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I'm over in September and the England qualifiers being played, where is the best place to watch them? Does anyone know if the Irish bar is going to have Sky/Setanta (if still around!).
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Helen
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Jeb & excited mackems
Enjoyed the mythical creatures one(old ones are best) You mackems are certainly givin it to the toon. You'd certainly see em comin for you in that kit. Careful though, what comes around and all that!!! Won't be watchin setanta in the irish bar, will we!! From our point of view, looks like we'll have to stop singin all those nasty tevez songs when he's in blue. Who's next for middle eastlands. Do we keep buyin players or just by some trophies and build a trophy room and be done with it. You all must know that when Maine rd was closed in 2003, poor old Tony Book was sent an electric bill for £87,000. Seems the trophy room light was left on and he was the last bas***d in it, in 1976 ha ha.
Peace be with you all ( obviously except some of you, that goes without sayin)
Sti
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Ant,
As a United fan, but now exiled in the the North East.........I just love that last picture.........priceless!! . I thought the summer season might have seen you back-off a bit fromteasing the Mags, but your relentless!!
Hope we can meet up for a game in the summer, although I think we are out after you (July 30th for 17 days)
If you fancy a knock at Beamish some time....send me a PM
Skell
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Nick
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As a Newcastle fan I have had to read this thread with grinding teeth and no doubt will endure a great deal more over the forthcoming weeks, months and possibly years.
The only good news this summer being that Michael Owen ( below ) has signed for Man U.
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Michael Owen is the happiest man on the planet now that Sir Alex has taken a calculated punt on him, before he got the call the word was that Everton were about to make a move and rather than suffer that he instructed his agent to do a deal with Stoke, Hull, even stay at Newcastle, retire or even sell the "big issue".
Cheers Dakey
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Owen to Utd on a free - excellent news.
He'll either not play because he's injured (and we won't have a 30m investment sat in the physios) OR he'll score loads because AT LAST he's playing for a team that get the ball into the opponents half ! He's going to think its Christmas playing for Utd !
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Dakey, time will tell whether or not Mr Moyes' decision not to pursue 'sick note' was a good one or not and may in fact serve as another step in his interview process for the Utd job because if this goes wrong many will think than old age has finally caught up with Mr Ferguson and it would be time for new blood. Given the financial backing Utd have it is enevitable Mr Moyes would be tempted to go over to the dark side but it is my fervent hope that with another one or two astute signings he can break the unfair monopoly of the so called top four and fulfill his ambitions with Everton. (Why is it unfair) - If the Premiership was open to competition in the way that business is, the playing field would be levelled terms of financing - the 'top four' balance sheets are so loaded with debt to finance their signings and they will probably now make it worse by looking to see how they can chase the madness at Real Madrid !
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Interesting comparison to business Jeb - clearly you live in a different world to me as far as an understanding of how the free market business world works. Most businesses take on debt, and the key is generating the revenues to service that debt, and leave some profit for the shareholders. Last time I looked United were more than covering their debt repayments, and turning in a nice profit - that is one of the reasons that they have money for transfers - that and the astute dealings of their manager, buying a young portugese player for £12m and selling him on for £80 - and pulling in a pretty low risk, free transfer who may just work out (but if he doesn't it will hardly signal then end of Fergie). Everton (in 07/08) managed a £10m loss, they have much more modest borrowing, but in business, if you have debts and are losing money year after year well (unless you are a bank), chances are you don't survive. I do rate Moyes, a great example is the purchase of your own sick note (Saha), there was a definate risk, and don't think he is doing too bad for your team.
I do agree that the financing is crazy, but the key has to be that the teams can finance their debt from operations - on that score (at the moment) I can't see your issue with United - maybe you can explain the technical reasons for your comments and enlighten me 
Ted
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Ted, I see this as the 'chicken and egg' conundrum. If you qualify for the CL the riches it provides allows those teams the funding to buy/attract the best players so qualification for it is almost self perpetuating. The danger in this for the Prem is it becomes a bit like our friends north of the border where only one of two clubs will actually win anything, albeit in the prem it's four. Is that good ? - well yes if you are one of those 4 but over time a lot people will lose interest.
If your near neighbours at City crack the top 4 because of the dosh they have that will only makes things worse as either L'Pool or Arsenal will be the loser and you will hear the screams alright then. L'Pool with their precarious balance sheet would go bust if they don't qualify for the CL as their ability to finance their borrowing would be seriously in doubt forcing a firesale of their talent (Torres and Gerrard only in my opinion) in order to survive.
If you go back a couple of decades ( a long time I know) any one of maybe 10 teams could be consider title contenders at the start of each season. Are we any better off now that realistically it's now only one of two (or maybe three) EVERY year - I don't think so.
I don't have the answer as to how to level the playing field (salary caps and financial guidelines may or nay not work) but I'd only urge those who are currently raking it in to think about the longer term. Going the way it is right now, Utd, Chelsea and co. may as well leave the Prem. and join a European super league (lets see how many titles you win then swimming with those sharks every week, Madrid, Barca etc) and let the rest get on with it.
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Jeb, I don't disagree with you about the uneven distribution of money, and in particular how the CL qualification makes a few clubs very rich, and that this has to an extent made things into a closed shop. The problem is football is global, so a salary cap can only work if it too is global, otherwise the whole of the English league ends up as a second tier, as all of the best players leave to follow the money.
.... and I never thought I would say this, but maybe City cracking the top 4 would be a good thing, especially if, as you say, Liverpool went bust!! 
Seriously (OK yes the above was partially serious!), I do not want to see a European Superleague at the expense of the Premier League, I don't know the solution either - but it does have to be global. What is it with all of this agreement - surely not peace breaking out on the football thread, that will never do!!
Ted
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No, no. He has seen the light and moved to the light / shiny side (ie where most of the trophies are !). He has moved out of the darkness and into the light and shall be blessed with plentiful opportunities.
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