Toon in Europe - Be careful what you wish for?Ok. So at this point, with 12 games of the season left and 43 points, we are looking to head to Europe; although that could tempt the “Be careful what you wish for” saying.
The squad we currently have is most certainly unable to cope with so many games in such little time if we were to get to the Europa League. Maybe we would follow the same route as Spurs, play almost a reserve team and ‘concentrate on the league,’ but that would be a waste of a flight, wouldn’t it? But is the Europa League good for us? Because after all, its second best, like the League Cup. Would we get any money from it? Not a great deal probably. We would have to somehow get the money to buy in a lot of good players (not just satisfactory) to strengthen the team during the Summer, because put simply, Perch, Williamson and Guthrie aren’t good enough. (more…)
No new deal for Coloccini yetNewcastle United have been trying to negotiate new contracts with Danny Simpson and Fabricio Coloccini, so far without any success. We’ve seen before that the club is prepared to let players go if they demand what the club thinks is ‘too much’, so what does the future hold for this pair?
It seems like the contracts of Coloccini and Simpson have been ‘outstanding’ for ages and new attempts to get both players to sign new contracts this week have apparently failed. Nevertheless, Alan Pardew is upbeat about the negotiations and said:
“We’ve had conversations. I can see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel now. I can understand why fans are concerned, but we’re making progress.
“It’s not easy, contracts, and we’re trying to do what’s best for the football club and what’s best for the player. Sometimes, they are worlds apart.
“There’s been a bit of antagonism with contracts in the past. There’s a lot more communication here and I think we’re trying to work through the process in a sensible manner.”
The press have suggested that Danny Simpson has turned down a £25,000/week 5-year deal and, although he still has 18 months left on his contract, there have been rumours in the past that he might favour a move away from Newcastle (and the higher salary that might bring him). (more…)
Pardew: More sponsorship, or the players will go!In a move which may or may not be coincidental with the kerfuffle over the club’s recent stadium rename, Alan Pardew has told the Sunday Mirror that though Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias have put the club in a much stronger position finacially, it still needs to bring more sponsorship in.
He also added that if the club failed to bring in more sponsorship, we may lose our best players. The grey gaffer started with praise for Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias’ financial stewardship the club, though it is still in more debt than it was when Ashley gained control of the club in the summer of 2007.
How does the run-in look?With two-thirds of the Premier League season now complete, this author looks at what the final third might have in store for Newcastle United.
We’re now into the home stretch – the final third of the 2011/2012 Premier League season. We have no Cup distractions so our only aim is to finish as high as possible in the league and I thought I’d take a look at the run-in and see what I think we can achieve.
I’ve take a cautious – even pessimistic – view I think. The attitude of the pessimist is often derided but I reckon if you set your expectations on the lower side of realistic there’s a greater chance you’ll be pleasantly surprised when those expectations are exceeded.
Anyway, enough of the philosophy, let’s see how the the remaining 13 games look.
February
There’s just one match left this month and that’s at home against Wolves. They’re currently without a manager but they have said they expect one to be in place by the time they play us next weekend. Alan Curbishley has apparently ruled himself out of the running and Agent Bruce is now touted as the favourite in most areas of the press. Whatever happens in terms of their manager, I expect us to pick up all three points.
So for February I have us getting: 3/3 points. (more…)
Ba: Gets 50% of next transfer fee says Dirty David.West Ham owner, “Dirty” David Sullivan (not to be confused with the other West Ham owner, “Dirty” David Gold), has been spilling some interesting beans of gossip on Demba Ba’s Newcastle United contract to the West Ham fan site “West Ham Till I Die.”
Sullivan, who of course is one of the owners of Ba’s prvious club, West Ham, claims to have heard amongst other things that Demba Ba would receive no less than 50% of any transfer fee should he be sold on from NUFC, also confirming that his latest club did pay around £2 million to Ba’s agent. He also claimed that Newcastle United bid £4 million for Ravel Morrison, even though he signed to Dirty David’s West Ham for a package which he claimed was only “up to £2 million.” When the transfer went through in the January transfer window, the media only reported a fee of up to £1 million. More on that story later though. Lets get back to the main feature of this story, Demba Ba and his Newcastle United contract.
Of course, as we already know, the African goal machine had a get out clause in his West Ham contract, something which Sullivan bitterly regrets in hindsight seemingly, and the reason why he is now playing for us. However, if what Sullivan said is true, receiving 50% of any subsequent transfer fee should he be sold on from Newcastle would cartainly be another huge incentive for his Tyneside move!
But enough of my pre waffle. After confirming that Ba did have the relegation get out clause from West Ham, Sullivan was asked by the interviewer, Iain Dale:
“How did that work? Did we pay money to Hoffenheim?”
