. The idea intrigues me and I know Jonas had a bit of a mare playing FB in WC but maybe WB? So:

    Colo Campbell Willo

    Jonas Smith / Tiote Enrique

    Barton Nolan

    Ben Arfa

    Avatar

    Personally I doubt Hoots will try it anytime soon, but I do favour something like this with wing backs for certain away games if the players can get used to the formation – I seem to remember we tried it a few years ago and it freaked players out a bit.

  9. On a similar theme I liked the set-up Chile played at WC 3-3-1-3

    Colo – Sol – Will
    Jonas – Smith – Enrique
    Barton
    HBA – AC- McLoven

    However being a bit more realistic I think CH may well play a more defensive 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-1-2 with a dm trio of Barton – Smith – Jonas as whilst I’m not convinced by Jonas as a RB as wide DM I think he would be great as his final ball further forward is missing.

  10. We now have real competition for places & game changing players who can come off the bench. I think chris will stick with the same formation & players from the last couple of games & just tweak it depending on who & where we are playing.

  11. I agree. I expect the starting 11 against Blackpool to be unchanged with the new boys brought on in the 2nd half to great applause. It’s as the games develop after that, that it gets interesting.

  12. No changes for the Blackpool game. Campbell, Ben Arfa, Tiote on the bench.

    I don’t know where this playing Ben Arfa in the Nolan position comes from. I can’t recall where CH has said that. I can imagine giving him as much freedom as possible might be the best way to find out what he brings us.

    I can’t see anybody getting in until either injury forces a change or performance makes it an imperative. It seems to me that that’s CH’s style. That’s what he did last year.

  13. Very misleading headline Toonsy,I thought I’d be reading an article about someone giving CH a large box of chocolates.
    ;-)
    rkw’s midfield @3 for me at home v the bottom half teams for me

  14. Ultimately it is great to have strong options in the squad and for Hoots to have headaches. I think these days the idea of an 11 designated as THE first-team is out of date – we will adjust formations and personnel depending on opposition and home/away. Best I can do is identify our top 17 players (team +subs), injuries permitting, and I would go with the following. Although its not particularly useful as a matchday squad as we’d be short of cover for crucial positions, it’s more a reflection on where I think we are strongest than who Hoots will pick:

    ———–Carroll—————–

    ———Ben Arfa/Nolan————

    Jonas—-Barton/Guthrie—-Rout/Gos

    ———–Smith/Tiote————-

    Enrique—Colo—Sol/Will—-STayls

    ————Harps/Krul————-

  15. Clearly for picking a matchday squad, Hoots would require cover for Carroll, probably Shola, and a full-back for which we have plenty at RB but none quite that I think come into our top 17 players. I am waiting for Perch or Simpson to change that opinion and, though I think that Perch has shown he can cut it at this level, I’m still not sure if he can be the top class RB we need.

  17. I’m glad I’m not Chris Hughton !!!
    bloody headache with the team selection
    particularly in midfield

    but I think CH will not changes the starting line-up
    anytime soon unless thing go wrong or performance drop

    and I know that I don’t like the new faces to come in just
    that easy. they have to work hard and fight for their places. and I do think that CH won’t allow player to walk in the squad without doing their jobs.

    anyway I really feel sorry for Guthrie
    basically because his performance last season
    he was one of the key player for the team
    but I can’t see him fit into the squad soon
    after the fine form from our scoucer gang :)

  20. When all of our players are fit i think this is our strongest starting lineup:

    Harper

    Simpson-S.Taylor-Williamson-Enrique

    Smith
    Ben Arfa Guthrie Gutierrez

    Nolan
    Carroll

    PS: I dont understand that many of you want to sell Smith!? I think he is a key player, and he has maybe been our best player this start of season along with Carroll, Barton and Williamson.

  23. richietoon says:
    September 4, 2010 at 8:42 am

    “If Saylor stays I think he will be our RB imo”

    Aye spot on, Perch starting aint done everything bad but IMO He should stay benched when Saylor and Campbell are fit, For me Perch falls in the Raylor, Simpson, Tavernier and Kadar category of utility back up players.

  24. It’s great to sit back and reflect on how well we are doing at the moment …

    The team are bonding and playing as a unit,

    The team are playing some good football,

    The results are good so far,

    The management team are professional and doing a great job

    Even MA seems to be doing the right things

    and now we have real competition for places

    I know all this is a little fragile … but long may this last … and lests enjoy it whilst it does … :)

  26. Batty @ 18 I watched that a couple of weeks ago, they wern’t on any drugs or drink and the one that hit the police woman was released a day later and ended up killing a fella 2 days later that gave her somewhere to stay for the night.

    Toonsy I think we have Far too many MF’s to keep happy so I think we need to let a couple go ;)

  28. BIG DAVE your not nicking off work are you.
    think we will loan out a few in jan when the likes of gosling ect get fit imo and we should know where we stand in the lge

  30. Ice I rarely work Sats mate ye can make a fortune on sats but I hate them :) and I think yer right we will have to loan a couple out but I think we will eventually need to try to offload some ;)

  39. see j.carragher has blamed g.souness for the clubs decline during 91/94 when he was in charge,where have we seen that before, dick

  40. for the benefit of putting a face to the name when speaking to him….that’s batty second one in

    xxx

  41. Jay Jay I get me and the wee Lad one every friday on me way home yum yum.
    Batty I have an excuse my Lass works Sats so I need to look after the wee Lad ;)

  42. ive played the last few seasons as a c.b., the off time as a centre mid, but yesterday had to play as a makeshift l.b. ……my god it opened my eyes to the big difference from suddenly being a wing back to a centre back…it really is a position you cannot just transform into from one week to the next, in other words if most people think steven taylor will be our starting right back or kadar will be our back up left back, then they need to be training there, playing reserve matches there consisently, told that there are a wing back now…i don’t think this is the case and right back is between simpson, raylor/perch and perch is back up l.b.

  45. Uncle Ed says…

    ‘Cheick Tiote has hardly been seen on Tyneside, since he waited for his work permit and then went off to represent his country, the Ivory Coast, during the International break.

    Cheick is unlikely to be involved against Blackpool next weekend, although as we found out yesterday Hatem Ben Arfa has been training all week with his new team mates, and seems to be enjoying things on Tyneside.’

    I think Blackpool will come to early for Tiote barring an injury to Smith. But Benny will have had 2 weeks training with the first team squad and it wasn’t that long ago that he was included in the french squad so he can’t be that out of shape. 2 weeks training with the first team is enough imo. international squads only meet up 2-3 days before a game.

  50. I think kadar has the left foot, the skill and the brain to play LB. Maybe he needs a few more reserve games there but thats all. I don’t like lumping a right footer there like Perch to be honest.

  60. Toonsy by the time we have 3-4 injuries and suspensions, these players will get on (Gosling, Campbell, Guthrie) and it will be kids on the bench again.

    I think Tiote and certainly Benny will be starters within a few weeks, they are better players than Smith, Nolan and Routledge.

  62. Batty I honestly believe there is 2 people responsible for making the Toon what they have been for the last 2 decades KK and Al I think without KK we would never have had Big Al and we might just have been destined for a life of 1st or 2 div. That is one of the reasons I get annoyed when supporters run them down because IMO without them we would have been fuked ;) So I for 1 will be for ever grateful for what they have done

  63. fostino……..but saylor has played right back quite a few times and they have tended to be his better games for us imo

  67. Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 11:57 am

    I get annoyed when supporters run them down because IMO without them we would have been fuked ;) So I for 1 will be for ever grateful for what they have done

    Like the w@nkers saying that KK didnt do as much for this club as Bobby Robson, When anyone with a half a brain knows that Bobby would never managed us in division 2 or 3 after coming back from his travels…

  70. Well,if Ben arfa haves the ability to do those long-range goals like Laurent Robert,i got a sneaky feeling,that atmosphere/Entertainers,will be slowly coming back into the picture.

    And Maybe when Andy Carroll gets more mature,he can start practicing those free kicks,and score more from a different avenue like Big Al. ;)

  72. Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 11:57 am

    “Batty I honestly believe there is 2 people responsible for making the Toon what they have been for the last 2 decades KK and Al”

    Perennial ‘nearly men’ who crumble at the final hurdle, then decline and teetering on the edge of the abyss with a load of highly paid has beens and never weres? I think Byker Satan some take at least some of the credit for that, Dave! ;-)

  73. Agree CC Keegan done alot for the club , he is the reason i support newcastle , I just loved the football we played back then , He should be held in high regard for what he done when he first managed the club and I for one still hold him in high regard.

    However it shouldnt and cant be forgotten his part in the whole fiasco that led us been relegated. He was not entirley to blame but he played are part in creating to instabilty in which the club folded. The foundations were laid in the sheppard era but was brought down with a bang with ashley wise n keegan and everone else from that saga

  74. Morning all-

    Selection problems? Nice problem to have. Last summer we were worried about cover…

    Regarding KK and AS, they are responsible for much f the world wide support that NUFC enjoys as well…I can attest to that because I began supporting the club because of them and I’m sure others on here would say the same thing.

  75. Well its nice to see that there is people that dont forget what others have done,
    CC I have often thought about what you said, apart from the fact that you should never disrespect the dead but even if he was still alive, I dont think people would speak bad of him but IMO KK done more for this club than SBR did but some wouldn’t think twice about sticking the knife into KK
    And before anyone might think I wasnt a fan of SBR I was and I loved the Man even without meeting him, and I rightly think that he should forever be remembered as one of the biggest and nicest legends in world Football

  77. Keegan had many flaws and made mistakes and imo shouldnt have asked for the amount of compo he did but he breathed life into a stagnant club when he came as a player in the 80’s.Then when he came as a manager the first time he saved the club from relegation to the old 3rd division and quite possibly/probably extinction that makes him a legend in my book

  78. Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 12:32 pm

    Aye I loved Bobby as well but he wouldnt have managed the club without Keegans vision and talent and to be fair Halls cash building the club.

    Bobby also (which seems to be written out of history) turned the job down after he was offered £500k a year because he wanted a bigger salary and would have been one of the lower paid mangers in the league, Something that grates on me as i would pay for the chance to represent my club and i aint the multi millionaire he was after his lucrative overseas career, He was 66 didnt need the cash and IMO should have jumped at the chance to have a crack at his boyhood club regardless of money.

    Nah Keggy all day long, The excitement he brought to the club was unrivalled for me…

  79. richietoon says:
    September 4, 2010 at 12:51 pm

    “but he breathed life into a stagnant club when he came as a player in the 80’s”

    He also wouldn’t touch the club with a bargepole until, on top of his wages, he got at least 15% of the gate receipts over 15,000.

  80. CC says:
    September 4, 2010 at 12:57 pm

    “Bobby also (which seems to be written out of history) turned the job down after he was offered £500k a year because he wanted a bigger salary and would have been one of the lower paid mangers in the league”

    It’s a bit rich to critcise Robson for that compared with Keegan’s rapacious greed.

  81. true worky but the options were Man Utd and us,our only attraction at the time was to give him a ludicrous deal which we did and it worked out for both sides……..worked out better then Simonsen to Charlton anyway ;-)

  82. Worky yer not catching much today mate try a different bait :lol: anyway he deserved big money for turning us into a force to be reckoned with ;)

  84. workyticket says:
    September 4, 2010 at 1:01 pm

    It’s a bit rich to critcise Robson for that compared with Keegan’s rapacious greed.

    I dont think so, Robson didnt need the extra cash and he was prepared to chuck away the chance of a supposed lifelong ambition because of greed

  88. workyticket says:
    September 4, 2010 at 12:27 pm

    What a tit!

    Just explain how Shearer is a ‘nearly man’ please?

    He won a PL with Blackburn and played the biggest part of anyone in them achieving that.

    Unless you think winning a PL medal is not an achievement?

    Wasn’t Shearer’s fault he was playing for a complete and utter basket case of a club for the last ten years of his career.

  95. batty says:
    September 4, 2010 at 1:12 pm

    On one hand Worky preaches the virtues of ‘money is not everything’ and then on the other he calls Shearer a ‘nearly man’ because he wanted to play for his home club instead of grabbin the riches that Old Trafford offered him.

    No doubt I will be accused of the gold old ‘Straw man’ argument!

  104. workyticket says:
    September 4, 2010 at 1:19 pm
    ———————————————————
    workyticket says:
    September 4, 2010 at 12:27 pm

    Perennial ‘nearly men’ who crumble at the final hurdle, then decline and teetering on the edge of the abyss with a load of highly paid has beens and never weres? I think Byker Satan some take at least some of the credit for that, Dave!

  109. Stuart79 says:
    September 4, 2010 at 1:26 pm

    Stuart, where do I describe Shearer as a “nearly man” in there? If you think that you can lie about me, and describe me as a “tit”, I’m afraid that you are sadly mistaken. I have had enough of you.

  111. BIG DAVE aye keep me a seat,got nee j.d.batty bought it all up for stardust to keep him sweet ;)

  112. workyticket says:
    September 4, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    Considering Dave was talking about KK and Shearer, and you were responsing to his comment about them by using the word ‘men’ which implies you were talking about more than one, who else would you have been talking about Worky?

  118. We do need to know,when KK came back the 2nd time,we are fighting in relegation zone with Spurs.

    And from that time,we came out from relegation zone and up to 14th place,when season ends.

    that shows how good he is as an player and Manager as well.

  120. Stuart79 says:
    September 4, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    “Considering Dave was talking about KK and Shearer, and you were responsing to his comment about them by using the word ‘men’ which implies you were talking about more than one, who else would you have been talking about Worky?”

    I was writing about Newcastle United, Stuart, who came second in the League twice, and made two cup final appearences in the space of five years. Of course, you knew that though, and were just attempting to distort my argument to your own ends.

  121. @Big Dave: So u meant if we gone back to Europe competition,it would be spurs who will be relegated instead?

    :lol: :lol:

  124. batty says:
    September 4, 2010 at 1:55 pm

    If you believe that explaination batty, you’re blind!

    I’ve never heard NUFC described as ‘nearly men’ in my live!

    I mean, how can one football club be a man, let alone men (plural)!

  126. AOD like him or loath him I think Arry has made a big difference to Spuds but I do think yhey were going that way before they got the wheeler dealer in ;)

    Worky I often think if we did get the 1st cup we could have seen a completely different scenario. I think it boils down to the mental side of things again, when you win something you then KNOW you can do it again, but like lots of sportspeople and teams that 1st title is the hardest to get

  128. workyticket says:
    September 4, 2010 at 2:02 pm

    Worky, just admit it! The evidence is compelling.

    Dave was talking about two men – KK and Shearer. You replied about his comment regarding them two men. You made reference to ‘nearly men’, not a ‘nearly club’.

    You were indeed talking about Shearer and KK – It’s impossible to see it any other way.

    Your version of events is shameful and cringe worthy!

  129. Actually i thought he meant the club, You couldnt really call Keggy a nearly man, Apart from 95/96 he has done has done it all

    Although i disagree about Keegans greed, Does this look like somone who is driven by greed or desperation for money…

    http://www.youtube.com

  130. Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 2:02 pm

    “I think it boils down to the mental side of things again”

    Yes it does Dave, and I don’t disagree at all that Keegan did alot for this club, it would be impossible to argue otherwise. But he got a hell of alot in return, and constantly wanted more until it was completely unsustainable. I have never understood the contrast between Keegan the player and Keegan the Manager. He was never a Johan Cruyff or a Pele, but through sheer determination and perseverance he made it so. However he displayed exactly the opposite qualities as a manager, forever crumbling when it came to the moment of truth, the summit of everything he’d been working for. It really does perplex me.

  131. CC says:
    September 4, 2010 at 2:08 pm

    So you would describe a football club, as ‘nearly men’ when the conversation was quite clearly about two ‘men’ ie KK and AS?

    Coincidence?

  132. Worky I dont think ye can blame just KK for crumbling at the summit I think the whole team buckled, but as I said I do think if we had got that 1st title the world would have been our oyster :) well maybe the prem and Europe ;) and KK would have been remembered differently

    Batts have ye seen this one > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84jwrWMp5js

  133. CC says:
    September 4, 2010 at 2:08 pm

    “You couldnt really call Keggy a nearly man”

    Certainly not as a player, CC, or Shearer. But at the risk of being branded a Geordie heretic again, Shearer didn’t join Manchester United because of his deep love for Newcastle United, he did it because Jack Walker refused to sell him to Manchester United, and also his demands were too excessive for them anyway. Keegan joined, and rejoined Newcastle United for money and lots of it, but the myths about all this deep love, bleeding black and white, etc persist.

  135. Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 2:20 pm

    “Worky I dont think ye can blame just KK for crumbling at the summit I think the whole team buckled”

    David Batty.

  136. That comment above wasn’t a ‘criticism’ of David Batty BTW, as he was a tenacious terrier in the midfield, but Keegans tactical tinkering and finger jabbing tantrums when it came to the crunch. He couldn’t hold himself.

  137. “Perennial ‘nearly men’ who crumble at the final hurdle, then decline and teetering on the edge of the abyss with a load of highly paid has beens and never weres? I think Byker Satan some take at least some of the credit for that, Dave!”

    Stuart would men decline and teeter on the edge of the abyss with a load of highly paid has beens and never weres?

    He was talking about the club

  138. Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 2:20 pm

    “Worky I dont think ye can blame just KK for crumbling at the summit”

    I’m not blaming him for that, Dave. None of us are perfect, we are all flawed in some way. But his excessive financial demands and the destabilising drama queen walking out / walking back in again weren’t the actions of someone who truly loved the club as he said he did. The things he did to Bobby Robson for dropping him from the England team and the way he didn’t have one kind thing to say about him when the poor old gadgie died were unforgivable too.

  141. I love Keegan for what he did for the club as a player and manager. I don’t blame him for wanting proper paid for it, football is a business. My only issue with KK, and it is a major one, is that he ran out on the club twice midseason.

    We can appreciate all he has done for the club, while still criticising him for two poor moments, can’t we?

  142. Worky the thing is we dont really know what went on or happened. I do know that sometimes in life you have to walk away from things, I dont think he should have came back the 2nd time but I dont blame him for walking away as I truly believe the goal posts were moved I think MA, the Temp C/man guy I cant remember his name at the mo lol and Wise were to blame for it. As for SBR I have never actually heard KK talk about him so dont know about that one

  144. Ice it was a good one mate ;)
    Toonsy where have ye been, ye didn’t miss much Ice Batty and I went and got ringside seat ready for a big fight but it was a poor show, we are going to stick to UFC from now on or maybe a spot of bare knuckle fighting :)

  145. “I went and got ringside seat ready for a big fight but it was a poor show”
    ——————————-
    Pretty much like 75% of the PPV fights I purchase on Saturday nights:(

  147. Dave – Been busy catching up on things mate. Both round the house and work stuff that I can do at home :(

  152. MDS says:
    September 4, 2010 at 3:05 pm

    “I love Keegan for what he did for the club as a player and manager. I don’t blame him for wanting proper paid for it”

    He wanted the club to pay him £25.1 million estimated earnings for the rest of his life so he could expand his soccer circuses worldwide. Firstly, why did he need to be supporteed by the club for a lifetime of supposed managerial earnings when he knew that he would be spending a significant propotion of his time expanding his Soccer Circus empire through the Middle East, the Center Parcs chain and beyond? Secondly, he is not highly regarded enough as a manager due to his tactical limitations and flawed psyche, and would never earn anything like that sum in a million years anyway. He was completely taking the p out of both Newcastle United and the law. There is a difference between wanting to be properly paid, and wanting to fleece the club for money he never would have earned in a million years, at a career he never intended to pursue.

  154. worky- was referring to his salary demands, not the litigation. Thought that was what was being discussed, no?

    The rest of your comment is pure opinion, and seems rather personal

  155. is this still going on? I’ve been to hell and back(well shopping)since this started :lol:

    Dave..I’d kill to be able to dance like that mate ;-)

  157. well as I said on my earlier post Keegan asked for way too much compo….still a legend tho,blind loyalty from me?..probably…..am I bothered? no.HWTL :-)

  160. MDS says:
    September 4, 2010 at 3:41 pm

    “worky- was referring to his salary demands, not the litigation.”

    They were salary demands, MDS. He was demanding that the club should pay his own estimation of his salary as a football manager for the rest of his life.

  161. Richie I thought ye done a mean Ska dance ;)
    I agree with ye @ 157, and it wouldnt have been his idea to ask for that amount his Lawyer would have told him that, and apart from that I dont look on it as KK wanting the CLUB to pay it, I look on it as he was wanting the Fat Controller to pay it ;)

  162. Keegan felt the club breached the contract and by saying that he had walked out possibly ruined him for uture employment as a manager. It’s fairly standard in breach of contract lawsuits to ask for future lost wages or profit. You always ask for the moon and settle for less. As supporters, we might view it as “fleecing” the club, but it’s not different than any other employee/employer suit.

    Worky, you have strong feelings on the subject, and I particularly don’t, so I’ll drop it.

  163. Dave……..back in the day maybe,don’t think the old knees could manage any Ska noo.No batty wouldnt have started it…he’s not like that man ;-)

  167. Rich – I’m staying out of this. The last time Keegan got involved in a ‘blog I wrote was when I dared to put the word ‘King’ in front of Kevin Nolan 8O

    How very dare I :lol:

    And I never even wrote about Keegan. People just started flouncing because I dared to use a non-copyrighted word ;)

  168. Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 3:54 pm

    “I dont look on it as KK wanting the CLUB to pay it, I look on it as he was wanting the Fat Controller to pay it”

    The arbitration hearing was “Kevin Keegan vs Newcastle United”, Dave. If he was suing Mike Ashley, it would have been “Kevin Keegan vs Mike Ashley”.

  170. MDS says:
    September 4, 2010 at 3:58 pm

    “Worky, you have strong feelings on the subject, and I particularly don’t, so I’ll drop it.”

    I have strong feelings about Newcastle United, and also about dishonesty, though I realise that you don’t, MDS.

  171. Rich – You should have seen the comments. It was like a buckaroo in the dummy stand in Mothercare :lol:

    Flying all over the place they were :lol:

  173. workyticket says:
    September 4, 2010 at 4:10 pm

    I have strong feelings about Newcastle United, and also about dishonesty, though I realise that you don’t, MDS.
    ——————
    By resorting to that, I’ll take it as conceding the argument…

  179. Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 4:21 pm

    “Toonsy what exactly does a buckaroo in the dummy stand in Mothercare do ??”

    I was trying to figure that one out too, Toonsy.

  183. MDS says:
    September 4, 2010 at 4:16 pm

    “By resorting to that, I’ll take it as conceding the argument…”

    I was a little Stuartlike there, MDS. I apologise.

  190. Worky I was saying to Batts yesterday about getting you to appoint Icedog as our Honourary President or even Blog Elder what ye think :)

  194. toonsy says:
    September 4, 2010 at 4:34 pm

    “Worky – KK? King Kevin………………. Nolan?”

    Aye, I remember that, Toonsy. That’s the kind of guff that turns me into an argumentative prick over ‘Special K’. That’s my excuse anyway.

  195. Dave…….did ya click on the link with the Crossroads theme tune yesterday?……..batty loved it….is it back in ya heed again now batty :lol: ;-)

  199. Batty, too happy with our start to the season to argue with any toon supporter…even with all the riffraff on here:)

  202. Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    “Worky I was saying to Batts yesterday about getting you to appoint Icedog as our Honourary President or even Blog Elder what ye think”

    He is already, Dave, and batty too though xxxx know’s why in his case! :-)

  207. Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 4:57 pm

    “Worky does that mean yer admitting ye can be an argumentative prick ?”

    I prefer to think that I’m the patron Saint of unpopular opinions, Dave.

  208. workyticket says:
    September 4, 2010 at 5:13 pm
    Big Dave says:
    September 4, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    “Worky I was saying to Batts yesterday about getting you to appoint Icedog as our Honourary President or even Blog Elder what ye think”

    He is already, Dave, and batty too though xxxx know’s why in his case!<<<<< dus that mean ya cannit ban me no matter what a get up too :lol:

  211. batty says:
    September 4, 2010 at 5:03 pm

    “dave its ambassador”

    You’ll never forget it now, batty. The gadgie who did it used to be ‘Jilted John’.

  217. oh and worky has emailed me too say hes only joking aboot KING KEVIN KEEGAN his words and sed he was the best toon manager ever and has a hoose full of pitures of him and also sed keegan deserved 40 mill for putting up with ashley :)

  221. batty says:
    September 4, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    “oh and worky has emailed me too say hes only joking aboot KING KEVIN KEEGAN his words and sed he was the best toon manager ever and has a hoose full of pitures of him”

    I do have an orignal copy of his “Head Over Heels” record, batty, and I was upset when he fell off his bike in ‘Superstars’.

  223. richietoon says:
    September 4, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    “takes me back Worky”

    I’ve got Gordon the Moron’s reply record somewhere, Richie. Cost me a small fortune on ebay but it’s very rare.

  229. best team: when everyones fit

    ………………………Harps………………………
    Perch………..Willo…………..Collo………Bull

    ……………Barto……………….Tiote………………………….

    ……………Arfa……………………….Guti……….

    ………………………Nolan…………………….
    ……………………..Cazza…………………..

    That team oozes quality

  230. Ben Arfa can play winger. Why not put him there and leave the trio Smith-Barton-Nolan together as the played well..

    Harper
    Perch Will Collo Enrique

    Barton Smith

    Jonas Nolan Ben Arfa

    Carrol