Cheap and nasty.There has been something of a rehabiltation of the reputation of Mike Ashley at Newcastle United recently.
This, of course, has been due largely to the club’s generally upward trajectory in terms of it’s League position in recent seasons under Chris Hughton and Alan Pardew, as well as some successes in the transfer market since Ashley and Llambias cast their their three casino aquaintances adrift and let Chris Hughton bring in a proper chief scout, a move which has been highly beneficial for the club so far.
Less obviously, perhaps, there has also been a relentless PR campaign run through the media on all levels. Like the current coalition government, much has been said to demonise the previous administration, presenting Ashley as some kind of messiah type figure who made tough choices to save the club from certain liquidation as a great benevolent gesture to the people of Tyneside. But, according to the narrative, this has been a thankless task, with Geordie ingrates not showing the suitable appreciation of his selfless largesse. Admittedly, this isn’t the most difficult thing to do when the targets are the likes of Freddy Shepherd and Douglas Hall. According to a peculiar logic, much has also been made of what Ashley’s alleged financial “backing” of the club in terms of making a £140 million loan to himself, which is repayable on demand by the club, to save himself from paying high interest rates on his own Newcastle United debts. The term “clearing” the club’s debts has been used so often that many fans are still oblivious to the fact that the club is now actually far more in debt than it was when Ashley assumed control of the club in 2007. (more…)
Not good enough to join the elite?When I first saw this story in the Northern Echo last Saturday, I didn’t discount it entirely, but I had the usual doubts I have about virtually every Newcastle United story at the moment. But then it resurfaced again in this story yesterday, and I’m not quite so doubtful anymore.
The “story” is that whilst our much loved cousins at Sunderland Association Football Club, and also from Championship Middlesbrough, seem to be nailed on to acheive the highest “Category One” status in the Premier League’s new “Elite Player Performance Plan” (EPPP) for football academies, Newcastle United have allegedly been told they haven’t have made the grade after an audit of the club in March, and will probably only be awarded “Category Two” status. The independent auditors who carried out the inspections, “Foot Pass England” judged clubs on ten factors, these factors being:
Old codger Steve - Feeling the strain.The forgotten man of Newcastle United, Steve Harper, has spoken out on his thoughts for next season at Newcastle United, claiming that as many as half a dozen players might be leaving, and making an heartfelt appeal for more players in the squad for our upcoming season in European competition.
As to whether this should include any younger, more sprightly goalkeepers to rival him him in the goalkeeper’s pecking order, he didn’t say, though he did have a good old moan about how pre-pre season training is getting ever harder as he gets older. In other goalkeeping news, it seems that Frankenstein’s monster Fraser Forster may well be coming back to Newcastle after all to report for pre season, with a much mooted deal for Celtic still unsigned. But I digress…
Getting back to the Easington shot stopper though, he was speaking to North East news website, “News Guardian” in a video interview on launching a charity “swimathon” called “Reason to Swim” for the Percy Hedley Foundation at Northern Counties School in Jesmond.
Firstly, on his preparations for the season so far, the old codger grumbled:(more…)
Graham Carr: A harder road ahead?You may have noticed that Newcastle United’s chief scout, Graham Carr, was very much in the news recently, and much of this was centered around him being given an eight year contract by the club’s managing director, Derek Llambias.
Usually, when a club renews an agreement with it’s chief scout, it hardly gets a great mention. However at the new Newcastle United rounds of interviews were arranged by the club’s press department, it “trended” on Twitter and was even covered in the national press. It was as if the club had renewed the contract of it’s manager. So what was behind this?
Graham Carr is now 67, with a long career in both coaching and scouting behind him, including scouting at other large, high profile clubs such as Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. So why now, in the autumn of his career, is he attracting so much attention? what is it that has made him emerge like a Butterfly from a Chrysalis on Tyneside? (more…)
Vernon Anita: Pocket battleship.It has been reported by various organs that the agent of pint sized Ajax defender / midfielder, Vurnon Anita has “confirmed” that Ajax have received an offer from Newcastle United.
The agent, Harry Lulofs, allegedly told Newcastle United website, “NUFC Fans”
“Newcastle have made an offer between £5-10 million. I cannot give you the accurate figure, but Ajax have received a written offer.”
“They are very satisfied with the guy [Anita] and want to keep him. Newcastle have been watching him for a long time and really want to sign him.”
“This is the first offer Ajax have received for Vurnon and we’ll soon see how they react.”
“After next week, he [Anita] will be back from holiday and I will meet people at Ajax with him and his dad.”
When quizzed on whether there had been interest from other clubs, Lulofs supposedly confirmed that there were no other offers as yet, but that ex Norwich manager, Paul Lambert expressed an interest before he packed his bags for the Midlands, adding: (more…)
