Pardew and Tiote switch emphasis to keeping existing Toon players – Why?
Posted on August 20th, 2012 | 163 Comments |
Looking at Pardew first, he has said in very recent interviews after the Tottenham game:
“We are on our guard in case some really big bid comes in and we need to react because if someone goes out, another player will come in. But success for me in this transfer window would be losing none of our stars.”
Also saying:
“I worry about losing all my players because unfortunately we’re not Manchester United or Manchester City. We’re always vulnerable. If you ask me do I sleep well at night, I’d have to say, ‘not always’. I’m looking forward to September 1 because by then we’ll all know where we are. We have match-winners in the side.”
He has said it quite a few times previously as well. But even if it is true, why does he say it in public, and why does he keep repeating it? If he’s losing sleep over it, surely these kind of pronoucements only draw attention to the situation, especially when he takes the trouble to remind other clubs that “We have match-winners in the side” for good measure. It’s rrather like someone walking around in a in a dodgy neighbourhood telling all and sundry, “Oh I do get worried about being mugged when I’m wearing this diamond encrusted 18 carat Rolex.”
What’s more, his Managing Director, Derek Llambias reminded everyone back in March of this year that Newcastle United are now a “selling” club, telling the local press:
“We’re not saying we are not a selling club. The reality is when we get the price in we have to sell our best players. You have to filter staff off to get a better quality build, you can’t just hold on to it. It’s not really the right way, from a business point of view I would have to trade.”
Getting back to Pardew though, he also said in his interview:
“I’m looking forward to September 1 now because by then we’ll all know where we are.”
But I sincerely hope that he’s also having the opposite and conflicting feeling of relishing the fact that there is still some time left to add to the squad as well as dreading the possibility of it being depleted. Despite the signing of the excellent Vurnon Anita from Ajax, Newcastle United still need more to replace at least some of the six, mostly squad players who have either been sold or released in this window. Arguably, this would still have been the case even if we weren’t competing in Europe this season, and we are.
Whilst it’s true that he may be responding to questions from the press and other media, he doesn’t have to answer it, or answer quite so explicitly. His predecessor, Chris Hughton, was a world grand master of the “dead bat” response to such questions from the media, and could also give Kwai Chang Caine and Master Po a run for their money at speaking in riddles when he sought to obfuscate. Obviously, that isnt the isn’t the case with Master Pard, but I’m digressing as usual.
Cheick Tiote has also been getting in on the action this time too, even repeating the same Pardew / Llambias mantra, “We are not Manchester City / United / Chelsea / insert very rich club here. He said:
“It’s a team thing and we are not Arsenal, [Manchester] United or Chelsea. We are Newcastle, so if we can keep our best players then it will be good for this club. Had we lost two or three key players then it would be difficult to do the same as last season. It’s good for the Newcastle family going forward.”
Now forgive me, I may be wrong but I have difficulty imagining Cheick Tiote speaking like that naturally. Guff such as “It’s good for the Newcastle family going forward” sound’s more like executive BS, or Public Relations BS than an African footballer speaking in a second language. It doesn’t smell right.
Could it be a case of a co-ordinated campaign to manage expectations amongst fans? Another favourite Silver Supremo saying is one he uses when there are mumblings of discontent about the squad being short of bodies and a player such as Steven Taylor, Sylvain Marveaux, or A.N.Other comes back from an extended injury. When this happens, it is usually only a matter of time before he utters the words “It’s will be like having a new signing at the club.” These sayings are becoming awfully familiar.
Finally, going back to something Pardew said in the comments I have quoted above: “If someone goes out, another player will come in, but success for me in this transfer window would be losing none of our stars.”
Well, I may only writing for myself, but I do sincerely hope that at least one more player will come in even if none of our first team players leave, and I also hope this isn’t really Pardew’s, or the club’s idea of “success” with our first European odyssey for six years beginning on Thursday.
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NUFCBlog Author: workyticket
workyticket has written 1095 articles on this blog.
Couldn’t agree more.We are at risk of losing one or two top players and all of this smacks of managing expectations.Pardew is covering all his squares – if we lose players its not his fault,if we dont,we should all regard it as a great success,which may deflect from the failure to sign anyone else.Yes we have bought some promising young players,but how many of these actually get a chance to step up to the first team – we have a poor history of bringing young talent through