It's weird isn't it, like they're always on defensive and determined to be the victims. Imagine if the Guiu situation had happened to them... I GUARANTEE it would be along the lines of:
"EVERYONE'S AGAINST US"
"CHELSEA ARE SCUM"
"FORCE HIM TO STAY"
"HE DISRESPECTED US"
"MAKE HIM PLAY FOR THE U21S ALL YEAR"
That's the fans, and you can be sure the club would handle it just as poorly.
Contrast that with our approach of: "Okay, let's come to a deal that works for everyone as quickly as possible".
I just don't understand how anyone can think the first approach is remotely sensible or even... sane?
They see themselves as one of the big boys, fuelled by a relatively young fanbase born of the Keegan era.
They’ve been bred insular and it’s messy. Sunderland Newcastle is a rivalry that dates back centuries and beyond football, but the hatred and obsession is relatively new.
Was always there, but not as widespread and visible.
I don’t hate Geordies, I don’t hate Mags, I don’t wish harm on them and I don’t really care who someone supports. I’d go as far as to say, as most of us would, that we are a bigger club with them in existence and I absolutely respect the element of their fans that are just like us, passionate, deeply bonded fans of their local team and its value to their city.
They have never been close to the level of the top clubs, the top clubs have never seen them as part of that group. You see bewilderment from Liverpool fans when they calm them ‘rivals’ cos they never really have been, and certainly aren’t now.
They had their one near miss under Keegan but they have never even looked close to competing at the very top since. The uneducated and loud minority of them that thought the Saudi regime could buy the PL were at the very best misguided. More likely moronic.
They say ‘City did it and Chelsea’, City build a world leading academy and facilities and took several years to win the PL. Newcastle have spent huge sums on players who had no interest from the very teams they are trying to catch. They are not in the same stratosphere as Liverpool, City, Arsenal and even a flailing and wounded United.
What they have there is a brilliant football club with an unquestionably loyal and passionate fanbase. That should be celebrated but the delusion and lack of self awareness and reality is making them more and more of a parody of what they stand for.
The irony of the Isak/Wissa deals, the contradiction of zero hour contracts/Saudi ownership. The constant need to proclaim their size and how ‘unique’ they are. It’s all absolutely extraordinary.
I have many Mag friends, great lads, realistic lads, often frustrated just like us. These are the lads they need to build a club to shine to, not trying to go toe to toe with Liverpool and not only yielding, but dropping both their sale price and the quality of there replacements in the process.
We used to be so alike as clubs, as fans, and now it’s chalk and cheese, night and day.
It’s gotten so twisted that I barely cared when they win a trophy. It used to be like being stabbed if they win 1-0 at Everton.
They can be what they are. I’m more than happy for us to remain on our current path. I don’t want our club to be anything like that (Bar a trip to Europe).
