Clear the Air Talks ?

[9]

We lose our 1st game in 8 against the team joint top of the league and in the Champions league final, Keegan Says a few FACTS and the media have us at melting poing!!

 

However think Ashleys sights are set lower than Keegans, We were speaking to Ashley pre Liverpool game and he wants to finish in the top 8 next season, however that was before the turn in form which no doubt has upped everyones expectations.

[Guest bobblyrage]

Will any Premiership manager NOT be meeting their chairman/owner in the next week? Every single club will be having these meetings to discuss where they want to be next season, funds available, possible targets, and whether the funding availableis enough for those targets.

 

Tomorrow in the papers it'll be Benitez heading for 'crunch' talks with Hicks, or Wenger demanding the board increase their wage limits or hes off, Avram wants kaka, Roman doesnt trust him, and it goes like this for the next 3 months! Welcome to silly season.

[merlin]

I am sorry that this is a long post, guys, but this is a very important topic - the outcome will determine where the club goes in the next few years, and how fast...

 

Firstly, leaving aside the usual media s--t stirring(they are probably seething that we escaped the drop and they were proved wrong about KK, plus they have it in for Ashley - Southerner who has taken over a NORTHERN sleeping giant), there are some crucial issues at stake here.Also, the fact that it is not just the usual media suspects who have got into this story but a reasonably-well respected paper like the Telegraph makes me fear that there may be more substance in this than some are prepared to admit..

 

Firstly, I have always been somewhat sceptical of the reasons for Wise' appointment - YES we need someone to oversee the Playing side in terms of admin, Scouting for new players(esp youngsters) etc etc.

BUT - Wise is only a young man to be doing this sort of job.He is in his early 40s, an age when most people in football who progress from playing are either Coaches or managers, and Wise has just come from another club where he was performing exactly that job(with some success, apparently).

 

Although KK claims to have been comfortable with the appointment, I would really like to know how much either he(or Chris Mort)were consulted before this was done.

The story in the Mail seems to say that the main problem is that Wise, Vetteri & Jiminez are looking for players who are younger and whose value will hopefully increase during their time at SJP, whereas KK wants 'finished article' type of players to make a more immediate impact on the side and to help the club close the gap between us and the Top 4 more quickly.

IF this is true, I believe there should be a balance between these 2 philosophies - we cannot hope to sign the very best players, but the best of what is left ; that is basically what KK said.

However, to sign only experienced players leaves us with the possibility of getting those who will only give us a few seasons and then injuries etc catch up with them ; also, some will be doing what others have to this club in years past, and using us for a final hefty pay-day.

Conversely, if we sign only youngsters, there is the chance of a season or two of mediocrity(at best)until they get enough strength & experience to compete with the best, so a balance is needed.

 

I believe that KK is probably 60+% right in what he said and if he intends to thrash out all this with Ashley; he is RIGHT to want the final say over who the club sign and RIGHT to want to know the extent of the Budget - any decent manager would want the same..he should also be assured that Wise & Co are NOT going to usurp his job as manager(any of us would want the same..)

 

Where I start to slightly-disagree with him is his assertion that we will not challenge the Top 4 in the 3 years he is here ; again, though, he might be RIGHT, IF he has definite proof that Ashley is not going to give him a reasonable budget for players, but as far as we know, he DOESN'T know how much he is getting so how can he make such a definite statement ?

We all know that there is a huge gap to bridge, but, as some have said, things can change quickly - Liverpool could implode, Man U may have to face cash restrictions due to the increasing cost of servicing their huge debt, Wenger could leave Arsenal - none of us know what lies ahead, so to second-guess what

will happen in 3 years is pushing it...I reckon that if they spend well, Villa will have a decent chance of pushing the Top 4 over the next season or two, and that would be within 3-4 years of O'Neill taking over.

 

Secondly, being a cynic(us older guys have seen more than the young ones, hence this happening..!),

I cannot help but wonder whether Ashley's reputed annoyance at KKs statements and his insistence on KK going to see him in London so quickly may be linked to the situation at Man City....it looks almost certain that Sven is on his bike and the fact that Shinawatra's first choice, Mourinho,has not yet committed himself one way or the other,may just have alerted the powers that be to the fact that some top managerial names are on the loose......Who knows what happens in Football, and who would be surprised at anything.....!!

 

I have to say I am very disappointed that this has blown up - I really hope it IS all media hype(based on the fact that Ashley won't usually talk to them), and although I have total sympathy with KKs main gripes, I can understand that the club DON'T want details of their available spend being made public.

I can also understand certain players wanting KK to have a more positive attitude to the future, but these are in the minority - the majority of NUFC players are not good enough to want rapid progress, as they will be left by the wayside..

 

KK IS very honest and that is an admirable quality, but, sadly, one that is often abused in the sleazy and cut-throat world of the Prem. He actually didn't need to tell most fans about the size of the task - most of us know that already - but by doing so he has invited accusations of negativity.

We must hope that if this is a calculated bluff to force Ashley's hand , it doesn't rebound on him ; the club is in an entirely different situation now than when he did it last time, and we could end up looking for a new manager - that is, unless one is already lined up...!

 

The next couple of days should be interesting.

 

[Happy Face]

How the article would have looked if Freddie Shepherd hadn't supplied it....

 

Kevin Keegan has been invited to London today for a chat with amiable Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley. Sportsmail understands the manager was asked to switch his pre-match press conference to today so that he can meet the billionaire and Dennis Wise, the club's executive director (football).

 

Ashley was said to be in agreement with Keegan's comments following Monday's game against Chelsea, not least those directed at him.

 

Keegan complained that no club outside the top 4 could get enough financial backing to break into the top four of the Barclays Premier League and joked (as many people in football have previously) that a relationship with the owners is always fine as long as they never spoke.

 

What is said to impress Ashley is how much sense there is in Keegan's position which remains unchanged since the day he returned to the club in January. Not only did Ashley arrive at Keegan's first match wearing a shirt with the manager's name across his back, but Keegan described Ashley as the perfect football club owner and someone the club should endeavour to keep.

 

Keegan will now be asked how much money he wants in a meeting that will plot the path of the next 3 years at the club, but could never in a million years be so explosive that it ends with the 'Geordie Messiah' leaving St James' Park for a second time.

 

As Sportsmail lied yesterday, Keegan's relationship with his employers has reached breaking point. Not only is he not frustrated by what he sees as a lack of ambition and a reluctance to secure the services of Michael Owen on a long-term contract, but he believes football decisions are entirely his.

 

A major help is the fact that Wise and Tony Jimenez, the club vice-president who is in charge of player recruitment, seem to share Keegan's philosophy when it comes to rebuilding the squad.

 

Keegan wants the finished article but only a mong would also want players who don't increase in value once they move to Newcastle.

 

Keegan missed training yesterday, such a rare occurrence since he succeeded Sam Allardyce that it sparked baseless stories that Keegan might already have quit, poorly researched but presented as fact across the media. However, it was later suggested that he was struggling to cope with an ear infection and Fleet street was made to look like the amateur unit shifters they are.

 

Sources close to Keegan are bewlidered by the suggestion he might resign, not least because he has recently stated how optimistic and excited he is by the challenge of taking the club into Europe next year, but tomorrow's meeting could yet produce much hilarity as Mort, mAshley and Keegan laugh at Martin Samuel over a friendly drink or two.

 

Wise is unlikely to be in the best of moods, given that he will not be able to play in his annual charity golf day in Ealing.  But he's well paid for doing his job, and will have no complaints about actually being there.

 

It also emerged yesterday that the Newcastle players were very pleased by Keegan's comments on Monday. The fact that he said they would not be a top four side in the three years that represent his current agreement bouyed the players who had thought there might be a clearout in the summer.

 

They are satisfied not only that the ambition of the club is greater than under any of the 3 previous managers both in terms of style and results, but a resurgence of belief in them.  Keegans belief that the players can actually pass to one another was met with trepadation and a continued run of poor form after his arrival, but the entire approach has since been transformed and results have been better than anyone could hope, having lost only once in the last nine games to Champions League finalists Chelsea.

 

By the way, can people not post the entire articles rather than just links?  Pisses me off to provide the shiteous rags with even a single hit.

[STM]

How can two people be at "war" if they haven't even talked in months (which isn't a problem)?

 

How can KK be "on the brink" if Mort said about 48 hours ago that KK WILL be backed in the transfer market?

 

And for those who don't understand how the media works in england, when they say "showdown talks", they actually mean talks.

 

The way i read it is KK and Mort are going to meet for talks about next season, that's all.

[Dr Venkman]

lets hope his little speech did the trick, whenever the talks are held

[dustynrg]

This is the best bit from the Daily Mail - picture of Keegan and Ashley talking at the Stoke game with caption underneath:-

 

    Tension: Ashley looks unimpressed as Keegan talks

 

Priceless.

[Dave]

This is the best bit from the Daily Mail - picture of Keegan and Ashley talking at the Stoke game with caption underneath:-

 

    Tension: Ashley looks unimpressed as Keegan talks

 

Priceless.

 

Haha, that's brilliant.

 

http://i30.tinypic.com/2rggwvn.jpg

 

It's from the Stoke game isn't it? Unimpressed on the day he returned. That's some going.

[NG32]

This is the best bit from the Daily Mail - picture of Keegan and Ashley talking at the Stoke game with caption underneath:-

 

     Tension: Ashley looks unimpressed as Keegan talks

 

Priceless.

 

Haha, that's brilliant.

 

http://i30.tinypic.com/2rggwvn.jpg

 

It's from the Stoke game isn't it? Unimpressed on the day he returned. That's some going.

 

f*** sake, could be taking about anything.

 

"Keegan bores Ashley with his how to win at connect 4 in 7 easy steps"

[McCormick]

This is exactly why Keegan should have never made all those comments.

 

Drama at Newcastle once again and right when we should be focused on rebuilding the team.

 

Just great!

 

 

 

This

 

If only king Kev could keep his mouth shut because he's brought this all on himself.

[NG32]

KK has said nowt wrong for me.

 

Cant see why everyone is so concerned.

[Magpie]

What an absolute pile of bullshit!!! Seriously where the fuck have they got all this from? Mind you that cunt Oliver doesn't help by writing similar strories, someone please shoot that fucker!!!!

 

Wankers....the lot of them!!!

[Yorkie]

I wish the media would just fuck off.

 

I'm of the thinking that we've got lucky with Ashley, and him and Mort actually have some nouse. They've got their heads screwed on just about the right way. Fucking hate the press. Load of tripe iyam.

 

For what it's worth, i think Ashley probably has called a meeting with Keegan or whatever, but it'll be amiable at the worst. If they've never spoken; we're in close season now so it's about time they had a chat about what's to come. Chances are, this isn't a sudden meeting, but one that's been planned for months. Like i said - it's close season and we're approaching a big summer.

 

Keegan probably stepped over some sort of line with what he said - but it's Keegan. He's got balls and he says what he thinks. What's more, he said nothing wrong.

 

It's all mildly concerning, but not worrying.

[NG32]

What an absolute pile of bullshit!!! Seriously where the f*** have they got all this from? Mind you that c*** Oliver doesn't help by writing similar strories, someone please shoot that fucker!!!!

 

Wankers....the lot of them!!!

 

Go on Magpie lad you tell'em!

 

[Guest shaun11177]

Somewhere amomg all the interviews etc Keegan said we cant bridge the gap with the top 4-the owner thinks we can but we cant.

Ashley may consider that he never intimated any such thing-some clarification is required and KK is clearly unhappy with the response by Mort to his request to get the Owen contract talks moving. 

[brummie]

I know it is easy for me to say this, but I think people need to chill out a bit.

 

Lots of journalists wringing sensational headlines out of nothing, people on the internet getting themselves in a tither.

 

All over what is almost certainly nothing.

 

This summer, when the last kick of the season has finished, that's it for me. No football web sites over the summer, no frantic checking for transfer gossip, no worrying about transfer budgets.

 

Things are only going to get more stressful.

[Dave]

If only it were that easy.

[Happy Face]

To be fair, they were spot on about Allardyce going when we said they were just haters. 

[Guest Brazilianbob]

Personally I think KK's outburst was because Mort et al failed to tie up the Luka Modric deal purely because of an apparent reluctance to pay the going rate/wages for the player, and KK doesn't want the same to happen to his other targets, hence the outburst designed to get Ashley to stump up the cash.

 

It seems Mort has a remit to ensure we don't do a Leeds and as such we seem destined to miss out on all but the middle of the road type signings of youngsters such as Tozer and Kadar.  It appears Mort and Ashley envisage us doing an Arsenal by signing all the best youngsters, but when Arsenal embarked on that course they also signed some quality experienced players like Viera, Overmars, Bergkamp and Petit and already had Ian Wright on the books.  That is why KK is saying the policy we have will not get us into the top 4 over the next 3 years and he is quite right.  We need to buy quality established players (such as Modric), to get us into regular finishes in the top 6 and then buy quality youth to complement that team in order to develop and push for a top four finish.

[NG32]

Personally I think KK's outburst was because Mort et al failed to tie up the Luka Modric deal purely because of an apparent reluctance to pay the going rate/wages for the player, and KK doesn't want the same to happen to his other targets, hence the outburst designed to get Ashley to stump up the cash.

 

It seems Mort has a remit to ensure we don't do a Leeds and as such we seem destined to miss out on all but the middle of the road type signings of youngsters such as Tozer and Kadar.  It appears Mort and Ashley envisage us doing an Arsenal by signing all the best youngsters, but when Arsenal embarked on that course they also signed some quality experienced players like Viera, Overmars, Bergkamp and Petit and already had Ian Wright on the books.  That is why KK is saying the policy we have will not get us into the top 4 over the next 3 years and he is quite right.  We need to buy quality established players (such as Modric), to get us into regular finishes in the top 6 and then buy quality youth to complement that team in order to develop and push for a top four finish.

 

Mort said we offered higher wages to Modric but he chose Spurs becuase of London and the fact that they were playing in europe next season.

[Happy Face]

Personally I think KK's outburst was because Mort et al failed to tie up the Luka Modric deal purely because of an apparent reluctance to pay the going rate/wages for the player, and KK doesn't want the same to happen to his other targets, hence the outburst designed to get Ashley to stump up the cash.

 

It seems Mort has a remit to ensure we don't do a Leeds and as such we seem destined to miss out on all but the middle of the road type signings of youngsters such as Tozer and Kadar.  It appears Mort and Ashley envisage us doing an Arsenal by signing all the best youngsters, but when Arsenal embarked on that course they also signed some quality experienced players like Viera, Overmars, Bergkamp and Petit and already had Ian Wright on the books.  That is why KK is saying the policy we have will not get us into the top 4 over the next 3 years and he is quite right.  We need to buy quality established players (such as Modric), to get us into regular finishes in the top 6 and then buy quality youth to complement that team in order to develop and push for a top four finish.

 

But you'd be wrong as we offered more on the fee and wages.

[Dave]

Two people beat me to it.

[Yorkie]

Why does shit like this keep happening ffs?

 

It'll probably blow over in a week or so, but still.

 

Keegan will probably learn from it aswell.

[dustynrg]

Personally I think KK's outburst was because Mort et al failed to tie up the Luka Modric deal purely because of an apparent reluctance to pay the going rate/wages for the player, and KK doesn't want the same to happen to his other targets, hence the outburst designed to get Ashley to stump up the cash.

 

I thought Modric went to Spurs for less cash and they paid less? There's nothing Mort can do if players prefer London.

[NG32]

Maybe, just maybe.  This was KKs plan all along, just a gentle nudge to get the board under a "little" pressure to come out and say summik.

 

Just a thought, could be totally wrong.