macca888

Ashley has already admitted in several occasions over the last couple of months that he has no intention of selling up and that he is in it for the long haul. Furthermore, he is acting extremely responsibly by seeking business partners to take some of the financial load of his companies to enhance the club further. On top of this, he is marketing the club in Asia and possibly Africa by setting up partnerships. There is absolutely no evidence at al that Ashley is thinking of selling up. Infact, quite the reverse with the very active and responsible long term business plans he is establishing for the club. He is a refreshing change from the Shepherd administration which Ashley is still paying for and once this debt is all managed, then the purse strings should be reasonably substantially released. Rome wasnt built in a day. Be patient.

As I have said in another thread, if Keegan decides to walk away, then it is only because he has failed to integrate himself into the current strategic management strructure devised by the club to be more organised, visionary and work within a budget whilst still dealing with the debt left by the previous administration. Keegan is an old style manager, mentored by out dated tacticians and a self admitted limited tactician himself. Since his days as a player under the likes of Shankley, Paisley, Cox etc, the game has changed massively to the point where football is no longer a sport but a business and communication tool worldwide. As a business, clubs are required to operate in management structures, within set budgetary allocations and design strategic short and long term plans to enable success both on and off the pitch. Unfortunately, there are a number of issues that are currentely affecting the short term plans for the club and these need to be addressed immediately: 1.. As a number of posters on here have already identified, I firmly believe the club misses the management style of Chris Mort. I think he showed wonderful business acumen and superb communicatiin skills whilst he was at the club and the current appointee has failed dismally in replacing Mort certainly in the communication side of thoings. I was also under the impression that Llambias was leaving the club soon anyway. We really desperately need a Mortlike spokesman back as soon as possible. 2...As much as I wanted KK to succeed, I have always felt that emotionally, the job was always going to be too big for him uopn his return to the changes in the game since he last stint in charge of the club. The fact that he knew of the Wise/Vetere/Jimeniez appointments prior to taking the job should have seen a more team management side of business at the club. Unfortunately, as has been shown in the past too many times for KK, his ego will not allow this type of strategic management and therefore, he should retire altogether from football management. 3.. Not one of us really knows what has gone on behind the scenes but one thing is for sure, I bet a months salary that Ashley and his management team would have neither sought nor initiated this latest fracas as the club and that whatever happens over the next few days, it will be clear to all concerned that any truces made will never result in a full trust between all parties and that the only result will be in KK leaving the club sooner rather than later. Finally, as I said in another post, you can castigate Ashley and Co. as much as you like, but if it was not for his intervention in buying the club 15 months ago, we would probably all be following Gateshead or Blue Star by now. The previous administration had put the club in so much debt, with little saleable assets, that the only way for us was down. Ashley saved the club from this and is still paying off the debt left behind. His management style is to ensure we do not fall into this position again and if he has to penny pinch for a season or two to avoid this and build up a business that is once again, financially marketable, then the long term plan is the better moption. Unfortunately, it is my belief that KK wanted instant success and that was never going to happen. To summarise, Ashley and Co. are thinking with their heads, KK is thinking with his heart and we know that his backing of Milner, Smith and Barton was pulling on the heart strings. The 12 million we got for Milner was definitely a terrific result, whether Keegan likes it or not.

Merlin Quite right too. There would be some on this board who cannot see the woods for the trees here. Certain people who have castigated the likes of Smith, Barton and Milner for years are backing Keegan for wanting to keep them whilst the baord have or wanted to move them on whilst still saleable assets. In my view, the situation is currently at a stalemate. I think it will be more beneficial for all concerned if KK left now because it is clear that the situation will have left a bad taste in the mouth and confidence in both parties will be difficult to redeem. I was reading an article today in the Guardian displaying KKs success rate in all his management appointments over games played. He is currently on 29% win rate which is well down on his 62% win rate during his previous term at NUFC. Whilst there are obvious reasons for this, I still would have expected a better return from him at this stage. Keegan is quite right about one thing. The squad is very thin. I doubt very much that Michael Owen was mooted to move on deadline day by the board, especially as he was offered an improved contract two days earlier. I do believe the board tried to move Smith and Barton and could have replaced them with players on stand by. The Milner transfer at 12 million was an exceptional piece of business. Keegan needs to understand that the game is different now and management teams operate at clubs worldwide rather than one man having the overall say. Keegan's ego does not fit into the modern day football management structure and if you look at most clubs, management teams meet and discuss business and formaulate decisions based on short and long term strategic planning. Keegan has and never will fit into this style of management and that is another reason why he should leave, unless he is willing to adapt to change. I dont think he will be able to because his experience is mostly built around management mentors like Bill Shankly which are now totally out of date. Finally, before I get the usual inept and factually innaccurate tirade from NE5, this is my opinion, which I believe I am entitled too. If you dont like it, dont waste your time in replying to this post.

Quite frankly, I am not really all that surprised at this development. It is a mirror image of Keegans tactic of forcing SJH hand when he walked out in 1992. Just about every job he has had has ended in some sort of controversy with him throwing his dummy because he couldnt get his own way. When you analyse the situation where the previous regime took the club to the brink of administration, we should all be thankful to Ashley for saving us from obscurity and putting in place a strategy for the future based on a healthy business plan where the club does not run the risk of repeating the financial black hole we fell into under Shepherd. Success doesnt happen overnight unless the club has a super rich benefactor like Man City and Chelsea and Ashley is taking the club along the right lines in order to achieve some sort of success in the future without putting the club into unmanageable debt. He may be a billionaire but he is also a shrewd businessman and we should appreciate the fact that he has put the club financially back on its feet. KK has a history of impatience and whilst he may have been promised substantial funds, it is possible that the players we are or have been after have looked at the club in general and seen years of failure in the trophy winning cabinet, year after year of conflict and mismangement and thought that they would be better off elsewhere. In short, the club still needs to stabilise after several years of problems associated with bad appointments and financial overspends. Ashley is trying to do the right thing here in adapting his business strategy and KK needs to accept that the club is not run the same way as it was in the 90s. Success will not be immediate but needs to be built, like Arsenal or Ferguson at MU. We need stabilisation and a management system that works together over many years. Ashley can achieve this but not with Keegan. He is not the right man for the job because of his record of petulance and impatience. A manager like Mark Hughes would have been perfect for our club. If KK has walked, then I believe the club will be better for it. It cannot be run by one man's opinions.

If they are so badly off, how could they spend 20 million on Keane, 8 on Dossena, 12 on Riera and only rake in 11 for Crouch, 4 for Risse?

interesting comments on NUFC official site from KK at the press conference Sounds as though Milner was moved to move someone better in before the deadline, maybe the wow signing. Someone mentioned Beckham, or could it really be Henry? Maybe this was what the meeting on wednesday was really about..............interesting 4 days ahead

Here goes By friday, there will be a merry go round of players happening. Robinho to Chelsea, Milner to Villa, Maluda to Newcastle? With Martins out injured, Smith to Everton, Shola will stay and Saviola to come in on loan. New left back bought and the WOW signing will be Arshavin next Monday. We can only hope..........lyke

Unfortunately, they will be much stronger this year with their new signings. Apparently, they have signed Healey from Fulham and Ferdinand from WHU today, so they are going to be stronger this year. With Jones still to come back, they have strengthened up front and Ferdinand will add stability to the back. Their squad is no longer thin, not like ours but whilst we have more quality, I am worried that when injuries and suspensions kick in, we might suffer. I thought they played quite well against Liverpool and I dont think the Spuds will find them a pushover this weekend. Sunderland will not go down this season and will take a few suprise points this season. Having said that, I expect to bat them at home and draw at their place, at the very least.

One of the best midfield players I have ever seen and certainly, the best player I have seen in Newcastle colours.......by a country mile

ROUMERS? Fuck sake, Fleetwood Mac would be crying in their Beer, if they read that.

Just to support previous posts, my wife is russian and I asked her to read both papers as well as others on the net and she told me that there was no mention of Arshavin and NUFC agreeing terms. Only mention was something to do with russian players superstitions at euro 2008 and how the country believe they should be performing better

I hate the little twat but Maradona's second against England in the 86 world cup in Mexico, if you can call his first a goal, that is. Best Newcastle goal ever seen: f For sheer importance, I cannot split Shearer's second against Spurs in the 99 cup semi from Maric's lay back or Supermac's run on to Hibbits through ball in the 74 semi againat Burnley.

NE5 If you read the post again, I didnt agree with you. Have a look at my selection in defence against yours. Regarding Keegan, once he wins a trophy, I will believe he is a sucess. Until then, he is a good man manager and that is all. And you know that I am right, but wont admit it.

MIDDS Maybe not for us, but didnt he win footballer of the year at the Spuds after leaving us?

I hate to to say this, but NE5's team is pretty damn good. However, I think I would be making a couple of changes in defence. I would have Moncur instead of Burton and Alan Kennedy instead of Clark. I would have found a place for Bryan "Pop" Robson on the bench. I am pleased NE5 included the best player I have ever seen in a black and white shirt...........Tony Green.

We were late in for Woodgate and it would appear we are late in again for Modric. It is a clear case of the London/Lancashire effect with players preferring top 4 or capital leading lights to the likes of perennial under achievers such as ourselves. Once again, we have been used and abused and played for fools by selling clubs. It is now time to box clever and tell them that no matter how good the player is, we can find better elsewhere so fuyck off and stick him where it hurts. I havent seen this kid play and by all accounts, he is quality...............in CROATIA. It may be a different kettle of fish in the EPL and he wont be pulling up any trees at the Yids.

mrainey Ever lived in Australia, by any chance? You are not the Mick Rainey who played and coached at Diamond Valley, are you? As far as I remember, he was a toon fan.

SPEC I bet he is hopeless at PENALTIES as well.

So, NE5, what you are actually saying here is that you are proud of yesterdays performance? Maybe you were happy to see us gain valuable points against Bolton and Boro too? Maybe you are also happy to note that the once great messiah has coached his team to get 4 shots on target in 5 games? Lets be honest here, I dont rate Keegan, never really have to be honest and after conceding 4 against Villa yesterday and still playing the lokes of Carr, Butt and Smith when Viduka, Enrigue and Faye would have been better employed just reminds me what I already know. Keegan is a nice bloke but we are heading towards the championship under his stewardship. By the way, you dont need to show yourself up anymore than you normally do as being the prize dope of the forum by making silly little primary schoool remarks. There again, carry on, dopey. Everyone on here needs to have a good laugh and you are certainly, by a long way, the CLOWN PRINCE of this forum.

What a joke thread. So, you really believe appointing a dominant captain will solve all our problems? Seems to me you are living in cloud cuckoo land. Our problems are simple: We are not a team, nor have we looked like one all season. We do not defend as a team, we do not create as a team. We have too many weak areas all over the park and too many players who hide when the going gets tough. Furthermore, we have had and still have, managers who do not understand the basic principles of the game, such as accurate passing, movement off the ball, support in depth and width when defending and attacking. F......... Capello wouldnt be able to manage this rabble.

Smarty I think you have every right to be s........ yourself. Keegan (a self admitted non tactician) allied to a (what appears to be) no.2 Terry McDermott, alias the clown, spells disaster for me. I said it when Ashely appointed the bloke, BIG MISTAKE and I see no reason to change my mind. If we avoid relegation this year, it will be by the skin of our teeth and we will all be having heart attacks right up until the last minute of the season, especially with our last two games being at home to Chelsea and away to Everton. If we go down, KK will be off, like most of the players and we will have to start all over again. I see very little light at the end of the tunnell.

So, we have another moody bloody frenchman to deal with. Well, like most of the others, they will probably fade into obscurity once he leaves the club. My view: Stick 15 million quid on the pricks head, stick him in the ressies for the rest of the season and when they come knocking in the summer, accept 12 million and not a penny less. I dont see a lot of difference between Zog and Downing on their day and that seems to be the going rate for the Boro winger. As for missing his contribution by sticking him in the ressies..................What contribution has that been in recent weeks???

Ahhhhhhhhhhh memories My lasting memory The bloke in the brown overcoat walking round the cindertrack before the game shouting: PEANUTS, TANNER A BAG, PEANUTS, TANNER A BAG Ohhh, and those bloody awful boiled hambuegers on stale buns and THE BOILING HOT PLASTIC CUP OF BOVRIL Ahhhhhhhhhh, happy days

MJ Yes, good effort and all that, but defensively, allowing Tevez in at the near post was a major goof. By the ay, didnt the inferior West Ham defeat Manure last week?

This all depends on what you call success. A few on here (mostly NE5) knoiw my feelings about KK. Yes, he played entertaining football, caught the imagination of most of the country, but ultimately, he won nothing for us. IMO, that is not success. Teams like Leicester, Oxford, Swindon and Ipswich have won domestic trophies since we last won one. That is plainly ridiculous and a bloody disgrace. Please notice that I have also deliberately failed to mention our great unwashed rivals from the Tees and Wear who have also won something ahead of us. Too many on here want to think back into a time warp about 5-0 defeats of Manure and 12 points clear. Pity they beat us to the title, isnt it? Where we stand at the moment, success could be termed as avoiding a relegation battle this year, spend shedloads in the summer and qualify for the EUFA cup next year or even better. I have my doubts on a number of reasons: 1. It is a vastly different competition now to what it was 11 years ago. More teams are involved in challenging the top teams and it would be infinitely more difficult to crack the top 3 or 4. 2. More money is available to other clubs due to foreign ownership and sky money so quality players will be that much more difficult to attract. 3. Whilst apparently, KK is good motivator, he hsnt got the tactical nous to taken on the best in the business. 4. Our Youth set up is virtually non productive whilst other clubs are so far ahead of us in that aspect. 5. KK will do what he has done at virtually every other job he has had. As soon as someone disagrees with him, toys are thrown from the pram and he will walk. Sorry to say, romanticism in football is a rarity in this day and age and if everyone is looking for a short term fix, forget it. It isnt going to happen under KK. As for quality foreign managers and coaches, I am sure we could have got the best of the lot if we had allowed our heads to rule our hearts rather than the other way around.....................Guus Hiddink. What a crying shame.