Alan Shearer contract latest: long gone

[Mike]

+   +  - (KK) =  :omg:

 

Can't dispute it, tbf.

[TRon]

Someone's been talking again.

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article6459172.ece

Newcastle United have delivered another painful snub to Alan Shearer after effectively putting their entire first-team squad up for sale.

 

Sixteen days after their relegation to the Coca-Cola Championship, Newcastle remain in turmoil, with no manager and no summer transfers in place. They invited further ridicule by inviting offers for the club by e-mail.

 

Shearer, their increasingly frustrated manager-in-waiting, returned from a four-day break in Portugal yesterday still eager to embrace the challenge of restoring lustre to his home-town club, but has no meetings planned with Mike Ashley, the owner.

 

Last week Shearer was granted a single conversation with Derek Llambias, the managing director. He had hoped to hear on Friday that Barclays Bank had effectively extended the clubs overdraft, making £40 million available as working capital to buy players and pay wages but has been told nothing. Alan is completely in the dark, one associate said.

 

Shearer was attempting to discover last night whether Ashleys backing for his appointment has waned, as the clubs dallying would suggest. He will not impose any deadline on Newcastle and nor will he walk away while there is a possibility of the job materialising, but he wants every opportunity to make it work.

 

That includes having the means to restructure the squad and Shearer will be dismayed to learn that his blueprint for achieving promotion next season, which included building a side around the likes of Steven Taylor, Steve Harper and Sébastien Bassong, has been ignored.

 

A number of agents, as well as other clubs, have been informed that offers would be considered for Newcastles entire playing staff. It has also been reported that First Artists, the agency, has been charged with finding buyers for high earners including Obafemi Martins, Joey Barton and Fabricio Coloccini.

 

After his only day of face-to-face negotiations with Shearer, Ashley described hiring their former striker for the final eight games of the season as the best decision he has made, while Llambias stated that we want him to be the manager 110 per cent. It is an opinion still held by supporters, who recognise that Shearer provides them with credibility as well as offering emotional resonance.

 

In the immediate aftermath of relegation from the Barclays Premier League, Shearer continued to work for the club without pay, speaking to players and agents about potential signings and compiling a programme for pre-season. His treatment since then appears shoddy and fans, who will receive their season-ticket packs this week, have called for the owner to end the impasse. It is vital that Mike Ashley acts quickly to quash the rumour and hearsay that surrounds the appointment of Alan Shearer as our manager, Newcastle United Supporters Club said in a statement.

 

Yet Ashleys regime continues to provoke embarrassment. Yesterday the club who are set to lose 120 members of staff confirmed on their website that the club is for sale at the price of £100 million. Interested parties were asked to contact Newcastle United at [email protected], which led to them being inundated with abusive e-mails from Sunderland fans.

 

Sources close to the sale have suggested that Ashley will be lucky to attract £80 million for a club he bought for £134 million two years ago and in which he subsequently invested a further £110 million to reduce debts.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jun/08/alan-shearer-newcastle-delays-mike-ashley

Shearer seeks urgent talks with Newcastle

 

Shearer 'angry and let down by lack of progress'

Caretaker manager wants straight answers from owner

 

Alan Shearer remains determined to become Newcastle United's manager even though he is increasingly exasperated by the unexplained delay in finalising his appointment. Although Shearer is said to feel "angry and let down" by the lack of progress made in the two weeks since the club were relegated, he has not contemplated issuing an ultimatum and will continue to wait for a decision from the board at least for the time being.

 

Nevertheless, having returned from a short holiday to Portugal, Shearer is showing signs of losing patience. He will seek an urgent meeting with Newcastle's owner, Mike Ashley, and managing director, Derek Llambias, this week and demand answers after a fortnight of negotiations appear to have led nowhere.

 

Shearer, who has the option of returning to work as a BBC pundit, says he does not intend to walk away from the talks at this stage but he is adamant the club cannot continue to operate in limbo and have any chance of returning to the Premier League at the first attempt next season.

 

The former Newcastle captain had expected to be given an answer last Friday but, apart from a brief conversation with Llambias, when he was told no progress had been made with the banks in charge of restructuring the club's finances following relegation, he has been kept in the dark.

 

There have been claims that Ashley has gone off the idea of making Shearer the club's permanent manager because of his record of only one win in eight games and his failure to keep Newcastle in the top flight. It has also been suggested that Ashley's decision to sell the club means he will not give anyone the manager's job as it may put off prospective buyers wanting to make that decision themselves.

 

The latter was seemingly not mentioned to Shearer as a potential barrier during previous discussions. When Shearer last spoke to Ashley 10 days ago, he was informed of the decision to put the club up for sale the asking price has been confirmed at £100m in a club statement but was apparently told he would be recruited regardless of any possible takeover.

 

As a result there is a growing suspicion inside the Shearer camp about Ashley's intentions, with some fearing he intends to try to sell as quickly as possible without worrying about finding a manager to lead the team back to the Premier League.

 

Concern is also mounting as nobody is in charge of the day-to-day running of the club while Shearer waits on the sidelines. With less than a month to go until the players return for pre-season training, Newcastle have not organised a single friendly and have failed to send out season-ticket renewal forms, let alone set up any transfer deals in or out of St James' Park.

 

If Ashley fails to make Shearer manager, the position will remain empty for at least another four or five weeks, the minimum time for a takeover to be completed.

 

The point that is conveniently ignored in both those articles is that Shearer has said that he will only accept the job under certain conditions. The conditions are the cause of the delay, not any assessment of Shearer's ability.

 

Now as none of us know what those conditions are, we don't know how realistic they are for an owner to accept. They're obviously not acceptable to Ashley, but may be okay for someone else. We'll have to see.

 

In the real world, the owner decides the financial parameters, and the prospective manager decides whether to take the job. In Planet Newcastle, things are different.

 

In Planet Newcastle we just want an Owner who wants to be here who will appoint a  manager before it's too fucking late.

[Dave]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1191664/CHARLES-SALES-SPORTS-AGENDA-Alan-Shearers-1-75m-Newcastle-demand-rich-Mike-Ashley.html?ITO=1490

The financial demands of Newcastle boss Alan Shearer are a highly sensitive issue at St James's Park with the club claiming they're excessive while the manager's agents say the numbers have been exaggerated.

 

It's understood that Shearer in his last meeting with owner Mike Ashley asked for a £2.5million package next season, which breaks down into annual payments of £1.75m for Shearer, £500,000 for assistant Iain Dowie and £250,000 for head of performance Paul Ferris.

 

What has upset Shearer's representatives WMG is that the fanciful £3m-a-year being bandied about as the manager's asking price will only alienate Toon supporters at a time of so much uncertainty surrounding the ownership.

 

However it's now emerged that Ashley, guilty of being ultra extravagant in past Newcastle dealings, now considers the genuine wages Shearer wants as being too much for a relegated club.

[madras]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1191664/CHARLES-SALES-SPORTS-AGENDA-Alan-Shearers-1-75m-Newcastle-demand-rich-Mike-Ashley.html?ITO=1490

The financial demands of Newcastle boss Alan Shearer are a highly sensitive issue at St James's Park with the club claiming they're excessive while the manager's agents say the numbers have been exaggerated.

 

It's understood that Shearer in his last meeting with owner Mike Ashley asked for a £2.5million package next season, which breaks down into annual payments of £1.75m for Shearer, £500,000 for assistant Iain Dowie and £250,000 for head of performance Paul Ferris.

 

What has upset Shearer's representatives WMG is that the fanciful £3m-a-year being bandied about as the manager's asking price will only alienate Toon supporters at a time of so much uncertainty surrounding the ownership.

 

However it's now emerged that Ashley, guilty of being ultra extravagant in past Newcastle dealings, now considers the genuine wages Shearer wants as being too much for a relegated club.

does anyone think personal terms are the problem ?

[QBG]

I've literally never been more depressed about the state of my Football club ever. Wish Ashley would just employ him the fuck off.

[chicago_shearer]

I'm seriously beginning to question whether this is really just incompetence or actually deliberate. 

[Decky]

I'm seriously beginning to question whether this is really just incompetence or actually deliberate. 

 

Ashley was sent to put this club in the conference.

[MiamiMag]

I'm seriously beginning to question whether this is really just incompetence or actually deliberate. 

This. He couldnt be doing the club more harm if he deliberately tried. He is a fucking joke.

[Guest sicko2ndbest]

Shearers wages of 1.75mil or 3mil, whatever it may be, would be paid back with interest over the course of his contract with the quodos, revenue and results he would bring

[BlueStar]

Getting fucking sick of this now.

[Guest toonlass]

We will end up with Danny Wilson or Dario Gradi, I am sure of it.

[ElDiablo]

Past thinking Shearer will be boss next year and past caring about it. Move on.

[Lenny]

It's quite unbelievable how a successful (perhaps questionable) business man can make so many mistakes and not learn. Whenever there has been a decision to be made, he has made the WRONG decision EVERY time. I mean seriously, who the fuck advised him that it would be a good idea to advertise the sale of the club on a website aimed at communicating with fans? Beyond belief.

[bovineblue]

It's quite unbelievable how a successful (perhaps questionable) business man can make so many mistakes and not learn. Whenever there has been a decision to be made, he has made the WRONG decision EVERY time. I mean seriously, who the f*** advised him that it would be a good idea to advertise the sale of the club on a website aimed at communicating with fans? Beyond belief.

 

Business success involves a hell of a lot of luck.  Being in the right place at the right time with the right people around you can make even a complete moron a lot of money.  With us, Ashley seemed to be content to rely on his luck rather than good management and his luck just ran out.

[Cronky]

It's quite unbelievable how a successful (perhaps questionable) business man can make so many mistakes and not learn. Whenever there has been a decision to be made, he has made the WRONG decision EVERY time. I mean seriously, who the f*** advised him that it would be a good idea to advertise the sale of the club on a website aimed at communicating with fans? Beyond belief.

 

Business success involves a hell of a lot of luck.  Being in the right place at the right time with the right people around you can make even a complete moron a lot of money.  With us, Ashley seemed to be content to rely on his luck rather than good management and his luck just ran out.

 

The situation reminds me a bit of what happened with Alan Sugar a few years ago, when he bought Spurs. He ended up having to sack Terry Venables, who was the fans' favourite, and found himself out of control of his own business. Like Ashley, he was glad to get out in the end.

 

The only criterion for success in a business is making money. With a football club, success is trophies and there's a degree of customer involvement and interest in decisions which would normally be entirely up to an owner.

[Cronky]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1191664/CHARLES-SALES-SPORTS-AGENDA-Alan-Shearers-1-75m-Newcastle-demand-rich-Mike-Ashley.html?ITO=1490

The financial demands of Newcastle boss Alan Shearer are a highly sensitive issue at St James's Park with the club claiming they're excessive while the manager's agents say the numbers have been exaggerated.

 

It's understood that Shearer in his last meeting with owner Mike Ashley asked for a £2.5million package next season, which breaks down into annual payments of £1.75m for Shearer, £500,000 for assistant Iain Dowie and £250,000 for head of performance Paul Ferris.

 

What has upset Shearer's representatives WMG is that the fanciful £3m-a-year being bandied about as the manager's asking price will only alienate Toon supporters at a time of so much uncertainty surrounding the ownership.

 

However it's now emerged that Ashley, guilty of being ultra extravagant in past Newcastle dealings, now considers the genuine wages Shearer wants as being too much for a relegated club.

does anyone think personal terms are the problem ?

 

I suspect £1.75 million is way in excess of the usual salary for a manager in the Championship, but I don't think it's the main issue. I think Shearer has made it known he's not happy to preside over a cost-cutting exercise, and that's what Ashley feels is needed.

 

I may be wrong. Ashley may be thoroughly hacked off with an employee who has basically failed his probation period demanding a large salary and financial backing before he'll accept the job.

[Benwell Lad]

Good to see certain publications are bigging up Shearer's case and casting him as the hard done by local hero.

 

Exactly the same rags will be licking their lips if he is appointed, hardly able to contain themselves as they wait for him to fail.

Expect levels of bias, ridicule and persecution from the national media against Shearer which will make the way they went for Keegan and then Ashley seem like kid's play in comparison.

[TRon]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1191664/CHARLES-SALES-SPORTS-AGENDA-Alan-Shearers-1-75m-Newcastle-demand-rich-Mike-Ashley.html?ITO=1490

The financial demands of Newcastle boss Alan Shearer are a highly sensitive issue at St James's Park with the club claiming they're excessive while the manager's agents say the numbers have been exaggerated.

 

It's understood that Shearer in his last meeting with owner Mike Ashley asked for a £2.5million package next season, which breaks down into annual payments of £1.75m for Shearer, £500,000 for assistant Iain Dowie and £250,000 for head of performance Paul Ferris.

 

What has upset Shearer's representatives WMG is that the fanciful £3m-a-year being bandied about as the manager's asking price will only alienate Toon supporters at a time of so much uncertainty surrounding the ownership.

 

However it's now emerged that Ashley, guilty of being ultra extravagant in past Newcastle dealings, now considers the genuine wages Shearer wants as being too much for a relegated club.

does anyone think personal terms are the problem ?

 

I suspect £1.75 million is way in excess of the usual salary for a manager in the Championship, but I don't think it's the main issue. I think Shearer has made it known he's not happy to preside over a cost-cutting exercise, and that's what Ashley feels is needed.

 

I may be wrong. Ashley may be thoroughly hacked off with an employee who has basically failed his probation period demanding a large salary and financial backing before he'll accept the job.

 

Ashley hasn't got a leg to stand on. If he appoints somebody else and fails to back them where does he go after that? The fans will desert and the club will sink like a stone. The only way we can come back from this is with a real leader in charge who is prepared to lay down standards and aim high. If Ashley rejects Shearer does anyone seriously think we will get a quality alternative?

[Benwell Lad]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1191664/CHARLES-SALES-SPORTS-AGENDA-Alan-Shearers-1-75m-Newcastle-demand-rich-Mike-Ashley.html?ITO=1490

The financial demands of Newcastle boss Alan Shearer are a highly sensitive issue at St James's Park with the club claiming they're excessive while the manager's agents say the numbers have been exaggerated.

 

It's understood that Shearer in his last meeting with owner Mike Ashley asked for a £2.5million package next season, which breaks down into annual payments of £1.75m for Shearer, £500,000 for assistant Iain Dowie and £250,000 for head of performance Paul Ferris.

 

What has upset Shearer's representatives WMG is that the fanciful £3m-a-year being bandied about as the manager's asking price will only alienate Toon supporters at a time of so much uncertainty surrounding the ownership.

 

However it's now emerged that Ashley, guilty of being ultra extravagant in past Newcastle dealings, now considers the genuine wages Shearer wants as being too much for a relegated club.

does anyone think personal terms are the problem ?

 

I suspect £1.75 million is way in excess of the usual salary for a manager in the Championship, but I don't think it's the main issue. I think Shearer has made it known he's not happy to preside over a cost-cutting exercise, and that's what Ashley feels is needed.

 

I may be wrong. Ashley may be thoroughly hacked off with an employee who has basically failed his probation period demanding a large salary and financial backing before he'll accept the job.

 

Interesting debate.

Although way over an average (or even successful) Championship manager's salary, Shearer's profile and stature probably put him into the £1.75M bracket in the employment market. His ability right now to boost ticket sales etc would probably entitle him to a commission around that figure too.

However, on the other hand he is a total rookie at management and if his, albeit, short tenure of the job was considered probationary, then he didn't really do much to impress. The usual "Geordie" rallying cries we hear from them all but no marked improvement from the team and very little tactical nous.

 

Anyway we can shout and scream as much as we want but with Ashley on his way out there is little chance of any senior managerial appointments being made until that part is sorted. Even Ashley wouldn't make that mistake.

 

[Decky]

The way Ashley is running things he will take a manager out of a Sports Direct store and stick him in the dug out.

[quayside]

It's quite unbelievable how a successful (perhaps questionable) business man can make so many mistakes and not learn. Whenever there has been a decision to be made, he has made the WRONG decision EVERY time. I mean seriously, who the f*** advised him that it would be a good idea to advertise the sale of the club on a website aimed at communicating with fans? Beyond belief.

 

Business success involves a hell of a lot of luck.  Being in the right place at the right time with the right people around you can make even a complete moron a lot of money.  With us, Ashley seemed to be content to rely on his luck rather than good management and his luck just ran out.

 

The situation reminds me a bit of what happened with Alan Sugar a few years ago, when he bought Spurs. He ended up having to sack Terry Venables, who was the fans' favourite, and found himself out of control of his own business. Like Ashley, he was glad to get out in the end.

 

The only criterion for success in a business is making money. With a football club, success is trophies and there's a degree of customer involvement and interest in decisions which would normally be entirely up to an owner.

 

True.

Tbh I can understand people thinking that Ashley is deliberately running the club down because his decision making is so catastrophic that it seems inconceivable that he thinks he is doing the right things. But he is a trader and a chancer who got lucky in a market he understands. He thinks that means he has ability to run something else which he doesn't understand and like others before him (Sugar being one as you say) he is very wrong. People like Ashley are used to making decisions in their own time and in their own way, those that work for him know that and set things up around him accordingly. But in a business like a football club decisions are absolutely time critical and success depends upon the assets of the club being moulded into a cohesive unit (and not being viewed as a potential profitable resale). Ashley, though rich, isn't really very clever at all and I have thought since the word go that he was completely out of his depth owning a Premiership club.     

[Mowen]

Shearer at £1.75m would more than pay for itself. I'd say a minimum of 5k on the season's average gate, at a conservative £20 per ticket that works out at £100k per game, and £2.3m over a season. You're in profit before you start.

[beardsleymagic]

Shearer at £1.75m would more than pay for itself. I'd say a minimum of 5k on the season's average gate, at a conservative £20 per ticket that works out at £100k per game, and £2.3m over a season. You're in profit before you start.

 

Exactly.

 

But this is the reason why i think it's Ashley's cronies that are leaking all this "Shearer's demanding 30m a GAME" crap (i know, a slight exaggeration), just so it takes the pressure of Ashley and in turn trying to make Shearer look unrealistically greedy.

[SUPERTOON]

Maybe we are in talks with new owners who have told Ashley that they don't want Shearer as manager, this way Ashley looks like the bad guy, and the new owners can come in and appoint the man they want.

[Decky]

I think its just Ashley washing his hands with the club tbh. Cant be arsed sorting a new manager, cant be arsed doing anything, sell up and get out, let it be the new owners problem.