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Feedthewolf

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Posts posted by Feedthewolf


  1. 39 minutes ago, GMF said:

    “All right, but apart from pigeon ****, gifted shares, support for other teams, soft share deals by Chicken Mickey, accusations of insider dealings, Trustees not bundling up the shares for sale, accusations of misogyny, lengthy emails, huge directors bonuses and Independent Football Ombudsman complaints, what have the AD’s ever done for us?”

    Post of the week.

    • Thanks 1

  2. Good morning everyone – wishing you all an excellent Easter weekend, bookended by two strong NCFC performances.

    For the six, I'm going to try a bit of reverse psychology and say that West Brom will definitely, definitely, definitely win at home to Watford on Monday – it's a foregone conclusion, even at 8/11. They've only lost 1 in 10 since we beat them at Carra, and that was against Southampton. Watford, on the other hand, have only won 3 in 15 since Christmas, and two of those were against Rotherham and QPR. The only slight caveat is that all three of those wins were away from home – they haven't actually won at home since they turned us over back in November!

    For the Plymouth game, I like the look of BTTS, Over 4 cards and Over 11 corners at 17/2 (it's a featured bet on William Hill's page for the match).

    For the Leicester game, plenty of value to be had if you back Norwich to get something from the game. I like the look of Leicester/Draw for the double result, again on Bill Hill – that's 16/1.

    Good luck all, especially @littleyellowbirdie and @Hammond1612!

    • Thanks 1

  3. 14 hours ago, Grando said:

    According to Wagner: “He is around the schedule we had in our head in terms of a time frame [for return].”

    Make of that what you will.

    On February 14, Wagner said:

    "Unfortunately, it is a serious hamstring injury. I can't give a serious timeframe, but we speak more about a couple of months rather than weeks … We have to wait and see for the first four weeks how he progresses in his rehab to give a clearer picture of his timeframe. We strongly hope that we will get him back at the end of the season and that he will play for us. Hopefully, the season will not be finished at the beginning of May."

    A couple of months from February 14 takes us to April 14, so if he's slightly ahead of schedule it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he could feature against the scummers. Obviously if he is ready to play them, Wagner would be daft to announce it in advance and keep them guessing.

    Preston seems a more realistic target based on Wagner's comments above, I'd say.

    • Like 2

  4. Not sure the 'friendly and fair' approach will work with the kind of knuckle-draggers who beat up a 70-year-old Cardiff fan for entertainment.

    Let's hope the tiny minority of feral idiots on both sides of the divide can behave themselves, and we can use our performance on the pitch to send them skulking off back to Binville with their tails between their legs and automatic promotion hopes in tatters.


  5. My two potential picks have already been snaffled (Mansfield and Dundee United), so I'll go for something a little riskier. Chelmsford are second in National League South, and on reasonable form (averaging 2.00 PPG in the last 8). They travel to Taunton, who are on the fringes of the relegation zone and averaging 1.14 PPG in their last 8. The odds on an away win should be around even money.

    As for BTTS, Notts County and Salford City both tend to have a lot of goals in their games, so that seems like a decent shout.


  6. 39 minutes ago, JonnyJonnyRowe said:

    It does feel that certain leagues are more of a gamble on whether a player can adapt to the physicalities of the league, and we never seem to have much luck with Dutch players in particular. Leroy Fer did pretty well, but RvW and DeWaard a disaster. 

    But then you get absolutely beasts like Ron Vlaar and Jaap Stam coming out of Holland just to confuse people.

    Meanwhile Scandinavian players always seem to take to English football like a duck to water and we've done well out of Scandinavia in the past. 

    I say we recruit Steen Nedegaard as our lead Scandinavian Scout! Find the next Hjolund!

    I really liked Mitchell Dijks when he was here on loan.

    But then there was also Fernando Derveld and Jos Hooiveld, so yeah.


  7. 3 minutes ago, Monty13 said:

    Goreham said it was due to a lack of match fitness that decision was taken, wasn’t clear if that was coaching team’s assessment or Hanley’s or both. Can’t say I disagree, he’s been rushed back and looks way off the pace. 

    Lungi was very good last week against Rotherham, and although I didn't see the match today, another clean sheet implies he's doing just fine. Fingers crossed Scotland decide to leave Hanley on the bench for the upcoming internationals so he can have another couple of weeks of recuperation to get back up to speed for the run-in.


  8. 22 minutes ago, BroadstairsR said:

    He'll be back for tomorrow's game so it might not be that serious.

    If it was, there would be more compassion, obviously.

    Or it might be that it is serious, but he's incredibly committed to this football club. I'd rather wish him and his family all the very best than take a pop at his team selections and tactics – are we not all supposed to be NCFC fans on here?!

    • Like 3

  9. 9 hours ago, Duncan Edwards said:

    I have it on good authority that you didn’t get a response because the club think you are a pain in the **** and your incessant whining is like a perma-migraine. It was whispered that if they had their time again they’d have told you to stick your 25k right up your balloon knot. 

    That's true. He took the club to the Football Ombudsman, and the Ombudsman found against him and said the club should not feel it necessary to respond to him any further, such was the amount of club employees' time he had wasted.

    1 hour ago, JonnyJonnyRowe said:

    If I ever win the lottery jackpot the first thing I'm doing is giving you £80,000 for your shares so you can stop whinging and buy yourself and your heirs some Southend United season tickets.

    He's been very excitable on here about his lovely Cambridge United season ticket, but sadly not excited enough to drop his tedious one-man crusade against NCFC.


  10. Howdy! Lincoln City are absolutely flying at the moment, having won four and drawn one of their last five, including a remarkable 5-1 win at Barnsley and a 6-0 thrashing of Cambridge in their previous two. They're only three points off the playoffs, while Bristol Rovers are very much in the mid-table doldrums. 8/11 seems generous on the home win.

    As for the Norwich match, it was only that ridiculous red card that derailed us in our last away game, and I'm confident we can get the victory on Saturday. The bookies actually make Stoke slight favourites, which means there's plenty of money to be made on a positive result for us. 2-1 Norwich and Sainz to score any time at 35/1 is just one of many interesting scorecasts you could choose.

    Good luck, everyone!


  11. 1 hour ago, BroadstairsR said:

    If, and it's a biggun, we do go up no doubt we will attempt to sign a two or three PL level players, perhaps a loanees included. 

    Of course this would depend upon funding, but I am hoping that such a promotion would invigorate Annatasio in some investment into the squad. In saying this, I recall his mention of investment from down under.

    Add such additions to whoever we retain from our star players and some of the youth coming through, and we could make a good fist of it at least. We do have a decent grounding, imo.

    Well! You have to have a glass half full, as I currently do, after all.

    Should we remain Chumps, then we are clearly more reliant upon youth coming through, upon a few decent signings/loanees by Ben Knapper, a new youthful manager and, of course the retention of some of those stars.

    It is an unusual time of uncertainty for the club, in many ways. Without "chutes" it might take time to rise up again, or it may not. A lot will be on Knapper's shoulders, along with American intent.

    I had no recollection of this, but a quick search reveals this rather short thread with little in the way of detail:

    If we do go up, I wouldn't be surprised to see us accept a 'managed relegation', as we did before – budget for 20th, anything else is a bonus. I can't imagine that Attanasio would want to throw big bucks at it so early in the project; that wasn't his way at Milwaukee. Plus, if Wagner takes us up we're unlikely to give him the boot – but neither would we want to entrust him with a generous transfer budget.

    As and when it happens, Knapper's first head coach appointment will be the clearest indicator yet of the direction he wants to take us in – and I can't imagine that direction is anywhere near a manager like David Wagner (or, worse, Dean Smith). And, as with Farke, the new man will invariably require a good amount of patience from the fans while he embeds his style of play.


  12. 1 hour ago, nutty nigel said:

    There's a seat in the blankets if it's for your mate @King Keano but make sure he he brings the £63 he owes our DS boys and girls. 

    What a piece of work.

    • Content Count183
    • JoinedAugust 21, 2010
    • Last visitedSeptember 27, 2023

    He last visited in September 2023, so he obviously still logs on to pat himself on the back about how much he's p*ssed people off by defaulting on charity money owed to our Down Syndrome football team.

    • Like 1

  13. 7 hours ago, RobJames said:

    There is a concern that both LBs are out of contract this summer so could leave on a free if they choose. I expect Gino to leave this summer.  The suggested cover Lungi is also out of contract this summer. There is no thought/indication that either want away from CR, but...

    I understand the club might have wanted to see how well Lungi fared after his injury, but I wonder what is the delay with them both.

    We do have the option to extend Sorensen's contract by a year, and I'd expect us to exercise that option.

    • Thanks 1

  14. 1 minute ago, JUBWICKS75 said:

    I have a very good friend who is considering sitting in a home stand for the upcoming Ipswich game. 

    Can you please help with a friendly seating area I can advise them on ?? 

    Is he one of the lot who beat up a 70-year-old man in Cardiff last weekend? If so, I'd heartily recommend the Snakepit, wearing full Ipsh*t colours.

    • Like 1
    • Haha 3

  15. 10 hours ago, BroadstairsR said:

    "and Aboh has apparently already decided he's on his way." This stood out for me as he was used on Saturday. Seems strange.

    What's behind this?

    I must admit I'm only passing on second-hand tittle-tattle here, but others on here (can't remember who, sorry!) have said that the club have tried to get him to sign a new deal but he has refused as he (no doubt aided by the sweet nothings being whispered by his agent) believes he can do better elsewhere. Of course one can hope that making his first-team debut might sway his decision more towards staying, but I think the most likely outcome is him 'doing a Matos' and joining the loan farm of a bigger club.

    • Like 1

  16. 2 minutes ago, shefcanary said:

    Given there is an international break coming up, Dimi might not actually miss that many games.

    Shame that Montoia is injured - another chance to look at another prospect, even in a short cameo, missed. 

    As for Gibson, in comments made after Saturday, Wagner said he has had a tight calf for some time, not actually impeding him but niggling. So, yes, precautionary on Saturday and should with a lot of physio be okay for Stoke.

    Damn, I didn't realise Montóia was injured. Can't find anything about it online; do you know what the injury is, and when he's expected back?


  17. 3 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

    Did feel in pre season and earlier in the season that McCallum was a little rusty but he does seem to have shaken off, and he does feel like a rather different kind of player than Giannoulis

    Definitely offers more aerial presence; one of Farke's greatest weaknesses was the small and lightweight fullbacks (Aarons and Lewis) constantly being outmuscled and outjumped with balls to the back post. Stacey and McCallum offer us a lot more strength in that regard.

    McCallum needs to track back more quickly when he gets caught upfield – he was fine against Rotherham who offered practically zero threat, but that remains the greatest weakness in his game to my eyes.

    • Like 3

  18. I was about to post this in the 'Contract conundrums' thread, but decided there was enough to justify a new thread (a rare indulgence for me)… :classic_biggrin:

    Now is an apposite time to look at the overhaul that might happen in the summer; for the purposes of this exercise, let's assume (as is most likely) that we will be playing in the Championship next season.

    Here's a list of all the players who are out of contract this summer and next:

    2024 McCallum, Mair, Barden (+1), Gibson, Giannoulis, Sørensen (+1), McCracken, Rose (+1), Riley (+1), Lima (loan), Batth (+1), van Hooijdonk (loan), Aboh (13 players, 6 with an extra year)
    2025 Gunn, Hanley, Rowe (+1), Warner, Tomkinson (+1), Kamara, Shipley, Hills (+1), Clarke (+1) Hernandez (+1), Barnes, Fassnacht (+1), Montóia (+1), Long (14 players, 7 with an extra year)

    At this juncture, I think it's fair to assume that none of the 'class of 2024' will be offered new contracts; one would expect that if both club and player wanted an extension it would've happened by now. Of course we could activate our option on the five players who have one, but my guess is that Sørensen is the only one we'd be actively seeking to keep for the extra year (and maybe possibly Barden).

    As for those without an option, one expects that Gibson's advancing age and high wages, coupled with the development of McLean as a left-footed centre back, will mean that he leaves. I expect Giannoulis will probably get offers from top-tier clubs on the continent, and Aboh has apparently already decided he's on his way. McCallum is an odd one; I'd be happy to keep him on, but it appears that either player or club (or both) are in no hurry to continue the relationship.

    As for the others, I'd assume that Mair and McCracken will probably leave. Pedro Lima is a defensively minded midfielder, which is something our squad could use – can anyone offer any insight as to how he's been performing for the U23s? And as for SVH, I think his performances so far are making a lot of fans realise that it's probably wiser to continue investing in Idah's development.

    Next summer offers some very interesting conundrums – none more so than Angus. I think he'd be extremely difficult to replace, and if he's happy to stay then I'd expect him to be offered a deal on a par with our top earners. Hanley and Barnes are unlikely to be here beyond 2025, although I'd expect them to be part of the squad next season (although it's possible that Barnes might fancy a fresh start elsewhere). I doubt Fassnacht or Hernandez would be offered extensions to 2026.

    The other big name there is Rowe; obviously we'd activate the extra year if it got to that point, but given his form this season and his experience with England U21s, I think he's the most likely one to be 'turned' for a big profit this summer. If he wants to stay, of course we should keep him – one would expect Attanasio's part-ownership to be rubberstamped before the summer window opens (we live in hope…), which should give us a little more financial flexibility. If Jonny has top-flight suitors and wants to go this summer, it'd make sense to cash in to the fullest on the 'young and English' premium.

    As for the others on the 2025 list, hopefully our academy enthusiasts can offer some insight into which of our young loan players is most likely to make the grade: Warner, Kamara, Tomkinson, Shipley, Montóia and Hills are all out of contract (Tomkinson, Montóia and Hills with an option). Montóia and Shipley are left-backs, so with Giannoulis and McCallum potentially leaving, it'll be interesting to see if the academy team believe they're worth trying to invest as first-team options.

    That just leaves Clarke (who I can't believe we're still paying wages to after his appalling behaviour and subsequent prison time), and Long (who may or may not be retained as a backup, depending on whether any of our multitudinous young goalkeepers make the grade).

    There is certainly the potential for a huge overhaul of players during the summer window. I'm interested to hear people's views on the synopsis above!

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 6

  19. 12 hours ago, NewNestCarrow said:

    Possible update:  Joe Rose does not appear to have played for Cheshunt since early Feb and, around that time,  they signed a young 1p5wich GK on loan who is playing every week.

    Thanks for that – really appreciate your attention to detail on these matters!

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