Acceptable transfer budget

[cp40]

It was the Ashley inspired chaos that sent us down,.

It was the Ashley inspired chaos that sent us down, .

It was the Ashley inspired chaos that sent us down, .

[summerof69]

Does our current squad have less quality than the Wolves squad who at the moment look like staying up in the Premiership?

 

Look at where Birmingham are after their promotion from the Championship. You could easily argue that a lot of Birmingham's squad is made up of Championship players. Contrastingly, West Ham's squad is made up of Premiership players.

 

Team spirit can go a long way.

 

Yeah, look at Hull last season.

 

The perfect example actually. Started out brilliantly and trailed off once the team started falling apart as a unit.

 

 

Yeah thats what i meant, obviousely that team spirit semed to go after Brown gave that team talk on the pitch(ofcourse whether that had anything to do with it i don't know).

[Guest malandro]

can we blame ashley for kinnears heart ? If no then we cant say its exceptional. Manager leaves...caretaker...ne manager. Even fred done that.

JFK’s health issues weren’t a secret.

 

Manager forced out. Caretaker steps in. Joke manager with known health issues appointed for 8-9 games. Joke manager with known health issues appointed until the end of season before having all too predictable heart attack. Caretaker manager steps in again. Untried PR stunt thrown in at the deep in.

 

[colinmk]

The only thing Owen is hungry for is Fabio Capello's penis.

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

If Owen was not still hungry would he not have used his name to get a cushy number in the States or some other footballing backwater rather than try to compete for a place at Man U?

Owen said when he came back from Real Madrid that he didn't want to play abroad again. Also, his horse stables are in England. Based on the interviews Owen gives his horses are his life.

 

Owen has the (mistaken?) belief in his own abilities to think he'd break in to the Man U first team. He also recently said he'd rather train with top quality players than play in a lesser team.

[TRon]

Did Owen demand we had four managers in one season?

 

So backroom turmoil means players picking up massive wages are excused for shit performances? Someone should have told the Portsmouth squad, they could have not bothered to turn up instead of getting to the FA cup final.

[Stu]

Where can I get off this carousel?

[Guest malandro]

Did Owen demand we had four managers in one season?

 

So backroom turmoil means players picking up massive wages are excused for s*** performances? Someone should have told the Portsmouth squad, they could have not bothered to turn up instead of getting to the FA cup final.

How many managers have Pompy had this season? That was the point was it not. You can’t have four managers in one season and expect the players to have a clue what it is they’re supposed to be doing. If Ashley had appointed a proper manager until the end of the season we’d have stayed up. TV wanted the gig but Ashley wouldn’t stump up a contract of sufficient length or remuneration. No, he had to go for the cheapest option available and brought in a clapped old banger with a dicky ticker.

 

Owen and Viduka didn’t give a shit but they missed most the season. It was the team that went down, a demoralised and disorganised rabble. There’s a big difference between cause and effect.

 

[TRon]

Did Owen demand we had four managers in one season?

 

So backroom turmoil means players picking up massive wages are excused for s*** performances? Someone should have told the Portsmouth squad, they could have not bothered to turn up instead of getting to the FA cup final.

How many managers have Pompy had this season? That was the point was it not. You can’t have four managers in one season and expect the players to have a clue what it is they’re supposed to be doing. If Ashley had appointed a proper manager until the end of the season we’d have stayed up. TV wanted the gig but Ashley wouldn’t stump up a contract of sufficient length or remuneration. No, he had to go for the cheapest option available and brought in a clapped old banger with a dicky ticker.

 

Owen and Viduka didn’t give a shit but they missed most the season. It was the team that went down, a demoralised and disorganised rabble. There’s a big difference between cause and effect.

 

 

A lot of that is true and I've said as much myself at the time last season but the central point of this debate was about team spirit. I don't believe successful teams are built around players who have had their best days at other clubs like Owen and Viduka. Did they provide good value for their exorbitant pay? Maybe you think they did. Me I prefer to buy players who will have their best years ahead of them and who are eager to make their mark at Newcastle, not yearning forLiverpool or Australia.

[madras]

i've got to agree that the kinnear appointment was ridiculous and was the biggest mistake ashley made (go check, i've stated it often enough myself) and yes, in my opinion it directly lead to our relegation.

 

however in the past i've often stated that, again in my opinion, we'd have went that way under allardyce and in a worse financial position...............humble pie time...last night i was in the pub with a friend i haven't seen in yonks, works in london in the financial sector and he basically  explained how we werent in as bad a financial position as i was lead to believe and had we stopped up  we may (cant bring myself to say 'would') have been in a decent position to kick on.

 

its much easire to see the financial position when you have someone to explain it expertly and clearly.

[TRon]

i've got to agree that the kinnear appointment was ridiculous and was the biggest mistake ashley made (go check, i've stated it often enough myself) and yes, in my opinion it directly lead to our relegation.

 

however in the past i've often stated that, again in my opinion, we'd have went that way under allardyce and in a worse financial position...............humble pie time...last night i was in the pub with a friend i haven't seen in yonks, works in london in the financial sector and he basically  explained how we werent in as bad a financial position as i was lead to believe and had we stopped up  we may (cant bring myself to say 'would') have been in a decent position to kick on.

 

its much easire to see the financial position when you have someone to explain it expertly and clearly.

 

Does that mean Ashley's cost cutting measures were unnecessary and the wage bill didn't need to be reduced then?

 

 

[UV]

Did Owen demand we had four managers in one season?

 

So backroom turmoil means players picking up massive wages are excused for s*** performances? Someone should have told the Portsmouth squad, they could have not bothered to turn up instead of getting to the FA cup final.

How many managers have Pompy had this season? That was the point was it not. You can’t have four managers in one season and expect the players to have a clue what it is they’re supposed to be doing. If Ashley had appointed a proper manager until the end of the season we’d have stayed up. TV wanted the gig but Ashley wouldn’t stump up a contract of sufficient length or remuneration. No, he had to go for the cheapest option available and brought in a clapped old banger with a dicky ticker.

 

Owen and Viduka didn’t give a shit but they missed most the season. It was the team that went down, a demoralised and disorganised rabble. There’s a big difference between cause and effect.

 

 

A lot of that is true and I've said as much myself at the time last season but the central point of this debate was about team spirit. I don't believe successful teams are built around players who have had their best days at other clubs like Owen and Viduka. Did they provide good value for their exorbitant pay? Maybe you think they did. Me I prefer to buy players who will have their best years ahead of them and who are eager to make their mark at Newcastle, not yearning forLiverpool or Australia.

 

Owen was 26 and England's best striker when we signed him man. You're using massive amounts of hindsight of 2 major injuries when judging Owen as a signing.

 

Ignoring fees and wages (it's a debate about hunger) and say we were somehow competing for Europe again would you turn your nose up at Rooney in a couple of years because his best years were obviously behind him at Man U?

[TRon]

Did Owen demand we had four managers in one season?

 

So backroom turmoil means players picking up massive wages are excused for s*** performances? Someone should have told the Portsmouth squad, they could have not bothered to turn up instead of getting to the FA cup final.

How many managers have Pompy had this season? That was the point was it not. You can’t have four managers in one season and expect the players to have a clue what it is they’re supposed to be doing. If Ashley had appointed a proper manager until the end of the season we’d have stayed up. TV wanted the gig but Ashley wouldn’t stump up a contract of sufficient length or remuneration. No, he had to go for the cheapest option available and brought in a clapped old banger with a dicky ticker.

 

Owen and Viduka didn’t give a shit but they missed most the season. It was the team that went down, a demoralised and disorganised rabble. There’s a big difference between cause and effect.

 

 

A lot of that is true and I've said as much myself at the time last season but the central point of this debate was about team spirit. I don't believe successful teams are built around players who have had their best days at other clubs like Owen and Viduka. Did they provide good value for their exorbitant pay? Maybe you think they did. Me I prefer to buy players who will have their best years ahead of them and who are eager to make their mark at Newcastle, not yearning forLiverpool or Australia.

 

Owen was 26 and England's best striker when we signed him man. You're using massive amounts of hindsight of 2 major injuries when judging Owen as a signing.

 

Ignoring fees and wages (it's a debate about hunger) and say we were somehow competing for Europe again would you turn your nose up at Rooney in a couple of years because his best years were obviously behind him at Man U?

 

That wasn't hindsight actually, I voiced my concerns at the time about Owen's reluctance to come here, he basically came because he had no other available option. The answer to your question about Rooney is if his best years were behind him at Man U (which they would have to be otherwise he wouldn't be sold) then no I personally would prefer not to sign him. There are circumstances where an experienced player can be useful if you have a young squad overall though so it's not a rule written in stone.

[Optimistic Nut]

Would be nice to get an easy start while we have momentum. Last thing we want is say, Man U, Spurs, Everton, Arsenal first four games to shatter confidence...though saying that Burnley beat a couple of them at the start.

[NG32]

Reportage - 31/Mar/10   

Newcastle will need to spend £60m to stay up, Ashley warned - Simon Bird, The Mirror

 

As Newcastle’s promotion party kicked off on Monday night and fans filed home booming out their Geordie anthems, Mike Ashley was given some advice.

Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies sat inside St James’s Park, veteran of trying to keep Derby in the big time, and warned it will take £60 million to make Newcastle a Premier League force again.

 

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll add another 15 million on to that just in case to make it £75 million!” he added, only half joking.

 

The harsh reality is that Chris Hughton will get £15-20 million for a season with survival as the first aim.

 

Newcastle are virtually guaranteed promotion, which will be confirmed if they beat Peterborough on Saturday and Forest, already training by 13 points, lose at Bristol City.

 

And with elevation comes the debate on how big the gulf between the Premier League and the Championship really is.

 

Will this Newcastle side prove that the bottom half of the Premier League is nothing to fear and battle through on freshly formed team spirit and stability?

 

Or will it be like West Brom and keep bouncing up and down.

 

With the finishing line so close, attention is turning to what is required next season even if Hughton is refusing to pack champagne for the train journey south at the weekend.

 

Hughton will be given funding to add some extra quality, class and pace in a handful of weaker positions, by hunting for value signings this summer.

 

Ashley will implement his policy of wanting new recruits to be under 26 with their best years ahead and with a sell on value.

 

And he won’t be letting the wage bill, cut this season to £40 million, soar to the crazy level of their last season when it topped £74 million.

 

Instead Hughton will be trusted to use his budget cleverly.

 

In a cheeky warning Davies, who still hopes to pip West Brom for second place, said: “Newcastle are more equipped than any other team in this division. But they will still need to spend and as a greedy manager I think at least £40 million for the first window and £20 million for the second.

 

“This animal is ready-made for the Premier League, but of course it will need a new injection of players. But there is a huge amount of players in this squad who are already top quality.”

 

BY Simon Bird.

 

Bullshit, no way do we need to spend 60 million quid.

 

 

Clubs have no money anymore, well a few do at the top end.

 

[Guest Stephen927]

£60m.

 

£15-20m will be enough, providing he gets the right players for the right fees with it.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

On paper it might be slightly worse in terms of names and reputations... on the pitch it's miles better in terms of passion and performances.

 

When you consider those qualities were present in many teams who were weaker on paper than us in our relegation season who then finished above us it puts things in perspective. I don't think Hull or Stoke players were earning a quarter of what our superstar squad was but they did much better.

 

Even on paper it's not that much worse when you think about it.

 

Is Routledge worse than Duff? Probably not. Is Lovenkrands any worse than Owen nowadays? Not in terms of impact. Carroll any worse than Viduka? Maybe, but much fitter and younger.

 

I wouldn't swap the current team for the previous one. Most of the players that went, we wanted them out anyway... and for good reasons.

 

Beye for Simpson? Bassong for Williamson? Martins for Best?

[Doctor Zaius]

After those two injuries Owen was a different player tbf. He lost that crucial yard of pace and has never looked the same player since those two horrible injuries that left him out for so long. I have no doubt that without those injuries he would have carried on his form from Real Madrid liek he looked like doing in his earlier days in a Newcastle shirt.

[Teasy]

i've got to agree that the kinnear appointment was ridiculous and was the biggest mistake ashley made (go check, i've stated it often enough myself) and yes, in my opinion it directly lead to our relegation.

 

however in the past i've often stated that, again in my opinion, we'd have went that way under allardyce and in a worse financial position...............humble pie time...last night i was in the pub with a friend i haven't seen in yonks, works in london in the financial sector and he basically  explained how we werent in as bad a financial position as i was lead to believe and had we stopped up  we may (cant bring myself to say 'would') have been in a decent position to kick on.

 

its much easire to see the financial position when you have someone to explain it expertly and clearly.

 

Does that mean Ashley's cost cutting measures were unnecessary and the wage bill didn't need to be reduced then?

 

 

 

We would have been in a decent position had we stayed up last season because we'd still be removing the likes of Owen, Viduka, Geremi and Cacapa from the wage bill.  Also yes going down under Allardyce would have put us in an even worse financial position then going down last season.

[madras]

i've got to agree that the kinnear appointment was ridiculous and was the biggest mistake ashley made (go check, i've stated it often enough myself) and yes, in my opinion it directly lead to our relegation.

 

however in the past i've often stated that, again in my opinion, we'd have went that way under allardyce and in a worse financial position...............humble pie time...last night i was in the pub with a friend i haven't seen in yonks, works in london in the financial sector and he basically  explained how we werent in as bad a financial position as i was lead to believe and had we stopped up  we may (cant bring myself to say 'would') have been in a decent position to kick on.

 

its much easire to see the financial position when you have someone to explain it expertly and clearly.

 

Does that mean Ashley's cost cutting measures were unnecessary and the wage bill didn't need to be reduced then?

 

 

 

We would have been in a decent position had we stayed up last season because we would still be removing the likes of Owen, Viduka, Geremi and Cacapa from the wage bill.  We were in a very poor financial situation under Allardyce and going down then would have been a much bigger disaster.

i thought my april fool would get more bites.

[Teasy]

Ah but the key to April fools is saying something that isn't true.  Try something outragous like Nottingham Forest fans are class