Musings of a Newcastle fan #1
Posted on July 14th, 2011 | 55 Comments |
Shy and retiring Alan Pardew has, in what I can only described as a show of pure commitment to us fans, given a long interview this past week with ‘Total Sport’ on BBC Radio Newcastle. Now it has been long overdue hearing from our leader, and many of you, I’m sure, were all relieved after listening (or reading) Alan’s take on the summer so far.
What I found interesting was how he talked about the amount of money FREE transfers cost etc. Now obviously agent fees and signing on fees are part and parcel of the modern game. That is football, that is the game today, we know it is not technically ‘free’ but what we do know is, no transfer fee was paid, so with that, it leaves us to speculate how much indeed has gone to the agents and the players. Demba Ba, Sylvain Marveaux and Yohan Cabaye could not possibly of dented our transfer kitty that much, taking into consideration the ‘£35 million’, TV money, sponsorship deals, gate receipts, sale of Nolan, Shearer’s bar: You get the point.
Would it not just be easier to be honest? If we have no money to spend then just say it? Whatever the ‘truth’ is, Personally, I’m bored of the spins and excuses that I hear frequently from the club every week. Maybe we will spend something, maybe we won’t, but for me it is hard to envisage us spending much.
By “much” I mean over £3 million: Net.
It is hard to believe we have spent so much on fees and wages, when the club recently stated it wouldn’t. It’s not like Ashley and Llambias to do something they said they would not do is it?
I don’t expect miracles or want millions and millions spent. But to get a top quality striker, we have to spend something and not just look like we are trying to appease everybody. Kevin Keegan stated that it was normal for the current Newcastle board to make a bid for a player, knowing it would get rejected. I’ll post the video at the bottom of this thread for you to watch (if you haven’t already).
Another thing that has interested me recently is this Jose Enrique contract saga. Why are we even bothering? Transfer list him immediately if he does not want to be here and get someone in who does. What is the point in keeping an unhappy player, then letting him go next summer for free? Or worst still, let him leave in January, then complain that we can’t get a replacement because every players price doubles in January. Didn’t they transfer list Steven Taylor and make it public when he wouldn’t sign a new contract last year?
To be honest, I fear Januaries now, it is a scary period of the year for me, I have resorted to leaving a pumpkin outside my house. But maybe January will be OK this year – Didn’t Derek reassure us just last week:
“It is our responsibility to make sure we look after the club responsibly. If we spent all the money on players this summer, what are we going to do in January if we need to bring somebody else in? We are using the money sensibly.”
Phew thank the lord for that!
It is good to know we have Derek here, I mean his passion for the club, integrity and honesty are true values every human being strives to possess. It’s not like Derek to go back on his word, or dare say, lie to us, is it?
“We will showcase Sports Direct until the end of the season. I’m sure we’re going to get a sponsor in for next season. I think the fans will see in the future that we do care.” – Derek, Nov 2009.
It is also good to see Derek conducting his interviews with the local papers.
The Telegraph is the north east local rag, isn’t it?
Another thing I like about Derek is how he never contradicts himself:
“Bringing Alan Shearer back to Newcastle United was the best decision I have made. Alan and his staff did all they could to try and keep us up in the short space of time they had. Talks are now ongoing between us about how we can take this Club forward again.” (OK, that one was Mike Ashley allegedly)
“We want him to be the manager 110 per cent, he’s very good at what he does, and he’s a straight talking guy – we like that. He’d be the perfect appointment.” – Derek, May 2009.
“Do I care what Alan Shearer has to say? When he ran this football club we were relegated after picking up just five points from his eight games in charge.” – Derek, February 2011.
If that isn’t an example of footballing knowledge, I don’t know what is.
As I bring this quick muse to a close, Charles N’Zogbia is reportedly on route to Birmingham to sign for Alex McLeish’s Aston Villa. Alan Pardew has of course had something to say:
“I am told that Charles has got an imminent move, so I don’t think that will be us.”
Where we even in for N’Zogbia? The fee is for a reported £9 million.
Hmmm…
Keegan’s revenge
NUFCBlog Author: Jimbob
Backpacker extraordinaire and current resident of sunny Sheffield. Loves Marmite, hates peanut butter. Sleeps twice a day, wrestles Polar Bears because he can and regards himself as cool as a cucumber in a bowl of hot sauce.
Jimbob has written 40 articles on this blog.
If you look at the teams we expect to compete with in the table next year we have been quite proactive in the Market. I fully agree that if Enrique has said he won’t sign on then he should be sold asap and a replacement brought in. My real concern this window is the lack of striking options brought in. I am now used to the lies and lack of facts that come out of St James park but it does not take much footballing noise to see that we are very light up top. Ba will be ok and I would like to keep best and send ranger in loan for the season. Ameobi and lova should go. This means we need to add pace to our front line as well as the ability to poach goals. Going back to my initial point and comparing to teams we will compete against highlights that a good striker could make a huge difference. Sunderland = gyan Stoke = kenwin everton = ? Fulham = ? I personally would possibly have a go for rodellaga at Wigan. Tired now so will leave my ramble at that.