Will the Toon 'Brat Pack' of Barton, Kevin Nolan, Alan Smith and Andy Carroll hold "behind closed doors meetings" like they did with Chris Hughton?
Will Pardew let them?
Or will there be a time when the "worm turns"?
It's all interesting stuff.
Joey Barton: "There's a lot of stories going round this week about our dressing room - player revolt, backlash and all that.
"We care too much about each other first and foremost to act so unprofessionally.
"It wouldn't happen in our dressing room because there's such a great spirit in there. And we also know it's not Alan's fault that Chris got sacked.
"Obviously he's come in and he's got to pick up from where Chris left off and it's nothing to do with him why Chris has been sacked.
"That was a decision made at boardroom level.
"We don't know the real reason behind Chris leaving.
"We were told it was to push the club on to the next level and a lot of us questioned Alan's appointment.
"We sat down with Alan and spoke and said `look, none of us will say anything behind your back that we wouldn't say to your face'.
"We've got that open honesty in that dressing room.
"We said `we're disappointed with Chris going because we held him in such affection, because he's a good football guy as everyone knows, but we're professionals, we know it's not your fault, as long as you're open and honest with us we'll have no problem - we'll take this club forward'."