Will Ashley stick or twist?

Money or football, Mike?
Life is pretty sweet as an NUFC fan at the moment in all honesty. In fact I’m actually struggling to recall the last time we had things so good.

Results, if not performances, are up there with the best, we currently occupy a Champions League spot, we have a team that has shown that it can dominate things and add flair to a game, and that same team has also show that it sticks together when the back are against the wall.

In a way it’s sad that us Newcastle fans can’t get a little bit carried away about our start for fear of being labelled as “deluded” or accused of “getting carried away”. Still, you can blame the media for that, the very same media who are seemingly ignoring our more than respectable start to the season.

I’ve not met one Newcastle fan who expects this run to last. Likewise I’ve not met one NUFC fan who actually expects us to qualify for the Champions League. The general feeling is that it’s nice while it lasts, but there is always a cautious guard in observance by a collective of fans who are used to getting a proverbial kick in the nads just when it seems as though it’s safe to crack a smile.

One of the reasons for worrying is, dare I say it, the transfer window. It may seem miles away at the moment but plans will be being put in place at clubs around the country, managers will be identifying players and scouts will be looking for them. Apparently it’s even happening at Newcastle as we speak.

To me this season hinges on two things now. First off lets assume that we get to, say, mid-December and we find ourselves positioned just outside the European places. We’ll say 8th or 9th and a few points of 7th for arguments sake. What happens then? Will Mike Ashley stick with what he has knowing full well that the current players have enough about themselves to survive? Or will he twist and sanction further incoming transfer deals that fit the current club policy to improve the squad and help push us on?

The same can be said about our current players. I mean providing some of them continue to impress there could be some interest from clubs as a result. Will Mike Ashley reject any bids aside from silly money ones? Or will he cash in his chips and just find another replacement for a fraction of the fee?

If we can get a positive answer to those two questions then we will have real signs of optimism and it will go some way to dispelling the fear that money dictates while confirming that there is a plan for sustainable growth at the club. Remember, nobody is asking for mega signings, but continuous strengthening should be on the top of the agenda for sure.

Any thoughts?

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

92 thoughts on “Will Ashley stick or twist?

  1. I’d be very surprised if we didn’t get at least two new faces in during the window. Either a big name striker or a couple more players who fit the mould of ‘young, cheap and good’ (and French).

    Maybe our strike force will start banging them in left, right and centre and our need for a #9 will be less apparent. Three months is a long time in Football.

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  2. Toonsy good one old bean 😉
    I dont know what he will do you would imagine if there was a real chance of pushing on come the window that it would make sense to get in the right players to help us do that, and if that was the case we could look forward.
    But the problem is going by past experience he wont spend the money to push on, but at the sametime he could spend it knowing that we could make up a few places, but we just dont know.
    I really cant see why he wouldn’t want to do better because the better we do the better he does and the better SD does, so I guess we just have to wait to see what happens

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  3. dont want to even think about the transfer window.
    Feckin sick of it tbh 👿 👿
    I’ll say this tho, any dealings will be done in the first week, for incoming players. What we do after that will be to ship out the excess bagage.
    Certainly wont be sitting up till yon time on 31st jan or whenever it closes

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  4. If he twists, and he’s been watching his cards, we’ll get in to Europe this season. agreeing with posts 1,2 & 3.

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  5. Spurs will be a massive test for us, and be a pretty good indicator of how we’ll fare this season. It’s on Sky as well, can’t wait. I hope we do ’em.

    We do seem to have a good unit at the moment, good team spirit. I just hope we’re done selling and bring in another one or two to make us real Europe contenders. Pardew comments on this team spirit are good, albeit a little suspicious

    ……”In the past they’ve had a few names who weren’t pulling 100 per cent. I look around my dressing room and I don’t have anybody like that. Everybody is pulling, we’re all having a go…”

    Dressing room camaraderie is always good to have, but half time soggy biscuit sessions may be taking it a little too far.

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  6. I think what I’m looking forward to most about the transfer window is that there is no immediate need to change/overhaul anything at the moment.

    We’re only lacking a couple of defenders as cover and a striker. But other than that (after our first few games) we’re looking good. I’m not in any sort of rush to get in to Europe this season. We’re still rebuilding after coming back up, and we’ve got a really strong platform to work on.

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  7. This is what is going to happen..

    We’ll put in a terrible bid for Maiga, £2 million, they’ll say no so we go fine we’ll get him on a pre-contract for the summer, they end up caving for about £4 million

    You heard it here first 😉

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  8. Maiga is a beast on fifa12! That is all i know of him 😆 Anyone ever watched him? Still think he’ll be our main target

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  9. Andy – Not really, but I have a pre-conceived idea that he is no better than what we have for some unknown reason 😆

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  10. Would love to see two defenders rather than a striker really … If colo or saylor gets injured we are screwed

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  11. We need no more disruptive players like. But if Pardew reckons he is worth the hassle i don’t mind. Saying that still 3 months till jan and nearly 4 months till our customary fake bids. Glad to see Ba scoring. Read before yday that in 37 pl starts between ba and best they had 19 goals. 39 and 20. Very good record that!

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  12. I have exactly the same feeling toonsy. would just be back-up to best, ba and ben arfa (the three ‘b’s if you like).

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  13. He’s getting annoyed his set pieces aren’t being converted. QPR have actually had the better of the possession

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  14. If anything the successful start to the season will confirm to Ashley that the transfer policy in place is working.

    I expect £6-7m to be the maximum they’ll pay for a player.

    No big names, no marquee signings.
    Good scouting and value for money buys.

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  15. The fact we’re doing so well is despite Ashley not becuase of him.

    Regardless of how well we’re doing now we must still look at the form book and that book shows Ashley isn’t great when it comes to the transfer window. The question is, will he change? I doubt it.

    Still my view that he’s just wanting the club to survive and spend as little as possible in the process.

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  16. Alright lads, back from my footy match 😀

    I think if we are having a decent cup run and in a solid position I could see Ashley perhaps making funds avaiable for an area we are struggling in. Other than that I don’t think we will spend a lot.

    Toonsy: Working on a article for you, may take a while as I’m knackered as it was absolutely boiling whilst I was playing

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  17. See QPR are getting a right tonking, interested to see what joey tweets later 😉

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  18. Some canny results for us today like…still early days though…Bolton are in a bad way, and I wonder what the legendary JB makes of todays twonking ? 😆

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  19. Pardew has mentioned he would still like a striker, so I expect Big lad to stick.
    Credit where it’s due, Pardew and the players deserve all the praise they receive, some papers actually putting Pardew as a contender for England????

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  20. why do simmo better than pieters in fifa 12..or is it actually true in real life??
    ———————–
    FIFA probably overrates English players like everybody else

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  21. @35. Doubt Joey cares, he’s getting a big check this week plus a new Mattisse exhibit is opening down the street…

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  22. spuds 1 Arsenal1 ,i hope it ends that way . Who would of thought that we would be well ahead of them both after 7 games . 😀

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  23. anyone else think we dodged a bullet with that Geronimo chap. He’s fuggin shyte.
    (probs score now 👿 )

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  24. BB – Funnily enough I was just thinking the same. I’ve yet to see him do ansolutely anything in the Premier League 😕

    On a sidenote, well done Joey 😆 😆 😆

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  25. Talking of defenders does anyone know why Kadar is just not getting a look in . I dont think he has made the bench once this season .

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  26. Axel – Lack of fitness and application apparently. He’s on his last warning and has been told to buck his ideas up

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  27. “The fact we’re doing so well is despite Ashley not becuase of him.”

    Jesus Harry Fucking Christ. Of course it’s nowt to do with the strategy, Stu. That’d be the strategy they’ve made very clear an stuck to for over 2 years now and has delivered the goods consistently and sustainably.

    Nah. These last 2 seasons and this record-breaking start to the 3rd is just one amazing run of coincidences.

    Will you just be honest and admit that the strategy is working brilliantly – it’s just that you don’t LIKE the strategy?? Because it’s not what you wanted the strategy to be, perhaps?

    I get sick of this. Full credit to the owner, the manager, support staff and team as far as I’m concerned. Once again they’ve been right, and the moaning fans (me included, incidentally – at least over choice of managers) have been dead wrong. Time to admit that they may be quite good at this “running a football club” malarkey.

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  28. simpson is going to have to get his ***** together for the spuds game coz if he dosnt bale will rip him a new 1,and its live on sky

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  29. After his miss Gervinho is now asking his team mates to help him hold his head in their hands 😆

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  30. Ahhhnyway – rant over, back to the thread.

    When it comes to buying, we should expect more of the same, as geoff777
    says at post 24.

    In terms of selling, take a look back: The only way we ship out players is:

    1. We get a daft offer, we think we can do much better with the money, and the player’s being a **** and making stupid demands (Carroll)
    2. The player is wanting the club to be their pension fund (Nolan, Barton)
    3. The player just wants to be somewhere else (Jose)
    4. The player is a total, utter, money-grabbing, egomaniacal ****. (Barton)

    Looks to me that if a player is reasonable in their contract demands, doesn’t slag off their bosses in public, and plays well, they et a new contract. Just common sense really.

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  31. Toonsy maybe the lad has been knocking around with Ranger a bit too much then , its a shame i really thought Kadar was one for the future . He looked good for his young age .

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  32. apparently he is over weight and under fit. Shame but Pardew wont tolerate his laziness

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  33. Hitman – It will be because of the fact that he is pipe with the press. They won’t tolerate it. Remember, it’s a much bigger area than Tyenside and they need the stories to sell the paper. If Hughton isn’t giving them what they want then they won’t back him. Ultimately he is fiddling with their jobs I guess

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  34. the unwashed are only 1 point and 1 league place behind the mighty arsenal. They will be well pleased with that 😳 😳 😳
    :mrgreen:

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  35. back to thread. Barnetta should be fit in January. However, I would only really be expecting Peters or Maiga if the deals were nearly there last month. Possibly a couple of youngsters.

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  36. Hitman @ 69 more septic peg 😀
    I have always said that the manager needs to talk to the fans to keep them in the loop, even if its mostly ***** they still need to talk, its part of their job

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  37. In my opinion.. we are still midway through this supposed “5 year plan”.. (which relegation obviously wasn’t part of it!!)

    If the 5 year plan consists of these elements..

    1. Make the club self sustainable.
    2. Repay “Mr Ashley” for his loans.
    3. Become established in top half of premiership / Europe challenging.

    Then we are only in the 2nd phase of it.

    This round of players are being tied up mainly on 5 year deals. Other clubs will have to pay good money to take them. There will still be a few sales of current players before we complete 1 and 2 above imo.

    However, if the Graham Carr scouting is continous, then the next batch of players brought in may be the ones to help complete number 3.

    Or I could just be a little bit pessimistic!!

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