I find it hard to believe but Chris Hughton is apparantly favourite to be the first Premiership manager to get the sack this season:

http://www.online-betting-guide.co.uk//new...rship+Odds.html

I can't see it happening personally as it is clear Ashley and Llambias like him and clear they don't listen to the fans so even if we have a shit start to the season and people get on Hughton's back (which I think may happen tbf) I think he'll ride the storm out. I would have thought Martinez, McCarthy, Jol (if he's appointed at Fulham) or Grant would have been better candidates.

I can see that, in fact i think i posted it in another thread.

I think it will either be Hughton or Bruce, buying Titus is a huge huge risk.

Disagree with that, I think Hughton will see out the season.

I don't think he'll get the sack either and will be manager for the long term

Totally agree with that. I can not understand why Brucie got the lad. However; if (and he will) Titus has a blinder against us, then Bruce will be safe. Or maybe it really is as Dorty suggets............... Agent Bruce is still a Mag

Indeed. I forgot we had an insider, quietly sabotaging the enemy. That explains the transfer perfectly. Bruce to go first then.

Even if it looks like he's doing a really bad job despite his fine work last season, I can't see any really good managers coming in to replace him so sacking him would be a silly idea. He's done a great job in transforming the players' morales, attitudes etc and has only been 'officially' manager for well under a year.. Personally I think we're more likely to have problems in the footballing quality department rather than the manager, but realistically we should finish in the top 17.

Are you forgetting the chav brigade?

Nope. Im sure Hughton will still be here this time next year, no matter what some fickled minded nutters think even if we achieve the main objective of 17th or higher.

I just remember how out of his depth Hughton was when we played Hull last year, there was no 'plan B' and both he and Calderwood just didn't know what to do.

Whilst we did ok last season, we weren't by any means decent, i think any average manager could of done what Hughton did with the team he had. The gulf in class between the Championship and the Premiership is the largest it has ever been.

There is no way that if we are in a relegation position, even as early as mid September, the crowd won't be on his back. We've seen it with so many other managers, some who were worshiped far more than Hughton ever has been.

He and any other manager will always be under threat whilst 1)Alan Shearer is alive, and 2)Alan Shearer hasn't been full time manager of the club.

Hughton managed to do what Shearer couldn't - he brought the players together as a team.

With Wigan, Wolves, Sunderland, Blackpool, West Brom, Stoke, West Ham, Bolton, Liverpool and Fulham in the PL, there are a lot of sides that I would expect to struggle this season.

I think that we have a far better team than the one that was relegated. The overpaid twats that were only here for the money have left. We've got a few lads who really have a point to prove in the PL - Barton, Coloccini, Gutierrez, Enrique, Routledge etc. They will want to set the record straight.

For reasons I can't really fathom, I am relatively confident about the new season

My thoughts exactly Exiled

To be fair, that is the point that will either make or break our season.

Agreed and I think that will determine our season more than who the manager is

Not whilst Ashley is the owner.

Shearer is a wanker, he wears a wankers hat......................

..................He kicks in fuckin makems, so what you think of that................................

I suppose Hughton is top of the list because, while he's at a big name club, he's not a big name manager.
If Toon can't win any trophies, they should at least have a trophy manager!