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…)
Moat still in pole position?The Mirror claims that a new bidder is going to enter the race to buy Newcastle United before Wednesday’s deadline, although they say Barry Moat still remains in pole position.
Apparently the bid will be made direct to Ashley, rather than Keith Harris at Seymour Pierce, and – I presume – without having performed a due diligence. A ‘source close to the bidders’ had this to say:
“There have been so many D-days and so many false dawns that they have done their best to keep this late move under wraps.
“This offer has been properly planned and has cost a lot to put together.
“It will be a credible offer and if Mike Ashley is serious about selling the club he will seriously consider it.
“Ashley has said he will take the club off the market if his latest deadline isn’t met, but this offer should give him something to think about.
“Something will happen in the next couple of days.
“It is being made directly to Ashley and his advisers and that is all that can be said about it at the moment.”
I must admit I’m wearing my doubtful face again. (more…)
Embargo?According to The Journal an embargo has been placed on all transfers until the new owners are in place.
They quote a ‘senior United source’ who says:
“There will be no players coming or going until the takeover has been completed. There will not be a firesale and it is up to the new owners and manager to decide who comes and who goes.
“The transfer market does not really get going until August, and Newcastle will not be doing any business until a buyer has been found. It is all on hold.”
This position was backed up by Alex Black, Alan Smith’s agent, who said:
“Newcastle United have put a sort of embargo on any players moving in or out of the club until the situation is resolved in terms of ownership.” (more…)
Owen - Can't stop smiling now.As you all probably know, Michael Owen passed his medical and signed for Manchester United yesterday in a surprising swoop by puce faced supremo, Alex Ferguson. After a season in Toon hell, rejection by Don Fabio, and sly putdowns from the likes of Dave Whelan, and not forgetting of course much scorn for an alleged poor attitude in times of need from a significant proportion of the NUFC fanbase; the pint sized assassin must have thought “back of the net!” when he heard a recognisable Govan brogue on the end of his receiver. The result is apparently a two year, performance related deal at Old Trafford.
Ferguson said on signing the hitman; “Michael is a world-class forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level”.
After a very busy day completing the formalities of signing for the North West titan, Owen describes what happened in an exclusive interview with MUTV’s Mandy Henry. Here’s the transcript.
How does it feel to have signed for Manchester United?
“It feels great. I never even had it in my wildest dreams really but then I got the call from the manager to come and meet him. It was a shock but I’m obviously really happy and things have moved quickly since then.”(more…)
Smith & Taylor - staying or gannin'? The general consensus in the press is that things will reach a conclusion regarding Newcastle’s new owner soon. I don’t think the press actually have a clue who will be the new owner and I’m sure they just make most of it up, but I think they’re probably right that something will be announced by early next week.
Why do I think that? I don’t know – it just feels about right. Call it gut instinct. In fact let’s call it ‘sources close to the club‘ – my fictional sources are as valid as the fictional sources the press use.
So, let’s reword that: sources close to the club insist the new owner will be in place by next week. Now I’m sounding like a real journalist.
What I wanted to do was speculate as to what needs to be done in terms of players when the new owner takes over.
We have already started pre-season training and our first pre-season match is on Saturday 11th July. It’s feasible that the new owner will be in place by then and a new manager will have been appointed, particularly if that new manager is Shearer because he’s just sat around with his thumb up his bum waiting to get started. If the new owner doesn’t favour Shearer then it might take a bit longer to get a manager in place. (more…)
