“Sebastien was the player to take” – Redknapp accuses Dowie.

Posted on August 15th, 2009 | 64 Comments |

"Sebastien was the player to take..."
'Sebastien was the player to take'
Harry Redknapp has made a sensational claim that it was Iain Dowie who recommended to Harry Redknapp that Sebastien Bassong would be ripe for a move to Tottenham Hotspur if he and Shearer were to vacate the managers position at St James Park. According to Harry, he also picked Bassong for Redknapp as the best player to pick for ‘Spurs out of the Newcastle squad.

Harry said:

“When we played Newcastle last year I spoke to Iain Dowie and Alan Shearer after the game and they spoke about the team, they were in desperate trouble,” Redknapp said.

“Iain said if they didn’t stay at the club and one player did become available, Sebastien was the player to take. They couldn’t have recommended him any higher.

“Alan as well. He said ‘if I stay at the club there is no way he’ll ever leave’. Alan didn’t get the job and he (Bassong) was the first person we went for. He’s a young player with a fantastic future.”

If these accusations are true, it would be slightly strange that Dowie was encouraging Harry to sign up last season’s ‘Player of the Year’ when all Shearer’s statements indicated that he was a player who should be kept if at all possible. Shearer and Dowie are yet to respond.

Meanwhile, it appears that the young Cameroonian Centre-Back will probably make his debut against Liverpool at White Hart Lane. Previously, there was confusion as to whether Bassong would be able to play, due to a suspension picked up against Fulham in the penultimate game of last season. However, the FA, presided over by avid ‘Spurs fan, Lord Triesman, have decided to rule in favour of the North London club. They ruled that Newcastle’s first game of the Championship season counted in the original three match ban.

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1096 articles on this blog.

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64 Responses

  1. To be fair, nobody needed Ian Dowie to tell them that Billy Bassong was a bit special – they just had to watch him play.
    As for the fiddle going on around his match bans…..If Liverpool stuff them this weekend, it won’t matter – especially if Billy has a nervous debut and gets the blame LOL

  2. Bassong is a good defender but I don’t fancy his chances against Torres and Gerrard. Still don’t think Bassong has done anything to be worth £8 million yet though.

  5. You’re just bitter because you’ve been relegated. Get over it. You’ll lose more players yet and will struggle to stay in the championship.

  6. Stoney,

    “You’ll lose more players yet and will struggle to stay in the championship.”

    That bit’s right.

    But you have to admit that it’s odd that our game against West Brom counted as a ‘ban game’ for Bassong when we’d already sold him to Spurs.

  8. Whats all the bitterness for? One good season in the Premiership does not make him worth £8 million. He is far from the finished article.

  9. I dont like NUFC supporters…..They’re all fickle blind idiots who think they are a big club…….Wrong!!!

  11. That is the common perception of Newcastle fans. Its a load of rubbish to be honest. I know we will struggle this season, that we are not one of the biggest clubs in the country and we will most likely be relegated again.

  12. Is it not this new comments system where you have to enter your name in the box? There was not very many WUMs when there was a login system.

  13. It’s not strange at all that he has served his ban. He was still a registered NUFC player on the day and therefore that game counted. In the end, it doesn’t matter to Newcastle does it? Why would you care if he plays a game for spurs in a different league to yours?is all the trash talk really necessary? And I’m directing that at both sets of fans here. Lets all be adults about this for a change eh?

  14. Avor, if he was eligible to play for Newcastle against West Brom then I’d agree that the game should count.

    However, according to the BBC he signed for Spurs on the 6th, which was the Thursday before our West Brom game, so he wouldn’t have been eligible to play.

    You’re right though, it doesn’t matter to me at all, I’m merely curious as to how they worked it out.

    I guess the BBC could be wrong or the contract was signed in stages, maybe with personal terms yet to be agreed or something, which might mean it could still be stopped and he was therefore officially still a Toon player.

  15. Just to clear things up a little (and stop the pathetic moaning from Newcastle fans) Bassong did indeed sign for Spurs before you played West Brom, however his registration for Spurs was not entered until after said game. So although a Transfer had been agreed in principle until the registration was processed he was still technically a Newcastle player and therefore banned for the game against West Brom.

    You may remember Corluka being sold to spurs and all fee’s contracts etc being agreed only for Hughes to say no and the transfer didnt go through due to the players registration being held by Man city.

  16. Al the Yid…..

    Well done for swallowing the stereotypical picture of us put about by your London media….and for your constructive comment.

    Until somebody tells me what the definition is of a “big club” then I think the argument is anal….

    Some people say its about trophies – so are Nottingham Forest a big club??

    Some say its about crowds – well United had the 2nd biggest crowds for 10 yrs and were 3rd biggest after Arsenal built the Emirates – does that make United a big club

    Some people say its about playing in the Champions League – We have on a number of occasions, have you?

  17. Lodvic says:
    August 15, 2009 at 9:10 am

    Just to clear things up a little (and stop the pathetic moaning from Newcastle fans) Bassong did indeed sign for Spurs before you played West Brom, however his registration for Spurs was not entered until after said game.

    ====

    Okay, so what you’re saying is we could have played him but chose not to.

    If that’s the case then fine.

  18. As Utd111 says
    ‘To be fair, nobody needed Ian Dowie to tell them that Billy Bassong was a bit special – they just had to watch him play.’
    Completely right and non story to be honest. Who cares, he was a ‘want a way’ he’s gone, good luck to him.

    Al the Yid ‘I dont like NUFC supporters…..They’re all fickle blind idiots who think they are a big club…….Wrong!!!’
    Do try and get out a bit more pet you clearly believe everything you read in the papers.

  19. Unfortunately, the medium of blogs and forums brings out the worst in some fans and specifically Spurs and Newcastle fans for some reason. I’d wager, this ridiculous virtual feud has been going in circles for a coupe of years.

    Look at the history of this blog and show me another thread where we’ve had any spite from opposition fans where their club has been referenced somehow.
    There isn’t any because it’s just part of the craic and most of our lot on here are level-headed.

    It’s daft.

    I have at least five close pals from uni and work who are Spurs fans and they think it’s crackers too. Mind you, they’ve seen first hand how realistic most genuine fans are up here and what their fans are normally like, i.e. normal.

    I hope they get stuffed off Liverpool though just for my fantasy team.

  21. Badger says:
    August 15, 2009 at 10:41 am

    “Ok lets put this to bed.”

    —

    We already have, thanks.

  22. geordie deb says:
    August 15, 2009 at 9:50 am

    “Completely right and non story to be honest.”

    Not really, it shows what Dowie’s true agenda was, Deb, and possibly Shearer’s too

  23. Badger…..

    We’ve been football league champions 4 times to your 2

    You’ve won the FA Cup 8 times to our 6

    Not sure what you are “putting to bed” really…..

  26. bowburnmag says:
    August 15, 2009 at 11:02 am

    worky just isn’t very fond of Dowie

    —–

    Well that’s as maybe but it’s unlike Worky to jump to conclusions from what could be throw-away comments quoted third-hand. I was just curious.

  27. The ‘quotes’ will have been well twisted by now. And as you lot have already said, they’re just stating the obvious anyway.

  28. I love the way the Geordies are using the media to distract that alleged attitude they have as if it was never true!!
    I can’t speak for them all but I had several Geordie friends who were honestly very deluded towards their club’s place in the game. A few seasons around the top 4 and they really seemed to think they were the same size club as Liverpool. It was so funny!
    Anyway they are a big club for several reasons, but it’s relative and so sadly the name of the game is success and this is what actually matters.
    Yes Forest are a big club and so are Leeds, both in the wilderness at this current time. Say they came back to the Prem, over time the spell spent out of it wouldn’t matter and they will have always won those trophies.
    Newcastle though judging things over a long enough period of time just look like nobody’s who had a few promising years but fuck^d it.
    Still, they have been good as a feeder club for Spurs so they’re not completely worthless!

  29. bowburnmag says:
    August 15, 2009 at 11:07 am

    “The ‘quotes’ will have been well twisted by now.”

    Maybe they have, maybe they haven’t. But if they haven’t, it might suggest that Shearer was only interested in Bassong staying at the club if he was manager, at the time when he was insisting that he and Dowie were only staying for eight weeks, and that he only had the interests of the club at heart. I’m not saying that he doesn’t, it’s just that I like to examine things very closely, because most people don’t and miss what’s really going on.

    I’m not interested in Dowie in the slightest, I know exactly what he is. I’m interested in Shearer.

  30. Oh and whilst I knew these Geordies, they were very disrespectful towards Spurs alot of the time. One of them completely used to look down his nose at us, and we were insignificant and good for mocking for him.
    Funny that in my 30 years, I’ve seen Spurs win 6 trophies.
    In his 37 years he’s seen Newcastle win fuck all and basically until the 90’s bounce around the leagues.
    Did I say until the 90’s? Sorry I mean win fuck all and ALWAYS bounce around the leagues.
    Yeah it’s just the media! LMFAO

  31. Fuzzy Dunlop says:
    August 15, 2009 at 11:24 am

    I can’t speak for them all but I had several Geordie friends who were honestly very deluded towards their club’s place in the game. A few seasons around the top 4 and they really seemed to think they were the same size club as Liverpool. It was so funny!

    —–

    Yeah, I know Spurs fans who’ve thought they’re a ‘big 4’ team for years now and that they’ve simply been ‘unlucky’. Should have heard them when Ramos took over – they genuinely thought that anything less than Champions League qualification was impossible. lol.

    It’s the same with all sets of supporters – some will be deluded but I think the majority are realistic.

  32. “Anyway they are a big club for several reasons, but it’s relative and so sadly the name of the game is success and this is what actually matters.
    Yes Forest are a big club and so are Leeds, both in the wilderness at this current time. Say they came back to the Prem, over time the spell spent out of it wouldn’t matter and they will have always won those trophies.
    Newcastle though judging things over a long enough period of time just look like nobody’s who had a few promising years but fuck^d it.”

    Hard to disagree with the truth. I don’t think you ever hear Newcastle fans going around saying we’re a ‘successful’ club unless they’re in the middle of a pointless p*ssing contest and counting trophies won by both clubs over 50 years ago? Good tradition, decent pedigree but also-rans in reality for the last 40 years? Fair review. Still plenty to be proud of in my eyes though.

  33. Personally, I don’t understand this obsession with Newcastle United from the more basic end of the ‘Spurs supporting spectrum. Is it because they know that their real rivals, Arsenal, will always be bigger and better than them, so they pick on other clubs instead to make themselves feel better?

  34. worky – I think you’re looking for something that isn’t there. Either you’re implying Shearer is only concerned with things that would fundamentally effect the club if he was in charge? And I don’t think you really believe that? Or you’re suggesting he was disingenuous because he always saw beyond the 8 weeks? We always knew that? Surely his words were psychological, in order to focus on the important job of staying up (yeah OK, great mind games Al)?

    I think he’s just said more or less, this kid is the future of the club and people will be falling over themselves to get him. And he won’t go if I have anything to do with it.

    And he’s right. Bassong will be massive for Spurs. Still not the finished article but immense all the same.

    I know how you feel about Dowie but I think it’s a clean slate with us as far I’m concerned.

  35. Worky

    ‘Not really, it shows what Dowie’s true agenda was, Deb, and possibly Shearer’s too’

    I’m not sure it does. Dowie was a temporary servant of the club with probably a reasonably high probability that he wouldn’t be kept on at the end of the season. If that was the case and you were in discussions with a mate who worked elsewhere and had the same job as you and who was looking at recruting someone, wouldn’t you point out that you had one or two worth recruiting at your place of work especially if your mate had already witnessed how good they were anyway? I can see the other side of the coin but I really don’t see it as a big deal. It’s not like he was giving away inside info.

  37. geordie deb says:
    August 15, 2009 at 11:55 am

    “If that was the case and you were in discussions with a mate who worked elsewhere and had the same job as you and who was looking at recruting someone, wouldn’t you point out that you had one or two worth recruiting at your place of work especially if your mate had already witnessed how good they were anyway?”

    Honesty is a very big deal to me, Deb, even when it seems stupid or irrelevant, though I realise how out of step I am with the modern world. :-)

    If I was working for a company, I would work in the interests of that company, not seek to undermine it by recommending to rivals the best assets to snaffle up, whether they already had an idea or not. Even if Redknapp alredy knew that Bassong was a decent player, inside information, for instance on the Bassong’s temperament and attitude on the training ground etc may still have been very important to Redknapp in making a decision.

  38. Worky

    ‘Not really, it shows what Dowie’s true agenda was, Deb, and possibly Shearer’s too’

    Seems strange that your quick to jump to negative assumptions about Alan Shearer, and yet bend over backwards to defend Mike Ashley and Dennis Wise et al? What is your agenda? Do you not like Shearer?

  40. Monrokelly says:
    August 15, 2009 at 12:15 pm

    “What is your agenda?”

    Honesty and Newcastle United Football Club are my two main agendas, Monrokelly. What’s yours?

  41. Worky as we don’t know in what context the comments have been made I guess it’s all speculation as to motivation, what was really said etc.

  42. WMonrokelly says:
    August 15, 2009 at 12:15 pm

    “What is your agenda?”

    Honesty and Newcastle United Football club are my two main agendas, Monrokelly. What’s yours?

    Mine would be the same, It just seems your making a bit of a leap in logic to insinuate that Alan Shearer is in some way trying to undermine the future success of NUFC judging from your comments. It seems a bit provocative
    seeing as Shearer is largely regarded with some esteem by NUFC and seems to genuinely have the clubs best intrests at heart. Perhaps you disagree? Most supporters seem to like Shearer although I know we all have our different opinions.

  43. geordie deb says:
    August 15, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    Worky as we don’t know in what context the comments have been made I guess it’s all speculation as to motivation, what was really said etc.

    Would have to agree with you geordie Deb. As I’m sure we’re all aware, these have been difficult times for NUFC and its important that we’re all united and supportive. Workys comments seemed intend to provoke mistrust of Alan Shearers intentions towards the club which I don’t think is particularly merited and is likely to cause more argument/division.

  44. Fair points Monrokelly, worky tends to go extreme in playing the Devil’s advocate now and again. Which is when I tend to disagree with him.

    Reet ladies and gents, off to my 1.30 meet and 2.30 kick off. Can’t believe I may miss the Toon game due to father-in-law’s birthday. Only just realised (I never listen).

    I’d normally just face the wrath but in fairness he’s just had a major op. Why couldn’t this on be on BBC???

    Fingers crossed for a decent result. I’ll go for 2-1.

  45. I do actually agree with Worky that it’s important to ‘read between the lines’ where possible but it’s also easy to read things that aren’t actually there (which I think is the case here, although that’s just my opinion).

    It makes for an interesting discussion though.

  46. bowburnmag says:
    August 15, 2009 at 12:58 pm

    “Fair points Monrokelly, worky tends to go extreme in playing the Devil’s advocate now and again.”

    Bowburn, how am I playing “Devil’s Advocate” here?

  47. Monrokelly
    ‘Would have to agree with you geordie Deb. As I’m sure we’re all aware, these have been difficult times for NUFC and its important that we’re all united and supportive. Workys comments seemed intend to provoke mistrust of Alan Shearers intentions towards the club which I don’t think is particularly merited and is likely to cause more argument/division.’

    As Bowburn mentioned Worky does enjoy playing Devils’ Advocate and this is one of those situations.
    I agree with your comments regarding difficult times at NUFC and we all have to pull together, however whilst I am an Alan Shearer fan and have the utmost respect for him as a player and legend at NUFC, I still don’t agree he is the right choice as manager. I think he is a uniting force for the fans undoubtedly but that is not the same thing as being the best suited to take over the club in the state that it’s in. I would prefer an experienced manager someone like David Jones from Cardiff or even Curbishley etc but he could very well fail this huge task he would be given and where would that lead the club. It is clear he desperately wants the job, but I still believe we need managerial experience to help dig us out of the mire and Shearer to go and learn how to manage elsewhere. If however, he is given the job, I hope the chairman/owner whoever they are sticks with him and doesn’t cast him out when results are not going our way. We have had enough of short term reactive measures and the fans will just have to get used to the chairman calling the shots in the long term interests of the club which may not be popular.

  48. Deb, I can’t make my mind up regarding Shearer as manager.

    On the one hand I know he lacks experience and I’m conscious of the fact that the club and fans would do well to get out of the ‘Geordie Messiah’ fixation.

    Yet on the other hand I instinctively feel he’ll be a good manager and I think now is an appropriate time to appoint him (more appropriate than if we hadn’t got relegated for example).

    As to other managers, I’m not keen on Kinnear and I wasn’t particularly taken with the idea of O’Leary. However, the likes of Curbishley, Strachan, Jones etc. seem like reasonable choices.

  49. geordie deb says:
    August 15, 2009 at 1:11 pm

    “As Bowburn mentioned Worky does enjoy playing Devils’ Advocate”

    Deb, for the second time, where am I playing ‘Devil’s Advocate’ here?

  50. “What is your agenda?”

    Honesty and Newcastle United Football club are my two main agendas, Monrokelly. What’s yours?

    Worky, regardless of your opinion regarding Alan Shearer, it does seem a bit disingenious to accuse him of in some way hoping to sabotage the club if he is not appointed manager. As I’m sure your aware, a lot of the paper talk is unsubstantiated as you have pointed out when rumours regarding Mike Ashley are circulated. I would hope you would afford Alan Shearer the same benefit of the doubt as you do Mike Ashley.

    I would hope our top goal scorer would derserve some credit for his achievements rather than trying to make him out to be one of the villians of the piece

  52. Worky
    I have re-read the quotes and I apologise I think I commented too quickly. I can see what you are saying regarding Dowie and his alleged conversation with ‘Arry where he recommends Spurs go for Bassong if he becomes available and they (he and Shearer) are no longer managing the club.
    I don’t have a problem with Shearer’s statement ‘if i stay at the club there is no way he will ever leave.’I don’t think he means anything other than what he has stated and I don’t believe he would want to see the team weakened of some of the better players even if he was not the manager.
    Even if Shearer gets the job, I’ve never been a fan of Dowie and would prefer Shearer to get John Carver in as assistant or Steve Clarke if they could prise him away from West Ham.

  53. Said it before and ill say it again,
    Haha enjoy life in the lower leagues you f*cking losers.

  55. “Seb wants to stay and the club want him to stay,” – Alan Shearer 3rd May 2009

    “I am here for eight games and here for eight games only” – Alan Shearer a month earlier

    “Iain said if they didn’t stay at the club and one player did become available, Sebastien was the player to take. They couldn’t have recommended him any higher.”

    “Alan as well. He said ‘if I stay at the club there is no way he’ll ever leave’. – Harry Redknapp, August 2009.

    Deb,

    If Shearer really wanted some crucial players to stay for the good of the club, and not as some kind of bargaining chip to be retained as the permanent manager, then he wouldn’t have condoned Dowie giving Redknapp inside information on player’s availability, and recommend them as good squad members, which, according to Redknapp, Shearer did as well.

    Having written that, I am very much looking forward to Alan Shearer making a statement pointing out that Redknapp has distorted their words, and enlightening us on what he and Dowie really said.

    I’m not making any accusations against Shearer, I am just waiting for him to clarify the issue.

    As for Iain Dowie, he is a proven, convicted liar and I wouldn’t beleive a word that he says. I was very disappointed when Alan Shearer allowed himself to be involved with him, and brought him into the club.

  56. “I’m not making any accusations against Shearer, I am just waiting for him to clarify the issue.”

    I think you’ll be waiting a while Worky!

  57. worky – the ‘devil’s advocate’ nod is at you suggesting that Shearer isn’t infallible and not as pure as holy water? Even though some people are fairly astute and realise this, love is blind and Big Al would have the ability to pull the wool over the eyes of some of the more passionate fans if he felt the need just because of who he is (you’d probably be less complimentary about this type of person given the arguments you’ve had over the last few months!). So I understand why you do that.

    In this instance, you believe he has an agenda until he disproves your theory with a response to the piece. Personally, I think it’s just idle matchday chatter and there’s nothing in it. The way the story is pitched makes it look like they’re almost introducing a deal (is that what you’re getting at about Dowie?). I just don’t think that’s the case personally. I also think Shearer in this particular instance is ‘Mary Poppins’ innocent!

  58. worky,

    not disagreeing with you BUT ashley, llambias and kinnear are convicted liars but you constantly defend them!! just throwing it out there

  59. buddy says:
    August 15, 2009 at 11:24 pm

    “worky,

    not disagreeing with you BUT ashley, llambias and kinnear are convicted liars but you constantly defend them!! just throwing it out there”

    Buddy,

    No. I only defend them whan people are spreading falsehoods about them, that’s as it should be. Lying is wrong no matter who it is about.

    BTW, Ashley, Llambias and Kinnear aren’t “convicted” liars. They haven’t been convicted by a Judge, as Dowie has for obtaining money from Crystal Palace under false pretences.

  60. worky,
    fair enuf!! yes not convicted so but they have lied on a consitent basis and i would prefer dowie to any of the 3!! i am really at a loss to understand how people and yourself on occasion can defend the 3 of them!! each played a major role in the demise of this club

  61. “i am really at a loss to understand how people and yourself on occasion can defend the 3 of them!!”

    I don’t, it’s just that I think that their biggest blunders have been thiing that many of the fans actually wanted, like hiring Keegan and trying to sell the club twice at the worst possible times. The fan mass hysteria helped in an effort to drive any ‘top’ manager away too, so we ended up having four and getting relegated. Also, the Sports Direct sign is an abomination on the fabric of a holy edifice, I don’t like that thing at all.

    On the other hand, the youth academy will be great, the financial reforms will still improve the club, even after the financial meltdown of relegation, because the club was haemorraging money straight into the pockets of Freddy Shepherd and Douglas Hall before.

  62. if I were to right all my opinions and the pros and cons of the current regime i would stil be here writing next week. the reason i question you worky is because from reading and because of this website I respect your opinion(ditto many of the other regular contributors) but basically i tried and tried and tried to see good in ashley. was a huge admirer of youth system,agreed with many of his plans etc etc etc. but its just gone so horrifically wrong and he is doing zilch to sort it out. he is selling most of our ‘better’ players and not necessarily the higher earners. the likes of colo/nolan/xisco amongst others should have gone and not duff and beye(money too good to refuse for other 2). he makes blunder after blunder and to be honest i now detest him. he too has made a mess of finances as a lot of high earners were under his reign(as recently as jan wich is frightning)…he has heavily under invested and badly invested in the squad(him and those he has working for him) and has made a massive profit overall. the fact that he seems to be considering re-employing that lying blaggard jfk shows he simply does not have a clue and probably dislikes the fans as much as they do him. anyway i could go on forever. not neccessarily lookin for a reply just lettin off a bit of overdue steam. delighted with win today tho but cant see it continuing without 5 or 6 incoming players because of injuries. great blog btw, and if it was for all the sh#te all summer it would have a much greater audience

  63. buddy,

    I totally agree with you on every point about Ashley, except for making a profit out of it. This is what gets people like me a reputation for “defending Ashley”. I understand accounting, I work in finance, I have all of the accounts for NUFC and St James Holdings (Ashleys company that owns NUFC). Ashley hasn’t taken any money out of the club, on the contrary he has loaned them £100M and forgone the couple of million a year he is entitled to in intrest. The club has been making losses of tens of millions a year since the season before he bought it. I agree that when he tried to sell the club for £400M after the Keegan Fiasco he was looking to make a profit, but this time round he’s trying to minimise his losses. Even if he gets £100M + his loan paid back – hes down about £50 Million. If the rumoured offers in the region of 70 Million are true then he’s looking at an £80 Million loss.

    The one satisfaction I take from all of this is that at least in one way he is paying for his stupidity.

  64. Geordie deb,great comment.Newcastle have the best fans in the country by far.I hope that you get back to where you belong as soon as possible..