BlueStar Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 It's probably Lambias to be honest. He is to Ashley as Karl Rove was to George Bush. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 It's probably Lambias to be honest. He is to Ashley as Karl Rove was to George Bush. Ashley brought him to the club and allows him to do what he does. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 It's probably Lambias to be honest. He is to Ashley as Karl Rove was to George Bush. That's an absurd comparison, like, as much as I know your point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EthiGeordie Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Newcastle United are in a better place thanks to Mike Ashley Sports Direct Arena may be one of the owner's cruder decisions but some of his previous ones have been good for the club Paul Wilson guardian.co.uk, Saturday 12 November 2011 18.00 EST Article history The Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, centre, has shown how success can be gained on a tight budget. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Observer When Premier League fixtures return next weekend after what has felt like an even longer than usual international break they do so with a richly promising meeting between the two remaining unbeaten sides. Manchester City, top of the league and going like a train, entertain Newcastle United, surprise package of the season and going for a song. That is not strictly true. It is only the naming rights to Newcastle's ground that are up for sale, Mike Ashley having announced he was taking the club off the market two years ago after failing to attract buyers with an asking price of £100m. Considering the club are now seeking to make £10m a year from anyone willing to make an honest stadium of St James' Park and come up with a better name than Sports Direct Arena, the original deal for the whole kit and caboodle seemed much better value, though just as Ashley was not trampled in a buyers' rush in 2009 the indications are that he is unlikely to realise as much money as he hopes from a change of name that has gained approval only in the parts of the north-east populated by Sunderland fans. City made a similar switch and a raft of money at the start of the season, simply by inviting their existing sponsors to cough up around £400m more to have their name attached to the stadium, quite some going when Uefa are encouraging financial fair play and City do not even own the former Commonwealth Games venue but lease it from the council. Clearly it must have helped that there was no 100 years of history with the Eastlands stadium and supporters were not emotionally tied to the name – City would have faced much more spectator unrest had they tried to rebrand Maine Road – though what has assisted City more than anything is having the sort of backers who can happily part with such sums in addition to paying stratospheric salaries and granting the club real clout in the transfer market. That is what has put City on top of the table, regardless of the individual brilliance of David Silva and others. The Etihad splurge has even put Manchester United's nose out of joint, let alone Newcastle's, and for Alan Pardew's side to break up the Manchester duopoly on the top two positions, as they did briefly a week ago, is nothing short of miraculous given the gulf in budgets. It appears Pardew is deserving of credit, along with the chief scout, Graham Carr, for rebuilding the team with unheralded signings from France, though before his typically tasteless Sports Direct Arena stunt people were starting to say that Ashley must be doing something right, too. He appointed Pardew, after all. He sold Joey Barton, now seen as a key move in allowing less strident personalities at the club to express themselves more fully on the pitch. He pocketed £35m from Liverpool for Andy Carroll, a deal that looks more like the sale of the century with every passing week, no matter how much of the cash trickles down to Pardew. And with a team unbeaten in third place, and supporters as happy as they have been since the early promise shown under Kevin Keegan, Ashley has not only put an end to the rather squalid soap opera of expensive comings and goings he originally found himself supervising, he has shown that a degree of success can be achieved by clubs where spending has to be sustainable. Newcastle's big advantage is a ground holding 52,000 that regularly sells out. That not only generates income, it excites potential signings, and Carr has spoken about the importance of the St James' Park match-day atmosphere in convincing foreign targets they are moving to the Premier League big time. Though Sunderland's ground holds almost as many, they cannot make the same boast. The Stadium of Light will fill if results are good, yet results have to come first. Ashley always had a full stadium, now he has the results to go with it, and if he needs extra revenue from naming rights and shirt sponsorship to keep Newcastle at their present level the supporters might have to swallow their pride and go along with it. However depressing the Sports Direct Arena match-day atmosphere sounds, Newcastle do not have the global fan base of Manchester United or Arsenal, or the luxury of backers with deep pockets like Manchester City or Chelsea. They have to make money where they can, or think they can. Ashley may struggle to get his latest project off the ground because really famous names have a habit of resisting takeovers – cycling's Milk Race disappeared for a while when new sponsors dried up on discovering that no one ever wanted to refer to the event by any other title, meaning that the Milk Marketing Board got years of free advertising long after they had ceased to pick up the tab – though at least he is no longer trying to sell the club. He has probably decided economic conditions are not auspicious, and he is probably right. When he does come to sell up, if that is his ultimate intention, it could be completely different from the last time. Not only might he find a few prospective buyers, there may even be a few supporters wanting him to stay. Unpredictable, that's Newcastle. But indisputably in much better shape than two years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I bet there's a fair few companies/people regretting not buying us for £100m now, looks a bargain now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Yep. In less than 10 months time we'll be up against Barcelona and Milan. A global brand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I bet there's a fair few companies/people regretting not buying us for £100m now, looks a bargain now. Would be even better if he didn't cost us relegation and 1 yr EPL money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I bet there's a fair few companies/people regretting not buying us for £100m now, looks a bargain now. Would be even better if he didn't cost us relegation and 1 yr EPL money. I thought that was when he put us up for sale at £100m? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chubby Jason Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 You can have your opinion mate, but I won't consider it as valid as someone who lives and breathes Newcastle and has done for generations. I'm not trying to be patronising - anyone is welcome to support the club - but to suggest people are overreacting about the name of a 120 year-old city icon being changed to the tackiest brand in the country is just crazy. You can quite honestly go f*** off then you tosspot. I live and breathe for Newcastle you have never met me who are you to pass judgement on me. I cried for a solid two days when we were relegated, I pay ridiculous money so I can watch Newcastle play, I buy the merchandise and proudly wear it. lol gay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 I still hate that kid who cried on the telly. He was the only fucker there who cried, but that's all it takes. On every Sky Sports montage now until the end of time. I was at Villa Park that day and was gutted but it was almost a sense of relief. We'd been begging to be relegated for a few seasons. Nee chance I'd ever cry over it FFS. By the time we got back on the bus I was over it and discussing who we'd be playing next season, which away games to go to, who would stay and who would go etc. Like somebody said in here relegation is just something that happens. A normal part of the footballing culture. I personally don't think renaming stadiums is or should part of the accepted culture and I hate it. sydneycove is taking the piss the way he's going on and doing a disservice to all our supporters all over the world. Fair enough having that opinion, not fair enough to act like a prick over the internet and ridicule people who take the renaming to heart. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Just realised I've chipped in on a 9 day old debate. Fuck me, where does the time go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bimpy474 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 My boss has just phoned to tell me he's just had a nice chat with Dekka, he's at a 50th birthday party right now in Rayleigh, Essex, Dekka came down in Ashley's chopper apparently, i knew my boss was going and he thought Dekka would be there but i didn't think he had the bottle to have a chat with him, he reckoned he did, asked me in the week what he should say to him if i could ask Dekka something, communicate with the fans more was my answer, i only said that as i thought he would never do it like, otherwise i would have told him to ask much more. Talk to the fans, Dekka said he did that and the feckers recorded him (jokingly my boss said), My boss is a Spuds fan and asked Dekka what he thought of Tottenham, Dekka said that from what he has heard Harry is in big trouble as there is a paper trail to the money, he said we played well today but Man City are just an awesome team at the moment, also commented on how poorly Raylor played. Main thing he said that stuck out for my boss was that he expects us to finish 7th now, higher would be better but 7th is the aim now after our start and the way the table is looking. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Geordiesned Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Jesus man use some punctuation! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Venkman Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Derek knows his stuff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottledDog Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Derek knows his stuff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sicko2ndbest Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Don't know whether posted but maybe where the Nike link has come from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/life-with-mike-ashley-6264661.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colocho Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Found this on Twitter a few weeks ago. Four fantastic posts. http://eyesonashley.wordpress.com/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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