Damian_de

IMO if we raised £163M through sales Rafa'd see a hell of a lot less than £133M back in the transfer kitty, and that is the real danger of selling anyone, really. Given the scenario... I do believe that for £133M he could build a side that would make the CL next season, yup. Has any side ever changed 7 first 11 players in a single summer?

Touched a nerve there. I thought my point was fair comment. None of us happy about what you have posted, of course.

Hang on a minute. Haven't you posted several thousand times over the past 6 months that the ownership malaise is not severe enough to cause a massive downturn in the players' belief?

None. It'll be some short term caretaker deal presumably - Dalglish, possibly, or an asset stripper, although I can't think of someone who's come in and performed that role at a football club.

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The other thing about the 'Net Spend' thing is not just the value, but the way it occurred. If you'd said to Rafa after signing Mascherano, right, that's it now, sell a few and then make do with net zero he'd likely have gone about his business differently. If you don't understand that last summer he had the goalposts moved at least once, if not several times, then you cannot ever hope to understand why we are in the mess we are in.

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Think he was definitely keeping an escape route available in case it all kicked off

They could have a little inflatable one that fits inside ours?

Is right. I can't believe people are still coming out with this head in the sand s****. Yes, there are questions over the manager. No, it's not the big frigging deal right now.

Whichever way you look at it, the buck stops with the manager. £17M is insane money on a fullback, considering that that position doesn't matter, and is in defence... but oh yes, I forgot, Rafa only defends away, that's why he spends stupid money on defenders. If he'd waited he could have signed him for free, because Pompey are broke as the losers running the club have overspent. Then there's Aqualarny, who cost £20M when Alonso only cost £12M, so he's £8M better for a start, which is more than half better again, but he never plays because Rafa doesn't like the way he defends. He shoulf of kept Sami and Crouch, because the replacements are worse. And he should of bought another striker to play with Torres in a 442, or when Torres was injured. Why didn't we sign Villa when he was available? You can only say it's the manager, can't you? I hope he gets aids on his cancer because he's taking us backwards, and until Rafa goes, we'll never finish where we deserve (which is always first, bacasue Shanks said so).

Very well said, and congratulations on having the patience to explain yourself in a civilised fashion which sadly deserts me at time on here.

Maybe. They might be background shenanigans to you, but the club is falling apart at the seams and in dire peril of having to flog anything of value in order to keep the wolves from the door. You try working under those conditions and then shrug it off as shenanigans. which is?

Background shenanigans don't worry, that crunching of glass you can hear will be Jose tip-toeing through the broken glass tulips

Keep him. He's better than he's shown this season and should have enough credit based on previous good work to try and turn it round. But KEEP HIM because he's the only person in senior management who gives a flying f*** about the club and its values.

? Keeping the stars is bigger priority (than Rafa staying, quoting Wayne) Could be you were referring to the Mirror's story.

More important than having someone who gives a f*** about the club involved somewhere in the management structure? I mean, really?? I presume you aren't giving the 'Torres and Gerrard will go if Rafa stays' rubbish any credence?

f***ing hell! Good stuff, Wayne. Save the other debate for later.

Someone had to ask. MarkD, keep on typing and don't worry yourself whether anyone believes it or not. It's an internet message board, you can't live your life believing everything you read on them.

No evidence that he is turning into Bascombe is there? ANd he's put out some pretty forthright defences of the manager this week.

myp2p really have no links for this?

if it's news.

Don't think he is, or ever has been. edit: obligatory edit - I'm not one of those people who bitches about SG, he's a fantastic player, however, sitting and dictating our passing/tempo - no.