Superflash

[quote user="bristol_canary"]is he the bugger running around the pitch?[/quote]I freely admit, the unexpected comment above made me chuckle like a little schoolgirl. I don''t know why, as it wasn''t the most hilarious thing ever, but it caught me off guard. I applaud you, Bristol Canary. Back on topic, the 1st is on Thursday, but then an extra couple of days wouldn''t exactly hurt. Even if they just do light gym stuff and maybe a brief kick about, it''s a chance for the newer lads to blend in and get to know the facilities.  Who knows, there may be a signing or two coming in this week as well to coincide with the start of the pre-season.

Shyster = A man after our own hearts. Good arrows!

For me, he''s absolutely good enough to be in our first team. I agree he has to step up and fight for his place like the others, but it''s certainly not because he doesn''t have the talent. Besides, the bigger the squad, the more depth we will have. Even if Smith doesn''t start as often, he''ll still make a vital contribution with his play when he does come on.

[quote user="Arthur Whittle"]"It looks like Jellyman''s thrown a wobbly!" Brillinat book superflash!!! [/quote][:D]

To be fair to him, managers these days often get quite a short shelf life. Who knows, a poor start to the season and Mandaric is exactly the type of chairman to press the panic button and probably send him on his merry way. Pearson strikes me as quite a proud guy, and I think he''s not wanted wanted to outstay his welcome at Leicester. For those talking about how Hull are in a losing mindset and how difficult it will be, he did the same thing at Leicester and nearly got them back to back promotions. For me, this signing makes Hull a team who can definitely push for the top two this season, whereas before I wasn''t so sure they''d make the play-offs. I think Pearson is a quality coach, very much in the same mold as Lambert. He''s got that respect which Phil Brown seemed to have obliterated from the Hull players after the half-time team talk on the pitch at Man City.

I echo the thoughts of Smooth. I understand where he''s coming from, it goes without saying we all would love a top 6 finish, but an air of caution needs to be established. We don''t want to run before we can walk....But, I can''t help but also be very optimistic about our chances of finishing in the top 6 with the way the squad is shaping up. The signings so far have surprised me, and I think Lambert is proving to have a real eye for bringing in good players on a paper thin budget. Plus, since our last Championship tenure, our board has reshuffled and we''re much stronger off the pitch than we have been for many years, not necessarily in terms of capital but in terms of the way the club is run in general. If we push for the play-offs but only just miss out with three or so games to go, I''ll consider it a very successful season and something to really build upon for the 2011/12 season where we should be in a position to kick things into an even higher gear, and properly mount a top two push.

Quit being such a moany little so and so. Think of it this why, we''re kicking off the new season. Plus, should we win...we''ll be top of the league at the very first time of asking!

November looks by far the toughest month on paper. Burnley, Leeds and Ipswich will be tough games as will Millwall and Reading. Plus we play Cardiff and Boro just as October closes out. Good opener though, I think we''ll start off with a win! Let''s just hope it goes better than last time.

[quote user="Trent Canary"][quote user="Superflash"]If you don''t want to join in with the oldest football song still in use, then don''t ''effing well bother, you miserable toads. [/quote]I always sing it, its just having to be prompted that annoys me. Makes it look like we cant generate an atmosphere ourselves. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but as I said earlier im sure some will respectfuly disagree.[/quote]Fair enough, perhaps I jumped the gun a bit. To be honest though, back in the day I''m sure it was a regular occurance anyway. So if anything it''s keeping to tradition.

If you don''t want to join in with the oldest football song still in use, then don''t ''effing well bother, you miserable toads.

Yes please. Looks like a top player and with a Lambert coaching team behind him I think he''s going to be more than capable of producing at Championship level.

It happens every summer. The simple truth is, they could all either be fantastic or laughably poor. They simply cannot be judged until a few games into the season. There''s also form, injuries and future suspensions to take into account. It''s impossible to predict how it will all pan out. Even the most educated of guesses from previous pre-seasons will barely get predictions right. What baffles me is when people predict entire league tables before a ball has been kicked. Fair enough, it''s a fun way to pass the time, but there are so many things to take into account with each club and with the very nature of the Championship division itself, it''s just impossible to predict. What I will say, is hat on paper I''m pleased with Lambert''s signings. So far we''ve picked up Brighton''s best player who is also a Welsh international, a highly rated defender from Coventry, a defender from Rangers who has played in some big games in the past and now someone who helped to destroy us last season on that opening game. If you''d have offered me this a few weeks ago, I''d have taken it. Plus, we''re still only a few weeks removed from the League One title celebrations. There''s still plenty of time to bring in even more new faces. I''m still crossing my fingers for Forster.

Part of the Colchester side that ripped us to shreds in *that* game. Good signing for me, definately looks the part.

Born in King''s Lynn. Also brought up on United, but after attending a Norwich game there was simply only one team for me.

Lambo is trying to get as many players in as he can before pre-season training on July 1st. Excellent stuff, it''s exactly what we need to be doing. Like all the new signings, I''ll reserve judgment until a few games into the season. But Lambert has barely put a foot wrong with his recruitment thus far, so I think these folks on paper make pretty good additions. As I''ve said before though, we absolutely NEED Forster. Thankfully, all the signs are pointing to this happening in future, if not today.

Looking at Ippy''s squad, minues one or two players, I honestly think we''ve a much more stronger and talented selection as things stand at present. Trying to be as unbiased as possible, I don''t think they''ll pose much of a threat next season without a change in manager or a decent influx of players. Keane has the makings of a good manager, but if he doesn''t deliver soon the players just won''t want to play for him at all. The players on the books currently have hardly set the world alight at previous clubs. One could actually argue the same of some of the Norwich lads though.

[quote user="Mustachio Furioso"]A woman? Attention seeking? Well I never. [/quote] This.

[quote user="Row D Seat 7"]Of course BG will tell you now that he wasn''t going to settle for L1 consolidation. Why would he tell you that after the team had just won promotion? Really, think about it!! [/quote] I was under the impression he was saying we could get promoted before the whole Colchester thing.

I''ve defended Gunny in the past, but League One consolidation? Ay carumba. I don''t remember him preaching about consolidation at the start of last season. Everything seemd to be geared towards getting straight back up. Certainly the players he brought in seemed to point towards this. Alas, what a transformation in twelve months.

Will reserve judgment on all three of the current signings, but Lambert doesn''t hang about and that''s exactly what we need. On paper, we''re already starting to look stronger for the new season but I don''t think Lambo is anywhere near done bringing players in. Even after the summer, there will still be short term loans on the horizon. The biggest signing for me will be Forster. We absolutely need to get him for another year in addition to continuing the development of Rudd and Steer.

I really think Forster will be key for us next year again, he''s worth an extra 10 points if not more next season. If we can keep a solid back four for him to command with ease, we''ll be comfortable next year.Sending out Rudd and Steer on loan can only be good for them, just so long as they get lots of first team football. Who knows, if they really impress, then they could be ready to fill in as soon as Forster returns to Newcastle proper.

He''s got an excellent coaching staff behind him and some excellent young players. I honestly think they are only a couple of good signings away from challenging for promotion again next season and this time getting into the Championship.

[quote user="First Wizard"] 1. Err, no I won''t, not while Lamberts in charge. 2. Bowkett and the board aren''t, nor is the manager either! [/quote]1. We''ll see.2. If you honestly believe Bowkett is budgeting for the top six, then you''re kidding yourself. Just because he spliced together a few fancy programme notes doesn''t mean he''l actually go and do it. Can we even afford it?!

[quote user="Stunning volley from Goss"]For those going on about England & companies selling England shirts, flags etc....Do you not think every other country in the World Cup Finals is doing the same thing then?????? [/quote] Not to the extent that it seems to happen over here!

Wiz, as much as I''d love to admire your optimism, I must ask you to please stop posting this kind of complete rubbish. If results go our way for a bit, you post things like this saying we''ll finish in the top two, how we''re off to the Premiership soon and how wonderful everything is. I can say with absolutely no doubt in my mind that if we lose on the first day of the season, even if we do so in a competitive manner with no shame, you''ll pinpoint us as relegation candidates and start babbling on about what a witch Delia is. A message to all of you who think we''re going to finish in the top two or even close to that: get a grip for the love of god. Are you even remotely serious? I love Paul Lambert as much as the next guy and I think he''ll bring in good players, but to suggest we''ll be pushing for back to back promotions with relative ease is just complete and utter mind-f**kery. You know what this reminds me of? Every time an international tournemant rolls around, the general public by an all manner of England related goodies. Football albums, flags, shirts etc. There''s loads of adverts on TV sponging off of the craze too. And what happens every four years? We get dissapointed. I do NOT want the same to happen to Norwich City, a team I actually give a hoot about. I implore you Wiz, listen to Grant Holt''s recent comments. Consolidation is the first order of business. If, and this is a big if, we get a shot at the play-offs, then brilliant. Fantastic. Wonderful! But it won''t be easy and truth be told we''ll be lucky to go up. I''m just not convinced we can go and do a Leicester. Sorry for the negative tone, I just think it''s time to get things into perspective.