Is Mike Ashley steering Newcastle United in the right direction?

[madras]

Isn’t that the rudderless ship approach? No long term planning. No real sense of direction. Why bother with any navigation as long as the wind doesn’t blow us onto the rocks?

 

No it's not a rudderless ship approach, that was last season.  This season we're heading in the right direction and can't do better than we are currently doing.

But what’s the long term objective and do we get there?

there'll be no talk of an all geordie first team and racing team thats for sure.

Here we go, back to the Hall/Shepherd fixation.

guilty as charged....lost myself for a moment.

[Mick]

That sounds more like a political slogan than a plan. 

 

I'm not bothered what it sounds like as long as it becomes reality.

[Guest gggg]

32 pages? best fishing ever 

[Guest malandro]

That sounds more like a political slogan than a plan. 

 

I'm not bothered what it sounds like as long as it becomes reality.

If we improve every season eventually we’d end up being the best team in the world. When do you see us getting back into the Champions League, how many season of never ending improvement will that take?

[Mick]

 

If we improve every season eventually we’d end up being the best team in the world. When do you see us getting back into the Champions League, how many season of never ending improvement will that take?

 

I think we'll be years away from the CL, just like we were when Ashley bought the club.

[Guest malandro]

So beneath the sarcasm what you’re saying is we can never challenge for the title again?

 

How do you think we will be in a position to challenge for the title in the near future? Assuming Mike Ashley doesn't want to spend £200million of his money, or borrow that amount Glazer style, where is the money going to come from?

 

 

You tell me. You’re the one who says the club are going to make the vast profits.

 

I was making the point that if we were making vast profits then there would have been no shortage of buyers at the price Ashley was asking. The reality is, without a rich sugar daddy owner who is willing to spend shitloads of his own money, not many clubs can generate the sort of money required to challenge for the championship straight away. As most sensible people have pointed out, we will need to build season on season for now, we can worry about challenging Chelsea and Man U a bit further down the line. Unless a mega zillionaire steps in with big cash and buys Ashley out of course.

Is  that the sound of history being rewritten I hear.

[madras]

 

I'm not bothered what it sounds like as long as it becomes reality.

If we improve every season eventually wed end up being the best team in the world. When do you see us getting back into the Champions League, how many season of never ending improvement will that take?

 

I think we'll be years away from the CL, just like we were when Ashley bought the club.

killer punch.

[Guest malandro]

 

I'm not bothered what it sounds like as long as it becomes reality.

If we improve every season eventually we’d end up being the best team in the world. When do you see us getting back into the Champions League, how many season of never ending improvement will that take?

 

I think we'll be years away from the CL, just like we were when Ashley bought the club.

Oh, we’re back to the previous regime again.

[Mick]

killer punch.

 

[Mick]

Oh, were back to the previous regime again.

 

You asked the question and I answered it, if you don't like the answer I'm afraid it's tough.

[Guest malandro]

Oh, we’re back to the previous regime again.

 

You asked the question and I answered it, if you don't like the answer I'm afraid it's tough.

No you didn’t. You avoided it and when pushed started waffling on about the previous ownership, again.

[Howaythelads]

Oh, we’re back to the previous regime again.

 

You asked the question and I answered it, if you don't like the answer I'm afraid it's tough.

No you didn’t. You avoided it and when pushed started waffling on about the previous ownership, again.

 

He doesn't know what he's on about, man. It's always been that way.

[Guest fraser]

Jim Trott could answer this one.

[TRon]

The real test of Ashley's running of the club will come next season in any case. Although this season has gone better than anyone could have reasonably hoped adding quality to the squad is a must if we get promoted and will cost money. Forget the daft talk of winning the title, the objective should be to bring the squad up to premiership standard if only to protect Ashley's own investment. That will take about £20-30million, but promotion alone should be worth that much.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

The real test of Ashley's running of the club will come next season in any case. Although this season has gone better than anyone could have reasonably hoped adding quality to the squad is a must if we get promoted and will cost money. Forget the daft talk of winning the title, the objective should be to bring the squad up to premiership standard if only to protect Ashley's own investment. That will take about £20-30million, but promotion alone should be worth that much.

 

Agree with everything you say, but I'll be surprised if we spend half of that figure.

[Mick]

 

He doesn't know what he's on about, man. It's always been that way.

 

Is Mike Ashley steering Newcastle United in the right direction? A simple yes or no will do.

[TRon]

The real test of Ashley's running of the club will come next season in any case. Although this season has gone better than anyone could have reasonably hoped adding quality to the squad is a must if we get promoted and will cost money. Forget the daft talk of winning the title, the objective should be to bring the squad up to premiership standard if only to protect Ashley's own investment. That will take about £20-30million, but promotion alone should be worth that much.

 

Agree with everything you say, but I'll be surprised if we spend half of that figure.

 

I was being generous and including wages tbh. Ashley might get away with spending less but he's been down that route before and it backfired, it would be pretty moronic to repeat the mistake. While the principle of running the club on a business footing is a sound one, sensible investment is always a part of that.

[Happy Face]

The real test of Ashley's running of the club will come next season in any case. Although this season has gone better than anyone could have reasonably hoped adding quality to the squad is a must if we get promoted and will cost money. Forget the daft talk of winning the title, the objective should be to bring the squad up to premiership standard if only to protect Ashley's own investment. That will take about £20-30million, but promotion alone should be worth that much.

 

Over 43% thought we'd finish in the top 2 on Toontastic....

 

http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?showtopic=24453&st=0

 

I predicted that we'd walk it and win the first 12 on the bounce.

 

http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?s=&showtopic=24445&view=findpost&p=630298

 

Was there a similar poll on here?  Was the outlook more negative.

[Mick]

 

Over 43% thought we'd finish in the top 2 on Toontastic....

 

http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?showtopic=24453&st=0

 

I predicted that we'd walk it and win the first 12 on the bounce.

 

http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?s=&showtopic=24445&view=findpost&p=630298

 

Was there a similar poll on here?  Was the outlook more negative.

 

Pointless.

 

You cannot see the results of the poll until you have voted. Please login and cast your vote to see the results of this poll.

Total Votes: 71

 

[macca888]

Here is my view on things, for all you Ashley Haters.

 

2007...........Bought a club in financial meltdown, struggling on the park with little or no valuable players and a new manager not of his choice. Failed to conduct due diligence therefore incurring a shitload of hidden costs. Backed the manager in the transfer market.

 

2008........ Failure on the park evident, manager had to go, made mistake of appointing the fans choice but managed safety due to a decent end of season run. Still in financial meltdown and allegedly paid off 110 million pounds of debt from own pocket. Appointed a european style management structure with little chance of success due to the personalities involved.

 

2009........Manager walks out due to no available money, clashes over transfer policy of Wise etc, playwers underperforming, appoints coach as stand in manager, appoints probable 40th choice manager, Kinnear, illness, injuries, players getting stroppy, more under performance, another stand in manager, yet another stand in manager, club up for saler, no buyers...relegated by ONE point.

 

2010..........club up for sale again, reduced price, no takers, temporary manager, disillusioned players sold, noone purchased, severely reduced revenue, club still severely in debt, economic crisis reduced owners assets by half, no longer a billionaire, club appoints coach full time manager, players respond, owner takes backward seat, reduces debt further by trimming staff, resources etc, club still winning, top of the league, player strength low, need recruits, spends money in January, club still top, ploughs more of personal money to pay salaries, remains inj background, club off the market, advises days of over spending over, plans on young players, introduces new scouting strategy, more sponsorship, new sponsorship, CLUB STILL TOP, has a plan over a number of years to improve aon and off the park.

 

YES, we have had three years at least of total ineptitude by many more people other than Ashley. I doubt you can blame him for the attitude of so called players, injuries to so called superstars, inability of so called managers and the complete and utter inability to achierve results. One  thing is for sure, we are now better off financially than when we were under the last days of FS. There is a financial plan in place and if this means we need to live within our means, then so be it. Othyers in ffuture years will fall by the wayside due to over spending, like Portsmouth and possibly even Hull, Burnley etc. Hopefully, we will not and under Ashlery, I believe he has learned a lot of lessons both on and off the park and in years to come, will lead the club to better times as long as he is given a chance to do so.

 

The past is history. Get over it and look to the future. If you dont l;ike it, feck off and support mackemland.

[Guest malandro]

I don’t know a single supporter who was calling for Keegan to be reappointed, was that the mood on here after Fat Sam was paid off? Was there a Hitzfeld style campaign to bring back King Kev?

[madras]

I don’t know a single supporter who was calling for Keegan to be reappointed, was that the mood on here after Fat Sam was paid off? Was there a Hitzfeld style campaign to bring back King Kev?

there were a few, not many. maybe cos many went for more seemingly realistic appointments. however once the rumour was out  the clamour was on.

[Mowen]

The real test of Ashley's running of the club will come next season in any case. Although this season has gone better than anyone could have reasonably hoped adding quality to the squad is a must if we get promoted and will cost money. Forget the daft talk of winning the title, the objective should be to bring the squad up to premiership standard if only to protect Ashley's own investment. That will take about £20-30million, but promotion alone should be worth that much.

 

Over 43% thought we'd finish in the top 2 on Toontastic....

 

http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?showtopic=24453&st=0

 

I predicted that we'd walk it and win the first 12 on the bounce.

 

http://www.toontastic.net/board/index.php?s=&showtopic=24445&view=findpost&p=630298

 

Was there a similar poll on here?  Was the outlook more negative.

 

I stuck a tenner on us to win the league at 6/1 on Skybet

 

Can't remember how much I actually thought we would and how much was blind optimism mind, I'm a big one for the blind optimism where possible.

[Mowen]

I don’t know a single supporter who was calling for Keegan to be reappointed, was that the mood on here after Fat Sam was paid off? Was there a Hitzfeld style campaign to bring back King Kev?

there were a few, not many. maybe cos many went for more seemingly realistic appointments. however once the rumour was out  the clamour was on.

 

I never got that impression from reading the boards, it was only once it was confirmed that people got excited.

 

Having said that I don't live in Newcastle so I've got little to no basis for saying how 'the supporters' felt about it

[merlin]

The real test of Ashley's running of the club will come next season in any case. Although this season has gone better than anyone could have reasonably hoped adding quality to the squad is a must if we get promoted and will cost money. Forget the daft talk of winning the title, the objective should be to bring the squad up to premiership standard if only to protect Ashley's own investment. That will take about £20-30million, but promotion alone should be worth that much.

...in a nutshell.