Mike Ashley

[Dave]

Not the foggiest. The impression I've always had is that he's involved only in quite broad terms. As above, in whatever sense he is involved, it's undeniably a far cry from the Keegan approach where recruitment is one of the manager's responsibilities, and that's good.

 

At that point in time I don't believe Ashley had a fucking clue what he was doing, he as good as admitted that after relegation and in deciding to ditch Wise and friends without replacing them.

 

By all accounts the football men Pardew and Carr decide on the players, and the money men Charnley and Llambias do the transfers. I'm not sure how that can be so different from the rest of the Premier League. Whatever our system is it's clearly working well at present, but it's certainly no magical, revolutionary plan.

 

FWIW I totally disagreed with the Keegan appointment at the time and posted on here that I felt it was a mistake. But I don't see that he couldn't have worked with the system we have in place now, not in the slightest. They treated him like shit because thought they were clever and were in fact clueless.

[Kanj]

Always was under the impression that its a bit of a moving and organic process.  Pardew (coaching staff) identifies needs, Carr (scouting staff) actively scout and recruit players actively. Both come together accordingly based on need of coaching staff (injuries, form, player sales) and urgency of find from the scouting staff (contract situation, buyout, release clauses etc). I think I recall Pards has mentioned there are certain players we just don't go after based on the cost of the player so obviously Llambias, and Charnley (board) are given a budget from Ashley. Pards himself has said we don't sign players that are not uniformly agreed upon.  To round the process off - Llambias and Charnely do the business deal of it. So when Pards is asked how negotiations are going, he naturally won't give full answers b/c he'll just know what he's told as this has become much more "business-like" than ever before - the modern game.

 

(My take): A player like Cisse was identified by the scouting team, who put it to Pards and he really liked the player himself and they were able to convince the board to request a special circumstance from Ashley to spend the high transfer fee to get him.

 

What I've always said is I quite like our system, I think everyone has a clear-cut role and if you are a manager willing to work within the system its a great one. Some aren't, so fair enough.  I'd like to see Ashley make some more "Cisse" exceptions to the normal rule.

[Guest tollemache]

Didn't say it was magical or revolutionary, just that it's the sensible, correct way of doing it if you want long-term stability. It's what most of the rest of the world does - it's just Britain really that has always had this sense that the manager should dictate his own transfer policy.

 

You reckon Keegan would've put up with the current approach? Mmmmm not so sure. Happy to admit I'm not the ultimate expert on the personality and methods of Kevin Keegan though.

[Dave]

There's nothing wrong with what we've got at all if you're willing and able to be flexible. Going by the last accounts and reported financial health of the club we are certainly able. January was almost universally praised because that flexibility was shown. It took its time, but it was present. Needs must, so we brought some deals forward and we're going to be much better off for it. Bringing Cisse in was a major surprise at the time because we didn't need to do that, but did it anyway. We reaped the benefits.

 

We seem to have a settled, working formula going here and most including me are delighted with it. The only issues arise when the people at the top try to be too clever, like assuming we'd get away with not investing in the summer despite everyone else knowing it would go wrong. Failing to go the extra mile to get a player despite knowing our recent success rate. Sometimes gambles pay off, but often they do not. They need to focus on continuing to back the current system rather than trying to fix something that isn't broken and fucking about doing things people who know football would realise are destined to fail.

[tmonkey]

I think Pardew is a liar and is full of s*** - his absolutely best attribute as a manager is his ability to lie convincingly to the media. I wouldn't be suprised if his input on transfers from abroad is minimal, or he contributes a token nod of approval at best. If Carr has identified someone he considers to be a potential top class signing, and that player then becomes available for cheap, why would Pardew say "no"? Are we are of any instance of him rejecting a player Carr has put forward for us to sign?

 

It needs to be remembered that the entire point of appointing him as our manager was because he was a 'Yes' man, someone who was willing to fit in with Ashley's vision of how managers should work at this club (and how they should be renumerated - remember all that crap in the media about how Ashley wanted to "change the game" and go against the industry standard by renumerate managers on a performance related/bonus contract?). Pardew networked his way into Hughton's job by whispering into Ashley's ear like Wormtongue, seducing him with softly spoken words like "trust me baby, I won't complain if you sign players without telling me" and "you can pay me how you want, cupcake" whilst stroking Ashley's manboobs in a downwards spiral motion.

[Stu]

[merlin]

In any case, it's very obvious that what they don't do is give Pardew a budget and ask him to go about bringing people in. Transfers are not the domain of the manager in anything like the way Keegan would've wanted / expected, and that is to the club's great benefit.

 

It is only to the club's 'great benefit' if the chief scout is good at his job AND the manager - who has to work with the players - is happy with what he is being given.

 

What happens when the Scouting system fails if the chief scout leaves/retires ?

 

Would YOU be happy having an employee foisted on you without having any hand in the recruitment process and without knowing whether he/she was going to fit in with the rest of the company ?

 

If so, you must be pretty unique because I wouldn't and I doubt that the likes of Wenger, Mourinho and Ferguson would either - that is why both Fergie AND Wenger said that KK was right to walk out.

[madras]

There's nothing wrong with what we've got at all if you're willing and able to be flexible. Going by the last accounts and reported financial health of the club we are certainly able. January was almost universally praised because that flexibility was shown. It took its time, but it was present. Needs must, so we brought some deals forward and we're going to be much better off for it. Bringing Cisse in was a major surprise at the time because we didn't need to do that, but did it anyway. We reaped the benefits.

 

We seem to have a settled, working formula going here and most including me are delighted with it. The only issues arise when the people at the top try to be too clever, like assuming we'd get away with not investing in the summer despite everyone else knowing it would go wrong. Failing to go the extra mile to get a player despite knowing our recent success rate. Sometimes gambles pay off, but often they do not. They need to focus on continuing to back the current system rather than trying to fix something that isn't broken and f***ing about doing things people who know football would realise are destined to fail.

you have to look at that flexibility in context. it's much easier to be flexible when you are paying that extra million for a player who is still worth 5 or 6 times more than you are paying as opposed to paying an extra million which may mean paying more than you think he's worth. even in january we still only really paid market value for one player (debuchy) and even that may have been skewed by his desire to come here fora long time.

 

as for not investing last summer, do you think they really said "we're strong enough so we have no intention of investing in this (summer) window" or was it that the deals they wanted just wouldn't come off (debuchy, de jong, douglas). I know it seems picky but some, if not many, think we just had no intention whatsoever and that's not how i saw it.

[Cronky]

Pardew networked his way into Hughton's job by whispering into Ashley's ear like Wormtongue, seducing him with softly spoken words like "trust me baby, I won't complain if you sign players without telling me" and "you can pay me how you want, cupcake" whilst stroking Ashley's manboobs in a downwards spiral motion.

 

Too much detail, man.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

One thing in their defense - although they make mistakes, they rarely repeat the same mistake.

 

Learning (making it up in some case) as they go along, but definitely learning.

[stozo]

One thing in their defense - although they make mistakes, they rarely repeat the same mistake.

 

Learning (making it up in some case) as they go along, but definitely learning.

This. And it's the reason why I'm actually quite confident with Ashley in charge going forward.

[Tooj]

He'd tell him to just go out and express himself, bud. Hatem would then magically develop fantastic pace and start scoring 25 a season. He'd double his career tally in the first season alone. Gotta love KK and his long magic wand.

 

Or perhaps he'd get the best out of him and utilise him correctly like his proven track record of doing so with Newcastle players. He certainly wouldn't have deployed him so defensively like Pardew has this season that's for sure.

[madras]

He'd tell him to just go out and express himself, bud. Hatem would then magically develop fantastic pace and start scoring 25 a season. He'd double his career tally in the first season alone. Gotta love KK and his long magic wand.

 

Or perhaps he'd get the best out of him and utilise him correctly like his proven track record of doing so with Newcastle players. He certainly wouldn't have deployed him so defensively like Pardew has this season that's for sure.

eh ? he played ginola exactly as pardew has ben arfa, wide in a midfield 4 except ben arfa puts more work in, more down to the player than the manager.

[Tooj]

I wouldn't say Ginola played anywhere near as deep as Ben Arfa has been in a 4-4-2 this season.

[Hughesy]

He'd tell him to just go out and express himself, bud. Hatem would then magically develop fantastic pace and start scoring 25 a season. He'd double his career tally in the first season alone. Gotta love KK and his long magic wand.

 

Or perhaps he'd get the best out of him and utilise him correctly like his proven track record of doing so with Newcastle players. He certainly wouldn't have deployed him so defensively like Pardew has this season that's for sure.

eh ? he played ginola exactly as pardew has ben arfa, wide in a midfield 4 except ben arfa puts more work in, more down to the player than the manager.

 

Which, as I've pointed out before, Ben Arfa shouldn't be exempt from.  Bale and Lennon manage to track back pretty well, for example.

[madras]

I wouldn't say Ginola played anywhere near as deep as Ben Arfa has been in a 4-4-2 this season.

i beg to differ, ginola came deep all the time looking for the ball, he just happened to piss off when defending needed doing. ben arfa is prepared to put some work in defensivly much to his credit and something you have to do if playing in midfield.

[Tooj]

He'd tell him to just go out and express himself, bud. Hatem would then magically develop fantastic pace and start scoring 25 a season. He'd double his career tally in the first season alone. Gotta love KK and his long magic wand.

 

Or perhaps he'd get the best out of him and utilise him correctly like his proven track record of doing so with Newcastle players. He certainly wouldn't have deployed him so defensively like Pardew has this season that's for sure.

eh ? he played ginola exactly as pardew has ben arfa, wide in a midfield 4 except ben arfa puts more work in, more down to the player than the manager.

 

Which, as I've pointed out before, Ben Arfa shouldn't be exempt from.  Bale and Lennon manage to track back pretty well, for example.

 

I'm not saying he should be exempt from it, it shows what a good character that he's got that he's prepared to do it. The problem though this season is that he hasn't saw enough of the ball in dangerous areas as more often than not he's receiving it in his own half instead of around the opposition area.

[Tooj]

I wouldn't say Ginola played anywhere near as deep as Ben Arfa has been in a 4-4-2 this season.

i beg to differ, ginola came deep all the time looking for the ball, he just happened to piss off when defending needed doing. ben arfa is prepared to put some work in defensivly much to his credit and something you have to do if playing in midfield.

 

He also received the ball a lot more often than Ben Arfa has been seeing this season in dangerous areas in the opposition half. Hopefully with our new players Pardew will allow him to express himself more as we certainly need his creativity.

[madras]

I wouldn't say Ginola played anywhere near as deep as Ben Arfa has been in a 4-4-2 this season.

i beg to differ, ginola came deep all the time looking for the ball, he just happened to p*ss off when defending needed doing. ben arfa is prepared to put some work in defensivly much to his credit and something you have to do if playing in midfield.

 

He also received the ball a lot more often than Ben Arfa has been seeing this season in dangerous areas in the opposition half. Hopefully with our new players Pardew will allow him to express himself more as we certainly need his creativity.

could be many reasons for that, lack of movement of others, ben arfa not taking up good positions etc. fwiw i've always had it down to us being far too rigid, i'd like to see a 3 from sissoko, ben arfa, marveaux, gouffran, playing off cisse and them moving so much there are arguments in pubs later as to who was left,right or central.

[Tooj]

Totally agree with all of that.

[Spudil]

Every-time I've seen Spurs this season Bale does  not really track back at all. 

 

Seems he is told to save his energy mainly for attacking purposes and rightly so.

[Hughesy]

Every-time I've seen Spurs this season Bale does  not really track back at all. 

 

Seems he is told to save his energy mainly for attacking purposes and rightly so.

 

Only going on what my Spurs season ticket holding mate says.  I suspect he knows better than you or me to be honest.

[Ronaldo]

He'd tell him to just go out and express himself, bud. Hatem would then magically develop fantastic pace and start scoring 25 a season. He'd double his career tally in the first season alone. Gotta love KK and his long magic wand.

 

Or perhaps he'd get the best out of him and utilise him correctly like his proven track record of doing so with Newcastle players. He certainly wouldn't have deployed him so defensively like Pardew has this season that's for sure.

 

So telling Hatem to concentrate on attacking would turn him into the best player in the league? Come on, man.

[oldtype]

Every-time I've seen Spurs this season Bale does  not really track back at all. 

 

Seems he is told to save his energy mainly for attacking purposes and rightly so.

 

Only going on what my Spurs season ticket holding mate says.  I suspect he knows better than you or me to be honest.

 

You only have to look back to the match on Saturday to see how much Bale tracks back.

[Spudil]

Every-time I've seen Spurs this season Bale does  not really track back at all. 

 

Seems he is told to save his energy mainly for attacking purposes and rightly so.

 

Only going on what my Spurs season ticket holding mate says.  I suspect he knows better than you or me to be honest.

 

You only have to look back to the match on Saturday to see how much Bale tracks back.

 

My eyes must be deceiving me...

 

Oh wait

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale's average positions were near identical in their last games

source: http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/868?ghghg&cc=5739

 

I guess Ronaldo is a tracking back work horse too 

 

Read more here: http://footballspeak.com/post/2011/12/09/The-secret-to-Gareth-Bales-recent-success.aspx

 

Against the Gunners, Bale (3) is playing higher up the park than Emmanuel Adebayor (10) and even Jermaine Defoe (18)