January

[mrmojorisin75]

We're all excited at the moment about the takeover, new signings on and off the pitch, a breath of fresh air blowing through the club (hopefully it'll take the new home shirt with it and leave a better one behind) and basically all round genuine optimism.

 

But thinking about it honestly reckon that January is gonna be the big month for the club in terms of shaping our season and perhaps the future.  Think about it:

 

#1 - I'm in agreement with Shearer in that I'll be shocked if anyone pays 9m for Owen this summer.  However come January he's a prime target for any clubs still in the CL if he's scoring goals 'cause he'll not be cup tied.  Thus, assuming he regains his form I'd say it's bye bye little Mickey.

#2 - Martins disappears for 6 weeks (?) for the African nations.

#3 - Ashley (or his people) will have had time to review the club top to bottom and know what needs doing.

#4 - Allardyce will have had time to review all of the players who were at the club when he arrived in terms of fitness, attitude and ability.

 

All of these things combined leads me to think that the summer won't be quite as exciting as people are hoping.  I could see him bringing in the necessary amount of defenders we need to form a team and perhaps a couple extra but after that I don't see much else happening.

 

To me, if he's scoring, Owen is gone in January.  Probably to Chel$ki or maybe Arsenal.  With Martins out of the equation at the same time we'll need 2 more strikers (general consensus being Ameobi not good enough and Viduka not able to play every game) plus Allardyce is gonna want to make an impression his first season so I'd see some serious scouting going on bewteen September and January and then BIG changes to the squad with Dyer on his bike, possibly Emre, Babarapist and maybe Carr. 

 

A lot will obviously depend on our league position come January too - if we're flying and challenging for Europe perhaps little Mickey might reconsider his "loyalty" and Fat Sam won't need to make wholesale changes.

 

Or Ashley will give him 50m to spend next week and this is all bollox.

 

Hard to say.

[Ronaldo]

we can only hope that Ahley offers a new contract to counter the ridiculous £9m clause

 

Emre needs to stay, he's the only real playmaker we have in the squad

[mrmojorisin75]

yeah well a new contract would be one option of course but would little mickey sign his life away without seeing which way the club was going?  personally i doubt it and then should he reach january with the sniff of a move he'll be offski

 

as for emre i could see him being given a chance at the playmaker role til january and then replaced if he doesn't cut it

[Ronaldo]

hopefully we'll know which direction the club is going very soon

[Guest nufc_geordie]

We're all excited at the moment about the takeover, new signings on and off the pitch, a breath of fresh air blowing through the club (hopefully it'll take the new home shirt with it and leave a better one behind) and basically all round genuine optimism.

 

But thinking about it honestly reckon that January is gonna be the big month for the club in terms of shaping our season and perhaps the future.  Think about it:

 

#1 - I'm in agreement with Shearer in that I'll be shocked if anyone pays 9m for Owen this summer.  However come January he's a prime target for any clubs still in the CL if he's scoring goals 'cause he'll not be cup tied.  Thus, assuming he regains his form I'd say it's bye bye little Mickey.

#2 - Martins disappears for 6 weeks (?) for the African nations.

#3 - Ashley (or his people) will have had time to review the club top to bottom and know what needs doing.

#4 - Allardyce will have had time to review all of the players who were at the club when he arrived in terms of fitness, attitude and ability.

 

All of these things combined leads me to think that the summer won't be quite as exciting as people are hoping.  I could see him bringing in the necessary amount of defenders we need to form a team and perhaps a couple extra but after that I don't see much else happening.

 

To me, if he's scoring, Owen is gone in January.  Probably to Chel$ki or maybe Arsenal.  With Martins out of the equation at the same time we'll need 2 more strikers (general consensus being Ameobi not good enough and Viduka not able to play every game) plus Allardyce is gonna want to make an impression his first season so I'd see some serious scouting going on bewteen September and January and then BIG changes to the squad with Dyer on his bike, possibly Emre, Babarapist and maybe Carr. 

 

A lot will obviously depend on our league position come January too - if we're flying and challenging for Europe perhaps little Mickey might reconsider his "loyalty" and Fat Sam won't need to make wholesale changes.

 

Or Ashley will give him 50m to spend next week and this is all bollox.

 

Hard to say.

 

Can't really argue with any of that mate. One point I would make is that looking at the fixtures, up until mid-Novemeber every game we play is winnable. That suggests to me that if Sam can get a few decent defenders in, and Owen starts scoring we could be in a very decent position come January.

[mrmojorisin75]

don't agree that martins will be off for 6 weeks?  hm

 

nah sorry just being a twat there

all opinion obviously but i've no faith in little mickey at all, he'll hightail it to whoever he thinks suits him first chance if all isn't well

 

good point about fixtures though, it's where we've gone to ratshit since bobby left - not taking advantage of favourable/winnable fixtures before we play the tough ones if you ask me....recent times have seen us lose/draw against the shite and play well against the better teams only thus being lower-mid table

 

again back to uncle bobby but i'm fairly sure his record vs the top teams wasn't great but he got us beating the shite and that's often times enough - look at spurs i'm sure they were poor against the top teams but beat the crap....if fat sam can get us doing that again he'll be juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust fine

[manorpark]

We're all excited at the moment about the takeover, new signings on and off the pitch, a breath of fresh air blowing through the club (hopefully it'll take the new home shirt with it and leave a better one behind) and basically all round genuine optimism.

 

But thinking about it honestly reckon that January is gonna be the big month for the club in terms of shaping our season and perhaps the future.  Think about it:

 

#1 - I'm in agreement with Shearer in that I'll be shocked if anyone pays 9m for Owen this summer.  However come January he's a prime target for any clubs still in the CL if he's scoring goals 'cause he'll not be cup tied.  Thus, assuming he regains his form I'd say it's bye bye little Mickey.

#2 - Martins disappears for 6 weeks (?) for the African nations.

#3 - Ashley (or his people) will have had time to review the club top to bottom and know what needs doing.

#4 - Allardyce will have had time to review all of the players who were at the club when he arrived in terms of fitness, attitude and ability.

 

All of these things combined leads me to think that the summer won't be quite as exciting as people are hoping.  I could see him bringing in the necessary amount of defenders we need to form a team and perhaps a couple extra but after that I don't see much else happening.

 

To me, if he's scoring, Owen is gone in January.  Probably to Chel$ki or maybe Arsenal.  With Martins out of the equation at the same time we'll need 2 more strikers (general consensus being Ameobi not good enough and Viduka not able to play every game) plus Allardyce is gonna want to make an impression his first season so I'd see some serious scouting going on bewteen September and January and then BIG changes to the squad with Dyer on his bike, possibly Emre, Babarapist and maybe Carr. 

 

A lot will obviously depend on our league position come January too - if we're flying and challenging for Europe perhaps little Mickey might reconsider his "loyalty" and Fat Sam won't need to make wholesale changes.

 

Or Ashley will give him 50m to spend next week and this is all bollox.

 

Hard to say.

 

Can't really argue with any of that mate. One point I would make is that looking at the fixtures, up until mid-Novemeber every game we play is winnable. That suggests to me that if Sam can get a few decent defenders in, and Owen starts scoring we could be in a very decent position come January.

 

Cannot see a billionaire businessman like Ashley, allowing his 'strategic review' to drag on very long. He will be as aware as we are of the need to strengthen the playing staff as soon as possible (ie, this summer) a fact that is VERY likely to be confirmed by part of his review that covers the playing staff, and he is most unlikely to in any way devalue his £133M investment by artificially and unnecessarily restricting his manager from doing what is required - ASAP.

 

The review will cover all aspects of the workings of the club, not just the playing staff, and its objective will be to improve everything, not restrict it by itself, 'dragging it on' and preventing early implementation of some of its inevitable findings (re the playing staff).  Ashley will also be as aware as we are, of the problems of trying to recruit in the short January (mid-season) window, and I am sure his business sense (and common sense) will lead him to try and avoid the January window as much as is possible.

 

He now owns the club, so the review will (I'm sure, even if not 'announced' or picked up by the papers where WE get our information from) be well under way, already. He will be aiming to take the club private in mid-July (as already stated) and I am sure that he will have advised his manager of his level of funding to be available to him, prior to then, actually releasing the funds by mid-July, if not earlier.

 

This guy has not purchased our club to pussyfoot around and/or 'do the wrong thing'  -  he has (I am certain) purchased Newcastle United FC to "get it right" and one way he can do that is by doing things at the right time.  He will not regard 'doing things quickly' as "rushing things" - he has the (oft talked about) 'people' to do things speedily and accurately.

 

He is here to win things with us, and to me that means he is not going to hang around in trying to achieve that.

[mrmojorisin75]

We're all excited at the moment about the takeover, new signings on and off the pitch, a breath of fresh air blowing through the club (hopefully it'll take the new home shirt with it and leave a better one behind) and basically all round genuine optimism.

 

But thinking about it honestly reckon that January is gonna be the big month for the club in terms of shaping our season and perhaps the future.  Think about it:

 

#1 - I'm in agreement with Shearer in that I'll be shocked if anyone pays 9m for Owen this summer.  However come January he's a prime target for any clubs still in the CL if he's scoring goals 'cause he'll not be cup tied.  Thus, assuming he regains his form I'd say it's bye bye little Mickey.

#2 - Martins disappears for 6 weeks (?) for the African nations.

#3 - Ashley (or his people) will have had time to review the club top to bottom and know what needs doing.

#4 - Allardyce will have had time to review all of the players who were at the club when he arrived in terms of fitness, attitude and ability.

 

All of these things combined leads me to think that the summer won't be quite as exciting as people are hoping.  I could see him bringing in the necessary amount of defenders we need to form a team and perhaps a couple extra but after that I don't see much else happening.

 

To me, if he's scoring, Owen is gone in January.  Probably to Chel$ki or maybe Arsenal.  With Martins out of the equation at the same time we'll need 2 more strikers (general consensus being Ameobi not good enough and Viduka not able to play every game) plus Allardyce is gonna want to make an impression his first season so I'd see some serious scouting going on bewteen September and January and then BIG changes to the squad with Dyer on his bike, possibly Emre, Babarapist and maybe Carr. 

 

A lot will obviously depend on our league position come January too - if we're flying and challenging for Europe perhaps little Mickey might reconsider his "loyalty" and Fat Sam won't need to make wholesale changes.

 

Or Ashley will give him 50m to spend next week and this is all bollox.

 

Hard to say.

 

Can't really argue with any of that mate. One point I would make is that looking at the fixtures, up until mid-Novemeber every game we play is winnable. That suggests to me that if Sam can get a few decent defenders in, and Owen starts scoring we could be in a very decent position come January.

 

Cannot see a billionaire businessman like Ashley, allowing his 'strategic review' to drag on very long. He will be as aware as we are of the need to strengthen the playing staff as soon as possible (ie, this summer) a fact that is VERY likely to be confirmed by part of his review that covers the playing staff, and he is most unlikely to in any way devalue his £133M investment by artificially and unnecessarily restricting his manager from doing what is required - ASAP.

 

The review will cover all aspects of the workings of the club, not just the playing staff, and its objective will be to improve everything, not restrict it by itself, 'dragging it on' and preventing early implementation of some of its inevitable findings (re the playing staff).  Ashley will also be as aware as we are, of the problems of trying to recruit in the short January (mid-season) window, and I am sure his business sense (and common sense) will lead him to try and avoid the January window as much as is possible.

 

He now owns the club, so the review will (I'm sure, even if not 'announced' or picked up by the papers where WE get our information from) be well under way, already. He will be aiming to take the club private in mid-July (as already stated) and I am sure that he will have advised his manager of his level of funding to be available to him, prior to then, actually releasing the funds by mid-July, if not earlier.

 

This guy has not purchased our club to pussyfoot around and/or 'do the wrong thing'  -  he has (I am certain) purchased Newcastle United FC to "get it right" and one way he can do that is by doing things at the right time.  He will not regard 'doing things quickly' as "rushing things" - he has the (oft talked about) 'people' to do things speedily and accurately.

 

He is here to win things with us, and to me that means he is not going to hang around in trying to achieve that.

 

i think you're right and i never said i think he'll restrict anything, but what i think we'll see is similar to villa after they were taken over last season

 

fat sam will be given cash to overhaul the defence but don't forget we have a number of high profile, highly paid, supposedly talented players that we need our talented manager to try and get the best out of before we replace them - to do otherwise is contrary to your opinion of ashley as a man and a businessman

 

so i'll reiterate, it's just my opinion, that i don't see massive overhauls to the squad in the summer except in defence...other positions (where we are numerically at least well covered) will be dealt with later down the line i feel - i mean we have 4 strikers, 2 wingers for each side, 3 cen mids and, ahem, dyer...i just can't see massive changes or replacements to that lot without fat sam having a go at making it work

[manorpark]

We're all excited at the moment about the takeover, new signings on and off the pitch, a breath of fresh air blowing through the club (hopefully it'll take the new home shirt with it and leave a better one behind) and basically all round genuine optimism.

 

But thinking about it honestly reckon that January is gonna be the big month for the club in terms of shaping our season and perhaps the future.  Think about it:

 

#1 - I'm in agreement with Shearer in that I'll be shocked if anyone pays 9m for Owen this summer.  However come January he's a prime target for any clubs still in the CL if he's scoring goals 'cause he'll not be cup tied.  Thus, assuming he regains his form I'd say it's bye bye little Mickey.

#2 - Martins disappears for 6 weeks (?) for the African nations.

#3 - Ashley (or his people) will have had time to review the club top to bottom and know what needs doing.

#4 - Allardyce will have had time to review all of the players who were at the club when he arrived in terms of fitness, attitude and ability.

 

All of these things combined leads me to think that the summer won't be quite as exciting as people are hoping.  I could see him bringing in the necessary amount of defenders we need to form a team and perhaps a couple extra but after that I don't see much else happening.

 

To me, if he's scoring, Owen is gone in January.  Probably to Chel$ki or maybe Arsenal.  With Martins out of the equation at the same time we'll need 2 more strikers (general consensus being Ameobi not good enough and Viduka not able to play every game) plus Allardyce is gonna want to make an impression his first season so I'd see some serious scouting going on bewteen September and January and then BIG changes to the squad with Dyer on his bike, possibly Emre, Babarapist and maybe Carr. 

 

A lot will obviously depend on our league position come January too - if we're flying and challenging for Europe perhaps little Mickey might reconsider his "loyalty" and Fat Sam won't need to make wholesale changes.

 

Or Ashley will give him 50m to spend next week and this is all bollox.

 

Hard to say.

 

Can't really argue with any of that mate. One point I would make is that looking at the fixtures, up until mid-Novemeber every game we play is winnable. That suggests to me that if Sam can get a few decent defenders in, and Owen starts scoring we could be in a very decent position come January.

 

Cannot see a billionaire businessman like Ashley, allowing his 'strategic review' to drag on very long. He will be as aware as we are of the need to strengthen the playing staff as soon as possible (ie, this summer) a fact that is VERY likely to be confirmed by part of his review that covers the playing staff, and he is most unlikely to in any way devalue his £133M investment by artificially and unnecessarily restricting his manager from doing what is required - ASAP.

 

The review will cover all aspects of the workings of the club, not just the playing staff, and its objective will be to improve everything, not restrict it by itself, 'dragging it on' and preventing early implementation of some of its inevitable findings (re the playing staff).  Ashley will also be as aware as we are, of the problems of trying to recruit in the short January (mid-season) window, and I am sure his business sense (and common sense) will lead him to try and avoid the January window as much as is possible.

 

He now owns the club, so the review will (I'm sure, even if not 'announced' or picked up by the papers where WE get our information from) be well under way, already. He will be aiming to take the club private in mid-July (as already stated) and I am sure that he will have advised his manager of his level of funding to be available to him, prior to then, actually releasing the funds by mid-July, if not earlier.

 

This guy has not purchased our club to pussyfoot around and/or 'do the wrong thing'  -  he has (I am certain) purchased Newcastle United FC to "get it right" and one way he can do that is by doing things at the right time.  He will not regard 'doing things quickly' as "rushing things" - he has the (oft talked about) 'people' to do things speedily and accurately.

 

He is here to win things with us, and to me that means he is not going to hang around in trying to achieve that.

 

i think you're right and i never said i think he'll restrict anything, but what i think we'll see is similar to villa after they were taken over last season

 

fat sam will be given cash to overhaul the defence but don't forget we have a number of high profile, highly paid, supposedly talented players that we need our talented manager to try and get the best out of before we replace them - to do otherwise is contrary to your opinion of ashley as a man and a businessman

 

so i'll reiterate, it's just my opinion, that i don't see massive overhauls to the squad in the summer except in defence...other positions (where we are numerically at least well covered) will be dealt with later down the line i feel - i mean we have 4 strikers, 2 wingers for each side, 3 cen mids and, ahem, dyer...i just can't see massive changes or replacements to that lot without fat sam having a go at making it work

 

Yeah, the main thing is the defence.

 

We need (as Sam himself has said) two good players for every position. This means that defensively (including the goalkeeping position) we should have 10 good (first-team quality, ideally 'better' than other teams have) players.

 

How many do we already have?

 

GOALKEEPER - 2 (Given/Harper)

CENTRE BACK (A) - 1 (Taylor, so ONE needed)

CENTRE BACK (B) - 0 (so TWO needed)

RIGHT BACK - 0 (so TWO needed)

LEFT BACK - 0 (so TWO needed)

 

So  -  we NEED to acquire a total of SEVEN new, top quality, defenders (in my view).

 

So, I can see, from todays date onward this close season - it is almost ONLY the defence that needs to be sorted. Ashley's money will be released soon, for that purpose I am sure.  With a good defence, I think most of us will be quite surprised at how well our existing players (throughout the rest of the team) will then be able to perform. That would happen anyway (the natural benefits of a sound defence) but if you add in the "Sam factor" also (as you say, mr m75) then things could be really good.

 

I think most of us agree that new defenders (this close season) are the key.  I am certain that Ashley will also agree (and soon)!!

[Guest nufc_geordie]

I think 7 new top quality defenders is not going to happen. Maybe a new CB, RB and LB, Carr and Baba will act as cover until Jan then I wouldn't be suprised to see a couple of youngsters signed i.e. Jenas, Viana, Dyer, Bramble style when Bobby/Ruud signed them as youngsters to bolster the squad and let them grow into the team.

[mrmojorisin75]

aye but that's what i was saying early doors - i don't see a massive splash out on 7 defenders before september

 

what i do see is probably

 

2 x CB's of hopefully good quality

1 x LB of definate quality

1 x RB of definate quality

 

i see these, along with taylor, being the starting back four and then carr/babarapist being given thir chance if injuries and suspensions kick in, then i see them being shipped in january...i'd see hunt/edgar being a 4th choice CB

 

possibly a little pessimistic outlook on what we'll spend but lets face it we're looking at 20m easy to buy the 4 top quality players we're looking at there right?

 

 

[manorpark]

I think 7 new top quality defenders is not going to happen. Maybe a new CB, RB and LB, Carr and Baba will act as cover until Jan then I wouldn't be suprised to see a couple of youngsters signed i.e. Jenas, Viana, Dyer, Bramble style when Bobby/Ruud signed them as youngsters to bolster the squad and let them grow into the team.

 

Those you quote, do not demonstrate a very positive outcome to January purchases!

 

Dabbling in the January window is to be avoided, if possible.

 

Also, I would expect an Ashley-led Sam Allardyce to get as close to the seven we need, as is possible, as soon as possible. This club should (from right now onward) be operating at a different level of competence from previously.

[Guest nufc_geordie]

I wasn't implying sign those calibre of players, it was more the age bracket. Let the youngsters come in, find their feet until the end of the season and then the following season come pre-season they are not trying to fit in, they should be integrated into the squad by then. This is only the way I would go about it. Get my "first team" players in now and don't panic buy. Use January to boost the squad with high quality young talent!

[manorpark]

I wasn't implying sign those calibre of players, it was more the age bracket. Let the youngsters come in, find their feet until the end of the season and then the following season come pre-season they are not trying to fit in, they should be integrated into the squad by then. This is only the way I would go about it. Get my "first team" players in now and don't panic buy. Use January to boost the squad with high quality young talent!

 

I cannot imagine Ashley/Allardyce "panic buying".  Acting with appropriate speed (if and when 'speed' is required - as in THIS case with our defensive problems) is not the same thing.

 

I expect Ashley/Allerdyce to get (at least) close to the seven, and to avoid January if they can.

[James]

Clubs don't sell good players in January, so if someone activates Owen's release clause we will be a bit short. All good players will be coming in this summer and next summer.

[mrmojorisin75]

I wasn't implying sign those calibre of players, it was more the age bracket. Let the youngsters come in, find their feet until the end of the season and then the following season come pre-season they are not trying to fit in, they should be integrated into the squad by then. This is only the way I would go about it. Get my "first team" players in now and don't panic buy. Use January to boost the squad with high quality young talent!

 

I cannot imagine Ashley/Allardyce "panic buying".  Acting with appropriate speed (if and when 'speed' is required  -  as in THIS case with our defensive problems) is not the same thing.

 

I expect Ashley/Allerdayce to get (at least) close to the seven, and to avoid January if they can.

 

you're optimistic bonny lad, optimistic indeed

 

7 defenders of the required quality is gonna take some amount of doing & no little amount of cash

 

but i hope you're right

 

anyways the original point wasn't about defenders, come january like i said i think the problem is gonna be with attackers

[manorpark]

Clubs don't sell good players in January, so if someone activates Owen's release clause we will be a bit short. All good players will be coming in this summer and next summer.

 

Absolutely - January is to be avoided, if at all possible.

[buzza]

What we have to do is ensure that we are in the top 5 before christmas and hope that owen realises that he has a future worth holding onto here.

I would be happy with 4 new defenders (whole back line) and use our existing ones as back up...

[manorpark]

I wasn't implying sign those calibre of players, it was more the age bracket. Let the youngsters come in, find their feet until the end of the season and then the following season come pre-season they are not trying to fit in, they should be integrated into the squad by then. This is only the way I would go about it. Get my "first team" players in now and don't panic buy. Use January to boost the squad with high quality young talent!

 

I cannot imagine Ashley/Allardyce "panic buying".  Acting with appropriate speed (if and when 'speed' is required  -  as in THIS case with our defensive problems) is not the same thing.

 

I expect Ashley/Allerdayce to get (at least) close to the seven, and to avoid January if they can.

 

you're optimistic bonny lad, optimistic indeed

 

7 defenders of the required quality is gonna take some amount of doing & no little amount of cash

 

but i hope you're right

 

anyways the original point wasn't about defenders, come january like i said i think the problem is gonna be with attackers

 

Optimistic, I suppose you are right!!

 

But, as I have said on this board a few times recently, we should be adjusting (all of us) to the "New Realism" associated with this new club of ours.  That of getting it RIGHT, as we have the business organisation and finance to do so.

 

With regard to "attackers needed".  As I say, I think we will all be a little bit surprised at how well the existing rest of the team performs, with a solid defence behind it - and with the "Sam factor" geeing them up and sorting them out!

[manorpark]

What we have to do is ensure that we are in the top 5 before christmas and hope that owen realises that he has a future worth holding onto here.

I would be happy with 4 new defenders (whole back line) and use our existing ones as back up...

 

I am hoping that the days of "make do and mend" are very nearly over!!

[buzza]

But who would we replace him with? You don't come across goal scorers like him very easily!

Like you say we should "mend" the team and the situation therefore a contract extension would be easily attained.

[manorpark]

But who would we replace him with? You don't come across goal scorers like him very easily!

Like you say we should "mend" the team and the situation therefore a contract extension would be easily attained.

 

Are you referring to Michael Owen?

 

If so, I think an early contract extension (removal of 'the clause') might well be an idea for Ashley to try.

 

Would that also mean a 'wage increase' for Owen also, though?  (!!!)

[merlin]

We're all excited at the moment about the takeover, new signings on and off the pitch, a breath of fresh air blowing through the club (hopefully it'll take the new home shirt with it and leave a better one behind) and basically all round genuine optimism.

 

But thinking about it honestly reckon that January is gonna be the big month for the club in terms of shaping our season and perhaps the future.  Think about it:

 

#1 - I'm in agreement with Shearer in that I'll be shocked if anyone pays 9m for Owen this summer.  However come January he's a prime target for any clubs still in the CL if he's scoring goals 'cause he'll not be cup tied.  Thus, assuming he regains his form I'd say it's bye bye little Mickey.

#2 - Martins disappears for 6 weeks (?) for the African nations.

#3 - Ashley (or his people) will have had time to review the club top to bottom and know what needs doing.

#4 - Allardyce will have had time to review all of the players who were at the club when he arrived in terms of fitness, attitude and ability.

 

All of these things combined leads me to think that the summer won't be quite as exciting as people are hoping.  I could see him bringing in the necessary amount of defenders we need to form a team and perhaps a couple extra but after that I don't see much else happening.

 

To me, if he's scoring, Owen is gone in January.  Probably to Chel$ki or maybe Arsenal.  With Martins out of the equation at the same time we'll need 2 more strikers (general consensus being Ameobi not good enough and Viduka not able to play every game) plus Allardyce is gonna want to make an impression his first season so I'd see some serious scouting going on bewteen September and January and then BIG changes to the squad with Dyer on his bike, possibly Emre, Babarapist and maybe Carr. 

 

A lot will obviously depend on our league position come January too - if we're flying and challenging for Europe perhaps little Mickey might reconsider his "loyalty" and Fat Sam won't need to make wholesale changes.

 

Or Ashley will give him 50m to spend next week and this is all bollox.

 

Hard to say.

 

Can't really argue with any of that mate. One point I would make is that looking at the fixtures, up until mid-Novemeber every game we play is winnable. That suggests to me that if Sam can get a few decent defenders in, and Owen starts scoring we could be in a very decent position come January.

 

Cannot see a billionaire businessman like Ashley, allowing his 'strategic review' to drag on very long. He will be as aware as we are of the need to strengthen the playing staff as soon as possible (ie, this summer) a fact that is VERY likely to be confirmed by part of his review that covers the playing staff, and he is most unlikely to in any way devalue his £133M investment by artificially and unnecessarily restricting his manager from doing what is required - ASAP.

 

The review will cover all aspects of the workings of the club, not just the playing staff, and its objective will be to improve everything, not restrict it by itself, 'dragging it on' and preventing early implementation of some of its inevitable findings (re the playing staff).  Ashley will also be as aware as we are, of the problems of trying to recruit in the short January (mid-season) window, and I am sure his business sense (and common sense) will lead him to try and avoid the January window as much as is possible.

 

He now owns the club, so the review will (I'm sure, even if not 'announced' or picked up by the papers where WE get our information from) be well under way, already. He will be aiming to take the club private in mid-July (as already stated) and I am sure that he will have advised his manager of his level of funding to be available to him, prior to then, actually releasing the funds by mid-July, if not earlier.

 

This guy has not purchased our club to pussyfoot around and/or 'do the wrong thing'  -  he has (I am certain) purchased Newcastle United FC to "get it right" and one way he can do that is by doing things at the right time.  He will not regard 'doing things quickly' as "rushing things" - he has the (oft talked about) 'people' to do things speedily and accurately.

 

He is here to win things with us, and to me that means he is not going to hang around in trying to achieve that.

 

 

Agree with that - the 'review' will be all done/dusted by end of July in my opinion.

How long will it take for any sound business person to see what the glaring problems have been at SJP..?

I expect big changes in SOME areas of the Club's day-to-day running, and a much tougher approach to Agents etc. Cannot see a guy like Ashley taking much crap from some of these shysters , and we will probably end up with a new Chief executive who will have a very hands-on role at the club.

Cannot see Shepherd being there long for a  number of reasons, not least of which are his health problems

and his diminishing power to influence major decisions at the Club.

 

The only way I can see a major transfer spend in Jan is if we have managed to cling on to the top 4 teams and both manager & Owner feel there is a good chance of Champs League -otherwise it will be next close season before the big spend happens..

[manorpark]

We're all excited at the moment about the takeover, new signings on and off the pitch, a breath of fresh air blowing through the club (hopefully it'll take the new home shirt with it and leave a better one behind) and basically all round genuine optimism.

 

But thinking about it honestly reckon that January is gonna be the big month for the club in terms of shaping our season and perhaps the future.  Think about it:

 

#1 - I'm in agreement with Shearer in that I'll be shocked if anyone pays 9m for Owen this summer.  However come January he's a prime target for any clubs still in the CL if he's scoring goals 'cause he'll not be cup tied.  Thus, assuming he regains his form I'd say it's bye bye little Mickey.

#2 - Martins disappears for 6 weeks (?) for the African nations.

#3 - Ashley (or his people) will have had time to review the club top to bottom and know what needs doing.

#4 - Allardyce will have had time to review all of the players who were at the club when he arrived in terms of fitness, attitude and ability.

 

All of these things combined leads me to think that the summer won't be quite as exciting as people are hoping.  I could see him bringing in the necessary amount of defenders we need to form a team and perhaps a couple extra but after that I don't see much else happening.

 

To me, if he's scoring, Owen is gone in January.  Probably to Chel$ki or maybe Arsenal.  With Martins out of the equation at the same time we'll need 2 more strikers (general consensus being Ameobi not good enough and Viduka not able to play every game) plus Allardyce is gonna want to make an impression his first season so I'd see some serious scouting going on bewteen September and January and then BIG changes to the squad with Dyer on his bike, possibly Emre, Babarapist and maybe Carr. 

 

A lot will obviously depend on our league position come January too - if we're flying and challenging for Europe perhaps little Mickey might reconsider his "loyalty" and Fat Sam won't need to make wholesale changes.

 

Or Ashley will give him 50m to spend next week and this is all bollox.

 

Hard to say.

 

Can't really argue with any of that mate. One point I would make is that looking at the fixtures, up until mid-Novemeber every game we play is winnable. That suggests to me that if Sam can get a few decent defenders in, and Owen starts scoring we could be in a very decent position come January.

 

Cannot see a billionaire businessman like Ashley, allowing his 'strategic review' to drag on very long. He will be as aware as we are of the need to strengthen the playing staff as soon as possible (ie, this summer) a fact that is VERY likely to be confirmed by part of his review that covers the playing staff, and he is most unlikely to in any way devalue his £133M investment by artificially and unnecessarily restricting his manager from doing what is required - ASAP.

 

The review will cover all aspects of the workings of the club, not just the playing staff, and its objective will be to improve everything, not restrict it by itself, 'dragging it on' and preventing early implementation of some of its inevitable findings (re the playing staff).  Ashley will also be as aware as we are, of the problems of trying to recruit in the short January (mid-season) window, and I am sure his business sense (and common sense) will lead him to try and avoid the January window as much as is possible.

 

He now owns the club, so the review will (I'm sure, even if not 'announced' or picked up by the papers where WE get our information from) be well under way, already. He will be aiming to take the club private in mid-July (as already stated) and I am sure that he will have advised his manager of his level of funding to be available to him, prior to then, actually releasing the funds by mid-July, if not earlier.

 

This guy has not purchased our club to pussyfoot around and/or 'do the wrong thing'  -  he has (I am certain) purchased Newcastle United FC to "get it right" and one way he can do that is by doing things at the right time.  He will not regard 'doing things quickly' as "rushing things" - he has the (oft talked about) 'people' to do things speedily and accurately.

 

He is here to win things with us, and to me that means he is not going to hang around in trying to achieve that.

 

 

Agree with that - the 'review' will be all done/dusted by end of July in my opinion.

How long will it take for any sound business person to see what the glaring problems have been at SJP..?

I expect big changes in SOME areas of the Club's day-to-day running, and a much tougher approach to Agents etc. Cannot see a guy like Ashley taking much crap from some of these shysters , and we will probably end up with a new Chief executive who will have a very hands-on role at the club.

Cannot see Shepherd being there long for a  number of reasons, not least of which are his health problems

and his diminishing power to influence major decisions at the Club.

 

The only way I can see a major transfer spend in Jan is if we have managed to cling on to the top 4 teams and both manager & Owner feel there is a good chance of Champs League -otherwise it will be next close season before the big spend happens..

 

Agree mostly merlin, except I do see the possibility of the 'big spend' this close season, rather than next.

 

The DEFENCE alone, requires it!!