Mentioned b4, I know, but v. good source tells me that NUFC have sniffed around John 'Satan' Gregory, intending to install him in BR's place and move the white f(e)ather upstairs. If Ellis stays in place at Villa and doesnt give JG more cash, he'll walk.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

Answers

Can't see 'the white feather' allowing himself to be moved upstairs. However, given his age and the attendent risks, the Board wouldn't be doing their jobs if they didn't give consideration to a contingency plan, just in case. Sounding somone out could be done as part of such an exercise.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

The Villa fans seem to thionk that Gregory will move on to Newcastle.

I would think that as well as the Newcastle board looking at a sucsessor for Robson, and sounding out the manager, they will also be sounding out the fans.

to me Grogory is the worst case Scenario , totaaly wrong for us. Martin o'neal is the only man who could come close to Bobby Robson, unfortunetly he's in a good job.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

Just run that by me again will you? - he doesn't like Villa because they've got no money and we want him here ...?

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

And he's so good at boosting team morale. (?)

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

I'm baffled. If John Gregory walks out of Villa due to frustration at a lack of funds why should we take him on when our finances are equally tight? This rumour has done the rounds a few times now and very few of us seemed remotely enthusiastic about him. One or two were even horrified by the idea. Perhaps its time to have another debate over Robsons eventual successor. We need someone with vast knowledge of the transfer markets (and rumours), a local lad with a strong affinity for the Toon, and someone with a working knowledge of Spanish.

I nominate Rik.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

Yes, the irony of the cash situation hadn't escaped me. I'm also curious to know what would happen to the coaching staff. I have a sneaky feeling that Wadsworth and co might just be a bit crap. MW got knocked back as Carlisle boss for fecks sake, and they're bottom of the league. Domi says they don't train enough, the performances would tend to back that up, fitness/injury-proneness is obviously a problem...I worry that the coaching is all to hell in any case, so if BR moves upstairs, does that whole set-up remain? Surely a new boss wouldn't go for that even if that set-up didn't consist of questionable staff?
And then who do you go for? Someone's going to have to replace Bobby and it ain't Shearer. I'm no fan of Gregory, but then I'd say the rest of the Prem doesn't offer many great alternatives. A foreigner? then you'd get all the post-Gullit xenophobic shite about 'not undestanding the Geordie mentality'. So who? Alex McLeish? Don't say Beardsley, please.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

Hate Gregory with a vengance. He conned the referee when we drew 5-5 at QPR and it was his whinging that made it happen, and a crap defence of course, but that was Marcelino's fault

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

no, no, no, no, no, no, NO!

he's worse than Gullitt....

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2000

Couldn't we start a campiagn to help the Villa fans keep JG - like holding up pound sign placards at our next few home games with 'We don't want JG' scrawled across them....?

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

John Gregory? NO, NO, NO!!! (:o|

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

No.

Crazy idea, but i think Kevin Keegan might fancy another crack. Nothing like a man with something to prove.

Remember, when Kevin says never it doesn't usually mean that.

(

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

It's a lovely, romantic idea swifty - but where would we get the £100 million transfer budget that he'd want?

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

I can't understand why Gregory has even cropped up for consideration. It's second rate thinking again as far as I'm concerned. I don't rate him at all. Hope it never happens.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

>>>where would we get the £100 million transfer budget that he'd want?

Last time he spent a net £40m and took the club from a turnover of £4m pa to £40m+ pa. There can hardly be any better investments in the history of the Toon. As a trader of players and as a motivator he was superb. Tactical nous alongside him would help. Of that £40m most of the big buys came towrds the end of the period when the success was paying off. At the start he made some very astute buys with very limited funds. (Venison, Beresford, Bracewell etc)

I'd welcome him back if he fancied it - but I'm sure he doesn't.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

It's a lovely, romantic idea swifty - but where would we get the £40 million transfer budget that he'd want?

Jonno,
I love the man, but he did have a little help in taking revenue from £4 to £40 million.
IMO the other half of the team was every bit as important. He was called John Hall, to become SJH.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

BTW: you ommitted Darren McDonagh and Peter Garland from your list of "astute buys with limited funds" Jonno.
These two are important in recognising that everyone makes mistakes.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

>>MW got knocked back as Carlisle boss for fecks sake, and they're bottom of the league<< -

not when he left them, they were on their way to the Prem with Knightons 5 year plan, then said Chairman got visited by aliens and he spent all the cash on the ground, sold the talent and MW walked.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

Personally, I wish Steve Clark had stayed as first team coach. The midfield movement was improving all the time last season. I wouldn't mind seeing him as a coach sometime - or how about Vialli anybody?

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

You can't see Bobby Robson wanting to retire untill he achieves something at Newcastle, and even if he dosen't I would think he wouldn't quit for another 2 and a half seasons. By that time, someone such as Pedro might have made a name for himself elsewhwre. There will even be a lot of new managers in the PL making a neame for themselves.

It's too early to be sugesting who would be a good replacement . On the other hand if he has to retire due to poor health then I would luv it if Kevin Keegan came back. Yes he spent lots of money, but he bought some fantastic bargains. He also did pretty well with a lot less money at Fulham. He could do a good job again at Newcastle on a smaller budget, the only thing is he is likely to accept another job at somewhere like Boro at the end of the season, and with Shepherd still at the helm, would he ever want to come back?

Alternatively we could go for a Geordie who has worked in Europe and has a vast kowledge or Dutch football ...I nominate Stevo.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

Haha....it must be a poison chalice if even WE are nominating each other to take it ;))

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

I think everyone is missing the obvious replacement. A man in love with the Toon with an eye for up and coming young players from around the world.

I nominate Tre.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

...and what's wrong with the two at the top of the TeamPick league? I'm sure Clarky and I could do as well as some of the previous incumbents. And we wouldn't ask for (quite) as much as TSM if things went pear-shaped.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

Agree with Si - thought about this last night trying to think of a name I'd be happy with if BR took his pension tomorrow. Vialli's about the only one. There'd be a certain irony after Gullit...

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

Dan, I agree with most of what you say in your original piece at the top , I have slight reservations about the training regime based on the assumption that there is no smoke without fire, wee extracts from Steph`s reports , injuries sustained and most of all tactical nous at deadball situations . I read on another thread that a 16 year old from Paraguay was coming over on the strength of Gavilan`s father`s recomendation, this is Newcastle Utd we are talking about, is it???

Without continuity of managership, boot room staff of proven ability we will always look for short term fixes. I suspect most on here if not all require tickets or CV`s to gain employment, De Builder is more suited than I to explain but in the construction industry gone are the day`s when a guy would start, operate machinery or plant,not having the revelant qualifications. How many on the toons coaching staff, mainly Wadsworth have the nesscary docs to get themselves a job abroad !! probably the most qualified will be Barton whose best bet for a fix is to hing onto Big Als shoes, its all in the name see,

Dan you named McLeish,nothing wrong with that choice , his buys after losing Agathe and Kenny Miller for pea-nuts are superb, Frank Sausee is a tremendous player in the twilight of his career and David Zittelli still carries a threat. Big Eck has his team playing a nice passing game, I like his attitude , but I get this feeling Dick the little general Advocat will walk the walk and Rangers will be in for McLeish ,and do not discount Man U, SAF will talk him up. Mind you I could go with a Vialli, Clark , Fazackerly , team, A lot of talk on here over the years of the need to get rid of deadwood , remember its not isolated to the players, start at the very top.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000