Is Mike Ashley steering Newcastle United in the right direction?

[Guest malandro]

Could he have done that without spending some ‘real’ money? The £2-3m we spent this January wouldn’t buy you one proven PL standard player.  Basically he spent as little as possible to make sure our stroll to promotion wasn’t derailed by an injury crisis. There’s nowt wrong with that but spending as little as he thinks he can get away doesn’t seem like a policy shift to me.

 

I think we’ll struggle but stay up, and there’ll be a distinct change in the atmosphere at SJP as we start losing a lot of games again. Personally I’d prefer to see a few proper contests and have a lot less points than watch another season of men against boys.  

 

 

We spent £5.5 million in January and I think we could have managed without it.

 

If he wanted to spend as little as possible then we could have gotten rid of more high earners than we did.

Considering Ashley has had to put to put in £800b a day to stop us going bust this season perhaps he should have accepted all those offers we got for our high earners in the summer? Given that he was trying to sell the club and we only had an unproven caretaker manager with a shit record in his previous stint, promotion was far from a nailed on certainty. At best it was a gamble with the clubs future.

[Guest malandro]

I mean, I'm not the biggest Ashley hater, and I agree it is a bit cringe worthy that it goes on every game, even when winning. However, its even worse he wants to go out on the Town after a win again! Just no.

 

Manage the club. Do a good job and in time we'll forgive (not forget), but don't go out, party boy.

 

Why shouldn't he go into town after a game?  Why should they or anybody else be unable to go out in town?

Nobody’s stopping him.

[OzzieMandias]

Has the decision making improved this season? I think we could just as easily have sank this season as swam because he wasn't prepared to back us in the summer. The players and the manager can take the credit for how we've done, Ashley has just got lucky. He's bought a few players in January because he thinks we're up - if we'd been so much as in the play-off positions, he'd have kept his hand firmly in his pocket.

 

It's bollocks about him not "backing" us in the summer, though. He "backed" us by letting Hughton keep all the players who weren't suddenly looking for greener pastures and making up the shortfall on a wage bill that's pretty damn heavy by this league's standards. There was no fire sale. Having watched how it went, he then funded Hughton in addressing most of the obvious problems in January. Your concluding sentence is nonsense.

 

If by backing us you mean "keeping the shit he'd signed on ludicrous wages because no fucker would be stupid enough to buy them" then yeah you're right.

 

 

I don't think we'd have had much problem offloading Jonas, Enrique, Coloccini. Where would we have been this season without those three? Plenty of people also predicted he'd sell Stephen Taylor.

[OzzieMandias]

Has the decision making improved this season? I think we could just as easily have sank this season as swam because he wasn't prepared to back us in the summer. The players and the manager can take the credit for how we've done, Ashley has just got lucky. He's bought a few players in January because he thinks we're up - if we'd been so much as in the play-off positions, he'd have kept his hand firmly in his pocket.

 

It's bollocks about him not "backing" us in the summer, though. He "backed" us by letting Hughton keep all the players who weren't suddenly looking for greener pastures and making up the shortfall on a wage bill that's pretty damn heavy by this league's standards. There was no fire sale. Having watched how it went, he then funded Hughton in addressing most of the obvious problems in January. Your concluding sentence is nonsense.

You mean we kept the players we couldn’t get rid off?  It’s not like somebody was going to come in and offer Smith, Butt or Sideshow Bob £50k+ 

 

And again... I don't think we'd have had much problem offloading Jonas, Enrique, Coloccini. Where would we have been this season without those three? Plenty of people also predicted he'd sell Stephen Taylor.

 

 

[Guest firetotheworks]

They just don't get it do they?

[OzzieMandias]

Could he have done that without spending some ‘real’ money? The £2-3m we spent this January wouldn’t buy you one proven PL standard player.  Basically he spent as little as possible to make sure our stroll to promotion wasn’t derailed by an injury crisis. There’s nowt wrong with that but spending as little as he thinks he can get away doesn’t seem like a policy shift to me.

 

I think we’ll struggle but stay up, and there’ll be a distinct change in the atmosphere at SJP as we start losing a lot of games again. Personally I’d prefer to see a few proper contests and have a lot less points than watch another season of men against boys.  

 

 

We spent £5.5 million in January and I think we could have managed without it.

 

If he wanted to spend as little as possible then we could have gotten rid of more high earners than we did.

Considering Ashley has had to put to put in £800b a day to stop us going bust this season perhaps he should have accepted all those offers we got for our high earners in the summer? Given that he was trying to sell the club and we only had an unproven caretaker manager with a shit record in his previous stint, promotion was far from a nailed on certainty. At best it was a gamble with the clubs future.

 

So he's a twat for not buying enough players and he's a twat for not selling enough players?

[Mick]

Considering Ashley has had to put to put in £800b a day to stop us going bust this season perhaps he should have accepted all those offers we got for our high earners in the summer? Given that he was trying to sell the club and we only had an unproven caretaker manager with a s*** record in his previous stint, promotion was far from a nailed on certainty. At best it was a gamble with the clubs future.

 

Maybe he did gamble with the clubs future earlier in the season and it looks like paying off, he's been slated for not doing so last season and quite rightly so.  Should he get hassle for gambling when it works?

[OzzieMandias]

What has to stop is this shite from the Fat man and his monkey banging about putting money into the club when it was the profit taking of Jan 2009 and a string of stupid decisions from an inept idiot that got the club relegated and lost millions. He's probably too dumb to see it's down to him he's supposedly stumping up this cash, not that I believe a word the chimp says anyway.

 

Entertain us, then, with your estimate of how much profit Ashley has taken out of the club.

[Mick]

Nobodys stopping him.

 

Do you really think that they could go into town without having hassle?

[Guest malandro]

Could he have done that without spending some ‘real’ money? The £2-3m we spent this January wouldn’t buy you one proven PL standard player.  Basically he spent as little as possible to make sure our stroll to promotion wasn’t derailed by an injury crisis. There’s nowt wrong with that but spending as little as he thinks he can get away doesn’t seem like a policy shift to me.

 

I think we’ll struggle but stay up, and there’ll be a distinct change in the atmosphere at SJP as we start losing a lot of games again. Personally I’d prefer to see a few proper contests and have a lot less points than watch another season of men against boys.  

 

 

We spent £5.5 million in January and I think we could have managed without it.

 

If he wanted to spend as little as possible then we could have gotten rid of more high earners than we did.

Considering Ashley has had to put to put in £800b a day to stop us going bust this season perhaps he should have accepted all those offers we got for our high earners in the summer? Given that he was trying to sell the club and we only had an unproven caretaker manager with a s*** record in his previous stint, promotion was far from a nailed on certainty. At best it was a gamble with the clubs future.

 

So he's a t*** for not buying enough players and he's a t*** for not selling enough players?

No. I’m just pointing out that if we were turning down offers for our high earners it was a huge gamble.

[Guest malandro]

Nobody’s stopping him.

 

Do you really think that they could go into town without having hassle?

Why would anybody hassle him?

[BottledDog]

Recognising that letting the team do the talking is a better way to go, admitting their mistakes, and looking to build up a transfer war chest for a few years down the line.

 

All good.

 

[Cajun]

Nobodys stopping him.

 

Do you really think that they could go into town without having hassle?

Why would anybody hassle him?

 

[Mick]

Why would anybody hassle him?

 

I don't know but maybe that question should be pointed to the knobs who hassled them at Barnsley, only they can answer that one, I can't.

[OzzieMandias]

Could he have done that without spending some ‘real’ money? The £2-3m we spent this January wouldn’t buy you one proven PL standard player.  Basically he spent as little as possible to make sure our stroll to promotion wasn’t derailed by an injury crisis. There’s nowt wrong with that but spending as little as he thinks he can get away doesn’t seem like a policy shift to me.

 

I think we’ll struggle but stay up, and there’ll be a distinct change in the atmosphere at SJP as we start losing a lot of games again. Personally I’d prefer to see a few proper contests and have a lot less points than watch another season of men against boys.  

 

 

We spent £5.5 million in January and I think we could have managed without it.

 

If he wanted to spend as little as possible then we could have gotten rid of more high earners than we did.

Considering Ashley has had to put to put in £800b a day to stop us going bust this season perhaps he should have accepted all those offers we got for our high earners in the summer? Given that he was trying to sell the club and we only had an unproven caretaker manager with a s*** record in his previous stint, promotion was far from a nailed on certainty. At best it was a gamble with the clubs future.

 

So he's a t*** for not buying enough players and he's a t*** for not selling enough players?

No. I’m just pointing out that if we were turning down offers for our high earners it was a huge gamble.

 

I don't honestly think there was much gambling involved, unless it's sheer coincidence that the amount he apparently had to put into the club in January was, once again, the £20 million he's said he was willing to put into the club every year. (Or if it was £25 million then it's that amount plus what was spent on players in the window.)

[jdckelly]

I mean, I'm not the biggest Ashley hater, and I agree it is a bit cringe worthy that it goes on every game, even when winning. However, its even worse he wants to go out on the Town after a win again! Just no.

 

Manage the club. Do a good job and in time we'll forgive (not forget), but don't go out, party boy.

 

Why shouldn't he go into town after a game?  Why should they or anybody else be unable to go out in town?

fair question

 

Doesn't look very professional. Nothing against him going out drinking, but to go out with the fans again - do you really want that?

if he wants to go out where the fans are thats his perogative imo, I ain't going to judge him on that when theres plenty of other things to judge him on, problem is though if he did there would be one moron somewhere whos had too many that may go too far.

[JH]

There's no way I'm having two Ashley threads. fuck that.

[BottledDog]

Could he have done that without spending some ‘real’ money? The £2-3m we spent this January wouldn’t buy you one proven PL standard player.  Basically he spent as little as possible to make sure our stroll to promotion wasn’t derailed by an injury crisis. There’s nowt wrong with that but spending as little as he thinks he can get away doesn’t seem like a policy shift to me.

 

I think we’ll struggle but stay up, and there’ll be a distinct change in the atmosphere at SJP as we start losing a lot of games again. Personally I’d prefer to see a few proper contests and have a lot less points than watch another season of men against boys.  

 

 

We spent £5.5 million in January and I think we could have managed without it.

 

If he wanted to spend as little as possible then we could have gotten rid of more high earners than we did.

Considering Ashley has had to put to put in £800b a day to stop us going bust this season perhaps he should have accepted all those offers we got for our high earners in the summer? Given that he was trying to sell the club and we only had an unproven caretaker manager with a s*** record in his previous stint, promotion was far from a nailed on certainty. At best it was a gamble with the clubs future.

 

So he's a t*** for not buying enough players and he's a t*** for not selling enough players?

No. I’m just pointing out that if we were turning down offers for our high earners it was a huge gamble.

 

A huge gamble for Ashley financially, but for our promotion push it showed unexpected commitment and made all the difference in my eyes.

[Mick]

There's no way I'm having two Ashley threads. f*** that.

 

Shut it Adolf.  Both threads are slightly different for now anyway.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

Del has been speaking non-stop this week due to his sons film premiere. There are few threads knocking around atm so if a mod/admin want to merge it feel free.

 

"That needs to stop," said Llambias, referring to his heart. "Enough's enough. It frustrates me because I know I'm a cunt of the highest order.  I acted highly inappropriately by running naked across the pitch at the St Jame... I mean [email protected]' Park Stadium."

 

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/05/mike-ashley-newcastle-united-fans

his actual quote.

[Guest malandro]

Could he have done that without spending some ‘real’ money? The £2-3m we spent this January wouldn’t buy you one proven PL standard player.  Basically he spent as little as possible to make sure our stroll to promotion wasn’t derailed by an injury crisis. There’s nowt wrong with that but spending as little as he thinks he can get away doesn’t seem like a policy shift to me.

 

I think we’ll struggle but stay up, and there’ll be a distinct change in the atmosphere at SJP as we start losing a lot of games again. Personally I’d prefer to see a few proper contests and have a lot less points than watch another season of men against boys.  

 

 

We spent £5.5 million in January and I think we could have managed without it.

 

If he wanted to spend as little as possible then we could have gotten rid of more high earners than we did.

Considering Ashley has had to put to put in £800b a day to stop us going bust this season perhaps he should have accepted all those offers we got for our high earners in the summer? Given that he was trying to sell the club and we only had an unproven caretaker manager with a s*** record in his previous stint, promotion was far from a nailed on certainty. At best it was a gamble with the clubs future.

 

So he's a t*** for not buying enough players and he's a t*** for not selling enough players?

No. I’m just pointing out that if we were turning down offers for our high earners it was a huge gamble.

 

A huge gamble for Ashley financially, but for our promotion push it showed unexpected commitment and made all the difference in my eyes.

No a huge gamble for NUFC, for it’s the club that is liable for the debts.

Out of interest which bids did we turn down?

 

[Cronky]

I mean, I'm not the biggest Ashley hater, and I agree it is a bit cringe worthy that it goes on every game, even when winning. However, its even worse he wants to go out on the Town after a win again! Just no.

 

Manage the club. Do a good job and in time we'll forgive (not forget), but don't go out, party boy.

 

Why shouldn't he go into town after a game?  Why should they or anybody else be unable to go out in town?

fair question

 

Doesn't look very professional. Nothing against him going out drinking, but to go out with the fans again - do you really want that?

if he wants to go out where the fans are thats his perogative imo, I ain't going to judge him on that when theres plenty of other things to judge him on, problem is though if he did there would be one moron somewhere whos had too many that may go too far.

 

How many Chairmen / Owners go clubbing with the fans after the game? It's not exactly the norm.

 

Chairmen have to hold the purse strings and it's inevitable that they're going to disappoint some fans, unless they're a bottomless pit of money. Even if there's no violence as such, the idea of the Chairman watching the game with the fans and then sharing a drink afterwards was always naive.

[jdckelly]

I mean, I'm not the biggest Ashley hater, and I agree it is a bit cringe worthy that it goes on every game, even when winning. However, its even worse he wants to go out on the Town after a win again! Just no.

 

Manage the club. Do a good job and in time we'll forgive (not forget), but don't go out, party boy.

 

Why shouldn't he go into town after a game?  Why should they or anybody else be unable to go out in town?

fair question

 

Doesn't look very professional. Nothing against him going out drinking, but to go out with the fans again - do you really want that?

if he wants to go out where the fans are thats his perogative imo, I ain't going to judge him on that when theres plenty of other things to judge him on, problem is though if he did there would be one moron somewhere whos had too many that may go too far.

 

How many Chairmen / Owners go clubbing with the fans after the game? It's not exactly the norm.

 

Chairmen have to hold the purse strings and it's inevitable that they're going to disappoint some fans, unless they're a bottomless pit of money. Even if there's no violence as such, the idea of the Chairman watching the game with the fans and then sharing a drink afterwards was always naive.

naive perhaps but then again look at it from his pov, he bought the club to enjoy himself have some fun watching the games, and possibly to get a bit of love, now if the last bit is true (and judging from his 1st years behaviour i believe it to be) then that is naive as there arent many popular chairman and fans the world over will find something about board level to moan about

[Guest malandro]

And he didn’t need to buy a football club to go drinking at Blu Bamboo after the match.

[jdckelly]

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Mike-Ashley-plans-to-remain-Newcastle-owner-for-at-least-two-more-years-article345489.html

according to bird he wants to stay for 2 years to right the mistakes he's made, also a tidbit on stadium rebranding in there (i thought it had been quietly swept under the carpet myself)