Planning ahead?Turbulent. One word to describe the roller-coaster ride of Mike Ashley’s reign at Newcastle United. But with various reports cropping up about players that we are looking at and with the return of the scouting system that brought us the likes of Tamas Kadar, Haris Vuckic and Nile Ranger, could this be the signal that Mike Ashley is prepared to stick with Newcastle for the forseeable future?
Recent reports have suggested that the newest addition to the scouting network, Graham Carr, has been a busy bee and is already compiling a list of players that would improve the team should we secure what looks to be a likely promotion. Names such as Jamie O’Hara, Pablo Hernandez from Valencia, Getafe’s Juan Albin, Yohan Cabaye from Lille aswell as youngsters like Adama Diakite, have all been linked with us in recent weeks, and all of these players fit the criteria which Ashley himself has talked of implementing. (more…)
Player's wages locked somewhere safe?A rather disturbing allegation has emerged from today’s Daily Mirror which claims that owner Mike Ashley is dangling the carrot of a pay-cut in front of the players should they win promotion to the Premier League. Usually it works the other way round, where players get either a bonus or pay rise for helping the club reach the Premier League and the riches it contains but it seems that this won’t be the case at Newcastle United.
Now you’ll forgive my scepticism as the Mirror has hardly been the last bastion of truth, but this rumour does seem to fit in with Ashley’s vision of how to run a football club, and we all know he is great at doing that!
If your ‘sarcasm meter’ blew up because of that last sentence then I apologise, but it shoudn’t detract from how potentially damaging this story could be whether it be truth or pure fabrication. Aimed at stars such as Kevin Nolan, Alan Smith, Jonas Gutierrez and Fabricio Coloccini the deal that is being offered is apparently an extension to their current deal but with no extra cash, so they will still be getting the same money from the contract just over a longer period of time. (more…)
Llambias: Stiff defence.Newcastle United’s Managing Director, Derek Llambias has once again mounted a stiff defence of the club’s owner, Mike Ashley. He reiterated that the club has now moved well away from the ‘trophy’ signings of the Shepherd era, and more towards the development of younger talent. Llambias also raised the spectre of Portsmouth’s current financial situation as a warning once again, heavily hinting that Newcastle may have gone the similar way if the decadance of the Shepherd years were allowed to continue.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Llambias made comments on a this theme recently, and he he seems to be on some kind of ‘counter offensive’ on behalf of Mike Ashley, himself, and their current stewardship of Newcastle United. He elaborates further in this interview though, and he began by contrasting the old model with the new, saying:
“We have to take a realistic view. Hopefully we will be there (in the Premier League) and we will have to have a squad that will keep us there. But that needs to grow.”
Hinting at the decadence of the Shepherd years and many previous, poorly negotiated contracts for players, he went on: (more…)
(L to R): Hall, Routledge, Williamson, Best, SimpsonJanuary came and went for Newcastle United fans but not with the usual disappointment following zero investment. No, the 2010 January transfer window proved to be an opportunity when even Mike Ashley realised some financial speculation was the right thing to do, not least because it might see a return on his money. But this isn’t a debate about the owner or his intentions. This is a first glance review of the lads we brought in during the January transfer window and what I think of them so far.
It was clear to a lot of us that we needed recruitment in various areas and while some of the gaps were filled, we also got the surprise package of Wayne Routledge. Not all of the players met with universal glee and obviously the jury is out for all of them still. Each were signed for an ‘undisclosed fee’ which seems to be the order of the day in many modern transfers. So it’s difficult to conclude whether they’re value for money or not, but here goes anyway: (more…)
Llambias and Ashley the "Saviour".Newcastle United’s Managing Director, Derek Llambias has hit back at what he described as “a small and very negative group” who “insist on chanting ugly and abusive comments” directed at the club’s Southern owner, Mike Ashley. He also added that “If it wasn’t for Mike’s continued input, we would be in a similar position to Portsmouth.” Of course, Portsmouth are a club who are currently under Administration, and have even faced the threat of complete extinction in recent weeks.
Indeed, Newcastle United did find themselves in a very difficult financial situation after years of financial mismanagement and misappropriation of funds by previous chairmen, Sir John Hall and Freddy Shepherd, with the situation coming to a head when Ashley found over £100 million of hidden debt after taking over the club without performing adequate “Due Diligence” on the club’s accounts. (more…)
