Llambias Q&A with Chronicle: OP updated with Thursday's articles

[ToonTastic]

He says they are in dialogue with fans which is true. The guys from nufc.com some from here and other sections of fans all go to regular meetings with the club. He doesn't say they are meeting soley with NUSC which is the correct way to do it since NUSC has very few members.

 

No they don't. That ended when Mort left.

 

In the other forum the meeting is there Dave.

 

Edit - I've just checked the date you and I found out about the month on Dec 29th

[Dave]

He says they are in dialogue with fans which is true. The guys from nufc.com some from here and other sections of fans all go to regular meetings with the club. He doesn't say they are meeting soley with NUSC which is the correct way to do it since NUSC has very few members.

 

No they don't. That ended when Mort left.

 

In the other forum the meeting is there Dave

 

What?

[ToonTastic]

He says they are in dialogue with fans which is true. The guys from nufc.com some from here and other sections of fans all go to regular meetings with the club. He doesn't say they are meeting soley with NUSC which is the correct way to do it since NUSC has very few members.

 

No they don't. That ended when Mort left.

 

In the other forum the meeting is there Dave

 

What?

 

Dusty Cabinet

[Dave]

Check your PMs.

[Happy Face]

nothing wholly unexpected about it all, thought he came across reasonably well if a little condescending (although given the actions of some of our fans, it's to be expected).

 

spot on about "the NUSC" - perhaps the fog of war will start to lift from their eyes

 

If the NUSC weren't getting so much press coverage with their demands for communication from the club you can be sure this interview would never have happened.

 

Thats rubbish I'm afraid. The club had said before Xmas they would talk after the transfer window. NUSC had sweet FA to do with the interview or the future meeting. In fact I don't even know if anyone on NUSC is part of the meeting, they might be I don't know.

 

The club said just after christams they'd be speaking in the new year (Ashley's programme notes for the  Liverpool game).  That never happened though so Kinnear said it would be after the transfer window.  Then he said it would be the end of the season that they'd talk to supporters groups.  Now Llambias points out they're regularly talking to supporters groups.

 

Nobody at the club is reading from the same page.

 

Anyhow, why did they feel the need to break from their policy of silence, if not due to the pressure they were under?

 

It's been known by the people who go to the meetings it would be February for a long time. I don't care what JK said how much of what he says is true anyway

 

I think you're confusing meetings with fan representatives (stewarding, prices etc.) with broader communication (Club direction, transfer policy, who's running the club etc.).

 

Llambias hasn't even been involved with the former has he?

 

 

[ToonTastic]

nothing wholly unexpected about it all, thought he came across reasonably well if a little condescending (although given the actions of some of our fans, it's to be expected).

 

spot on about "the NUSC" - perhaps the fog of war will start to lift from their eyes

 

If the NUSC weren't getting so much press coverage with their demands for communication from the club you can be sure this interview would never have happened.

 

Thats rubbish I'm afraid. The club had said before Xmas they would talk after the transfer window. NUSC had sweet FA to do with the interview or the future meeting. In fact I don't even know if anyone on NUSC is part of the meeting, they might be I don't know.

 

The club said just after christams they'd be speaking in the new year (Ashley's programme notes for the  Liverpool game).  That never happened though so Kinnear said it would be after the transfer window.  Then he said it would be the end of the season that they'd talk to supporters groups.  Now Llambias points out they're regularly talking to supporters groups.

 

Nobody at the club is reading from the same page.

 

Anyhow, why did they feel the need to break from their policy of silence, if not due to the pressure they were under?

 

It's been known by the people who go to the meetings it would be February for a long time. I don't care what JK said how much of what he says is true anyway

 

I think you're confusing meetings with fan representatives (stewarding, prices etc.) with broader communication (Club direction, transfer policy, who's running the club etc.).

 

Llambias hasn't even been involved with the former has he?

 

 

 

I think (assume) that's all Llambias is on about when he mentions the meetings with the fans. He hasn't been involved with those yet but he is in february from what I understand. Mort was included in the last lot though.

[Happy Face]

nothing wholly unexpected about it all, thought he came across reasonably well if a little condescending (although given the actions of some of our fans, it's to be expected).

 

spot on about "the NUSC" - perhaps the fog of war will start to lift from their eyes

 

If the NUSC weren't getting so much press coverage with their demands for communication from the club you can be sure this interview would never have happened.

 

Thats rubbish I'm afraid. The club had said before Xmas they would talk after the transfer window. NUSC had sweet FA to do with the interview or the future meeting. In fact I don't even know if anyone on NUSC is part of the meeting, they might be I don't know.

 

The club said just after christams they'd be speaking in the new year (Ashley's programme notes for the  Liverpool game).  That never happened though so Kinnear said it would be after the transfer window.  Then he said it would be the end of the season that they'd talk to supporters groups.  Now Llambias points out they're regularly talking to supporters groups.

 

Nobody at the club is reading from the same page.

 

Anyhow, why did they feel the need to break from their policy of silence, if not due to the pressure they were under?

 

It's been known by the people who go to the meetings it would be February for a long time. I don't care what JK said how much of what he says is true anyway

 

I think you're confusing meetings with fan representatives (stewarding, prices etc.) with broader communication (Club direction, transfer policy, who's running the club etc.).

 

Llambias hasn't even been involved with the former has he?

 

 

 

I think (assume) that's all Llambias is on about when he mentions the meetings with the fans. He hasn't been involved with those yet but he is in february from what I understand. Mort was included in the last lot though.

 

I'll not count my chickens that he will just yet, but I was on about the latter.

[dcmk]

Interesting responses from Llambias.  As someone pointed out earlier, he talked the talk but now the club has to walk the walk.

 

I can understand why they would be wary of any supporters group, at this point.

 

Interesting that he would admit that the failings were pretty much chalked up to them not knowing how to run a football club.  I like the honesty but they need an experienced hand at the tiller, no?

 

reading between the lines, anything and everything to do with Keegan was a complete clusterfuck.

 

I get the feeling that Joe coming back is lip service.  I think he's not a long term solution and everyone knows that.  I think the talk of him potentially getting a long term deal is so that he isn't a lame duck coach.  I don't think Kinnear wants the pressure of coaching at this level.  I think he wants to use this job as a platform to take a club on a lower level with less stress and expectations.  He's not good enough at this level and even he must see that (I hope).

The management structure isn't changing.  The business model isn't changing.  They'll look to cut off some deadwood, grow the roster from the bottom up but Ashley will dig into his pockets if the right purchases are available.  

 

One of three things is possible:  they're bullshitting the fans, they're bullshitting themselves or they're going about it the right way.  Only time will tell.

 

 

 

Agreed with that. If the players think he's a dead man walking (pardon the phrasing) then they won't play for him, they'll be looking to the next manager (like when FFS daftly told the world SBR was going at the end of the season and the players thought fuk this, why both?) It's also no surprise this contract offer was announced during the window to show stability to potential players coming to the club.

 

JFK will be gone in the summer, 99% sure of that.

 

They gave him a contract, how can you be 99% sure.  Delusional.

 

If he was lying Newcastle would have said 'not true, review the situation when the campaign is other' like any club would of done.  They kept their mouths shut meaning there is substance to it.

[Dave]

Good afternoon Hopey. Gauging reaction?

[Wallace]

nothing wholly unexpected about it all, thought he came across reasonably well if a little condescending (although given the actions of some of our fans, it's to be expected).

 

spot on about "the NUSC" - perhaps the fog of war will start to lift from their eyes

 

If the NUSC weren't getting so much press coverage with their demands for communication from the club you can be sure this interview would never have happened.

 

Thats rubbish I'm afraid. The club had said before Xmas they would talk after the transfer window. NUSC had sweet FA to do with the interview or the future meeting. In fact I don't even know if anyone on NUSC is part of the meeting, they might be I don't know.

 

The club said just after christams they'd be speaking in the new year (Ashley's programme notes for the  Liverpool game).  That never happened though so Kinnear said it would be after the transfer window.  Then he said it would be the end of the season that they'd talk to supporters groups.  Now Llambias points out they're regularly talking to supporters groups.

 

Nobody at the club is reading from the same page.

 

Anyhow, why did they feel the need to break from their policy of silence, if not due to the pressure they were under?

 

It's been known by the people who go to the meetings it would be February for a long time. I don't care what JK said how much of what he says is true anyway

 

I think you're confusing meetings with fan representatives (stewarding, prices etc.) with broader communication (Club direction, transfer policy, who's running the club etc.).

 

Llambias hasn't even been involved with the former has he?

 

 

 

I think (assume) that's all Llambias is on about when he mentions the meetings with the fans. He hasn't been involved with those yet but he is in february from what I understand. Mort was included in the last lot though.

 

There are meetings every month (I think) - and it is Simon Esland who normally attends from NUFC.  The meetings are posted on the official website and a summary on True Faith.  At the NUSC meeting last week, they said a couple of people from NUSC had attended the last one.  I don't think they were actually "invited" to attend though.  Points raised tend to be about stewarding and that sort of thing and not the direction of the club.

[ToonTastic]

Looks like there are a few meetings going on then not just what I knew of.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Interesting responses from Llambias.  As someone pointed out earlier, he talked the talk but now the club has to walk the walk.

 

I can understand why they would be wary of any supporters group, at this point.

 

Interesting that he would admit that the failings were pretty much chalked up to them not knowing how to run a football club.  I like the honesty but they need an experienced hand at the tiller, no?

 

reading between the lines, anything and everything to do with Keegan was a complete clusterfuck.

 

I get the feeling that Joe coming back is lip service.  I think he's not a long term solution and everyone knows that.  I think the talk of him potentially getting a long term deal is so that he isn't a lame duck coach.  I don't think Kinnear wants the pressure of coaching at this level.  I think he wants to use this job as a platform to take a club on a lower level with less stress and expectations.  He's not good enough at this level and even he must see that (I hope).

 

The management structure isn't changing.  The business model isn't changing.  They'll look to cut off some deadwood, grow the roster from the bottom up but Ashley will dig into his pockets if the right purchases are available.  

 

One of three things is possible:  they're bullshitting the fans, they're bullshitting themselves or they're going about it the right way.  Only time will tell.

 

 

 

I've been thinking that but its hard to rationalise anything with NUFC at the moment. Its certainly what I want to believe though.

[Baggio]

crap questions, crap answers. i expect the better stuff will be in the journal.

 

why the fuck did they waste a question on jiminez who we know has left the club? also, the dennis wise response -  thanks for clearing that up derek.

 

i do get the impression that they still dont 'get it' - they dont realise theyve made mistakes and that they're still making mistakes and just put it down to 'poor communication' as if everything would be fine if only theyd talked more. talk of wanting us to be like aston villa is pointless, everything thats happened since they came in has moved us away from how villa are being ran.

 

Villa were a club that was self sufficient under Ellis so any money put in by Lerner could go into improving the first team, the difference here is that any money put in by Ashley is going to keeping the club running.

 

Until that's turned around than we will never have any money.

 

aston villa have appointed a top class manager and backed his judgement. we've had a system of bureaucrats meddling in transfer activity and approached old british, and in many cases crap, managers to work with a system they are unsuited to (and vice versa),  offering literally nothing to spend but in fact making a profit. different directions.

 

however the comparison of Doug Ellis to Mike Ashley is an excellent one, both have zero ambition and would prefer to risk nothing for financial stability than to invest in the hope of improving the club on and off the pitch.

 

Not sure how you can comment on the sort of managers we've approached to work with the set up, the only reason Kinnear is here is because the club was put up for sale and they wanted someone as a stop gap, the same goes for Venables.

 

Not sure how you can compare Ashley to Ellis as Ashley is putting his hand in his own pocket to keep the club going, now I know that goes against your earlier opinion that we were making £20 million a season and it was going in his pocket but it looks like he was telling the truth when he said he was prepared to put £20 million in of his own money a year because so far he's done that.

 

Perhaps if the club didn't have so much debt then Lerner would have bought us since Ellis said he was put off both us and Everton because of the debts we had, people like yourself seem to have a big chip on their shoulder because he's trying to turn the club around on the financial side, I can't say I'm enjoying it but I understand that it needs to be done if we're ever going to get anywhere, either that or we get bought out by someone like the people at Man City but they didn't seem to be queuing up when it was for sale last year.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Is that the full interview by the way? Or are there more parts to come?

[themanupstairs]

Is that the full interview by the way? Or are there more parts to come?

 

More to come I think

[ToonTastic]

Part 1 of 4 isn't it ?

[Guest Darth Toon]

The Times' take on it:

 

Sorry is the hardest word for Newcastle

 

After months of delay, Tuesday finally brought a long-awaited apology. There have been wasted millions, a lack of leadership, heavy losses, a dearth of communication from the boardroom. Yes, just as Britain’s bankers were grovelling in front of a committee of MPs, so Newcastle United were belatedly accepting responsibility for recent mishaps at St James’ Park.

 

It would be stretching the truth to describe an admission or two from Derek Llambias as a good start given that the managing director has been in his position for several months – since when he has said precisely nothing of substance but any communication from Newcastle is as welcome as it is rare. The question is whether it serves any purpose.

 

Supplication from the banking industry may be embraced as a necessary component in restoring confidence, but it offers nothing tangible to a family struggling to pay their mortgage or the recently unemployed. Similarly, there is a level of disenchantment so engrained on Tyneside that mere words will achieve nothing without accompanying deeds. And they had better be good.

 

Mike Ashley had a huge opportunity when he bought the club in the summer of 2007, but the credit he inherited simply by not being Freddy Shepherd was spurned. At no stage did he campaign for his personal vision for Newcastle; an end to the galactico culture of high wages and low achievements, a team of young, ambitious players, investment in the youth structure.

 

It was a worthy strategy wholly undermined from within. The early dismissal of Sam Allardyce, however much of a relief, blew apart notions of long-term stability, while Kevin Keegan, his successor, was manacled by a clumsy, half-cocked acquisition department, headed by Dennis Wise, and then betrayed. Everything Ashley has subsequently touched has turned to manure. 

 

In a business – please forgive the use of language – so frenetic and frantic as football and in a region so consumed by it as the north east, communicating with fans is vital and having deferred it for so long, Llambias must know that his every word will be picked over. A quick glance at his question and answer session with the Evening Chronicle raise several points, not all of them positive.

 

“In five years time, I would hope we would be challenging for everything.” In six of the last ten seasons, Newcastle have finished in the bottom half of the table, a trend which seems unlikely to change this time.

 

“We aren’t a selling club, we’re a buying club.” In January, Newcastle sold Shay Given, their best player, to Manchester City. This summer, Michael Owen is almost certain to leave. James Milner joined Aston Villa for £12 million in the previous transfer window. Newcastle made an £8 million profit on their dealings last month and during Ashley’s entire tenure have a net spend of virtually nothing.

 

“Sometimes we feel like we’ve been bombarded and then when we have come out it’s been twisted. That has made us mistrusting of the Press.” Neither Llambias or Ashley have held a single press conference during their time at Newcastle. Not one.

 

Llambias described the recently-formed Newcastle United Supporters Association (NUSC) as “a small group and given more credence than they deserve,” although 6,000 enquiries regarding membership are presently being sifted through. The NUSC still plan to hold a rally prior to the home game against Everton on February 22; their vigilance will not be discarded lightly.

 

Newcastle’s hierarchy have been unspoken during an often unspeakable season. Just as for the bankers, saying sorry is both important and the moral thing to do, but it is only a miniscule step in the right direction.

 

http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2009/02/chelseas-lip-se.html

[gray]

Makes me feel a little happier tbf, just hope we stay up this season or its all down the pan

[Guest neesy111]

at least ashley and that have a plan ffs, remember our previous regime just looked at the club short-term and no we face the consequences long-term

[Guest firetotheworks]

at least ashley and that have a plan ffs, remember our previous regime just looked at the club short-term and no we face the consequences long-term

 

Uh oh

[Skirge]

Yes they have a plan, they plan just to wing it and hope for the best.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Yes they have a plan, they plan just to wing it and hope for the best.

 

It's worked in the past.

[NE5]

crap questions, crap answers. i expect the better stuff will be in the journal.

 

why the fuck did they waste a question on jiminez who we know has left the club? also, the dennis wise response -  thanks for clearing that up derek.

 

i do get the impression that they still dont 'get it' - they dont realise theyve made mistakes and that they're still making mistakes and just put it down to 'poor communication' as if everything would be fine if only theyd talked more. talk of wanting us to be like aston villa is pointless, everything thats happened since they came in has moved us away from how villa are being ran.

 

Villa were a club that was self sufficient under Ellis so any money put in by Lerner could go into improving the first team, the difference here is that any money put in by Ashley is going to keeping the club running.

 

Until that's turned around than we will never have any money.

 

aston villa have appointed a top class manager and backed his judgement. we've had a system of bureaucrats meddling in transfer activity and approached old british, and in many cases crap, managers to work with a system they are unsuited to (and vice versa),  offering literally nothing to spend but in fact making a profit. different directions.

 

however the comparison of Doug Ellis to Mike Ashley is an excellent one, both have zero ambition and would prefer to risk nothing for financial stability than to invest in the hope of improving the club on and off the pitch.

 

Not sure how you can comment on the sort of managers we've approached to work with the set up, the only reason Kinnear is here is because the club was put up for sale and they wanted someone as a stop gap, the same goes for Venables.

 

Not sure how you can compare Ashley to Ellis as Ashley is putting his hand in his own pocket to keep the club going, now I know that goes against your earlier opinion that we were making £20 million a season and it was going in his pocket but it looks like he was telling the truth when he said he was prepared to put £20 million in of his own money a year because so far he's done that.

 

Perhaps if the club didn't have so much debt then Lerner would have bought us since Ellis said he was put off both us and Everton because of the debts we had, people like yourself seem to have a big chip on their shoulder because he's trying to turn the club around on the financial side, I can't say I'm enjoying it but I understand that it needs to be done if we're ever going to get anywhere, either that or we get bought out by someone like the people at Man City but they didn't seem to be queuing up when it was for sale last year.

 

http://www.icis.com/blogs/asian-chemical-connections/035ostrich_468x538.jpg

[Happy Face]

at least ashley and that have a plan ffs, remember our previous regime just looked at the club short-term and no we face the consequences long-term

 

A plan for mediocrity at best, abject failure more likely.

 

[NE5]

Yes they have a plan, they plan just to wing it and hope for the best.

 

It's worked in the past.

 

he's already almost 2 years into the "grand plan", these "plans" which people said always succeeded. Or do I take it, he's starting again to see how the next 2 years goes too ?

 

Shame the grand plan of actually capitalising on the clubs fanbase, and strengthening the current first team and encouraging our best players to see a future at the club wasn't on the radar.