nufc4eva Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Wants keegan days back - NOTW I will run this club my way Mike Ashley breaks Toon silence Exclusive by Rob Beasley Mike Ashley dramatically broke his silence over the turmoil on the Toon and defiantly declared: "I had to act and now I'll do it MY way!" Newcastle's' billionaire owner insists he is ready to step out of the background to run the club the way HE wants to from now on. On Tuesday he will jet back from a Far East business trip to join forces with chairman Chris Mort as they strive to bring success to St James's Park. And there will be times when he swaps his trademark Newcastle shirt and returns to civvies as he plots the way ahead in the wake of the departure of boss Sam Allardyce. Today, in an exclusive News of the World interview, Ashley outlines his New Year vision for Newcastle including the qualities he's looking for in the club's next manager. He said: "I want a team that will go all out to try to give Chelsea a walloping, that'll try to stuff Tottenham and that will be brave and bold enough to attack Man Utd. "To date I have invested £250m to try and make it happen. "And I'm not the only one who could see it wasn't working with things as they were. "So when my chairman told me it was time for a change I knew it had to happen. "I just knew it was time for me to become involved. "After all I bought this club to make it a success and the harsh truth is there wasn't much prospect of that. "I bought this club to have some fun and I wasn't having much fun at all. So I did what I should have done in the first place and decided it was time to run the club the way I wanted. "I must admit that when I bought this club my gut instinct was to bring in my own team to run it straight away, including a new manager. "That's no reflection on Sam, that's just the way I have always done things. "But for once in my life I ignored my intuition and, looking back, that was a mistake. "My instinct had never let me down in the past, in fact it's been one of my biggest strengths, one of the major reasons behind my success. "Yet I went against that better judgement after buying Newcastle. "Now is the time to put away my Newcastle shirt. I'm not saying I will never go back on the terraces but now I have to be in the boardroom I have to be hands on." Ashley was left desperately disappointed with the return on his massive investment. A procession of poor performances, ropey results and off-field problems was a shocking reward for his massive outlay. It was not Ashley's vision for the sleeping giants of English football. Passion He added: "I want a team that is going to be admired up and down the country because of our brilliant, attacking football. "Like they did when Kevin Keegan was in charge here. "In those days everyone in the land loved to watch Newcastle in action. I certainly did. "And I am determined it will be like that again." That sort of stylish, buccaneering football has only been rarely glimpsed at St James's Park this season and Ashley makes no apologies for demanding Newcastle play the way the loyal Toon Army desire. He added:"People might mock me for that and reckon that's all pie in the sky. "But this is a football club, remember it's about passion, about dreams, about glory. If it's not, then why bother? "Make no mistake I bother, I care and so I will try my hardest to make this club successful. "And I know I don't stand alone I stand at the head of the Toon Army. "Remember this is a club with a real passion running through it not least from all those Geordie fans. "And I share that passion." Yet Ashley has still taken a battering over events last week with Allardyce elbowed after just eight months in charge of the Magpies. But those pundits who would have you believe Ashley's a mug punter who does not know what he is doing should beware. After all this is a guy who built his Sports Direct business empire up from nothing. A man who at just 41 years of age boasts a fortune of £1.6billion put it another way that's one thousand six hundred million pounds. Some mug, then! Yet Ashley is big and brave enough to accept some of the blame, even though he sees positives in his controversial decision to take a back seat so far. He explained: "My thinking was to come into Newcastle United and examine the club from every angle and from every aspect. I wanted to see how it ran, how it worked, what the staff could offer and what the supporters were all about. "I wanted to understand what made this club tick, I wanted to find its soul. "I have done that now and taken a lot of flak along the way. "People have complained I have been in the background too much, not done enough. Are you sure? "Let's get this straight. I paid £140million to buy this club. "I've also paid off £100million worth of debt so today this club doesn't owe a buck to anyone. "And I also gave Sam funds for new players. "Yet I've been hammered by certain people and for what? "Yes, wearing my Newcastle shirt and sitting with the fans. "The critics were suggesting in some way that this was just a cheap trick that would boost sales of shirts in my own stores. "But anyone who knows anything about Newcastle knows all the fans already have their shirts so it's all nonsense, just unbelievable. "And do you know something? I don't regret those days with our supporters at all. "I might own the club but they are the heartbeat and I had a lovely time with them. "And I guarantee that you haven't seen the last of me out there with the lads and lasses. "I will do it again from time to time. That's because among the fans he felt at home but when he sat in his own directors' box he was condemned as unconventional. He explained: "I can't stand this self-imposed etiquette in the boardroom and directors' box. "You're supposed to wear a suit, a shirt and tie and behave like a headmaster. "Why? It's like one of those , snobby, snooty golf clubs where they have rules for this and that. It's nonsense and I won't go along with it. "I want to go to football and enjoy it. "I want to celebrate when my team scores, when my team wins. "It's a game of drama and emotion of highs and lows, of highlights and heartbreaks. And I want to live it. "So from now on it's all down to me. Dream "I am here because I want to be here and because I want to win trophies. "That's it period to get trophies in the cabinet and have a ball doing it. I can't see anything wrong with that at all. "Buying a football club is something I've always wanted to do so it's living a dream. "I always said I bought this club to become part of its passion. "I'd like to think I've done that. Now I want to channel that passion into bringing success and I just can't wait until it happens" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sombrero Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 i do too somewhat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnypd Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 so chris mort instigated the sacking? suprising if true. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Thats not the NOTW. "When my chairman (Chris Mort) told me it was time for a change (of manager), I knew it had to happen," Ashley told Sunday's News of the World. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 haha, too quick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovejoy Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 sounds promising. but i have no faith in him bringing in the right man Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 haha, too quick It'll live on in my quote though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 He's saying the right things, he's making his intentions public, let's see what the next few days brings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syrette Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Here's the full thing. http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/1301_ashley.shtml Exclusive by Rob Beasley MIKE ASHLEY dramatically broke his silence over the turmoil on the Toon and defiantly declared: "I had to act and now I'll do it MY way!" Newcastle's' billionaire owner insists he is ready to step out of the background to run the club the way HE wants to from now on. On Tuesday he will jet back from a Far East business trip to join forces with chairman Chris Mort as they strive to bring success to St James's Park. And there will be times when he swaps his trademark Newcastle shirt and returns to civvies as he plots the way ahead in the wake of the departure of boss Sam Allardyce. Today, in an exclusive News of the World interview, Ashley outlines his New Year vision for Newcastle including the qualities he's looking for in the club's next manager. He said: "I want a team that will go all out to try to give Chelsea a walloping, that'll try to stuff Tottenham and that will be brave and bold enough to attack Man Utd. "To date I have invested £250m to try and make it happen. "And I'm not the only one who could see it wasn't working with things as they were. "So when my chairman told me it was time for a change I knew it had to happen. "I just knew it was time for me to become involved. "After all I bought this club to make it a success and the harsh truth is there wasn't much prospect of that. "I bought this club to have some fun and I wasn't having much fun at all. So I did what I should have done in the first place and decided it was time to run the club the way I wanted. "I must admit that when I bought this club my gut instinct was to bring in my own team to run it straight away, including a new manager. "That's no reflection on Sam, that's just the way I have always done things. "But for once in my life I ignored my intuition and, looking back, that was a mistake. "My instinct had never let me down in the past, in fact it's been one of my biggest strengths, one of the major reasons behind my success. "Yet I went against that better judgement after buying Newcastle. "Now is the time to put away my Newcastle shirt. I'm not saying I will never go back on the terraces but now I have to be in the boardroom — I have to be hands on." Ashley was left desperately disappointed with the return on his massive investment. A procession of poor performances, ropey results and off-field problems was a shocking reward for his massive outlay. It was not Ashley's vision for the sleeping giants of English football. He added: "I want a team that is going to be admired up and down the country because of our brilliant, attacking football. "Like they did when Kevin Keegan was in charge here. "In those days everyone in the land loved to watch Newcastle in action. I certainly did. "And I am determined it will be like that again." That sort of stylish, buccaneering football has only been rarely glimpsed at St James's Park this season and Ashley makes no apologies for demanding Newcastle play the way the loyal Toon Army desire. He added:"People might mock me for that and reckon that's all pie in the sky. "But this is a football club, remember — it's about passion, about dreams, about glory. If it's not, then why bother? "Make no mistake I bother, I care and so I will try my hardest to make this club successful. "And I know I don't stand alone — I stand at the head of the Toon Army. "Remember this is a club with a real passion running through it — not least from all those Geordie fans. "And I share that passion." Yet Ashley has still taken a battering over events last week with Allardyce elbowed after just eight months in charge of the Magpies. But those pundits who would have you believe Ashley's a mug punter who does not know what he is doing should beware. After all this is a guy who built his Sports Direct business empire up from nothing. A man who at just 41 years of age boasts a fortune of £1.6billion — put it another way that's one thousand six hundred million pounds. Some mug, then! Yet Ashley is big and brave enough to accept some of the blame, even though he sees positives in his controversial decision to take a back seat so far. He explained: "My thinking was to come into Newcastle United and examine the club from every angle and from every aspect. I wanted to see how it ran, how it worked, what the staff could offer and what the supporters were all about. "I wanted to understand what made this club tick, I wanted to find its soul. "I have done that now and taken a lot of flak along the way. "People have complained I have been in the background too much, not done enough. Are you sure? "Let's get this straight. I paid £140million to buy this club. "I've also paid off £100million worth of debt so today this club doesn't owe a buck to anyone. "And I also gave Sam funds for new players. "Yet I've been hammered by certain people and for what? "Yes, wearing my Newcastle shirt and sitting with the fans. "The critics were suggesting in some way that this was just a cheap trick that would boost sales of shirts in my own stores. "But anyone who knows anything about Newcastle knows all the fans already have their shirts so it's all nonsense, just unbelievable. "And do you know something? I don't regret those days with our supporters at all. "I might own the club but they are the heartbeat and I had a lovely time with them. "And I guarantee that you haven't seen the last of me out there with the lads and lasses. "I will do it again from time to time. That's because among the fans he felt at home but when he sat in his own directors' box he was condemned as unconventional. He explained: "I can't stand this self-imposed etiquette in the boardroom and directors' box. "You're supposed to wear a suit, a shirt and tie and behave like a headmaster. "Why? It's like one of those , snobby, snooty golf clubs where they have rules for this and that. It's nonsense and I won't go along with it. "I want to go to football and enjoy it. "I want to celebrate when my team scores, when my team wins. "It's a game of drama and emotion — of highs and lows, of highlights and heartbreaks. And I want to live it. "So from now on it's all down to me. "I am here because I want to be here and because I want to win trophies. "That's it — period — to get trophies in the cabinet and have a ball doing it. I can't see anything wrong with that at all. "Buying a football club is something I've always wanted to do so it's living a dream. "I always said I bought this club to become part of its passion. "I'd like to think I've done that. Now I want to channel that passion into bringing success and I just can't wait until it happens." Good to hear him speak out, and not only about Allardyce. The underlined bits especially made me smile a bit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 so chris mort instigated the sacking? suprising if true. That's what i thought. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gggg Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 We'll need some new coaches then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Can someone change the title again? It's only been changed 4 times during the last 7 posts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Liam Liam O Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Thats more like it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSG Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Cracking Interview. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Mike Ashley sounds like the protagonist in a Caddyshack movie. I'm actually wondering what mischief he'll get up to in the coming week if it comes down to bringing in the type of manager he wants. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovejoy Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Cracking Interview. agreed, and after reading the whol ething i feel a alot better. anyone else get the feeling the new bloke is going to be heavily backed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Wow ... well his heart's in the right place. I hope he achieves what he is looking to. It certainly looks like he is fully invested in the club which is great. He's certainly a little rough around the edges, but I'm rooting for him. Let's make it happen Mike! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stozo Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Great interview. Lets hope he delivers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syrette Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Cracking Interview. anyone else get the feeling the new bloke is going to be heavily backed? Well reading that it's obvious that he wasn't happy with Allardyce and it's even more obvious how determined he is to bring the good days back to us. He won't take on a man that he isn't fully behind, that's obvious, which means whoever we end up with he'll back to the fullest. To do this interview himself rather than channel it through Mort says a lot about his determination in my eyes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Cracking Interview. agreed, and after reading the whol ething i feel a alot better. anyone else get the feeling the new bloke is going to be heavily backed? He's pretty much said it's about winning, not the money. I can see him backing his manager to the point of buying a trophy. Happy with that tbh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Can someone change the title again? It's only been changed 4 times during the last 7 posts It's an important post, I'm trying to do it justice Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest toonlass Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Makes me feel better about things. Lets hope that he is as good as his word. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovejoy Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Cracking Interview. agreed, and after reading the whol ething i feel a alot better. anyone else get the feeling the new bloke is going to be heavily backed? He's pretty much said it's about winning, not the money. I can see him backing his manager to the point of buying a trophy. Happy with that tbh. fucking right! i can see some big big spending on the horizon! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Superb. Absolutely superb. That's all there is to it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredbob Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Brought butterflies to my stomach. I think its clear he's dsperate to invest. I just wish he would get this appointment right, something tells me that the defensive minded managers, like mourhino et al, wont be on the list. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now