Mike Ashley: "I've loved owning Newcastle"

[Mick]

Well I dont understand some of the confusion?

 

'we'll find out the truth'... do people think Keegan is telling lie's when he said he wasnt in control? And if he was, surley the club would have flat out denied it! But they realsed statements to practically back up Keegans comments!

 

And if you say 'ah Keegan agreed to everything in Jan', but quite clearly Wise's statement contradicts that.

 

Its a disgraceful, shambolic way to treat a manager, and such a massive waste.

 

Keegan said that Wise reported to him, the official club statement said that Wise reported to Chris Mort.  http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1227633,00.html

 

[Wullie]

The man is a thoroughly despicable cunt and I wish nothing but ill on him for what he's done to my football club.

[Taylor Swift]

Tbf, weren't there people that were asking him to apologise for his mistakes? The NUSC lot, iirc.

 

I wasn't and am not one of them because I just want him to spend and support the team, but here's your apology, boys. As meek as it is, it's a start and I hope the line about him not coming back is just conjecture because at this point, we need him to do something in January instead of waiting for bids to come in.

[tmonkey]

This is like Douglas Hall giving an interview on club matters from his luxury yatch. The guy needs a slap, or some coffee stuck under his sleeping nose so he can wake up and smell it, or a fan with a large pile of s*** thrown at it (and a team of scientists to explain what will happen when impact is made).

 

If he can't sell the club, then he should hire a bodyguard or two and go do what Sir Bobby suggested - put a suit on, act like the owner of a Premiership football club, and go sit in the Director's Box to oversee how his investment is performing, what emergency measures might be needed in case the investment is going down the pan, and also whether his trusted lieutenants are doing their jobs properly as per their handsomely paid salaries.

[Taylor Swift]

The bids for Modric, Woodgate, Schweinsteiger, Aimar (?) as well... all of which were for substantial sums.

 

I think if anyone cocked up massively in the transfer window it was Keegan, Wise and Jimenez (and potentially Llambias) for the way that communication seemed to break down/lies were told/things didn't go to plan. I'm very hesitant to blame KK though as I know he would want the best for NUFC.

 

Of course you can go back to another Ashley "mistake" if you believe Wise/Jimenez should never have been brought in anyway, and you can blame him for it due to that too.

 

The whole thing has been a catastrophe, but none of us know exactly where to apportion the blame or what exactly happened - it's infuriating.

 

but woodgate wouldve been INSTEAD of colo, it wouldve been modric OR scweinsteiger OR aimar (or nothing, as iti turned out in acuality) rather than all of them. and you never know how the rest of the budget and spending wouldve been restructured as a result. all we have to go on is what happened and what was spent, the rest of speculative and some of it nonsense. in reality he;s spent virtually nothing at a time when the rest of the league has been spending loads.

 

I never said we'd be signing all of them! For fuck's sake, this place drives me crackers at times.

 

Your post is as much speculation as mine was, though.

 

I still cannot understand why a bloke would spend hundreds of millions to buy a football club in order to become a "fan". Travel up and down the country to watch them and WANT the team to be shite by not spending any money on it. This is where the logic fails, for me. I do understand the reality, but as I said I can't help but wonder if it came about because of monumental failings in the system RATHER than a lack of money. I cannot make this any clearer this time, surely?

 

He made a transfer-record fee bid for Modric, he broke the transfer record for a defender with Coloccini, Schweinsteiger was apparently another very big deal... he said himself he was willing to finance us to the tune of £20m per season (provided he was being honest) out of his own money on top of what the club was making. There was definitely money there to be spent and Keegan kept telling us so and Ashley himself told us now. Kinnear is now telling us so.

 

None of us have seen the books, none of us know what state the finances were/are in and as a result are speculating and biting each other's heads off all over the shop because of it. People are ASSUMING he's been pocketing money (season tickets, TV money) but who's to say it hasn't been used up by the club already, if the books are really as bad as they might have been? People are ASSUMING he wants £450m for the club, at times, which seems insane to me. Obviously I'm assuming the other way, so nobody really can be "right" - that's why debates of this nature are so futile, ESPECIALLY when people are so fucking dogmatic and unwilling to take on another point of view.

 

It's a huge topic of discussion, but I get royally fucked off by those who just see it as black or white and blame one or the other. It's not going to be that fucking simple is it? People need to Wise up.

 

Very good post. Great, even.

[Baggio]

Ashley contradicting himself again it would seem.   

 

How so?

 

He said in that wonderful interview with the official magazine that the money was there for Keegan to spend if he wanted it.

 

Jesus wept.

[Baggio]

And from what we hear, Keegan did have final say on the Gutierrez, Guthrie, Coloccini & Bassong transfers....here's a quote from Xisco the day after he signed...

 

 

When I flew in on Monday, the club presented me to Kevin Keegan.” “He talked to me in a bit of detail about his plans for the footballing development of the club.”

 

“That was an important moment for me in my decision to accept this incredible turn of events.” “I just can’t believe he won’t be there when I get back from international duty.”

 

So from that, he spoke to Keegan, who outlined the plans, and THEN he signed.

 

That leaves Nacho Gonzalez, which was a short-term last minute deal anyway from the sounds of it, and if other targets that Keegan did want weren't attainable, I'd say it's fair enough the scouts get someone in on his behalf when the alternative is no player at all.

 

 

Xisco is clearly lying.

[toonpete1892]

I was going to write paragraphs upon paragraphs about this statement/interview but I can't see the point to be honest, as I would only get mobbed.

 

What I will say is, Ashley firstly wanted a stable club that was sustainable and would survive for many years to come, with increasing amount of funds becoming available for the team once finanaces off the field were sorted WHILST 'fans' wanted money money money, to give over-rated players over-rated transfer fees and over the top contracts - the club would be bust and folded within ten years (Portsmouth were suffering after only one year). I would love see the club succeed in the short run, but I'd much rather have a club to take my kids and grandkids to.

[Novocastrian]

 

Can't be arsed reading the whole thread but Dunn is that speccy Scouse twat off the Sunday Supplement

 

and he generally seems to have an anti-Toon bias so I take everything his so called news paper takes with a pinch of salt.

[NJS]

I was going to write paragraphs upon paragraphs about this statement/interview but I can't see the point to be honest, as I would only get mobbed.

 

What I will say is, Ashley firstly wanted a stable club that was sustainable and would survive for many years to come, with increasing amount of funds becoming available for the team once finanaces off the field were sorted WHILST 'fans' wanted money money money, to give over-rated players over-rated transfer fees and over the top contracts - the club would be bust and folded within ten years (Portsmouth were suffering after only one year). I would love see the club succeed in the short run, but I'd much rather have a club to take my kids and grandkids to.

 

Sorry but that's crap - given the mediocrity of the squad, "steady progress" in the form of 2 or 3 slightly better players coming in to replace those leaving would have seen no tangible difference to season after season of mid-table averageness at best.

 

I didn't want money wasted on overrated players as you state - I just wanted the money raised from STs and TV to be spent, possibly with some investment, on a few decent players with the aim of actually challenging.

 

Would you be happy for your grandkids to be watching at team that has won nothing for 60 or 70 years?

[Baggio]

Would you be happy for your grandkids to be watching at team that has won nothing for 60 or 70 years?

 

Perhaps you should encourage them to support Chelsea if you want them to support a team that wins stuff.

 

 

[NJS]

Would you be happy for your grandkids to be watching at team that has won nothing for 60 or 70 years?

 

Perhaps you should encourage them to support Chelsea if you want them to support a team that wins stuff.

 

 

 

Ambition and intent is different to divine rightism - if we don't want to win things then we might as well give up now.

 

 

[Liam Liam Liam O]

I was going to write paragraphs upon paragraphs about this statement/interview but I can't see the point to be honest, as I would only get mobbed.

 

What I will say is, Ashley firstly wanted a stable club that was sustainable and would survive for many years to come, with increasing amount of funds becoming available for the team once finanaces off the field were sorted WHILST 'fans' wanted money money money, to give over-rated players over-rated transfer fees and over the top contracts - the club would be bust and folded within ten years (Portsmouth were suffering after only one year). I would love see the club succeed in the short run, but I'd much rather have a club to take my kids and grandkids to.

 

Sorry but that's crap - given the mediocrity of the squad, "steady progress" in the form of 2 or 3 slightly better players coming in to replace those leaving would have seen no tangible difference to season after season of mid-table averageness at best.

 

I didn't want money wasted on overrated players as you state - I just wanted the money raised from STs and TV to be spent, possibly with some investment, on a few decent players with the aim of actually challenging.

 

Would you be happy for your grandkids to be watching at team that has won nothing for 60 or 70 years?

 

My grandparents' grandkids are doing it.

[Baggio]

Would you be happy for your grandkids to be watching at team that has won nothing for 60 or 70 years?

 

Perhaps you should encourage them to support Chelsea if you want them to support a team that wins stuff.

 

 

 

Ambition and intent is different to divine rightism - if we don't want to win things then we might as well give up now.

 

 

 

Yet you yourself thought the other week that we would be flying high with Keegan still here, 5th you said wasn't it?

 

Obviously that's not a big enough jump in one season for you.

[toonpete1892]

I was going to write paragraphs upon paragraphs about this statement/interview but I can't see the point to be honest, as I would only get mobbed.

 

What I will say is, Ashley firstly wanted a stable club that was sustainable and would survive for many years to come, with increasing amount of funds becoming available for the team once finanaces off the field were sorted WHILST 'fans' wanted money money money, to give over-rated players over-rated transfer fees and over the top contracts - the club would be bust and folded within ten years (Portsmouth were suffering after only one year). I would love see the club succeed in the short run, but I'd much rather have a club to take my kids and grandkids to.

 

Sorry but that's crap - given the mediocrity of the squad, "steady progress" in the form of 2 or 3 slightly better players coming in to replace those leaving would have seen no tangible difference to season after season of mid-table averageness at best.

 

I didn't want money wasted on overrated players as you state - I just wanted the money raised from STs and TV to be spent, possibly with some investment, on a few decent players with the aim of actually challenging.

 

Would you be happy for your grandkids to be watching at team that has won nothing for 60 or 70 years?

 

Ashley bought a failing club, and is trying to sell a failing club (a better off but still a failing club). The club had a plan but fans didn't appreciate how much shit the club was in. Massive changes needed to be made and this wasn't going to happen overnight. Debts had to be cancelled out, current sponsorship money intended for such transfer activity had already been wasted meaning long term financial plans needed to be drawn up and tried out. True enough Ashley has his own personal millions but he also has other financial commitments. In time he may have given NUFC his full backing but the club needed security first personal insurance that Ashley could continue to live a happy life that he had worked hard to build up - he is a human afterall.

 

We are newcastle united, we are not chelsea/man utd/arsenal! These are teams that are years if not decades ahead of us, and we are never going to compete. Success may only come from a cup campaign but in the meantime I much rather live the highs and lows of yet another below average premiership season, rather than sitting in my house wishing I had a club to support.

 

Thats just my view, and one that I'll stick by. If fans want other things, then perhaps they should look elsewhere . . . .

[NJS]

My grandparents' grandkids are doing it.

 

As I grew up in the 70s and  experiencing 74 at the age of 10 and knowing about 69 I had a view of Newcastle United as a club with a proud history that could on occasion have a sniff of winning something without being a top, top club. After relegation and a few years of shite as I stated going to the matches I'd accepted that the chances of that sniff had receded so concentrated on just having a good time at the matches where football almost became secondary - you could say an "Ashley" type viewpoint.

 

John Hall and Kevin Keegan changed that attitude and stirred something in me and others that still burns - a desire to see us go beyond that attitude of the 70s and actually become a top club. Bobby Robson and yes Freddie Shepherd also shared that desire.

 

Mike Ashley has never spoken about wanting any of that - he has never named a target or an aim beyond financial stability - it was left to Keegan again when he was appointed to talk about at least having a go at the top 4 or maybe winning a cup.

 

What I see now is people arguing for going back to the defeatist attitude of the past where they talk about "enjoyment" and "stability" by which they mean not rattling any feathers or being scared of having a go because as far as I can see one club out of dozens who've tried have gone a bit tits up (Leeds). Even then they haven't folded - they could still come back but that's not good enough for the doom merchants who despite never having seen a "big" club fold for donkeys years seem to think we're heading there.

 

I'm 44 and possibly having 20 or 30 years left I would like to see us win something and more importantly try and win something. That may sound selfish but I also want it to happen for people who are kids now so that the won't have memories based on trudging around Cambridge and Shrewsbury. I've said this before - given how much debt the top clubs have I'd rather the club was in debt (though manageable) and competing than being "stable" and seeing 10th as a good season.

 

 

[NJS]

Would you be happy for your grandkids to be watching at team that has won nothing for 60 or 70 years?

 

Perhaps you should encourage them to support Chelsea if you want them to support a team that wins stuff.

 

 

 

Ambition and intent is different to divine rightism - if we don't want to win things then we might as well give up now.

 

 

 

Yet you yourself thought the other week that we would be flying high with Keegan still here, 5th you said wasn't it?

 

Obviously that's not a big enough jump in one season for you.

 

I said we'd have beem higher before the weaknesses in the squad told - like having all our CMs out at once for example.

 

 

[Liam Liam Liam O]

My grandparents' grandkids are doing it.

 

As I grew up in the 70s and  experiencing 74 at the age of 10 and knowing about 69 I had a view of Newcastle United as a club with a proud history that could on occasion have a sniff of winning something without being a top, top club. After relegation and a few years of shite as I stated going to the matches I'd accepted that the chances of that sniff had receded so concentrated on just having a good time at the matches where football almost became secondary - you could say an "Ashley" type viewpoint.

 

John Hall and Kevin Keegan changed that attitude and stirred something in me and others that still burns - a desire to see us go beyond that attitude of the 70s and actually become a top club. Bobby Robson and yes Freddie Shepherd also shared that desire.

 

Mike Ashley has never spoken about wanting any of that - he has never named a target or an aim beyond financial stability - it was left to Keegan again when he was appointed to talk about at least having a go at the top 4 or maybe winning a cup.

 

What I see now is people arguing for going back to the defeatist attitude of the past where they talk about "enjoyment" and "stability" by which they mean not rattling any feathers or being scared of having a go because as far as I can see one club out of dozens who've tried have gone a bit tits up (Leeds). Even then they haven't folded - they could still come back but that's not good enough for the doom merchants who despite never having seen a "big" club fold for donkeys years seem to think we're heading there.

 

I'm 44 and possibly having 20 or 30 years left I would like to see us win something and more importantly try and win something. That may sound selfish but I also want it to happen for people who are kids now so that the won't have memories based on trudging around Cambridge and Shrewsbury. I've said this before - given how much debt the top clubs have I'd rather the club was in debt (though manageable) and competing than being "stable" and seeing 10th as a good season.

 

 

 

He has like, but Keegan gave that interview on TV, "not going to happen" were his words IIRC.

[Baggio]

Would you be happy for your grandkids to be watching at team that has won nothing for 60 or 70 years?

 

Perhaps you should encourage them to support Chelsea if you want them to support a team that wins stuff.

 

 

 

Ambition and intent is different to divine rightism - if we don't want to win things then we might as well give up now.

 

 

 

Yet you yourself thought the other week that we would be flying high with Keegan still here, 5th you said wasn't it?

 

Obviously that's not a big enough jump in one season for you.

 

I said we'd have beem higher before the weaknesses in the squad told - like having all our CMs out at once for example.

 

 

 

Lets get it right you thought we would have been up to 5th only a few weeks ago if Keegan had stayed.

 

When have they all been out at once btw?

[NJS]

We are newcastle united, we are not chelsea/man utd/arsenal!

 

Chelsea have no history and are in a huge amount of debt to Abramovitch - we were ahead of them 6 years ago

 

"we are never going to compete" - defeatist claptrap.

 

 

 

 

[Newcastle Fan]

Your still the owner you fucking idiot.

[NJS]

Lets get it right you thought we would have been up to 5th only a few weeks ago if Keegan had stayed.

 

I stand by that but as I said we wouldn't have finished there without investment in January which I didn't trust Ashley to do

 

When have they all been out at once btw?

 

 

Last weekend in the second half - we're lucky a couple will be back for today.

 

 

[NJS]

He has like, but Keegan gave that interview on TV, "not going to happen" were his words IIRC.

 

Keegan gave his typical emotional response to a defeat - I'm sure he still thought it was possible - even if it was doing groundwork over 3 years to get somewhere near them for someone else.

 

 

[Liam Liam Liam O]

He has like, but Keegan gave that interview on TV, "not going to happen" were his words IIRC.

 

Keegan gave his typical emotional response to a defeat - I'm sure he still thought it was possible - even if it was doing groundwork over 3 years to get somewhere near them for someone else.

 

 

 

Aye OK.  Keegan says it, you say he didn't mean it,  & it gets passed off as "his typical emotional response".  A bit like his walk out perhaps?

[Wullie]

We are newcastle united, we are not chelsea/man utd/arsenal! These are teams that are years if not decades ahead of us, and we are never going to compete. Success may only come from a cup campaign but in the meantime I much rather live the highs and lows of yet another below average premiership season, rather than sitting in my house wishing I had a club to support.

 

Is that Arsenal who currently lie beneath another club with a new owner, one who have shown actual ambition and are looking good for a Champions League spot?

 

Lerner wants Villa to be the best, Ashley wants us to be Fulham. As NJS says, if we've no interest in competing we might as well go home.