Pardew unsure about Enrique but remaining hopeful

Posted on June 21st, 2011 | 11 Comments |

Jose Enrique's future at Newcastle still remains uncertain.
Big, big, big, big player
Jose Enrique’s future at Newcastle United still remains doubtful, although Alan Pardew says the club is trying its best to entice him to stay.

The Enrique situation still seems to be dragging on without solution and, in a recent interview, Alan Pardew used a quartet of successive ‘bigs’ to demonstrate what he thinks about Enrique but also says he remains unsure about the player’s future:

“I’m still hopeful that Enrique – who was a big, big, big, big player for us last year – stays at the football club and we can entice him to stay, and obviously we are still working on that.

“Jose’s holidaying and doesn’t have too much on at the moment, so we are not confident we can keep him, but we are not scared of losing him. It’s somewhere in between, really.

“When you have only got a year left on a player of his ability, of course you are vulnerable, and I think it’s nervous times for us on him.“

I just wish he’d make up his mind one way or another so that we can plan accordingly, although he could be biding his time for a few reasons.

Maybe Enrique wants to see how he thinks the incoming transfers at Newcastle will work out before committing himself. Maybe it’s the case that if we show enough ambition in his eyes he’ll sign on the dotted line.

A second possibility is that he’s just waiting to see which other clubs are prepared to vie for his services. He has previously expressed a desire to play Champions League football, so he could be waiting for a club that’s already there – such as Arsenal or some continental outfit – to make the right offer. Or maybe he’d settle for a club like Liverpool if he perceives they have a good chance of challenging for a Champions League place next season.

A third option is that he’s unhappy with the contract Newcastle have offered him and negotiations are still on-going to try and sort that out. We have heard that there has been a good contract offer with good wages but we don’t actually know what’s gone on in that respect.

Rumour suggests that we’re within a smidgen of signing Swansea left-back Neil Taylor, although the intimation from Pardew is that he isn’t seen as a replacement for Enrique. Pardew said:

“If Jose goes we will be back in the transfer market.”

So I guess from that we could conclude that Naylor is being brought in as a backup and understudy rather than a nailed on first-teamer.

There’s still plenty of time of course. It’s only June and we still have over two months of the transfer window left.

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

11 Responses

  1. Yeah i hope he doesn’t go but i’m getting a little fed up with all the talk he needs to make up his mind, surely he knows if he’s staying or going??, i do note though that cesspool seem to have gone off and not being reported for the time being so maybe thats a good thing, come on Enrique do the right thing and let us know

  2. I would would like to know now rather than later if hes staying or going if he leaves it to late then we will be in the same boat as when we sold carroll trying to replace him at the last minuite. Enrique is a great player personally bet there is not many of our fans what want him to go but you cant keep a player if he doesnt want to be there it could be bad for the team.

    Think we are heading the right way in the transfer market we are showing signs that we could have a very good sqaud capable of europe and maybe good cup run, but only time will tell.

  3. I would much prefer Pardew used his energy in actually working on retaining the player, instead of pontificating (big word for this time of day!) about how he wants the player to stay

  4. Take the initiative Pardew your the boss! as much as I like Jose and think he is a top player, no player is bigger than the club. Sell him now, he is showing no signs of resigning, get what you can for him and move on. You can`t allow him to dictate the terms, you want your new signings bedded in for the new season asap.

  5. Alan Pardon who is a joke of manager, anyone who has any self respect would never work for Ashley. he just does what he is told. half the team is being moved on because of him.

    i would not be surprisedif he is the first manager to get the boot and then have a go at ashley.

    he is in the same boat as

    Kinnear

  6. He wants to go to a Champions league Club so we need to wait for one to bid for him.

    If we take the hard stance for prides sake then those clubs will know they don’t need to pay as much for him. If we buy a replacement for him before he goes..again other teams will know we need to get rid of him and offer less money.

    We expect players to bleed black and white but the fact is they can go anytime whether it’s their decision or the boards. Getting emotional about it helps nobody.

  9. Partridge aint a manager he is Ashley’s retail manager.
    The Jose situation is boring now just get him sold then they can bring in a cheap replacement and pocket the difference.

  10. Commonsense comments well said Charlie @ 6.

    It must be very difficult for the club, between a rock and a hardplace.

    As you say Jose wants to go to a Champions League Club (probably preferably in his home country Spain) but we have to wait until one comes along, and there isn’t too many of them about.

    If they are smart, they will make a bid on the last day of the transfer window and force our hand to accept a low bid knowing that he is free in 12 months time and we will get nothing.

    We don’t want to be left in that situation so perhaps when Jose comes back from his holidays and starts training it will be a straight forward yeh or neh. If its the negative then we buy a replacement and write-off a few million down the drain.

    Still think we should approach Chelsea for Van Aanholt and Sturridge. Both players are at the right age, proven Premiership quality and both will have difficulty getting regular first team appearances at Chelsea unlike Newcastle were they could be first choice in their positions.

  11. Should be obvious too all, he Enrique, is biding his time to see what his best option is (dont blame him)
    He already knows what’s on offer at NUFC and hopes to get either a bigger club or more dosh, or both perhaps elsewhere.
    Would like to see him stay , but not that bothered, he’s not all that !
    And there are some good defenders available.
    Actually i believe Ashley thinks he can make money in a deal and bring in a ceaper replacement, Izaguerre ?
    The retailers mantra, buy cheap sell high !
    Young Sturrage really made him look bad earlier in the year.
    On that note, love to either get him (Sturridge)on loan or sign him to a permanent deal, gonna create havoc on defenses this coming PL season.