Demba Ba (now retired)

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

I felt bad for him when he got kicked in the nose.

[SEMTEX]

In fact, the more I think about this, whilst I'd take him if there were no other realistic alternatives, I'd rather we stayed away.

 

He scored 16 then 13 in the two half seasons we played him in his preferred position. Where else would we get a 30 goals a season striker?

 

Bold.

 

You think there is a realistic alternative who would score 30 in the Premier League available to us, penny pinching Mike Ashley NUFC?

 

I haven't implied either way but to be honest, we simply don't know.

 

This 30 goal a season striker you are referring to was signed on a free transfer, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that viable alternatives are out there. Signing goalscorers on the cheap isn't common, but they also aren't isolated incidents (Michu, for example).

 

Penny pinching Mike Ashley NUFC also purchased Cisse for a decent sum, which no-one expected so you just don't know with us. I'm beyond predicting what the guy will do tbh.

 

Our transfer policy is extremely predictable. The first page of our investment policy reads: "exploit contractual circumstance and/or maximum age 26 and/or notable sell-on value." The only mitigating circumstance refers to Newcastle's position within the league at the time.

 

For example. Cisse was signed when Champions League qualification was a tangible goal, and a modest investment would likely prove fruitful. Similar to the signings of Sissoko, Debuchy, etc, when relegation was equally as tangible an outcome. Forced investment.

 

If we're still in mid-table by the time January rolls around, I'd be surprised to see any investment whatsoever. If a key player leaves, perhaps then we'll sign someone. But that wouldn't be 'investment'.

 

 

Making me realise we're going to persist with Papiss until he shows some signs of scoring goals again, then aggressively shop him to every motherfucker going.

[Dave]

I don't really blame Ba for much, it was Pardew's fault for playing Cisse out of position to accommodate him. I think he's a complete mercenary obviously, but that applies to a lot of players.

 

The team did actually step it up a notch when that happened though and it's not like Ba hadn't played there before either.

 

I meant when we forced Cisse out wide so Ba could be central.

 

When was this?

 

Am I going mental? When Ba was a football player for us, Newcastle United, in the English Premier League.

 

You must be, because that's not what happened at all. Cisse played wide for no more than 4 partial matches, one after Ba left. This after months of playing up top with Ba, and failing to deliver. The alternative was dropping him altogether, which Pardew would have been crucified for. People were crying out to go back to 3 up top at the time too, so surely it was worth a try to see if it would work? It was abondonned as soon as it became apparent Cisse was even more dogshit out wide than centrally.

 

I like how this was completely ignored.

[Ronaldo]

No, we shouldn't. Just a shame all that talent belongs to such a mercenary. No set of fans will remember his name in 10 years.

 

Would you consider taking him back knowing full on he's mercenary (knowing his true colors) if it meant he'd be our main central option and Remy & HBA would be on the flanks? Helping us massively in the goal scoring department?  Just curious your thoughts.

 

Probably not, mate. I think we got the best 18 months of his career out of him anyway, tbh. Much rather we look elsewhere at a player who'd get the absolute out of the likes of Hatem and Remy.

[timeEd32]

No, we shouldn't. Just a shame all that talent belongs to such a mercenary. No set of fans will remember his name in 10 years.

 

Would you consider taking him back knowing full on he's mercenary (knowing his true colors) if it meant he'd be our main central option and Remy & HBA would be on the flanks? Helping us massively in the goal scoring department?  Just curious your thoughts.

 

Probably not, mate. I think we got the best 18 months of his career out of him anyway, tbh. Much rather we look elsewhere at a player who'd get the absolute out of the likes of Hatem and Remy.

 

Agree, I'm done with Demba.

[Cajun]

I would definitely take him back.

[Disco]

So would I but it'll be Gomis or no-one me thinks in January. Either way it'll be pointless because we'll be safe (hooray) and/or not able to make anything of the half season we have with him when we could've achieved more having him for the full season. Joy.

[Ronaldo]

I would definitely take him back.

 

Shocked.

[Cajun]

At my sensible thinking? Cheers 

 

 

But you shouldn't be shocked.

[Kanj]

No, we shouldn't. Just a shame all that talent belongs to such a mercenary. No set of fans will remember his name in 10 years.

 

Would you consider taking him back knowing full on he's mercenary (knowing his true colors) if it meant he'd be our main central option and Remy & HBA would be on the flanks? Helping us massively in the goal scoring department?  Just curious your thoughts.

 

Probably not, mate. I think we got the best 18 months of his career out of him anyway, tbh. Much rather we look elsewhere at a player who'd get the absolute out of the likes of Hatem and Remy.

 

Fair statement, and the most preferable. Shame that the best striker we've had since Shearer was such a mercenary. He'd have scored many many more goals for us had he not left.

 

In an ideal world, I'm with you - someone better to get the best of out Hatem & Remy for sure.  But I'd not say no to the opportunity to get Ba, if that was our only option -- if that makes sense?

 

Disco's pretty spot-on above though.

[Unbelievable]

Sick of this mercenary talk regarding Demba Ba. Since you mention Shearer, I'd wager Ba wasn't even on half the money Shearer was on for us, at a time where professional football wages are probably more than double what they were back then on average. We got a very good player on a free and on a fairly low wage; we took a gamble on him (his knee primarily) at a time when nobody else would, but being the cheapskates we are, we were never going to offer a top Premiership striker a wage befitting a top Premiership striker, so he left to a club that would.

 

In my line of business, if I feel undervalued and have an opportunity to earn more than double elsewhere, I wouldn't think twice, but in the wonderful world of football fans somehow expect the players that represent their club, without any (prior) affection for it, to be loyal to the point where they happily expect the players accepting their club taking the p*ss out of them (relatively speaking, I appreciate the wages are still massive in absolute terms, but that's not how high earning people think, football players or not).

[Cajun]

Sick of this mercenary talk regarding Demba Ba. Since you mention Shearer, I'd wager Ba wasn't even on half the money Shearer was on for us, at a time where professional football wages are probably more than double what they were back then on average. We got a very good player on a free and on a fairly low wage; we took a gamble on him (his knee primarily) at a time when nobody else would, but being the cheapskates we are, we were never going to offer a top Premiership striker a wage befitting a top Premiership striker, so he left to a club that would. In my line of business, if I feel undervalued and have an opportunity to earn more than double elsewhere, I wouldn't think twice, but in the wonderful world of football fans somehow expect the players that represent their club, without any (prior) affection for it, to be loyal to the point where they happily expect the club taking the p*ss out of them (relatively speaking, I appreciate the wages are still massive in absolute terms, but that's not how high earning people think, football player or not).

 

Nonsense, there is no way any of our current players would leave to go to Chelsea. Ba even played well just to get a move, thankfully Cisse isn't that greedy with his deliberately playing shit not to get a move commitment, gawd bless him 

 

Oh and Nolan wasn't a mercenary despite dropping down a league to secure a better deal, oh no 

[Elliottman]

Sick of this mercenary talk regarding Demba Ba. Since you mention Shearer, I'd wager Ba wasn't even on half the money Shearer was on for us, at a time where professional football wages are probably more than double what they were back then on average. We got a very good player on a free and on a fairly low wage; we took a gamble on him (his knee primarily) at a time when nobody else would, but being the cheapskates we are, we were never going to offer a top Premiership striker a wage befitting a top Premiership striker, so he left to a club that would.

 

In my line of business, if I feel undervalued and have an opportunity to earn more than double elsewhere, I wouldn't think twice, but in the wonderful world of football fans somehow expect the players that represent their club, without any (prior) affection for it, to be loyal to the point where they happily expect the club taking the p*ss out of them (relatively speaking, I appreciate the wages are still massive in absolute terms, but that's not how high earning people think, football player or not).

 

Listen man, if a player leaves the club, YOUR club, the club you love, the club you put time and money into all year every year, simply because someone else is offering him more cash you cant just expect fans to think nothing of it. The whole 'well if i got offered more money in a new job i'd take it' argument is a total irrelevance due to the difference in World normal people and footballers live in. Rightly or wrongly people will feel aggrieved because ultimately fans want the players to want to play for the club for us, not for money.

[Unbelievable]

Sick of this mercenary talk regarding Demba Ba. Since you mention Shearer, I'd wager Ba wasn't even on half the money Shearer was on for us, at a time where professional football wages are probably more than double what they were back then on average. We got a very good player on a free and on a fairly low wage; we took a gamble on him (his knee primarily) at a time when nobody else would, but being the cheapskates we are, we were never going to offer a top Premiership striker a wage befitting a top Premiership striker, so he left to a club that would.

 

In my line of business, if I feel undervalued and have an opportunity to earn more than double elsewhere, I wouldn't think twice, but in the wonderful world of football fans somehow expect the players that represent their club, without any (prior) affection for it, to be loyal to the point where they happily expect the club taking the p*ss out of them (relatively speaking, I appreciate the wages are still massive in absolute terms, but that's not how high earning people think, football player or not).

 

Listen man, if a player leaves the club, YOUR club, the club you love, the club you put time and money into all year every year, simply because someone else is offering him more cash you cant just expect fans to think nothing of it. The whole 'well if i got offered more money in a new job i'd take it' argument is a total irrelevance due to the difference in World normal people and footballers live in. Rightly or wrongly people will feel aggrieved because ultimately fans want the players to want to play for the club for us, not for money.

 

That's probably the sentimental side of it. In the real world, none of our players (except Shola and Taylor maybe) wouldn't even play for us if we hadn't offered them a better deal than they were on at their previous club. Why do you think players like Anita, Debuchy and Cabaye are even here, whilst they could have continued to represent the club that brought them through and that the probably have genuine feelings for? In the same vein, why do you expect these mercenaries who left their clubs for us, to decline better offers when they are available, to stay at a club like ours, without ambition to even compete and unwilling to pay the going rate. We are a stepping stone of a club, lucky to be in (one of) the most prestigious football leagues in the world, and that's exactly how our owner wants it. Blame him, not the players who are being traded in this system, not only to better their own career, but also to further our (owner's) interests.

 

Specifically looking at the Demba Ba case, he came in for free, left for 7.5 million, probably earned less than that in wages in his time here and scored a shitload. How anybody could brand him a mercenary who only looked after his own interest is quite frankly staggering. What does that make our club?

[Geordie Ahmed]

Would take him back in a heartbeat

 

Don't care that he chose to join a better team for more money, you are deluding yourself if you think loyalty exists in football

 

We gladly take players from other clubs with the lure of money, we have to accept players will leave for money

[Elliottman]

Sick of this mercenary talk regarding Demba Ba. Since you mention Shearer, I'd wager Ba wasn't even on half the money Shearer was on for us, at a time where professional football wages are probably more than double what they were back then on average. We got a very good player on a free and on a fairly low wage; we took a gamble on him (his knee primarily) at a time when nobody else would, but being the cheapskates we are, we were never going to offer a top Premiership striker a wage befitting a top Premiership striker, so he left to a club that would.

 

In my line of business, if I feel undervalued and have an opportunity to earn more than double elsewhere, I wouldn't think twice, but in the wonderful world of football fans somehow expect the players that represent their club, without any (prior) affection for it, to be loyal to the point where they happily expect the club taking the p*ss out of them (relatively speaking, I appreciate the wages are still massive in absolute terms, but that's not how high earning people think, football player or not).

 

Listen man, if a player leaves the club, YOUR club, the club you love, the club you put time and money into all year every year, simply because someone else is offering him more cash you cant just expect fans to think nothing of it. The whole 'well if i got offered more money in a new job i'd take it' argument is a total irrelevance due to the difference in World normal people and footballers live in. Rightly or wrongly people will feel aggrieved because ultimately fans want the players to want to play for the club for us, not for money.

 

That's probably the sentimental side of it. In the real world, none of our players (except Shola and Taylor maybe) wouldn't even play for us if we hadn't offered them a better deal than they were on at their previous club. Why do you think players like Anita, Debuchy and Cabaye are even here, whilst they could have continued to represent the club that brought them through and that the probably have genuine feelings for? In the same vein, why do you expect these mercenaries who left their clubs for us, to decline better offers when they are available, to stay at a club like ours, without ambition to even compete and unwilling to pay the going rate. We are a stepping stone of a club, lucky to be in (one of) the most prestigious football leagues in the world, and that's exactly how our owner wants it. Blame him, not the players who are being traded in this system, not only to better their own career, but also to further our (owner's) interests.

 

Specifically looking at the Demba Ba case, he came in for free, left for 7.5 million, probably earned less than that in wages in his time here and scored a shitload. How anybody could brand him a mercenary who only looked after his own interest is quite frankly staggering. What does that make our club?

 

I'm not blaming anyone. I'm not really bothered. I'm just pointing out some of the reasons why people may be upset. With Ba specifically, I thought it was the attitude of him and his entourage that left a bitter taste in the mouth. Getting 'his big move' . But thats just me.

[jdckelly]

Sick of this mercenary talk regarding Demba Ba. Since you mention Shearer, I'd wager Ba wasn't even on half the money Shearer was on for us, at a time where professional football wages are probably more than double what they were back then on average. We got a very good player on a free and on a fairly low wage; we took a gamble on him (his knee primarily) at a time when nobody else would, but being the cheapskates we are, we were never going to offer a top Premiership striker a wage befitting a top Premiership striker, so he left to a club that would.

 

In my line of business, if I feel undervalued and have an opportunity to earn more than double elsewhere, I wouldn't think twice, but in the wonderful world of football fans somehow expect the players that represent their club, without any (prior) affection for it, to be loyal to the point where they happily expect the club taking the p*ss out of them (relatively speaking, I appreciate the wages are still massive in absolute terms, but that's not how high earning people think, football player or not).

 

Listen man, if a player leaves the club, YOUR club, the club you love, the club you put time and money into all year every year, simply because someone else is offering him more cash you cant just expect fans to think nothing of it. The whole 'well if i got offered more money in a new job i'd take it' argument is a total irrelevance due to the difference in World normal people and footballers live in. Rightly or wrongly people will feel aggrieved because ultimately fans want the players to want to play for the club for us, not for money.

 

That's probably the sentimental side of it. In the real world, none of our players (except Shola and Taylor maybe) wouldn't even play for us if we hadn't offered them a better deal than they were on at their previous club. Why do you think players like Anita, Debuchy and Cabaye are even here, whilst they could have continued to represent the club that brought them through and that the probably have genuine feelings for? In the same vein, why do you expect these mercenaries who left their clubs for us, to decline better offers when they are available, to stay at a club like ours, without ambition to even compete and unwilling to pay the going rate. We are a stepping stone of a club, lucky to be in (one of) the most prestigious football leagues in the world, and that's exactly how our owner wants it. Blame him, not the players who are being traded in this system, not only to better their own career, but also to further our (owner's) interests.

 

Specifically looking at the Demba Ba case, he came in for free, left for 7.5 million, probably earned less than that in wages in his time here and scored a shitload. How anybody could brand him a mercenary who only looked after his own interest is quite frankly staggering. What does that make our club?

 

I'm not blaming anyone. I'm not really bothered. I'm just pointing out some of the reasons why people may be upset. With Ba specifically, I thought it was the attitude of him and his entourage that left a bitter taste in the mouth. Getting 'his big move' . But thats just me.

its the "entourage" that really bugs me why is there a need for numerous agents amd hangers on who demand compensation for moving him around and is probably the main reason why Ba to return is a complete non starter, think the club had enough of dealing with them last time. Fucking leeches.

[Disco]

Normally I'm precious about players being dicks/mercenaries but Ba was absolutely superb for for us. That hat-trick away at Stoke

[Skirge]

http://www.sportsdirectnews.com/premier-league-news/36784-ba-i-don-t-go-clubbing-after-newcastle.php

Ba: "I don't go clubbing after Newcastle"

 

Chelsea striker Demba Ba (L) (Action Images)

by Patrick Jennings3rd December 2013 3:31pm GMT

Chelsea striker Demba Ba has revealed he found it difficult to reconcile his religious beliefs with a party lifestyle favoured by some Newcastle United players during his time on Tyneside.

Ba, 28, left Newcastle to join Chelsea in January after one and a half seasons at the North-East club.

Speaking to French publication So Foot, Ba, who is a practising Muslim, said of his stay at Newcastle: “My behaviour was never bad but let's say it was not what Islam teaches.

“Nightclubs, for example", he added.

"People would tell me it was fine, but I don't go any more because there is alcohol, loud music and scantily-dressed girls. It's a dangerous cocktail.

“At Newcastle my friends wanted me to come out with them after the last day of the season.

"I went into the club, turned my head from left to right and said to them: 'That's it, I'm off.'”

Ba was a hit at St James' Park, scoring 29 goals in 54 Premier League matches between 2011-2013.

Since signing up at Stamford Bridge, the Senegal international striker has struggled to recreate that kind of prolific form.

Ba scored just once for Chelsea in the second half of last season and has this year found himself of the first-team under returning manager Jose Mourinho.

Despite his goal in Saturday's 3-1 defeat of Southampton, Ba is expected to remain as the Blues' third-choice striker behind Fernando Torres and Samuel Eto'o for the Premier League trip to Sunderland on Wednesday.

[LRD]

Of all the places you choose to have SDNews as your reference.

 

And So Foot has been known to make up quotes from players before so I wouldn't take them as a credible source either.

[Skirge]

Aye ana but well there was quotes so who knows, sure Demba will tweet about it if its shit.

[Ash]

http://www.sportsdirectnews.com/premier-league-news/36784-ba-i-don-t-go-clubbing-after-newcastle.php

"I went into the club, turned my head from left to right and said to them: 'That's it, I'm off.'”

 

Of course he did.

[Lotus]

Also, one night out after the season is hardly 'party lifestyle favoured by some Newcastle United players during his time on Tyneside.'

[localshop]

What a pufda1!!11

[Guest reefatoon]

http://www.sportsdirectnews.com/premier-league-news/36784-ba-i-don-t-go-clubbing-after-newcastle.php

"I went into the club, turned my head from left to right and said to them: 'That's it, I'm off.'”

 

Of course he did.

 

They somehow missed the rest of that sentence off " to get some trebles down my neck and get balls deep in that scantily clad slapper"