kingxlnc

There was an article on the Athletic about commercial revenue. In the comments, there were the usual ignorant comments so I put a quick point about where Newcastle were pre-Ashley. It’s amazing how the narrative is all centred around Ashley being a good business man etc. I just thought I’d share my comments and subsequent replies here too as there’s so much nonsense out there it gets annoying! my original comment: In 1999, based on commercial revenue until the end of the 1997-1998 season, Newcastle’s revenues were actually in the top 5 clubs in the world, second only to Manchester United in England. The Keegan era had really given the club such a strong foundation which they squandered big time. Ashley’s reign literally set them back decades, football moved on whilst NUFC was stuck in the dark ages, so much for Ashley being a top business man. The club and the region have so much potential, I wonder if they will ever get back to such heights again, but I’m glad they’ve now at least got the opportunity to. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/543805.stm

Towards the end of the book Mans Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl he talks about many of those who came out of the concentration camps, actually had to relearn how to feel. They had become so subdued and had buried all feeling to survive in there, that upon being free again life’s pleasures like flowers and sunshine and warm food etc didn’t really mean anything in the early days, as they had become so disillusioned and disenfranchised it felt like this good stuff was not even reality. It obviously sounds strange to a non NUFC fan but all of this talk of proper structures, proper footballing directors, and attacking managers and commercial revenue and actually trying to win games let alone being able to buy and not just loan players, feels a little bit like that at the moment. This is obviously normality for most but Mike Ashley really did bludgeon and batter and bruise the very life out of this club, to a faint barely surviving pulse. For a club literally famous for their passion and purpose and for whom football is everything, what he did can actually be likened to torture and many still be feeling the effects of trauma for a while. That’s also why other fans and the media criticisms seem particularly harsh and hard to bear right now I guess, as having survived long enough to tell the tale, as victims the last thing we want is to be gaslit, to minimise the trauma suffered and told that the victims are actually the oppressors.

Towards the end of the book Mans Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl he talks about many of those who came out of the concentration camps, actually had to relearn how to feel. They had become so subdued and had buried all feeling to survive in there, that upon being free again life’s pleasures like flowers and sunshine and warm food etc didn’t really mean anything in the early days, as they had become so disillusioned and disenfranchised it felt like this good stuff was not even reality. It obviously sounds strange to a non NUFC fan but all of this talk of proper structures, proper footballing directors, and attacking managers and commercial revenue and actually trying to win games let alone being able to buy and not just loan players, feels a little bit like that at the moment. This is obviously normality for most but Mike Ashley really did bludgeon and batter and bruise the very life out of this club, to a faint barely surviving pulse. For a club literally famous for their passion and purpose and for whom football is everything, what he did can actually be likened to torture and many still be feeling the effects of trauma for a while. That’s also why other fans and the media criticisms seem particularly harsh and hard to bear right now I guess, as having survived long enough to tell the tale, as victims the last thing we want is to be gaslit, to minimise the trauma suffered and told that the victims are actually the oppressors.

In the Athletic apparently an 'insider’ shared that was his nickname amongst some of the players says it all

Reading some of the exposes about him in the Athletic and general press recently, it really does seem it was the real life version of football manager where you tick the boxes to let your assistant manager do all the 'boring stuff' like training, etc and you go on holiday in the game to skip through to the odd game and the transfer window as fast as possible. The very definition of cruise control. Mike Ashley ran it like he didn't care, as did Lee Charnely. So to make up for that chronic lack of effort from above, you need to make up for that through your own effort and energy and intelligence. But it seems he embraced that culture himself, so instead of Rafa's double training sessions methodical work ethic, he managed it in a hands off way. No wonder the ship was sinking, it was completely rudderless. This is another reason why you can't really believe the whole its my boyhood club nonsense as if it really was, you'd be there all the time, soaking it in and doing your best to improve the situation, even if you are limited. You might be outclassed skills wise but you should never be outworked. Even that gains respect. His size and approach to fitness probably didn't help his energy and ability to handle things. Maybe he lost his own morale etc because of his hands being tied etc but when that happens the real dignity is doing what Gullit or Keegan did, holding your hands up and admit I can't carry on as it would be doing an injustice to the club and the fans etc. That's why what the club needs is either someone young hungry and energetic like Keegan first time around, eager to invest their best years, or someone highly highly professional, experienced and demanding who because of their high standards and very processes ensure they create the right culture. Bruce was neither, and this role really exposed him. Someone like Roy Hogdson only retired in the summer but was in his mid 70s, by all accounts he would outwork and out think Bruce on all accounts, let alone when you think about the likes of SBR.

I loved watching Kieron Dyer in his heyday and was unplayable on his day but we should have accepted that 25m bid or whatever it was from Man U. Defo did stick around too long.

This game for West Ham feels like our 4-0 loss game against Wigan back in April 2012. We were on a six match winning run and expected to continue that march towards the Champions League with Cisse perhaps in better form than Lingard is now. Think it'll shock them like it did us and they'll miss out on top 4.

Kluivert is definitely a good shout, I was so excited when we got him. He was fast losing interest in football in general but still had a touch of class which he showed in patches that season. Demba Ba for sure, only 18 months, and didn’t stop scoring wherever he went. Ben Arfa is the biggest tragedy even though he was signed up for four years, we saw less than two, taking into account injuries, Pardew and being released early. Other notable mentions: Hamann, Merino, Saha, Woodgate, Remy, Ginola, Emre, Ab.Faye, Domi, Distin As weird as it is, that strange spell of getting a random January loan striker, be it Facundo Feyrrera, Slimani, Luuk de Jong and Seydou Doumbia, all of them had decent track records but we didn’t really get to see much of them for it to materialise. Obviously Luuk we saw but he has done well elsewhere. For the others if they’d been given some actual game time perhaps they could have done something?

Surprised no one has said Joselu. Was a terrible toothless striker.

Other good shouts: Asprilla- Columbia Acuna- Chile Kluivert / Krul / Janmaat / Willems / Wijnaldum - Holland I agree with Ben Arfa but spoiled for choice from France. Potentially could go with Santon at left back - Italy Although you could maybe put Perez or Merino in, I’d go with Rafa to manage the team.

For me, Keegan leaving in 1997 is the biggest what-if moment in football, given what's happened since. A proper sliding doors moment. If he didn't leave then, or got replaced with Robson immediately, the way football looks today would have been completely different, to the extent where I feel NUFC would have continued to be a force, or at least still relevant instead the shell of a club you see today.

This was a really good watch, about Keegan's secrets of Leadership: I actually think he's one of the most underrated managers ever.

For some reason, I watched the 2008 press conference when Keegan came back again yesterday. It's really depressing to hear his words and his hope, versus what we've had in the period since and especially what we have in place now. He really, really understood the club and his audience and the minimum requirement to aspire for. The standards to hit and even the philosophy behind how the club should be. It's crazy to think that Bruce is supposed to be a Geordie whilst Keegan is from Doncaster. You'd think if anyone is supposed to 'get it' - it should be Bruce but he is so far removed from the reality.

It's a strange one with Shearer. Like most if not all of you of a certain age, he was my absolute favourite player growing up (I'm 36) and felt he represented us with pride, passion and performance. But as I've gotten older, I've found I really rated him as a player, but not so much nowadays, as a pundit or personality. Don't get me wrong, he'll always be a legend etc - I just find that I much more identify with Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson, in terms of what they stand for, and in terms of their values and principles. Those guys I could listen to all day, watch documentaries about, read their autobiography and be inspired. Probably not the case with Shearer though. Is that weird?

Because Baker, bread etc I don't rate him either

To be fair we do deserve butter than Steve Bruce, all that tactical work Rafa did has just gone stale Donut get me started on the list of things I miss about Rafa I miss Grain Carr too - I don't crust Steve Nickson, he gives me the crepes Stick a fork in me

A cheeky bid for Lewis Baker?

Is this a bread joke? Panini A roll Baguette A loaf ???

On another note is anyone still connecting Panini football stickers 2013? I’m on a roll but I’d give you a Ba, get a loaf Mellberg.

What I don’t get is why A-naan-da Statevely has gone quiet all of a sudden

We need to sign a player in the mould of a modern Pitta Breadsley

Since the takeover fell through the constant speculation from French sources has been le ‘pain’

I couldn't decide so I put it down to the moments I was most embarassed to be a fan, and even to the point of walking away. Rafa leaving was definitely straw that broke the camel's back moment. I said 'I'm done' - once that happened. Other times were: Treatment of Ben Arfa (our best player at the time and why you'd pay to watch) Kinnear association Carver period One of the ones not listed for me was the almost sabotaged loss of reputation and status. After Keegan rebuilt a club that was on its knees, NUFC were always considered a big or important club. Even in not so successful seasons, we could still attract players and there was a level of prestige. In my lifetime of supporting, NUFC have never had quite as many journeymen and 'honest pros' as during Ashleys tenure. To the point where it's no longer considered on the level of Spurs, Everton etc (all clubs we've been above for most of the PL era) and now on a par or trying to compete with Bournemouth, Brighton, Burnley, West Brom and even considered a 'yo-yo' club. How does that even happen without chronic negligence? The biggest myth of all is that Ashley is a good businessman - but what good businessman sees commercial revenues go down under their watch at a time when there's never been more money in the game?

Other than SBR spotting his talent, it was also Keegan who brought him inside to play centre mid - where he went on to have so much success with Villa and as he said in the video, his favourite position. That's despite only being known as a winger at that point. Shows him to be more than just a 'motivator' - he would have made Milner in to Rob Lee Mk II I reckon. I think the whole Schweinsteiger / Milner nonsense was way worse than the Nacho Gonzalez thing in terms of Keegan second time around.

1 Keegan(1st spell) - no brainer 2 Sir Bobby - no brainer 3 Rafa - bought back hope and class 4 Hughton - best work was in the Championship but shows how bad the rest of them have been the fact he is number 4 out of 14 5 Keegan(2nd spell) - wasn't here for long enough 6 Roeder - 7th place finish plus decent bloke but that was a terribly weak team and he was not a good fit for what was still a glamorous club then 7 Dalglish - he destroyed Keegan's team and played negative football and signed crap. But 2nd first half season, FA Cup, Barca 3-2 and the quartet of Solano, Speed, Given and Hamann 8 Gullit - FA cup final and signed Dyer but again not great 9 Souness - destroyed SBR's team and fell out with everyone. Only this high because still went far in Europe and had a decent start. 10 Allardyce - Dire football but wasn't here long enough to rank lower than other stinkers 11 Pardew - how is he not bottom? Only that 5th season which was genuinely an enjoyable season. 12 McClaren - Wasted talent, just weak and not sure how he got a team with Wijanldum, Sissoko, Thauvin, Coloccini, Mitrovic etc relegated. 13 Kinnear - the least said the better 14 Carver - comfortably the worst - doesn't belong in management and was out of his depth from day one. Embarassing