Time to show your hand Mr. Ashley

[Guest Guinness]

This season looks as if it could be one of the most competitive in recent history. Plenty of clubs with new billionaire owners are keen to establish themselves amongst the best in the country while others are keen not to fall behind and are thus spending heavily. Many Newcastle fans are delighted that the club has been taken over and I am one of them. It was clear the club was going nowhere under the old regime, the debt was mounting and ideas were running out. We now have new hope in the form of a manager who actually seems to know what he’s doing along with a billionaire owner.

 

However how much do we actually know about Mike Ashley? The answer is very little. He’s made a brief statement upon buying Sir John Hall’s shares and we’ve heard nothing since. His people have made the right noises in the media, but as of yet those words have not been turned into actions. There has been talk of a £50m transfer kitty along with signings that would “shock the world of football”. Still our net spend remains one of the lowest in the league.

 

It would be naïve of me to write these statements off. There is still plenty of time left in the transfer window. However with the start of the season drawing ever closer I am eager to see a statement of intent from our new owner, some real evidence of genuine ambition to get this club back amongst the elite. Our downfall in recent seasons has been the way we start the season, not since 2001/2002 have we had a good start to a Premiership campaign. With four weeks left until the start of the Premiership season it would be nice for us to just once complete the majority of our transfer activity before play resumes. To be prepared for a season that looks as if it could be tougher than ever.

 

A lot of good has already come from this takeover. The debt is being looked at, planning seems to be paramount and there is new hope surrounding the club. Our transfer activity so far has been very shrewd. But we are still short in defensive numbers and lack creativity. We already have some very good players at the club and with the investment promised during the takeover period I feel we really could see a significant improvement. It’s now over to Mike Ashley to state his intent and back the manager the way other chairmen and owners have being doing so far in the window. Allardyce has shown what he can do on a shoe-string, hopefully we’ll see what he can do with strong financial backing.

 

[Guest Verlaine]

Although more eloquent and broken more nicely into paragraphs than most, this is simply a point that's been rehashed now over the past week every time there's a transfer thread.

[Tsunami]

There's no pressure on MA, it seems an awful lot of people on here are more than happy with the current state of things.

 

Why should we the fans know what he has in mind for his investment?

 

Too right he should come out & nail his colours truly to the mast & back it up with actions.

 

[Jaehyun]

It doesn't matter that our net spending has been the lowest of the league. Allardyce's signings have made our squad significantly stronger, why pay a lot just because we have money when there are quality players available for cheap?

We need to get out of our habit of just signing trophy players tbh.

[Guest Verlaine]

There's no pressure on MA, it seems an awful lot of people on here are more than happy with the current state of things.

 

Why should we the fans know what he has in mind for his investment?

 

Too right he should come out & nail his colours truly to the mast & back it up with actions.

 

 

I hear he wants to club to fail.

[Jaehyun]

There's no pressure on MA, it seems an awful lot of people on here are more than happy with the current state of things.

 

Why should we the fans know what he has in mind for his investment?

 

Too right he should come out & nail his colours truly to the mast & back it up with actions.

 

 

I hear he wants to club to fail.

Fat Ashley out tbh!

[Guest Verlaine]

There's no pressure on MA, it seems an awful lot of people on here are more than happy with the current state of things.

 

Why should we the fans know what he has in mind for his investment?

 

Too right he should come out & nail his colours truly to the mast & back it up with actions.

 

 

I hear he wants to club to fail.

Fat Ashley out tbh!

 

Disgrace, tbh. What's he done for the club? Nothing. I was willing to give him a week, but now that's passed, he can fuck off.

[Big Geordie]

Could it be that his review of the club's infrastructure is still ongoing ? Perhaps this needs to be done before he spends big money. Perhaps he wants to see how Fat Sam does this coming season - afterall, he's not his 'man' and if he does intend to replace him next summer (if things don't work out) - why give him a shed load of cash ?

 

I think MA is being canny at the moment and that's fine for me. Fat Sam's buys so far have been good without breaking the bank. No need to panic. Rome wasn't built in a day, afterall.

[Guest Gemmill]

Sometimes I wonder if the papers/ex-players/ex-managers aren't spot on in what they say about us as fans.  Ludicrous expectations coupled with ridiculous impatience is a pretty fucking shitty combination.

[Guest Verlaine]

Sometimes I wonder if the papers/ex-players/ex-managers aren't spot on in what they say about us as fans.  Ludicrous expectations coupled with ridiculous impatience is a pretty f****** shitty combination.

 

Factor in defective brains too.

[Mick]

Sometimes I wonder if the papers/ex-players/ex-managers aren't spot on in what they say about us as fans.  Ludicrous expectations coupled with ridiculous impatience is a pretty f****** shitty combination.

 

I think some people have seen the billionaire tag and have got carried away.  We should know as well as any set of fans that throwing money about gets you nowhere, we've wasted so much money that it's refreshing to be doing things right for a change.

[Guest Gemmill]

Sometimes I wonder if the papers/ex-players/ex-managers aren't spot on in what they say about us as fans.  Ludicrous expectations coupled with ridiculous impatience is a pretty f****** shitty combination.

 

I think some people have seen the billionaire tag and have got carried away.  We should know as well as any set of fans that throwing money about gets you nowhere, we've wasted so much money that it's refreshing to be doing things right for a change.

 

Aye, unfortunately some of our fans have the OMG SPLASH DA CASH!111 mentality - one minute laughing at West Ham for their ludicrous use of their newfound wealth, the next whining because we aren't doing the same.  Fuck that.  The bloke is carrying out a full and thorough review of what needs sorting at the club.  Allardyce is doing the same with the playing staff.  More signings will be made, and we'll achieve nothing by making them for the sake of the appeasement of eejits who want everything done yesterday.

[Mick]

 

Aye, unfortunately some of our fans have the OMG SPLASH DA CASH!111 mentality - one minute laughing at West Ham for their ludicrous use of their newfound wealth, the next whining because we aren't doing the same.  f*** that.  The bloke is carrying out a full and thorough review of what needs sorting at the club.  Allardyce is doing the same with the playing staff.  More signings will be made, and we'll achieve nothing by making them for the sake of the appeasement of eejits who want everything done yesterday.

 

What a difference a year makes, this time last year I was worried about our lack of activity and the noises coming from inside the club.  This year I could hardly be more relaxed about what is happening, I think a few others need to calm down and let things take shape.

[Guest Bellers]

OMG! ANOTHER PANIC THREAD! LETS PANIC! OUR OWNER NEEDS TO PROPER SPEND MONEY AND STUFF, WE ARE f*****. WE NEED TO SPLASH DA CASH BIG STYLE COS IM GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS WITH DA END OF DA TRANSFER WINDOW IN SIGHT!

 

 

[Guest optimistic nit]

thinking about it i'd prefer it if we didn't spend big this year. we finished in the bottom half last season. any player capable of being a good european player worth big money will not want to come to us unless there is something wrong with him (arrogant wanker whose fallen out with his club) or for giant wages. wait until we're back in the top 6 before spending massive sums, if we try and win the league overnight it will all come crashing down. you can sign players capable of top 6 for small fees. geremi, barton, rozy and viduka all fit this catagory (don't know too much about rozy mind, but i think him as well).

 

wait till were a club ambitious and good players want to join and then spend big, otherwise we will just be buying players like darren bent for 17million, which is not good for us as he's not worth that. lets wait and see what happens to west ham next season, their doing exactly what we did under shepheard, and it will be interesting to see if it works, i doubt it.

 

 

buying like we have and maybe a few more expensive players, like gudjonsen, is the way forward imo

[Guest WalkervilleMag]

Big Sam aint had the time to scout out targets from abroad. The ones he has brought in are players he already knows about and had them scouted for Bolton.  At the moment he is bulking up the squad as that was one of the big problems we had for the last few years with a wafer thin squad.  I only expect another 3 or 4 players in before the deadline.  He knows he has got money to spend, but it aint much use just spending just because he has money.  I think now the his scouting network is in place, he can identify players between now and December ready for some spending in January. 

[Guest microbar]

The expectations for this club has always been high,

But now we have a great manager in charge and the full backing of  MA,

then we need to show patience,

Just look at how fergie started out with manure

if I remeber he was one game short of being fired,

The newcastle united upsurge will not happen over night,

Leeds united tried that and look where they are now,

Just have some patience,  

[Rich]

Totally agree with Gemmill and Mick here. I can understand why people are getting carried away but is it really too much to ask to give Allardyce and Co. a bit more fucking time to do their jobs?

 

Every player we've bought so far looks better (on previous form/paper admittedly) than the one they've replaced in the squad and if Sam keeps on doing this then you won't hear me complaining. Queudrue is a massive step-up squad-wise on Olivier Bernard as well, if he comes.

 

Like I've said elsewhere, it's "baby steps" at the moment while the so-called "review" takes place and we look at how to stabilise the club before taking it forward. We're doing things quite similarly to Spurs did when they got Santini/Jol and ENIC on board as far as I can see - and that has served them very well so far.

 

I do see both sides of the argument, but I'm amazed at the amount of whinging/impatience/people who think they know better than Ashley and Allardyce on here!

[Guest ryunufc]

SA said it before, we have too many players who are underperformed. Then the pre season training in austria suggests that while MA is reviewing the financial side, SA is doing the same in the football side.

 

2-4 players will arrive because SA says so and we are in fact short in certain positions. with owen commiting himslef to us, our transfer activity may pace up a bit. whether we spend a large sum or not, is another story. i doubt we are ready to spend big when SA and MA are still cleaning up the mess of the previous regime,

[Guest WalkervilleMag]

there are just some people who have no patience what so ever.  cannot stand people like that, just fking shut up ffs. your nearly as bad as the clowns who were throwing season tickets on the pitch after the Blackburn game, acting deed hard "look at me look at me, dead passionate me, just threw my ticket on the pitch"... No your just a bellend, any dimwhit can thow an empty season ticket on the pitch, when there are no games left  ffs

[Guest Verlaine]

It's also worth noting that- defence aside- we already have some very good players at the club.

[Guest Gemmill]

It's also worth noting that- defence aside- we already have some very good players at the club.

 

Not as note-worthy as the fact that WE HAVEN'T SIGNED ANYONE IN ABOUT A FORTNIGHT.  Ashley may as well wind the club up if this is how he plans to run it.

[Numbers]

Unbelievable tbh..the audacity of the man,does he think he can just take over the club and do feck all?I mean trying to appease us with a new deputy chairman and all that just doesnt cut it for me.

 

Your honeymoon period is now over,we demand action!

 

SHOW YOUR INTENT MR ASHLEY!

 

[/sarcasm]

 

Some people arent ever going to be happy are they?

[Ikon]

enjoy the moment instead of being too impatient. Things could be alot worse like in the earlier years. Im really optimistic about everthing that is new in this club atm. Finally i can see a longterm plan instead of hoofing the cash around, There is still time to sign a few more players.

 

Thrust me, i also want to see quality players coming in soon but rather being patient about it than the club throwing money around just for the case of it. Im trying to see everything that is so much more positive around this club now and for the future . It makes it easier to be patient about things.

 

I was so fucking tired of the rollercoast ride that the club has been in for the last years. Spending money without getting anywhere.

 

 

Now im just happy that if the club/team can move in the right direction slowly but steadily for once.

 

 

[Tsunami]

We are in pole position to get Queudrue & perhaps Fanni (the new Thuram but is now 28 years old).

 

From 2 weeks ago being linked with Deco, Gudjohnsen, Edmilson & Beye we are being touted with an average PL full back & one from France who is 28, hasn't won a cap, is being touted around europe for 3.5M & yet is the new Thuram.

 

Why are people being so defensive of MA? He may be fantastic for us & we all hope he is. I'd be a lot happier if he did come out & actually say & do something & we should be asking him to do this.

 

He has every right to do what he wants but he needs to engage the fans.