Monday 28th August

Dear tf

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1855014,00.html

A striking example of why fanzines and their contributors are important. Rightly or wrongly cutting through the bullshit that is 21st Century Football and its accompanying circus.

Like a snake feeding on its own tail; football is eating itself. How can we trust any media prepared to engage with this rot. This summer The Journal and The Chronicle, in my opinion stand as prime examples of the servile roles sports journalists deny playing. There's an ugly line of (mis) communication opened up between Shepherd, Roeder and the press and yes I do believe that Roeder plays an active role in it, all be it as 'thankful fool': thankful for his job that is. This was a major worry for me on his appointment.

The punditry, highlighted here, after England/Equador was a royal disgrace and Lord Shearer of Gosforth contributed heavily to it. I remember sitting in the garden and watching Lineker and co. try and convince a nation of Carrick's 'genius' contribution to the game. At the time I thought who on earth do they think they are? Who on earth do they think we are? Do they really think that the limit of our knowledge is the lyrics to Football's Coming Home?

They showed a sequence of Carrick passes to exemplify their argument not one of them completed or, god forbid, resulting in any meaningful conclusion. Intention seeming to raise him to Zidane like status rather than actual impact.

Complete and utter bollocks.

Big Duke


Dear tf,

Ref: On The Level (Wigan)

Just read the drivel in your so called fanzine about the Wigan fans. First of all you must be pretty sad to be actually timing the length of any away chants. FFS Also, from what I saw from your crabby win on a bog of a pitch, the only chance of you getting rid of us is when YOU get relegated you self righteous muppet.

Phil

Ed: Ah, looks like you've got used to being patronised and really like it.


Dear tf,

couple of things are annoying me this week. First of all, does anyone else think it a bit peculiar that Martin O'Neill would take a job with Villa in preference to coming to the toon? I think his judgement has to be listened to, and it is indeed pretty ominous that people in the game look at our club with growing amusement.

Secondly, I know there has been a lot of talk about transfers, and I hope by the time this is printed Martins will be in a black and white shirt, and even Graveson, but I must ask the question; what happened to Klose?

I thought he was our target? Has he told Freddie to wise up? I wouldn't blame him, but we are looking very shaky at the outset of this season.

But don't worry, Alan Oliver says Kieron Dyer will be back soon ( ......ooohhh) and he will be like a new signing, yeah, like signing for a new Mercedes on fucking HP.

We will see how long he lasts this season, I hope I am wrong mind you, but £75k a week for the last 5 years and more, does take the piss, in fact, he is now in the same bracket as big Dunc, Marcelino and glass man himself Owen.

Apparently the Belgravia group is looking at buying the club. I hope they do. Honestly.

At least we could have a competent board of directors willing to 'speculate to accumulate' and all that, and buy some decent players with the loolah they get from the TV rights.

It isn't rocket science is it? Invest money in the transfer market, gain success on the field, then more money comes in, and there you go, the cycle of success. Maybe I am getting old, but players are just not what they used to be. We will never see the likes of Shearer again, or Beardsley, or a Gazza. At present I would settle for a Billy Whitehurst - at least he gave a shit.

Coops.

PS: I am sure everyone will join me in wishing Sir Bobby Robson well in his upcoming surgery. A nice gentlemen let down by little bling dickhead so called 'players'.


Dear tf,

Ref: On The Level - Wigan

What a shit site that really is, your article on the Wigan game is pathetic! Get a grip lads!

Stop looking down your noses at smaller teams, after all when was the last time you won anything you smug bastards?

Greg

Ed: Dear, dear me!


Dear tf,

After watching Liverpool draw against Maccabi Haifa last night, I couldn't help but feel disappointed, not because the Scousers went through, but because all I was thinking about what might of been. Let's go back to the end of 2003/2004 season. I remember that last home game of the 2003/2004 season against Wolves when people left the ground early, some even booed as the team walked around for the lap of honour because we finished fifth - FIFTH! How we would all love that now! The fact is we only finished a couple of points outside the Champions League places and we weren't happy.

In preparation for the next season, many believed that it was between us and Liverpool to get fourth that season. During that close season, we did nothing, we stuck with Robson, even if a fair percentage of fans believed it was time for him to go, we bought Butt, Kluivert, N'Zogbia, Milner and Carr. That summer, we spent roughly £7.5m.

Now compare this to the team who finished marginally in front of us, fired there by a certain Michael Owen. That close season, Liverpool, replaced someone who would have been a successful manager (by our low standards) for Rafael Benitez. Now this could be argued to the first turning point in the fortunes of the two clubs, while our management from boardroom level was willing to settle with what it had, Liverpool strived to better themselves. Now that summer, while the only player we had sold by the start of the season was a 34 year old, whereas Liverpool had sold their 3 quality members of their squad in Owen, Heskey (okay, perhaps not him) and Murphy and bought 4, hardly wholesale changes, however, that summer they spent £32.7m.

The season starts and while Liverpool start with points for 4 games, Mr Shepherd decides that 4 games into a new season, it's time to get rid of Sir Bobby, this after he has already got rid of Woodgate, our only quality defender at the time, with no suitable replacement in site for either. So with only days left until the end of the transfer window, Freddy thinks of the perfect way to appease the increasingly disgruntled supporters - let's try and sign a forward! Instead of looking into the urgent need for a quality centre half or even a manager, he goes for someone who satisfies neither of these vital requirements for the club. Key difference number 2: while Liverpool invested in key areas, they also replaced any outgoings and tried to build for the future, whereas, all NUFC done was invest and think of the short term fixes.

Time wears on and eventually Freddy decides on our new manager - Graeme Souness - hardly the fans choice, this decision is based on Souness' reputation as a disciplinarian. Key mistake 3: although we know now how disastrous this appointment was, at the time, we should have realised that a key ability a manager must have is control and discipline over their players otherwise they are destined to fail, however, this shouldn't be a primary focus, even with the problems our squad presented at the time, whereas Benitez was a tactician first, disciplinarian later.

It started rosy and we began to claw our way up the table and progress in Europe; we're on the up, similar to Liverpool. However, the Souness honeymoon was over, after a string of disappointing results and a slide slowly down the league between the end of October and the New Year with few exceptions in the league and the UEFA Cup; meanwhile, Liverpool continued with winning ways, even beating us 3-1 at Anfield, with few exceptions.

The new year arrives and there is contrasting form for both clubs, while NUFC are finding their feet again with us slowly climbing the league and progressing well in both the FA Cup and UEFA Cup until April, also with the signings of Celestine Babayaro, Jean-Alain Boumsong and Amdy Faye, whereas Liverpool stumble in the league through the first 2 months of the year and are knocked out of the FA Cup, however, they signed Fernando Morientes and Scott Carson and they still managed to reach the Carling Cup Final only to lose to Chelsea.

Both clubs do well in March, NUFC progressing in the UEFA and FA Cups and Liverpool in the European Cup, both teams do well in the league too. However, it is April which is the real turning point of the season for both clubs.

NUFC capitulate as 3 are sent off against Villa as Bowyer and Dyer decide they want to try to boxing (the result: they're both rubbish at it) and lose 3-0, they then get dumped out of both cup competitions they are in within 4 days and only win 1 league game between then and the end of the season, while on Merseyside, Liverpool would only lose 1 match between April and the season end, in which time they win the European Cup. Key difference 4: After the Villa farce, Souness had clearly failed at what he was brought in to do - establish discipline, whereas, Liverpool developed a team spirit which led to the biggest prize in European club football.

Final result for 2004/2005 season: NUFC: 14th in the Premiership Liverpool: 5th in the Premiership, League Cup Finalists, European Cup Winners, Champions League Qualifiers (eventually). Now, I don't know about everyone else but I expected us to challenge for top 5 at least, aiming for a Champions League spot. Some believe Souness should have went now failing to maintain order with the Bellamy and Dyer v Bowyer sagas and overall a poor league finish.

The close season arrives again, Souness stays while NUFC spend another £38m in the summer bringing in Emre, Parker, Moore and then after the start of the season, Luque, Owen and Solano. Liverpool brought in Crouch, Sissoko, Reina and Zenden at a cost of £19m. Key difference 5: while Liverpool had all their business wrapped by the end of July (bar us getting Owen instead of them), we were unprepared and panicked in buying to make everything seem alright.

On to 2005/2006, both teams had an early start in July, us in the Intertoto, Liverpool in the Champions League qualifiers, Liverpool beat some pretty poor teams and qualified while beat a poor team but lost to a decent one in Deportivo , who we then bought the glorious Luque off.

The Premiership season arrives and we start badly (as usual) with us near the bottom before we pick up a couple of victories but our form is still pretty bad making a derby at SJP against the m*ckems even more important. Thankfully, we win it and put 4 wins together - before failing to win the next 3 (including our 1-0 defeat against Wigan reserves in the Carling Cup, this where many - me included - believed Souness should go) going into December with the superb league position of 12th. Meanwhile, on Merseyside, between the start of the season and December, Liverpool are flying in the league, only losing 2, and qualifying through the group stages of the Champions League.

Both teams are in good form before the game which really shows how far apart the clubs are at this point when both meet at Anfield, which we proceed to lose 2-0 in miserable fashion and a poor display which we were now getting used to. Key difference 6: they played good passing football, we use the style of humping it up high in the hope Big Al gets to it.

The new year begins, us minus Owen, who has broken his foot, and Lee Clark saves Souness from what seemed like the sack, salvaging against the smoggies, we lose our other 2 league games in January, however, we do manage to beat Cheltenham and Mansfield. Liverpool continue their good form and stay up near the top of the league and progress in the FA Cup.

February begins with a miserable 3-0 defeat at Man City but a key image is when Parker, Clark and Emre all run into each other in the centre circle, this leads to Souness being sacked the following day. Key difference 7: this could be debatable but I reckon if this had have happened at Liverpool, he would have gone far earlier, yet we had to endure him until then.

Glenn Roeder takes over and we quickly have a turnaround in fortunes, losing only 4 games in the league, 3 of which were the top 3, but are knocked out of the FA Cup by Chelsea, but we manage to nick 7th at the death - Intertoto, come on?!, while Liverpool finished 3rd and won the FA Cup on penalties.

Between the end of that 2003/2004 season and the end of 2005/2006 season, Liverpool won 2 major trophies and re-established themselves in the league. Us - the closest to a trophy we got was an FA Cup semi-final and we managed to collapse down the league.

Now the point I am trying to make it that in 2 years, teams with supposedly equal aims have went in opposite directions because of differences at management level, whether it be in the dugout or in the boardroom, at both clubs. I believe we are now miles of the top 4, while Liverpool have now established themselves as serious contenders to Chelsea, and it will be years until we are able to catch up to the top 4 because of the farcical management of Shepherd and Souness.

There are only 2 solutions:

1) Roeder establishes the club in the league with good football, good results and good league placings with the hope of also winning a trophy by buliding on the current squad with good quality signings and good tactical and motivational management, resulting hopefully in us returning to battle with the top 4 in about 5 years.

2) NUFC are taken over and go on a spending spree, doing a Chelsea and buying top quality players until we win things and climb up the league to challenge the top 4 instantly.

Success in the boardroom will see success on the pitch I think is reflected by Liverpool, who have made good managerial choices while looking for investment to improve success on the pitch. At the minute, we are failing in the boardroom, which has led to disappointment on the pitch.

Dougy


Dear tf,

Right, so the Niall Quinn definition of "world class manager' is "nutter who hates my guts"

Glenn


Dear tf,

After Owen got injured in the summer, many Newcastle supporters claimed that he wasn't supposed to be there at all. A player who only played 30 minutes this year, isn't match fit for the World Cup. Couple of months later, and it seems that we are doing the same! After a summer when Martins didn't practice at all (they claim at Inter it was flu - well a very bad one, if it took the whole summer), he arrived to Newcastle on Thursday, and before a settled in (as far as I assume it takes more than two days to move your life into a new country) he was rushed into the first 11 against Villa. It took him 60 minutes to get injured. Thankfully, it wasn't serious, but everybody knows that it could have been much worse. An extremely expensive player who is rushed to play and get injured? We blamed Souness for being that stupid, we would have expected much more from Roeder.

Avi, Israel
http://nufcil.ios.st/

P.S. Anyone else thinks that Shola deserves the number 9 shirt much more that Martins, or is it just me? It seems like the team can't do without him. Think about it - so far we played 6 competitive matches this season. The 3 that Shola played - we won. In his absence - we failed to win.

PPS. Just a thought: does Roy Keane carry a UEFA Pro License?

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