Ashley has failed Newcastle United.

[NE5]

What reasons were there for not hiring them at that point?

 

To me, reading 'between the lines', i see 3 major issues - the pre determined direction of the club - Spurs/Arsenal model which look for future gems and  the continental set up, i see keegans list and i see wise's list.

 

Now the set up and direction has been discussed and agreed with, we're all fine there, now we get to the lists, again, reading between the lines i see names like Dunne and Riise being bandied around on keegans list - older, no sell on value, no long term value, high wages, keegan doesnt have the knowledge of good young up and comers becasue he;s been out the game for so long - no one will of been rinign him up in those 3 years saying "keep an eye out for this lad etc etc" , i doubt he had a decent grasp of the wuropean games either. Wise et al DO, and they stuck to the clubs direction signing young players as well as players who arent on high wages and do have a decent sell on value (whihc is indicative of their value to the club), now here we hit the fork road - do we look to go after all keegans unsuitable targets or go after the ones that do fit in with the proviso?

 

I know, and i think you know that the club should be going the direction that the owner wanted it to.

 

the only direction the  club should be going is the tried, tested and proven method of  the last 100 years

 

Which is quite simply that the highest placed clubs are that because they buy the best players.

 

So less of the "system" bollocks and attempting to defend a bunch of amateurs.

 

The manager runs the club. He picks his staff and scouting systems. He picks who to sell and who to buy. And his board back him as much as possible, which in the case of NUFC is a damn sight more than poxy little clubs that have to incorporate "business plans" and financial limits simply because they are poxy little clubs that need to do it because they are poxly little clubs. Whatever people who say they supported the club when they tried to adopt such a policy.........as knackerjacks and idiots like mick says to the contrary............  mackems.gif

 

End of story

 

 

 

you know enough about football to know that this doesn't tell the whole story - liverpool, who dominated for decades didn't just buy the best players a la chel$ki did they?  they bought good players and made them the best players in most cases whilst also making sure they were bringing through their own players, it was scouting & coaching in a lot of cases as much as just money

 

man u famously spent 25 years or so without the title, during that time they broke british transfer record after transfer record but it was only when fergie combined their spending power with a well maintained/scouted & coached youth system did they become what they are now

 

arsenal speaks for itself, prior to wenger they were like liverpool - brought players through but spent also, same now actually but the weight is with development i guess

 

you can't argue with any of this can you NE5?  therefore, imo, ashleys main failing with trying to implement the "system" you seem to so willingly ridicule is that he's not backed it with hard cash on the first team, but then none of us know what his intentions are/were/will be with regards the club

 

i don't know enough about what they've set up at grass roots level but it seems a little slapdash to me as i've heard about dennis wise & his team but what i'd really like to have heard about was the club targetting top class youth coaches to bring players on - there's no point in bringing in the kids if we have coaches who can't get enough out of them...as i say i don't know enough about this side but as i've heard nothing from anywhere about it i'll assume we've got the same youth coaches we had before who wrung virtually nothing out of the system

 

it's almost like ashley 'heard' the way to go was to follow this 'system' but doesn't fully understand it or something, much like most of the posters on here imo who spent half the summer lauding ashley's lack of transfer activity and are probably now carrying pitchforks and burning torches roaming northumberland st in the hope of spotting the new "fat bastard" so they can run him out of town

 

 

of course I can't, I won't and never have. They did buy the best players though, they broke transfer records when their managers wanted the player and accepted it is how it has to be done. Thats the whole point, setting high standards targets and backing the manager.

 

The experience of ManU is proof of the fact that even the biggest and best clubs make errors of judgement when appointing managers by the way. Its the outlook and ambition of the board that make the football club what it is ie most of the managers they appointed had merit in different ways, they appointed from within, from outside, they appointed ready made big names, and picked an up and coming one from the lower leagues. But they were all sacked when it became obvious they weren't going to succeed.

They also won a few FA Cup along the way too, remember.

 

 

 

[NE5]

NE5

 

So, utterly predictable, am I?

 

Answer me the following questions:

 

1.......Were you happy to see Ashley rid the club of 80 million pounds debt incurred by your beloved fat boy freddie?

2........Are you happy with the standard of football so far this season?

3........Are you happy with a ratio of 6 wins out of 21 games, a 29% win record achieved by Keegan in his time here?

4........Although thin, do you consider the current squad of players better than under Allardyce, Roeder etc?

 

I doubt very much you could answer any of these questions either honestly or sensibly because you suffer from the disease of "woods and trees".

 

And just to reiterate, no, I dont believe Keegan has been a success here in football management,. just like he failed to be a success with Fulham, Man City and England. However, as a PR man, I think Keegan is top rank.

 

I also had a great laugh at your comment about sticking to the tried and trusted method of the last 100 years. That would be the method that has seen us fail to win a domestic trophy for 53 years in spite of the millions we have shelled out to a succession of managers, including Keegan.

 

You need to grow up and smell the roses, sunshine. This club needs to move ahead and at least try the continental approach because your tried and trusted method just doesnt work. And before you say it worked under Keegan 1992-97, answer me the question..............What trophy did he win for us? As far as I remember, he managed to lose us the best chance of winning the league for 70 years.

 

The only real mistake Ashley has made is appointing the wrong man to this system in January, as pointed on numerous threads over the past few days, by several posters.

 

And if you mdont like MY OPINION, you can stick it where the sun doesnt shine, that is, if you actually have just the one......you tosser.

 

 

http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=48415.msg1132894#msg1132894

 

its quite easy finding macca888's old posts, I only had to go to page 2 of his history to find when he last posted ....... tripe ie surfaced.

 

The comments in this thread are just some of a long line of complete rubbish over the years.

 

Lets hope the club don't spend the next 10 years again trying to find someone to emulate his "failure".

 

 

[macca888]

Unfortunately for you, Facts speak louder than words.

 

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

[NE5]

People keep talking about this bit as if it makes Ashley such a top bloke, when in reality all it has done is add to the value of the club he owns 100%. He bought us for 130 million or whatever, then paid off 80 million debt, so as far as he's concerned the club is now worth 210 million,

 

I'd save your breath, people don't listen.

 

Even when he sells up and makes a big fat profit, they'll still deny it and put their fingers in their ears.

 

who on earth are you talking about 

 

 

[macca888]

Darth

 

I seem to recall in an interview somewhere recently that Ashley advised that there was still 27 million pounds still to pay off from the spendthrift days of the previous administration.

 

If correct, this will also have an effect on the value of the club, if a new buyer decides to make an offer acceptable to him.

[NE5]

Unfortunately for you, Facts speak louder than words.

 

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

 

I've answered you plenty of times macca lad, I've also asked you a whole load of questions over the years.

 

I'll let others look up your history to see the rubbish you spout. As I said, you've disappeared for a while, so they don't have to rake very far.

 

 

[Guest Sniffer]

27 million is peanuts to anybody thinking about buying the Toon. If it is a consideration, they can't afford this toy.

[Benwell Lad]

 

the only direction the  club should be going is the tried, tested and proven method of  the last 100 years

 

Which is quite simply that the highest placed clubs are that because they buy the best players.

 

So less of the "system" bollocks and attempting to defend a bunch of amateurs.

 

The manager runs the club. He picks his staff and scouting systems. He picks who to sell and who to buy. And his board back him as much as possible, which in the case of NUFC is a damn sight more than poxy little clubs that have to incorporate "business plans" and financial limits simply because they are poxy little clubs that need to do it because they are poxly little clubs. Whatever people who say they supported the club when they tried to adopt such a policy.........as knackerjacks and idiots like mick says to the contrary............  mackems.gif

 

End of story

 

 

 

Pity Ashley didn't have the £100 million he had to pay off the debt, I wonder what Keegan would have been able to do with half that?

 

Crazy how the man who has put more of his personal wealth into NUFC than anyone becomes more despised than those who went before him and took money out. He really has fecked up !

 

Also funny that when Bobby Robson was stabbed in the back there was so little uproar but when Keegan walks (maybe rightly so) there is huge uproar. It's funny how things work in football.

 

I'm sure you'll be happy for him if it turns out in the next few weeks he will have made a 100% profit on us in just over a year..

 

I dont give a flying f*ck about him or any other individual, I only care about Newcastle United.

[macca888]

You HAVENT answerered these questions before.

 

Methinks your refusal to do so is because you know you will make yourself look like an even bigger numbnut than you already are.

 

So, then, What are your answers?

 

Regarding the 27 million, it may be peanuts to someone like Ambani or whatever his name is, but he is probably trying to take advantage mof the current "crisis" in order to run the asking price down from Ashley.

 

There again, for a billionaire like Ashley to allegedly pay off 80 million of the debt, one might wonder why he hasnt paid off the remainder, unless of course, he is really thinking of selling the club.

 

I still would like to know what he is doing in the USA other than spending shitloads in a New York nightclub.

[Mick]

 

er, yes. We could have kept the stadium at a 36,000 capacity in your opinion then ?

 

Brilliant.

 

Paying the stadium off, fair play, but only a deluded fool would say that anyone with the brass wouldn't do exactly the same and don't worry about mikey baby, I'm sure it wasn't out of the goodness of his heart and he'll sell his asset with that money lobbed onto the asking price.

 

Shame we didnt' see the saving on repayments spent on players by the way. You never  know, if he had backed his own appointed manager, he might still be here.

 

I'm sure the likes of Arsenal, ManU have observed your words of wisdom and not expanded their stadiums until they have saved up the money, you had better send a letter to Anfield before they make the same mistake.

 

There is absolutely no hope for you.

 

 

 

 

Only a deluded fool would try to make it look like a £44 million stadium expansion was responsible for over £100 millions worth of debt but carry on.  I also like how you try to make a profit for Ashley look bad yet you were quite happy for the last lot to walk away with heavy pockets. 

[Unbelievable]

Darth

 

I seem to recall in an interview somewhere recently that Ashley advised that there was still 27 million pounds still to pay off from the spendthrift days of the previous administration.

 

If correct, this will also have an effect on the value of the club, if a new buyer decides to make an offer acceptable to him.

 

Macca, serious question, are you aware that nearly every club, and certainly every top 4 club has debts of hundreds of millions? It is partly why they are where they are in the league table. Anybody who thinks a club can seriously challenge for the title without debts or huge external investment is living is cloud cuckook land? I believe you have said elsewhere you would rather support a mediocre NUFC that balances the books well than a NUFC that spends more than its incomings in order to put a realistic challenge in to challenge the top clubs? Whilst I accept that position, I don't think many people will agree with you, and I also believe that you are missing a point: with all the billionaires looking to get in on the action the value of Premiership clubs is now less related to its incomings than ever; it's all about the profile of the club and whether it is perceived as being big and successful. When Ashley took over the general consensus was that in order to make money in this sort of venture you need to invest first (accrueing debts if you will). If Ashley hasn't grasped this concept he is well at risk of being in for a shock, especially if this running the club like a business lark will result in us relegated a few years down the line as the likes of QPR will invest heavily to take over the Premiership places left by clubs that will have failed to react to the changes quickly enough. It's a rat race now, and you need to race along to be in with a chance of winning, whether you like it or not..

[johnnypd]

good post unbelievable.

 

businesses go into debt as they invest for the future. if you aren't prepared to be in debt don't own a business.

 

the benefit of not having any debt would be, for us, an extra £6m a year (the loan repayments) to go on things like transfers, but we haven't seen any of that money (nor any of the £36m extra tv money from last season and this season) so it's not had any effect.

[macca888]

Unbelievable

 

Yes, I am aware that most clubs operate this way but I along with many others, were under the i,pression that we were debt free. Clearly, I was wrong but thankfully, it is nowhere near as big as it was.

 

Regarding your question about balancing the books, I think you have mistaken me for someone else because I have never posted that comment.

 

My thoughts are quite the reverse as long as the debt is manageable. Under the previous regime, it clearly wasnt.

 

My comments in the above post relate more to the price Ashley could be forced to accept due to the current state of the club as well as the advised amount of remaining debt of 27 million, which seems to being managed quite sensibly, if his interview is to be believed.

[NE5]

You HAVENT answerered these questions before.

 

Methinks your refusal to do so is because you know you will make yourself look like an even bigger numbnut than you already are.

 

So, then, What are your answers?

 

Regarding the 27 million, it may be peanuts to someone like Ambani or whatever his name is, but he is probably trying to take advantage mof the current "crisis" in order to run the asking price down from Ashley.

 

There again, for a billionaire like Ashley to allegedly pay off 80 million of the debt, one might wonder why he hasnt paid off the remainder, unless of course, he is really thinking of selling the club.

 

I still would like to know what he is doing in the USA other than spending shitloads in a New York nightclub.

 

how many managers have put Newcastle 12 points top of the premiership ?

 

How many managers before or since Keegan has gone 90 minutes to winning the title ?

 

How many managers had the bottle to take over NUFC with one foot in the 3rd division and 15,000 crowds ?

 

How many managers have done well enough to become manager of England after having managed Newcastle ?

 

How many clubs has Keegan not left better off than when he came ?

 

How many years has it taken Newcastle United to find a manager to match Keegan [laughingly, you supported Souness  mackems.gif and thought he would do better than Keegan ie 2nd in the premiership]

 

On the basis that Souness, John Sillett, Maurice Evans, Steve MacLaren, Bobby Gould, Brian Little, Joe Royle [and I'm only scratching the surface here] have all "won something" does that make them better managers than Keegan ?

 

These are questions I asked you a long time ago macca. You never answered. Answer them now, as you have decided to conveniently re-surface

 

The fact that you have disappeared for so long and re-appeared now, shows YOU to be the biggest numbnuts on this or any other message board.

 

 

[NE5]

Darth

 

I seem to recall in an interview somewhere recently that Ashley advised that there was still 27 million pounds still to pay off from the spendthrift days of the previous administration.

 

If correct, this will also have an effect on the value of the club, if a new buyer decides to make an offer acceptable to him.

 

Macca, serious question, are you aware that nearly every club, and certainly every top 4 club has debts of hundreds of millions? It is partly why they are where they are in the league table. Anybody who thinks a club can seriously challenge for the title without debts or huge external investment is living is cloud cuckook land? I believe you have said elsewhere you would rather support a mediocre NUFC that balances the books well than a NUFC that spends more than its incomings in order to put a realistic challenge in to challenge the top clubs? Whilst I accept that position, I don't think many people will agree with you, and I also believe that you are missing a point: with all the billionaires looking to get in on the action the value of Premiership clubs is now less related to its incomings than ever; it's all about the profile of the club and whether it is perceived as being big and successful. When Ashley took over the general consensus was that in order to make money in this sort of venture you need to invest first (accrueing debts if you will). If Ashley hasn't grasped this concept he is well at risk of being in for a shock, especially if this running the club like a business lark will result in us relegated a few years down the line as the likes of QPR will invest heavily to take over the Premiership places left by clubs that will have failed to react to the changes quickly enough. It's a rat race now, and you need to race along to be in with a chance of winning, whether you like it or not..

 

not only macca. There are still others who refuse to accept this and believe in their own little world that it isn't true.

 

 

[NE5]

 

er, yes. We could have kept the stadium at a 36,000 capacity in your opinion then ?

 

Brilliant.

 

Paying the stadium off, fair play, but only a deluded fool would say that anyone with the brass wouldn't do exactly the same and don't worry about mikey baby, I'm sure it wasn't out of the goodness of his heart and he'll sell his asset with that money lobbed onto the asking price.

 

Shame we didnt' see the saving on repayments spent on players by the way. You never  know, if he had backed his own appointed manager, he might still be here.

 

I'm sure the likes of Arsenal, ManU have observed your words of wisdom and not expanded their stadiums until they have saved up the money, you had better send a letter to Anfield before they make the same mistake.

 

There is absolutely no hope for you.

 

 

 

 

Only a deluded fool would try to make it look like a £44 million stadium expansion was responsible for over £100 millions worth of debt but carry on.  I also like how you try to make a profit for Ashley look bad yet you were quite happy for the last lot to walk away with heavy pockets. 

 

I don't know why you are foolish enough to put a smiley in there. There are others who have addressed this question, you should read them. Shame you don't really answer the points I've raised.

 

For the record, I'm not trying to look Ashley look bad for walking away with any money, I'm pointing out your double standards but it isn't surprising given your cringeworthy comments you have made about a man who has been shown up to be an utter clown by Keegan, the best manager we have had at the club for 50 years at least.

 

Do you or do you not think it was a good move to expand the stadium ? And do you maintain that the current top clubs in this country and many other leading clubs all over the world are all debt-free ?

 

 

[Mick]

 

I don't know why you are foolish enough to put a smiley in there. There are others who have addressed this question, you should read them. Shame you don't really answer the points I've raised.

 

For the record, I'm not trying to look Ashley look bad for walking away with any money, I'm pointing out your double standards but it isn't surprising given your cringeworthy comments you have made about a man who has been shown up to be an utter clown by Keegan, the best manager we have had at the club for 50 years at least.

 

Do you or do you not think it was a good move to expand the stadium ? And do you maintain that the current top clubs in this country and many other leading clubs all over the world are all debt-free ?

 

 

 

I would rather Keegan had remained as manager but if anybody comes out of this looking like a clown then so far it's him for spitting his dummy out again, as usual he acts like a little kid in a playground.  I must admit that I question just how much the club means to him when he can just walk away from it, something you often have a go at fans for doing.

 

I think Keegan should have had a final say on transfers and it looks like the players he wanted to bring in were given less priority than the ones others wanted to bring in and that is wrong but the players who have come to the club during the transfer window and played look as if they will improve us.

 

It was a good idea to increase the capacity, it was something which had to be done at the time but it didn't cost £100 million no matter how many times you try to make it appear that it did. 

 

Most, if not all of the top clubs do carry debt, a lot of clubs are struggling with debt and that will become worse over the next year or two.  I expect a few people at Liverpool and Arsenal are a bit more worried about debt since Man City were taken over meaning that one of those clubs is very unlikely to be playing CL football every season.

 

[NE5]

 

I don't know why you are foolish enough to put a smiley in there. There are others who have addressed this question, you should read them. Shame you don't really answer the points I've raised.

 

For the record, I'm not trying to look Ashley look bad for walking away with any money, I'm pointing out your double standards but it isn't surprising given your cringeworthy comments you have made about a man who has been shown up to be an utter clown by Keegan, the best manager we have had at the club for 50 years at least.

 

Do you or do you not think it was a good move to expand the stadium ? And do you maintain that the current top clubs in this country and many other leading clubs all over the world are all debt-free ?

 

 

 

I would rather Keegan had remained as manager but if anybody comes out of this looking like a clown then so far it's him for spitting his dummy out again, as usual he acts like a little kid in a playground.  I must admit that I question just how much the club means to him when he can just walk away from it, something you often have a go at fans for doing.

 

I think Keegan should have had a final say on transfers and it looks like the players he wanted to bring in were given less priority than the ones others wanted to bring in and that is wrong but the players who have come to the club during the transfer window and played look as if they will improve us.

 

It was a good idea to increase the capacity, it was something which had to be done at the time but it didn't cost £100 million no matter how many times you try to make it appear that it did. 

 

Most, if not all of the top clubs do carry debt, a lot of clubs are struggling with debt and that will become worse over the next year or two.  I expect a few people at Liverpool and Arsenal are a bit more worried about debt since Man City were taken over meaning that one of those clubs is very unlikely to be playing CL football every season.

 

 

spitting his dummy ?

 

don't make me laugh.

 

It was obvious for ages that Keegan wasn't and wouldn't get the final word on transfers, but you buried your head in the sand because you though Ashley was a "good bloke", or something. All because he didn't "embarrass" you. What a load of crap.

 

All the comments made by his mouthpiece Mort told us that they were quite prepared to lose out on players the manager(s) wanted for the sake of running a tight budget football club ie a 2nd rate one. Not surprised you didn't mind that, as you clearly had no appreciation of when we had a board of directors that took over the club that actually did set their sights correctly. But I know quite a few people who said they supported the club when they didn't which in my opininon is how they couldn't see it.

 

Unbelievable and johnnypd have spelled out the financial aspect of all this debt business on this page, others like Chez Given has also did the same. Shame that the club made a profit on their transfer dealings [maybe their main goal], and what with all the money coming in including 3 years season ticket money still didn't back their own appointed manager with it.

 

Idiots like you will still no doubt believe that Keegan chose not to spend it.

 

 

[Mick]

 

spitting his dummy ?

 

don't make me laugh.

 

It was obvious for ages that Keegan wasn't and wouldn't get the final word on transfers, but you buried your head in the sand because you though Ashley was a "good bloke", or something. All because he didn't "embarrass" you. What a load of crap.

 

All the comments made by his mouthpiece Mort told us that they were quite prepared to lose out on players the manager(s) wanted for the sake of running a tight budget football club ie a 2nd rate one. Not surprised you didn't mind that, as you clearly had no appreciation of when we had a board of directors that took over the club that actually did set their sights correctly. But I know quite a few people who said they supported the club when they didn't which in my opininon is how they couldn't see it.

 

Unbelievable and johnnypd have spelled out the financial aspect of all this debt business on this page, others like Chez Given has also did the same. Shame that the club made a profit on their transfer dealings [maybe their main goal], and what with all the money coming in including 3 years season ticket money still didn't back their own appointed manager with it.

 

Idiots like you will still no doubt believe that Keegan chose not to spend it.

 

 

 

[NE5]

 

spitting his dummy ?

 

don't make me laugh.

 

It was obvious for ages that Keegan wasn't and wouldn't get the final word on transfers, but you buried your head in the sand because you though Ashley was a "good bloke", or something. All because he didn't "embarrass" you. What a load of crap.

 

All the comments made by his mouthpiece Mort told us that they were quite prepared to lose out on players the manager(s) wanted for the sake of running a tight budget football club ie a 2nd rate one. Not surprised you didn't mind that, as you clearly had no appreciation of when we had a board of directors that took over the club that actually did set their sights correctly. But I know quite a few people who said they supported the club when they didn't which in my opininon is how they couldn't see it.

 

Unbelievable and johnnypd have spelled out the financial aspect of all this debt business on this page, others like Chez Given has also did the same. Shame that the club made a profit on their transfer dealings [maybe their main goal], and what with all the money coming in including 3 years season ticket money still didn't back their own appointed manager with it.

 

Idiots like you will still no doubt believe that Keegan chose not to spend it.

 

 

 

 

no reply.

 

thought not.

 

[Mick]

 

no reply.

 

thought not.

 

 

You edited it while I was replying with the smiley, I could only read the first two or three lines.

[fredbob]

Darth

 

I seem to recall in an interview somewhere recently that Ashley advised that there was still 27 million pounds still to pay off from the spendthrift days of the previous administration.

 

If correct, this will also have an effect on the value of the club, if a new buyer decides to make an offer acceptable to him.

 

Macca, serious question, are you aware that nearly every club, and certainly every top 4 club has debts of hundreds of millions? It is partly why they are where they are in the league table. Anybody who thinks a club can seriously challenge for the title without debts or huge external investment is living is cloud cuckook land? I believe you have said elsewhere you would rather support a mediocre NUFC that balances the books well than a NUFC that spends more than its incomings in order to put a realistic challenge in to challenge the top clubs? Whilst I accept that position, I don't think many people will agree with you, and I also believe that you are missing a point: with all the billionaires looking to get in on the action the value of Premiership clubs is now less related to its incomings than ever; it's all about the profile of the club and whether it is perceived as being big and successful. When Ashley took over the general consensus was that in order to make money in this sort of venture you need to invest first (accrueing debts if you will). If Ashley hasn't grasped this concept he is well at risk of being in for a shock, especially if this running the club like a business lark will result in us relegated a few years down the line as the likes of QPR will invest heavily to take over the Premiership places left by clubs that will have failed to react to the changes quickly enough. It's a rat race now, and you need to race along to be in with a chance of winning, whether you like it or not..

 

As this is the crux of your argument ill address this point. Would i be mistaken to think that these clubs were pretty stable and successful before they acquired thse massive debts? Chelsea are "in debt" to Roman, Man U have been left with Glaziers debt, Liverpool with H+G and Arsenal have the stadium debt having all been reasonably successful  for many years now.

 

Nufc on the other hand have a fair bit of debt topped off with huge wages without the same level of success OR stability, its hardly a fair comparison in my eyes.

 

Its as though that if Ashley hadnt paid off the debt and in fact added to it, as well as the "roll royce" wages you'd be happier and appeased irrespective of the future of the club.

 

To me what spurs and arsenal have done is what we should be doing, improving the quality of the squad whilst splashing out on big signings but still keeping financially stable, as well as bloodeing younger hungrier players.

 

 

[magorific]

 

I don't know why you are foolish enough to put a smiley in there. There are others who have addressed this question, you should read them. Shame you don't really answer the points I've raised.

 

For the record, I'm not trying to look Ashley look bad for walking away with any money, I'm pointing out your double standards but it isn't surprising given your cringeworthy comments you have made about a man who has been shown up to be an utter clown by Keegan, the best manager we have had at the club for 50 years at least.

 

Do you or do you not think it was a good move to expand the stadium ? And do you maintain that the current top clubs in this country and many other leading clubs all over the world are all debt-free ?

 

 

 

I would rather Keegan had remained as manager but if anybody comes out of this looking like a clown then so far it's him for spitting his dummy out again, as usual he acts like a little kid in a playground.  I must admit that I question just how much the club means to him when he can just walk away from it, something you often have a go at fans for doing.

 

I think Keegan should have had a final say on transfers and it looks like the players he wanted to bring in were given less priority than the ones others wanted to bring in and that is wrong but the players who have come to the club during the transfer window and played look as if they will improve us.

 

It was a good idea to increase the capacity, it was something which had to be done at the time but it didn't cost £100 million no matter how many times you try to make it appear that it did. 

 

Most, if not all of the top clubs do carry debt, a lot of clubs are struggling with debt and that will become worse over the next year or two.  I expect a few people at Liverpool and Arsenal are a bit more worried about debt since Man City were taken over meaning that one of those clubs is very unlikely to be playing CL football every season.

 

 

So you honestly believe that Keegan has come out of this looking worse than Ashley?

 

 

[Guest Ian56]

The more that comes to light regarding Ashley, his cronies and the new "Euro-style" set-up at our club the more I suspect that we are intentionally being slimmed down to the bare bones both in terms of financial outlay - wages, transfer budget and the rest. Long before the Keegan bust up occurred I reckon Ashley and his advisors have been positioning the club with minimum expenditure thus looking for maximum profit in terms of a sale. In business circles Ashley is well aware that there are a number of major outfits circling the Premier League looking to buy up a club of stature. Newcastle are a club of stature with potential that has never been realised. Ashley has stated that he isn't looking to sell but want's other investors to help take up the strain. I don't buy this. Doesn't feel right. Probably just good PR - as was the hiring of Keegan - to keep the natives happy while he goes fishing.

 

The thing that pissed me off about this whole thing is Man City could and should have been us.

[Mick]

 

So you honestly believe that Keegan has come out of this looking worse than Ashley?

 

 

 

Ashley is getting a lot of stick from some fans although nobody knows what part he's played in all of this, if any.  Keegan has done what he's done in the past, he's walked away from a manager’s job when things haven't gone his way.

 

I'll reserve judgement before deciding who has come out of it the worst.