Allardyce to be given £50m by Ashley - The Times

[Jay Jay Sea]

I'd rather put £20 million into buying top young talent for the youth team rather than blowing it on a trophy signing tbh.

Not for me sir.  I'd rather sign a team of Hyypia's, Viduka's and Barton's and win one single trophy than sign yet more kids for the youth team.  Kids playing in the youth team will not keep Allardyce his job nor will it bring silverware that his boss and the fans are so desperate for.  Correct me if I am wrong but it seems to me that Newcastle Utd's policy been to sign young players for relatively vast sums of cash and then see them NEVER become great players or fulfil their potential. I suppose I'd put the likes of Jenas, Dyer or even Bramble in the category.  Proven experienced players win the day for me at the moment in time.

[Nobody]

Isn't this story the same as the one we had when Ashley bought the SJH shares? That he'd spend 250m in five years or something like that?

[James]

Up front, we arguably have the best bunch of strikers in the country now (better in depth, although Man U and Chelsea have higher quality first choice strikers), so this season, we can probably avoid spending in that area now.

 

In midfield, we have a good bunch of players, most of whom would get in the squad of most teams, although we could be improved with an athletic defensive midfield destroyer, and with a player who can score goals and create more chances.

 

In defence, we basically have two senior defenders, a centre back with great potential in Taylor, plus Rozehnal who I perceive to be Allardyce's upgrade on Craig Moore. We also have two other centre backs with potential.

 

In my opinion, we are going to need between 3 and 6 new defenders, and that will deplete the budget.

 

I'd say, get three defenders, not exceeding £6m, and then another exceptional centre back if available, like Andrade. That would basically be half the budget then spent.

 

Then it is a straight choice as to whether to burn the other £20m on a defensive or offensive midfielder. I'd go for the offensive options, as Rozehnal, Barton, Butt should be able to cover the defensive position for now.

[LateRegistration]

I think with our squad being so depleted and severely lacking in depth I think our approach to transfers should be that of Spurs when Martin Jol initially took over (actually that former french national coach took over 1st, can't remember his name).

 

Their 'revolving door' approach where they signed lots of decent, cheaply priced players for all positions building up quite a tidy squad, fair enough finishing in 9th place but with clear progress being made If players didn't make it they were then shipped out e.g. davenport, davies, mendes, etc. This policy actually suits allardyce as if you look at his transfers at bolton he signed lots of players, many not managing a 1st team appearance.

 

We only need to look at ourselves and Souness's spending of 43.5m on expensive players instead of building a squad i.e. luque 9.5m, owen - 16m, boumsong - 8m, parker 5.5m and emre 4.5m, when they inevitably got injured or didn't perform we simply didn't have the players and still don't as roeder basically failed to get players in over the 2 transfer windows he was in charge. We're also paying these players ridiculous wages to convince them to play here and in owen's case inserting a series of daft clauses that will probably fuck us over. 

 

Once we've built a squad of players (perhaps even qualifying for europe via the league), then we can look to add the big money signings, the andrade's , miguel's and gattuso's (plus we may even be able to convince them to come here without putting ridiculous transfer clauses in their contracts). Again this is effectively what spurs started to do as of last summer adding berbatov and this summer bale and probably bent on big money.

 

 

[Slugsy]

I'd like us to stop paying mediocre amounts for mediocre defenders - you get what you pay for and its time we started buying decent full backs in particular and stop bargain basement hunting in the £1-2m bracket.  We won't get a decent defence till we buy a couple of quality full backs and at least one more decent centre back.  These players don't come cheap but if we are serious about improving the team then we need to focus on areas where historically we have been inept or just plain tight at addressing.

[Leazes1986]

I'd like us to stop paying mediocre amounts for mediocre defenders - you get what you pay for and its time we started buying decent full backs in particular and stop bargain basement hunting in the £1-2m bracket.  We won't get a decent defence till we buy a couple of quality full backs and at least one more decent centre back.  These players don't come cheap but if we are serious about improving the team then we need to focus on areas where historically we have been inept or just plain tight at addressing.

 

Big money will not always get you a top defender. A good manager can identify a quality defender though even if he isn't a big name.

[ToonTastic]

I'd like us to stop paying mediocre amounts for mediocre defenders - you get what you pay for and its time we started buying decent full backs in particular and stop bargain basement hunting in the £1-2m bracket.  We won't get a decent defence till we buy a couple of quality full backs and at least one more decent centre back.  These players don't come cheap but if we are serious about improving the team then we need to focus on areas where historically we have been inept or just plain tight at addressing.

 

Instead buy a £8m defender like Boumsong

[Guest Sheriff John Bunnell (Ret]

I think with our squad being so depleted and severely lacking in depth I think our approach to transfers should be that of Spurs when Martin Jol initially took over (actually that former french national coach took over 1st, can't remember his name).

 

Their 'revolving door' approach where they signed lots of decent, cheaply priced players for all positions building up quite a tidy squad, fair enough finishing in 9th place but with clear progress being made If players didn't make it they were then shipped out e.g. davenport, davies, mendes, etc. This policy actually suits allardyce as if you look at his transfers at bolton he signed lots of players, many not managing a 1st team appearance.

 

We only need to look at ourselves and Souness's spending of 43.5m on expensive players instead of building a squad i.e. luque 9.5m, owen - 16m, boumsong - 8m, parker 5.5m and emre 4.5m, when they inevitably got injured or didn't perform we simply didn't have the players and still don't as roeder basically failed to get players in over the 2 transfer windows he was in charge. We're also paying these players ridiculous wages to convince them to play here and in owen's case inserting a series of daft clauses that will probably f*** us over. 

 

Once we've built a squad of players (perhaps even qualifying for europe via the league), then we can look to add the big money signings, the andrade's , miguel's and gattuso's (plus we may even be able to convince them to come here without putting ridiculous transfer clauses in their contracts). Again this is effectively what spurs started to do as of last summer adding berbatov and this summer bale and probably bent on big money.

 

 

 

 

Totally agree with your post LateReg!!

 

What Top Top players are gonna want to join us this season, alright things are looking good for the future but with No Uefa Cup let alone CL footy next season who is gonna want to unless they are offered mega bucks?! I think he shld use the money to strengthen our squad with good quality, reliable players who actually want to play for us and arent just there to pick up there wages!

 

Next season, fingers crossed we get into Europe, then we'll be able to attract the bigger names!

[Guest WalkervilleMag]

no big money will be spent until late July/ early August in my opinion, until Big Sam has worked with the players he has and then can see at 1st hand the positions he needs to bolster.  At the moment he is getting in players he was looking at whilst at Bolton, with the view of getting them in there. He probably at this moment does not know how much he has to spend, so is having to use funds from the Parker sale, and from reducing the wage bill with the release of players.

[Mr Logic]

Isn't this story the same as the one we had when Ashley bought the SJH shares? That he'd spend 250m in five years or something like that?

 

Yes, just a magical rehash. But you won't get many noticing it because they're all off on a spending spree.

[Mick]

I can't see any reason why players already playing in this Country would not want to play for us next season regardless of Europe.  Most players will see our club for what it is now, not what it has been for the last 4 years or so.  We are a club who will have 52,000 at every home league game next season and the atmosphere will be as good as it has been for many years.  Everything at our club is on the up and every player in the Country will know it.

 

I don't think we're a club who needs to make a trophy signing at this time, a trophy signing will not sell a single ticket as they'll all go anyway.  We need value for money, that goes for players who cost next to nothing as well as the big money signings, getting a player like Boumsong for nothing doesn't make him any better than the one we paid a fortune for, he'd still be shite.

 

A trophy signing might sell a few shirts but people like Owen will do that already.

 

We need a squad but we also need special players, we've got at least one and we need to add to that number.  If Ashley has £250 million to spend over 5 years then the bulk should be spent at the beginning because that's when we need the most players.  I can understand if this year is a year of caution because it doesn't matter what anybody says, Allardyce is unproven when it comes to spending large sums of money.  You can afford to get 20 players for nothing and see a large percentage dissapearing, you can't do that when you're spending £millions, we know that because we've been through it with Souness, no I'm not trying to say Allardyce is another Souness.

 

 

[Guest Guinness]

I won't believe this mooted £50m until I actually see it being spent. The cynic in me says that information like this along with other stuff such as the "5 year plan" could have been released explicitly to gain the fans support of the takeover and encourage people to sell shares. I've got my hopes up so many times in the past only to be shot down. It's horrible but whenever I read something positive like this I always have to look for negatives . However the one thing I can look at in a positive light is that Ashley won't get anything out of this club unless he invests.

[Thespence]

Also, the more we bang on "hey were rich! hey were gonna spend £50million" the more clubs will think to fleece us the second they hear were interested.

 

We have been rich for a while now & we have got fleeced a stacks of times because we are big spenders.

[Guest]

Also, the more we bang on "hey were rich! hey were gonna spend £50million" the more clubs will think to fleece us the second they hear were interested.

 

We have been rich for a while now & we have got fleeced a stacks of times because we are big spenders.

 

Do you think it'll be different if we went, "Shhh man, we're skint. Only got £5m to spend". I think the takeover has given it away that we'll be spending money like.

[madras]

Also, the more we bang on "hey were rich! hey were gonna spend £50million" the more clubs will think to fleece us the second they hear were interested.

 

We have been rich for a while now & we have got fleeced a stacks of times because we are big spenders.

 

Do you think it'll be different if we went, "Shhh man, we're skint. Only got £5m to spend". I think the takeover has given it away that we'll be spending money like.

 

your missing the point.  This club shouldn't spend £50 million on players at this time, it would probs do more damage as its no garauntee to make any difference on us getting 6th.  Without European football to offer your most likely not being able to attract the right type of expensive player for Newcastle.  You will get over-priced one season wonders from smaller clubs who may or may not do it again.  Truth is we don't need to spend £50 million, so why harp on about having it.  If we spent £50 million for the sake and thrill to spend "£50million" then we are complete dickheads and not spending money cause we need to, but because we think we have to, despite the clubs circumstances and managers requirements.  We've already bought and sold and received compensation so that we've made money and brought good players in.  If Allerdyce pulls a few more cheap ones out for better quality players you suddenly have nothing to spend £50 million on, other than over price s**** that will just increase wage bill and force a rotation system of expensive players.  Forget the amount, focus on what is right for Newcastle and wait to see who we buy.  If we don't spend £50 million, people will moan as they have now read it in a paper and think it will happen.  All I care about is finishing 6th as cheaply as possible.  We have good players, but we don't need another £50 million pounds worth if its the type of player who signs for clubs who outside of Europe.

 

 

 

 

the manager needs to spend as much as he can get his hands on to get us as high up the league as possible.

[Guest]

Yep.

[Slugsy]

I'd like us to stop paying mediocre amounts for mediocre defenders - you get what you pay for and its time we started buying decent full backs in particular and stop bargain basement hunting in the £1-2m bracket.  We won't get a decent defence till we buy a couple of quality full backs and at least one more decent centre back.  These players don't come cheap but if we are serious about improving the team then we need to focus on areas where historically we have been inept or just plain tight at addressing.

 

Big money will not always get you a top defender. A good manager can identify a quality defender though even if he isn't a big name.

 

True but there are also top players out there who would cost money and historically we have bought cheap fullbacks who have been nothing short of mediocre.  Unless you get them on a bosman or in their last year of a contract, good full backs and centre backs tend not to be cheap, as with any player. 

 

I would love us to do an Arsenal and find obscure young players who turn out to be class - hopefully that will be the case but all I meant was apart from Woodgate and Boumsong, since Keegan, we never spend any serious cash on defenders and most of the time you get what you pay for.

[Slugsy]

I'd like us to stop paying mediocre amounts for mediocre defenders - you get what you pay for and its time we started buying decent full backs in particular and stop bargain basement hunting in the £1-2m bracket.  We won't get a decent defence till we buy a couple of quality full backs and at least one more decent centre back.  These players don't come cheap but if we are serious about improving the team then we need to focus on areas where historically we have been inept or just plain tight at addressing.

 

Instead buy a £8m defender like Boumsong

 

The only other time we have spent that sort of money in the last 10 years was Woodgate and he was the best defender I have ever seen in a black and white shirt.

 

We spend £1.5m on Stephen Carr - sh*t

 

We spend £1m on Babyaro - sh*t

 

I'm not saying the money hasn't got to be spent wisely, it shouldn't be wasted and if Allardyce can find obscure players from nowhere then great or proven top players on free transfers - brilliant - but historically we tend not to spend a lot on our defence on real top - proven defenders  - instead we go out and spend shed loads on cr*p left wingers and I think that has contributed to our woeful defence.

 

 

[Mick]

 

I'm shocked why you can't see why players don't feel going to a club that is in Europe is better than going to one that has a big ground.  We've been a shower of s**** compared to how we were under Robson, who would you rather player for... a team that's at the level where they regularly play in Europe or one that's got 52,000 fans kicking their arse with screams and boo's because they playing s**** and not they ain't reaching European football at the moment.  Having a big ground means f*** all, after all a flash 150,000 seater stadium in Division 2 hardly would dictate that players would come running from clubs around the world if we tried for them. Being in a winning side that isn't making headlines for the wrong reasons is.  Having 52,000 stadium and regular in Europe is different all together however... and with Sam we can make that a combo that DOES attract the big players.  Just need to get there again first.

 

I'm shocked that you're shocked. 

 

Bolton and Everton will not gain anything over us by qualifying for Europe, Spurs will gain something because of it but I doubt that many players in the Premiership will look at the two clubs and think that we're not capable of catching and climbing above Spurs, I admit I do have rose tinted spec's where Newcastle are concerned but I think only one of the three come close to us, even with them having Europe and Newcastle not.

 

The only teams that we'd struggle to beat to a player are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man U.

[Guest Pie]

 

I'm shocked why you can't see why players don't feel going to a club that is in Europe is better than going to one that has a big ground.  We've been a shower of s**** compared to how we were under Robson, who would you rather player for... a team that's at the level where they regularly play in Europe or one that's got 52,000 fans kicking their arse with screams and boo's because they playing s**** and not they ain't reaching European football at the moment.  Having a big ground means f*** all, after all a flash 150,000 seater stadium in Division 2 hardly would dictate that players would come running from clubs around the world if we tried for them. Being in a winning side that isn't making headlines for the wrong reasons is.  Having 52,000 stadium and regular in Europe is different all together however... and with Sam we can make that a combo that DOES attract the big players.  Just need to get there again first.

 

I'm shocked that you're shocked. 

 

Bolton and Everton will not gain anything over us by qualifying for Europe, Spurs will gain something because of it but I doubt that many players in the Premiership will look at the two clubs and think that we're not capable of catching and climbing above Spurs, I admit I do have rose tinted spec's where Newcastle are concerned but I think only one of the three come close to us, even with them having Europe and Newcastle not.

 

The only teams that we'd struggle to beat to a player are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man U.

Maybe right Mick. I expect one or two to plump for London regardless so on that score WHU and Spurs have an edge. Neither can match the fan base we have though. Or the stadium. The Spurs fans on here tend to talk utter bollocks. One thinks he is married to Levy and the other one writes like a 12 year old. I take what they say with a pinch of salt but they are in a slightly better position in the short term. Spurs are well supported but fickle as fuck. Arsenal have always brought a bigger away following. Not much to choose between Spurs or WHU as to who brings most (or least as we may describe it). Players from here or located here will be aware of that sort of stuff and those who are bothered are the type we want.

[Guest elbee909]

I'd like us to stop paying mediocre amounts for mediocre defenders - you get what you pay for and its time we started buying decent full backs in particular and stop bargain basement hunting in the £1-2m bracket.  We won't get a decent defence till we buy a couple of quality full backs and at least one more decent centre back.  These players don't come cheap but if we are serious about improving the team then we need to focus on areas where historically we have been inept or just plain tight at addressing.

 

Instead buy a £8m defender like Boumsong

 

The only other time we have spent that sort of money in the last 10 years was Woodgate and he was the best defender I have ever seen in a black and white shirt.

 

We spend £1.5m on Stephen Carr - sh*t

 

We spend £1m on Babyaro - sh*t

 

I'm not saying the money hasn't got to be spent wisely, it shouldn't be wasted and if Allardyce can find obscure players from nowhere then great or proven top players on free transfers - brilliant - but historically we tend not to spend a lot on our defence on real top - proven defenders  - instead we go out and spend shed loads on cr*p left wingers and I think that has contributed to our woeful defence.

 

 

I thought Man Utd got a bit of a bargain getting Evra for what, 4.5 million?  They're out there, just got to bloody get them locked down.

[Guest DazzaNufc1892]

evras an awful defender man, ok going forward, but shit at defending, run at him, he backs off n backs off, n jus lets you go where u want.

[Keefaz]

evras an awful defender man, ok going forward, but shit at defending, run at him, he backs off n backs off, n jus lets you go where u want.

 

[Mick]

 

your missing the point.  This club shouldn't spend £50 million on players at this time, it would probs do more damage as its no garauntee to make any difference on us getting 6th.  Without European football to offer your most likely not being able to attract the right type of expensive player for Newcastle.  You will get over-priced one season wonders from smaller clubs who may or may not do it again.  Truth is we don't need to spend £50 million, so why harp on about having it.  If we spent £50 million for the sake and thrill to spend "£50million" then we are complete dickheads and not spending money cause we need to, but because we think we have to, despite the clubs circumstances and managers requirements.  We've already bought and sold and received compensation so that we've made money and brought good players in.  If Allerdyce pulls a few more cheap ones out for better quality players you suddenly have nothing to spend £50 million on, other than over price s**** that will just increase wage bill and force a rotation system of expensive players.  Forget the amount, focus on what is right for Newcastle and wait to see who we buy.  If we don't spend £50 million, people will moan as they have now read it in a paper and think it will happen.  All I care about is finishing 6th as cheaply as possible.  We have good players, but we don't need another £50 million pounds worth if its the type of player who signs for clubs who outside of Europe.

 

 

 

If we have £50 million to spend and we do it and get good value for money then it's the right thing to do as we need investment to bring an improvement.

 

I don't think anybody has said that we should just spend it because we might have it.  It doesn't matter how much we have, we do need to get value for money.

[ohmelads]

It's a gamble spending that kind of money on a full back, but I think it's a bigger gamble to get a cheap unknown kid and hope he makes it. Arsenal got rid of Lauren when they know Eboue was coming through, they got rid of Cole when they knew Clichy was coming through. They also knew that Gallas and Toure can cover either full back position if needed. They got rid of Campbell when they knew Toure could hack it. They didn't just bring in these players for pennies and throw them into the first team.

 

Newcastle are probably going to sell Babayaro and Carr. That means we have no full backs. Unlike Arsenal we start from scratch and must sort out the position first, then think about signing kids who can be brought through when they're ready. That, for me, is what a sensible transfer policy is about. It might cost a bit but it allows you the luxury of going for unknown youngsters without disrupting the first team.

 

Bring in established full backs at a cost if we have to and then scout cheap kids who may or not make it. Geremi on the right would be a good start, as for the left side I'm not sure.