Off to Spain perhapsAs far as the sale saga goes, this week really must be it.
I can’t believe Ashley would let it run into the last week of the transfer window to sell the club, leaving mere days to strengthen the extremely threadbare squad. According to press articles of late, ‘D-Day’ is either today, tomorrow or Friday. Thursday is reported to be upset about being overlooked.
So what’s the latest? Well there’s nothing much new. Yesterday’s Journal claims that Barclays Bank will make a decision about Moat’s loan by Wednesday and claims that Shearer will be manager in time for the Crystal Palace match on Saturday if Barclays gives it the thumbs-up.
Meanwhile it seems that Joe Kinnear has been telling ‘friends in football’ that he will be manager by the end of this week if the sale falls through.
Personally I have no faith in Barclays. When I was 18 I applied for a loan from them myself in order to buy a MkI 3-litre Capri and they turned me down. If they couldn’t afford to lend me £700 I can’t see how they can lend Barry Moat £20m. (more…)
Shola: Chuckle Brothers love in.Newcastle United hat-rick hero, Shola Ameobi, has issued a plea to stick with Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood in the dug-out.
Speaking in the afterglow of his hat-rick demolition of Reading on Saturday, which he dedicated to his mentor, the late, great Sir Bobby Robson, Shola said:
“Chris and Colin have done some fantastic things in what is an impossible situation” adding “If the owner doesn’t sell the club we’ve got two guys there who we believe in.”
“There’s been a lot of turmoil upstairs and it’s something we as players can’t do anything about. All I have seen is that the lads really respect Chris and Colin. It’d be great to have a manager but if that doesn’t happen we have got two guys there who can lift us and get us winning games to get back into the Premier League. I’ve seen a response. Even players you’d assume wouldn’t want to be here.”(more…)
I think the signing of a new player, albeit only on a four and a half month loan, marks a bit of a turning point in the club sale saga. I suspect what it means is that Ashley is more or less resigned to failure (again) in his attempts to sell the club and is preparing to remain as owner until at least January.
I’m guessing we’ll see a new manager appointed shortly, probably Joe Kinnear if he’s fit enough. I just can’t see too many other managers being interested in working under Ashley with an extremely tight budget and with a short-term outlook on things. Red Adair would be a good choice.
As to the players that have gone, the list currently numbers nine – Owen, Viduka, Cacapa, Lovenkrands, Edgar, Nacho, Martins, Bassong, Beye – and if Duff and Steven Taylor leave too that’ll be eleven players who’ve gone and one who’s been brought in.
Personally, I’d rather we’d kept Steven Taylor, Duff, Bassong and Beye and got rid of Coloccini, Barton, Nolan and Ryan Taylor, although some or all from that latter group may yet depart. I know Barton’s not a bad player and should shine in the Championship but, sorry, I just think he’ll screw up again – either on or off the pitch – and as far as I’m concerned he’s too much of a risk. As to Coloccini, well, he simply hasn’t done it for us and I would love to see us get a decent fee for him and send him on his way (by invisible bicycle maybe). (more…)
Dix - Nee politics at Reading game. Newcastle United’s honourary Vice-President, Malcolm Dix, says he does not expect fans to wash their dirty linen in public during our home clash against Reading on Saturday evening. Speaking to Tyneside rag, the Chronic, he said:
“For 90 minutes I think the fans will divorce the politics from the club and get behind the 11 players who are picked for the Reading game.
“This club is ultimately about what happens on the pitch.
“I think there was a good team spirit displayed at West Brom and it’s a start we can build on against Reading.
“If Newcastle can win well it can lay the foundations for a good season, one we all hope that we can return to the Premier League in.
“The game is also in front of the TV cameras and judging our crowd over the years, it’s usually the sort of occasion in which the fans get right behind the lads.”
Dix, an accountant who was an important part of the John Hall Politburo at Saint James’s Park in the ‘nineties added: (more…)
What's gannin on Mike?Still nothing on the takeover and some reports have indicated that Ashley has not set a deadline for completion, although I think it’s reasonable to assume that some sort of deadline will eventually be set to allow him time to do some work on the transfer market if he has to keep the club.
As we know, the press often claim to have ‘sources’ giving them the inside story on these things, but there seem to be lots of contradictory opinions about this takeover and I doubt the validity of these ‘sources’ even more than usual given the strict non-disclosure agreements signed by Ashley and the bidders.
For example, depending upon what you read, Barry Moat is either the only bidder with a hope of taking over Newcastle United or he’s way out of the running and instead two unnamed bidders are much more in contention.
As to the manager situation, for all we know a lot of that could be a ploy by Ashley to make it look like he’s serious about staying on if necessary, sending a message to potential bidders that they’d better not wait until the last minute in the hope that he’ll lose his nerve and accept a low bid.
Then again, he certainly will need a manager if he doesn’t sell, so sounding out various managers is no bad idea anyway.
What I’m really saying is that I think a lot of what the press are writing is a load of old toot and we may as well just wait for something official. (more…)
