The end is nigh.

[Irish villain]

We are at a major crossroads with MON. My gut says he needs another season but that he probably won't take us any further.

If we sell Milner and he re-invests the money really well it could make his villa career.

The only problem with that is I can't see him spending that sort of money well at all. he will pay over the odds for some British player like Scott Parker rather than get somebody on the cheap from Europe.

As I said before, transfer dealings, tactics and stubborn attitude have got to change. Otherwise I think he will be gone by May 2011.

[Chris Smith]

Oh come off it, would anyone have considered paying £25m for Milner 2 yaers ago? You were probably one of the ones saying we'd overspent at £12m.

You're right I wouldn't have thought anyone would have considered paying £25m for milner 2 years ago.......i don't think anyone would.

Stick with me here this bit is complicated; if he was worth £12m 2 years ago and now is a £25m player then surely that means he has "gone from average to great because of O'Neill".

[dave.woodhall]

Oh come off it, would anyone have considered paying £25m for Milner 2 yaers ago? You were probably one of the ones saying we'd overspent at £12m.

You're right I wouldn't have thought anyone would have considered paying £25m for milner 2 years ago.......i don't think anyone would.

Stick with me here this bit is complicated; if he was worth £12m 2 years ago and now is a £25m player then surely that means he has "gone from average to great because of O'Neill".

I would say he's gone from £12 million to £25 million because of Manchester City.

[Risso]

Oh come off it, would anyone have considered paying £25m for Milner 2 yaers ago? You were probably one of the ones saying we'd overspent at £12m.

You're right I wouldn't have thought anyone would have considered paying £25m for milner 2 years ago.......i don't think anyone would.

Stick with me here this bit is complicated; if he was worth £12m 2 years ago and now is a £25m player then surely that means he has "gone from average to great because of O'Neill".

I would say he's gone from £12 million to £25 million because of Manchester City.

I'd agree.  He's no more a £25m player than Lescott was last year.  Still, I won't moan if they pay it.

[sfx412]

As to Mon leaving RL has started implimenting changes to reduce Mons control and as Mon only showed minor discomfort, i'd guess he intends to hang on to try and increase his cred.

RL is not going to destabilise his investment at this time by sacking him, so we'd better sit back and do our best to hide our disapointment.

Hopefully the measures instigated may generate the conditions were  RL can move without risk. Of course they may result in Mon being centred enough to achieve something.
Doubt it but it remains a possibility.

[Chris Smith]

Oh come off it, would anyone have considered paying £25m for Milner 2 yaers ago? You were probably one of the ones saying we'd overspent at £12m.

You're right I wouldn't have thought anyone would have considered paying £25m for milner 2 years ago.......i don't think anyone would.

Stick with me here this bit is complicated; if he was worth £12m 2 years ago and now is a £25m player then surely that means he has "gone from average to great because of O'Neill".

I would say he's gone from £12 million to £25 million because of Manchester City.

That's a fcator but surely you wouldn't try to argue that he's not now a significantly better player than he was then. With all the money at their disposal why would they want Milner if he wasn't a much improved player.

[usav]

Oh come off it, would anyone have considered paying £25m for Milner 2 yaers ago? You were probably one of the ones saying we'd overspent at £12m.

You're right I wouldn't have thought anyone would have considered paying £25m for milner 2 years ago.......i don't think anyone would.

Stick with me here this bit is complicated; if he was worth £12m 2 years ago and now is a £25m player then surely that means he has "gone from average to great because of O'Neill".

I would say he's gone from £12 million to £25 million because of Manchester City.

That's a fcator but surely you wouldn't try to argue that he's not now a significantly better player than he was then. With all the money at their disposal why would they want Milner if he wasn't a much improved player.

Same player, different position.  It's hard to compare last season's player with previous years as he never played in the middle before.

[Ennis]

Oh come off it, would anyone have considered paying £25m for Milner 2 yaers ago? You were probably one of the ones saying we'd overspent at £12m.

You're right I wouldn't have thought anyone would have considered paying £25m for milner 2 years ago.......i don't think anyone would.

Stick with me here this bit is complicated; if he was worth £12m 2 years ago and now is a £25m player then surely that means he has "gone from average to great because of O'Neill".

I would say he's gone from £12 million to £25 million because of Manchester City.

That's a fcator but surely you wouldn't try to argue that he's not now a significantly better player than he was then. With all the money at their disposal why would they want Milner if he wasn't a much improved player.

Thanks for the sarcasm.....

The original issue I disputed was that MON's main USP is that he can "get the most" out of under performing players.  Milner was suggest as someone but he was performing well at Newcastle.  

There have been many quotes/suggestions/etc on here about how Milner puts in extra practise and seeks the right advice from people throughout the game to improve as a player.  This is echoed in the effort he puts in to his game when playing.

I feel that Milner's determination and will to succeed has improved him as a player and not necessarily our manager

[Chris Smith]

Oh come off it, would anyone have considered paying £25m for Milner 2 yaers ago? You were probably one of the ones saying we'd overspent at £12m.

You're right I wouldn't have thought anyone would have considered paying £25m for milner 2 years ago.......i don't think anyone would.

Stick with me here this bit is complicated; if he was worth £12m 2 years ago and now is a £25m player then surely that means he has "gone from average to great because of O'Neill".

I would say he's gone from £12 million to £25 million because of Manchester City.

That's a fcator but surely you wouldn't try to argue that he's not now a significantly better player than he was then. With all the money at their disposal why would they want Milner if he wasn't a much improved player.

Same player, different position.  It's hard to compare last season's player with previous years as he never played in the middle before.

So who put him into the middle?

I know that many of you struggle to give him credit for anything but it seems unarguable that he's had a significant and positive impact on the development of Milner.

[Concrete John]

There was talk of the 5 year plan when Randy came (although one was never communicated).  This will be O'Neill's 5th season in charge, and probably his last.

My only fear is that the bad blood that is brewing for the manager doesn't run over onto the owner.

I wouldn't say probably, although it is a possibility.

[Concrete John]

I feel that Milner's determination and will to succeed has improved him as a player and not necessarily our manager

Yet if he hadn't improved, due to a lack of determination on his part or not, that would still be Martin's fault in some people's eyes.

[Leighton]

1.   Was MoN the right man for the job at the time of his appointment?

2.   Are we in a better position now than what we were in when MoN took over?

3.   Were you initially excited about the style of football we would play?

4.   Did you expect that we would be able to attract a better quality of player to the club given the fact that we had the new owners and MoN as our manager?

5.   Has MoN had the funds and enough time to build a squad?

6.   Would you say that we have a healthier and stronger squad now than at many other times in our clubs modern history?

7.   Should Mon have any complaints about the levels of trust and autonomy that has been handed to him by Randy and the board?

8.   During Mon’s tenure, has the football improved?

9.   Do you get excited about the future transfer dealings that Mon will conduct?

10.   Does MoN utilise his squad?

11.   Did you expect to be in an even better position than what we presently find ourselves?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Oh come off it, would anyone have considered paying £25m for Milner 2 yaers ago? You were probably one of the ones saying we'd overspent at £12m.

You're right I wouldn't have thought anyone would have considered paying £25m for milner 2 years ago.......i don't think anyone would.

Stick with me here this bit is complicated; if he was worth £12m 2 years ago and now is a £25m player then surely that means he has "gone from average to great because of O'Neill".

I would say he's gone from £12 million to £25 million because of Manchester City.

That's a fcator but surely you wouldn't try to argue that he's not now a significantly better player than he was then. With all the money at their disposal why would they want Milner if he wasn't a much improved player.

Same player, different position.  It's hard to compare last season's player with previous years as he never played in the middle before.

So who put him into the middle?

I know that many of you struggle to give him credit for anything but it seems unarguable that he's had a significant and positive impact on the development of Milner.

He'd played in the middle before at Newcastle but putting that issue aside, it's impossible to argue he hasn't improved and even taking out the Man City factor, he'd still be worth £18m of anybody's money.

[Ennis]

I feel that Milner's determination and will to succeed has improved him as a player and not necessarily our manager

Yet if he hadn't improved, due to a lack of determination on his part or not, that would still be Martin's fault in some people's eyes.

Then that is "some people's" argument and not mine

[Concrete John]

I feel that Milner's determination and will to succeed has improved him as a player and not necessarily our manager

Yet if he hadn't improved, due to a lack of determination on his part or not, that would still be Martin's fault in some people's eyes.

Then that is "some people's" argument and not mine

So the manager isn't at fault if players stand still or go backwards under him?

I think you're being quite unfair in not giving credit to Martin for the improvement in Milner as a player.