How this transfer window will end for Newcastle
Posted on August 23rd, 2011 | 25 Comments |
I can tell you how I think the transfer window will end for us and that’s with a mad dash on deadline day to try and get someone on the cheap.
It’s possible that we might recruit somebody before next Wednesday but I’d be very surprised if we get both a striker and a left-back before then.
Ashley seems to have this fear that we’re being ripped off because other clubs know we need particular players but personally I think that’s hogwash. If any club puts in a bid it’s because they think they need a player – why would they be bidding otherwise?
Some clubs need players and other clubs are prepared to sell players – that’s what football transfers are all about. Both clubs will try to get the best price they can and we’re no different from other clubs in that respect.
Furthermore, I actually think the mad dash on the last day appeals to Ashley’s sense of gambling and I have no doubt he’d risk the needs of the team in his attempts not to blink first.
The appalling short-termism demonstrated by Ashley’s willingness to pay £40,000 a week for a Manchester City cast-off rather than bid more than €5m for an international left-back demonstrates the level to which his paranoia has risen.
I write this against the backdrop of knowing full well that it makes sense to be as financially prudent as possible, but there are limits and extremes. We could spend £10-£15m on a striker and £6-£7m on a left-back and still have made a tidy profit in the transfer window. Chances are, said striker won’t be on very different wages to what Andy Carroll was on and said left-back will surely be on lower wages than Enrique was.
So let’s get on with it please.
We’ve taken in £47m in player sales since January and paid out £7.5m. We could use this as the perfect opportunity to build a team for the next few seasons and still come out with a profit.
I may be having a pop at Ashley’s methods for no good reason here. He may yet come good, his gambles may pay off and he might get us the bargains of the century in the transfer window. In which case he’ll get full credit from me. But I don’t like it because to me – unlike Ashley – Newcastle United is not merely ‘another business’, it’s a passion and I want to see us do well on the pitch too, and I simply don’t think we need to take the risk that we’ll be caught short this transfer window.
Anyway, that’s my tuppence worth!
this has nothing to do with the topic, but i’ve just looked at the table to the right and we’re the only club not to have conceeded a goal so far… i honestly have not seen that before.