Maiga is currently on strike at his club and is determined to push through a move to NUFC according to several interviews over the last week or so, so I think it’s safe to assume that he knows of our interest.
I did think at the time that it was strange how the player knew so much as he claimed that he’d even met people from Newcastle. However I also distinctly remember him only going on strike after Sochaux refused to accept the bid from us so somewhere inbetween is where the truth will be found.
I’m not making it look like a storm in a teacup as tapping up is serious business and carries heavy penalties, but only an idiot would think that it doesn’t happen (look at Jose Enrique) and I do think things aren’t as one way as the Sochaux president Alexandre Lacombe claims.
“Newcastle are going on contacting our players despite our refusal,” Lacombe told L’Est Republicain. “So we will register a complaint with Uefa, telling them such behaviour is not fair play. It is provoking destabilisation.”
Personally I think this is just Sochaux playing hardball. I remember Chelsea had much the same problem with Gael Kakuta and were subsequently banned from making transfers although funnily enough that ban was lifted when they finally reached an agreement with Lens.
Whilst no official complaint has been handed in yet the threat is no doubt there. It’s not nice reading about it but before people jump on the bandwagon and say it’s “typical bad behaviour” from us or similar just take a step back and look at the fact that there has been no complaint as of yet.
Hopefully it stays that way as we could do without this.
1st 🙄
Rodzilla(Quote)
Toonsy
Alright I’ll give it go… think the idea is great, will send you something in the next couple hours.
Also, ye, I understand, the timing issue with the other article… the atmosphere has changed a bit since I typed that out. Would look a right ****** if we brought two quality players in this week… haha.
JJ(Quote)
Ooh Rods, almost unknowingly stole your thunder.
JJ(Quote)
…tapping up players seems to be such a grey area these days. I’m not holding out much hope for Maiga anyway, or Pieters for that matter.I’d be well pleased if we got both, and think it’d finally balance out our squad. We always seem to scrimp and scrape in the transfer market though I.E. if a player is worth 7, we’ll offer 4.5. This seems to be where a lot of our deals fall over. Fingers crossed anyway……
Rodzilla(Quote)
JJ 😆
…I know it’s ****, but I couldn’t resist the temptation.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Knew this would happen. We are acting disgracefully.
~ El Toro ~(Quote)
EL TORO
Ye, I agree, I think we stuff the other clubs around so much that even if we eventually agree to their valuation they refuse to sell to us on principal. 🙄
JJ(Quote)
How so El Toro?
Johno Toon(Quote)
Off topic, but just wanted to point out that we’re the only team not to have conceded a goal this season, even without a recognised left back.
Fumaca(Quote)
Amateurs or should that be shamateurs?
Stuart79(Quote)
Spurs ahvent either Fumaca , tho they have a slight advantage they havent played a game yet 🙂
Johno Toon(Quote)
It would appear that all Ashley has to do to placate the majority of fans (including myself!) is to get us a decent leftback and a decent striker without too much fuss, and without letting anymore first team players go.
However I see we are reported as being not prepared to pay more than £4m for Pieters, and we are about to be reported for illegally tapping up Maiga. I just wish they’d get the deals done without the fannying about because the constant, unnecessary drama is beginning to boil my **** worse than cystitis.
Pootle(Quote)
We always seem to scrimp and scrape in the transfer market though I.E. if a player is worth 7, we’ll offer 4.5. This seems to be where a lot of our deals fall over. Fingers crossed anyway……
————————-
That’s probably true but that is sometimes how the market works. Clubs hold out until the end of the window and then someone blinks. Either the buying club is deperate, or the sellng club doesn’t want a disgruntled player on their hands until January. Think we’ll see the tranfers go down to the wire. The win on sunday bought the club an extra week probably.
MDS(Quote)
Don’t see where the problem is in this. Liverpool probably did it to Jose? They were just discreet. Thing is. We are never discreet 🙁
GeordieLadMick(Quote)
this is the ashley way… any way is fine with him if it means saving money etc. This one has turned into a right bag of ***** really. The player on strike, us getting reported to fifa (i hope we get Pieters in before we get a season long euro ban on getting players in!) I dont know why we are desperate to for out 10.5 million quid for this bloke anyway tbh.
craig chisholm(Quote)
” Don’t see where the problem is in this.”
Er?!?!?
The problem is we can be punished for it.
Pootle(Quote)
JJ
August 22, 2011 at 14:04
Army
I’m 8th in the fantasy league and the predictor, you clearly know nothing about football…
hahaha i know mate im bluddy **** 😆
Army69(Quote)
Bonjour,
How’s tricks?
What’s been the general consensus of our performances.
I can only comment on the Arsenal game and witnessed a solid battling performance but woefully short of creativity in the middle, flanks and up front.
I’ve read reports and seen Taylors goal against Sunderland and it seems a similar story.
Any thoughts ? Anyone prepared to lay their neck on the line and say we were creative and doing us an injustice?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
MDS, I agree it’s likely to go to the wire. I think we’re also hampered by clubs knowing we’ve brought in 40m+ through outgoing transfers. Whether it’s available or not, I doubt many clubs will feel too comfortable being bartered down by us. Maiga is a funny one though. I would question his integrity for sh1tting on his club the way he is, but I just want a striker in!
Rodzilla(Quote)
It goes on all the time and we’ve not bee reported for it yet. As I said in the article, Chelsea got pushed all the way and even got done for it, and punished, before serving absolutely ZERO punishment for it.
I believe Liverpool have done it with Jose, and lets not forget that they are currently under investigation over the way they sorted the Carroll deal.
toonsy(Quote)
On a player level, not too fussed about Maiga. Never have been. The problem is that if we pull out now we’ve just upset a player and a club and they probably will report us because of it.
Very similar to the Hatem Ben Arfa situation IMHO
toonsy(Quote)
Troy you are right it is a concern but… If we are set to bring in another striker big If at the mo and look at the players to come back into the team ben arfa marveux vuckic fergie and abeid it does suggest that there is creativity.
I am going to throw my neck out there and say that I think gosling should start… But who would he replace? Possibly barton
Liam southern toon(Quote)
Can someone give a realistic and common sense opinion on Maiga’s ability and not a fantasy one? I know nothing about him.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy – average
Liam southern toon(Quote)
Troy…..my realistic and common sense opinion is that I know **** all about him and hadn’t even heard of him to be honest, therefore it doesn’t exactly excite me……and for that reason, I’m out! 😉
richietoon(Quote)
True enough Toonsy, but occasionally FIFA do make a punishment stick, and I would prefer not to take the risk, I don’t fancy our chances for this sort of thing at the minute.
Besides if Chelsea are told they can’t get anyone new in for a year its hardly a major blow to them even if its enforced.
It would knack us, cos we are still short of a couple of first team players.
Pootle(Quote)
Sochaux president Alexandre Lacombe is no mug. He is using this attack to deflect flack from his own supporters in letting the player go, but does not file an official complaint as he is about to take our cash
toonie(Quote)
Toonsy @21, sure I can remember some sort of dispute with Le Havre over N’Zogbia’s transfer to us too.
Troy, I know b*gger all about Maiga, other than stats and reviews I’ve read on tinterweb. I know we have a pretty sound and creative midfield after watching our first two games, however there’s now a concern over who’s gona be able to ‘convert’ this creativity. We struggled for goals the season we were relegated. I currently can’t see where they’re gona come from.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Richie@25, a don’t like yieu, and a don’t like yer prorduct. 🙂
Rodzilla(Quote)
Dunno why Besty doesn’t even get a sniff anymore. 🙁
David(Quote)
If UEFA does anything it will be a joke. Why not go after ManU? Sniejder has constantly talked about recieving “unoffcial” contact from ManU and I doubt it was witht he club’s permission. A club rep reaches out to an agent to see if the player is interested before approaching the club with an offer. That’s how it works.
MDS(Quote)
” but does not file an official complaint as he is about to take our cash”
Well we can hope so but that presupposes Ashley will actually stump up the cash.
If we don’t, then as someone else mentioned, we will have pee’d off a lot of people for no reason.
Pootle(Quote)
Rod 😉
richietoon(Quote)
I pretty much agree with what Toonie says. Like I said in the article, I doubt everything is as cut and dry as Sochaux are making out. French clubs can be hard to deal with. I remember Marseille saying no contact had been received whilst Ben Arfa was rolling up at Newcastle airport and talking of a move to us….
toonsy(Quote)
And I also wonder if Joey Barton is being tapped up? I mean his agent has said that he has been in talks with clubs who are interested….. Should they not have come through the club first?
Loads of murky stuff goes on and I’m astounded that anyone thinks any different. The game is rotten from the top so what makes anyone think it’s any different at the bottom?
toonsy(Quote)
Why do Llambias and Ashley always insist on being such dicks?
AndrewT(Quote)
It’s far too early to be critical of the team for not looking creative but praise for two cracking results.
But it’s not too early to show my concerns at the lack of creativity and offensive play.
We are desperate for 2 strikers nevermind 1. !
Troy Stavers(Quote)
This is Ashley’s plan. Get the club reported and get a transfer embargo so he has an excuse not to buy players 😆
shola, goal machine(Quote)
I think troy you have to look at the games in context of each other. We were never going to out play arsenal or go all out attack against them , it was always going to be keep it tight n try nick a goal on the break ( which we nearly did ). Sunderland game again is a different kettle of fish , tackles in every where , tense atmosphere , derby games rarely are free flowing master pieces. But i think the potential is there for us , over next few games think we will see a different typr of performances
Johno Toon(Quote)
NUFC are the only team (apart from Tottenham who haven’t played) in the top four leagues in England not to have conceded a league goal
😯 😯 😯
toonsy(Quote)
Troy, I think the lads are still getting used to the new system and each other. We have seen the individual quality of our midfield. Now they just have to bring it together. Getting tiote to start a game well would help too
AndrewT(Quote)
@johno
If we continue to play like we have, no creativity but get the same results, that’ll do for me for this season.
Again it’s too early to criticise but I’m still waiting for Ba, Marveaux, Cabaye, Obertan, Gosling, HBA and Albeid to make an impact. 😕
Troy Stavers(Quote)
” Loads of murky stuff goes on and I’m astounded that anyone thinks any different. The game is rotten from the top so what makes anyone think it’s any different at the bottom?”
I’m not really sure anyone is saying they are surprised or that they were unaware this happens.
I think everyone is fully aware this happens, what makes you think otherwise?
The issue is because we are playing ‘hardball’ over the fee, and because the player came out and supposedly said he has met with people at the club, if they choose to report us we could conceivably end up getting punished. They are probably just using it as a way to get the fee they want, the question is – will that be enough to make Ashley reach into his notoriously tight pockets?
If he won’t, then they might report us.
If we do recieve a ban that prevents us concluding any transfers this window, that would be a considerable imposition on us as our squad is light of at least a decent left back and a striker.
It’s the sort of hassle you can shrug off when you have a squad and funding like Chelsea. It would be far more damaging to us.
To be honest, we could just do without the extra hassle. Surely if they are gonna do this sort of thing (tapping up) they could at least try to do it a with some subtlety.
Pootle(Quote)
Unfortunately doing business with no fuss isnt what mike Ashley does.
if you look at his business ethics he makes noise. it works. it gets publicity and in doing so get people talking and in turn gets people buying.
sir jon hall said last week in the press on the reason why he sold out to Mike ” mike wanted to market his business in the far east it made good business for mik and good business for the club”
dont expect Mike Ashley to be quiet on anything he does. in the last two weeks he has sold £80 million worth of building to a company he prety much owns for £85-90 million, way over the odds and gaining critisim in the City and a mention on the news.
over the summer he demenaded that a chairman of a company he has shares in was sacked, and succeeded.
all in the name of publicity. Good for business good for sales of sports direct merchandise.
each time there are any controversy surrounding either Mike Ashley, Newcastle united, Joey Barton and or anything linked to the fat man gains publicity and fails firmly on the ENTITY that is Sports direct.
it would not suprise me that the whole Joey barton rift is nothing but a publicty stunt. joey barton him self managing to recruit Pierce Morgan to his twitter account.
so at the end of the day as the saying goes ” all publicity is good pulicity”
dont expect anything from the king of spin Mike Ashley himself. it would not suprise me he will be linked to labour party in the next few months leading up to the elections etc to work his magic there.
mike hasnt gained billionare status by being quiet. although he might be nicknamed the recluse i very much doubt he hadnt planned this himself.
and it goes to show and although he might have a recluse tag it doesnt seem like it was apt or true, mike is no more than a silent assasin waiting to pounce.
so in my opinion, dont expect any simple affairs and do expect long drawn out processes where everything Mike does is in the news or on the pages of the local and national bog roll.
Stephen C(Quote)
” Again it’s too early to criticise but I’m still waiting for Ba, Marveaux, Cabaye, Obertan, Gosling, HBA and Albeid to make an impact.”
To be honest Troy, I think Cabaye has already begun to show he will be a good player for us. Obviously fair comment on the rest I suppose though. I think we have to allow Keiron Ben Arfa the time it takes to get back, his initial injury was a particularly bad one and if any one did think he would hit the ground running and be our star player from day one i think they were kidding themselves. He goes back to being one for the (hopefully not to distant) future for me, im afraid.
Pootle(Quote)
I know what your sayin Troy @42 , Im just pointing out the two games we played is hard to judge how creative we could be. Against top 4 side n our biggest rivals we were never going to put on a footballer master piece. Think when ( or if ) the new players settle in we could have a realy exciting team on our hands and solid at the back as well.
Johno Toon(Quote)
” so at the end of the day as the saying goes ” all publicity is good pulicity””
Sorry but this isn’t true at all.
Look up Gerald Ratner if you want to see an example of of a businessman putting his foot in it and becoming seriously unravelled by it.
Pootle(Quote)
Although Ashley does like looking for a deal, he is getting very close to pissing these other clubs off so much that they just refuse to deal with us
AndrewT(Quote)
Lol. Let’s just hope we didn’t tap up Peiters too.
At this rate it looks like we’ve unsettled him for no reason, and we could do without PSV sticking a complant in too!
😆
Pootle(Quote)
The fact is it’s a sellers’ market as far as we’re concerned – other clubs know we’ve pulled afir bit of cash in from outgoinging transfers and they also know we NEED a LB and a striker.
Other clubs have the players we need and naturally they’ll sqeeze as much as they can from us – if they want to sell.
If they don’t want to sell, they won’t and we end up with no new faces
All the more reason to do the business quietly when our backs aren’t against the wall.
Let’s not forget that we could also be stung by audacious last minute bids for some of our players – then we’ll be in deep, deep doo-doo.
🙄
lesh(Quote)
I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m pretty excited about this season. At this rate, I reckon we’ll be the champions or at the very least 4th place. Reckon we’ll go unbeaten the entire campaign, and Ameobi & Ba will rack up 30+ goals between them.
Jokes aside, 4 points from 2 games, no goals conceded. Can’t complain about that 🙂
Thad(Quote)
Lesh, I totally agree. We have no bargaining power at this point. Just bring the players in and be done with it.
AndrewT(Quote)
Thad yr nowt but a rabid optimist.
last saeson we got 8 points with a GD of +5 against these teams. This year the only improvement is that we didn’t throw away 2 points in added time. We still need to win both the return fixtures to show any improvement. Bah humbug 😆 😆 😆
Premandup(Quote)
@ Premandup that’s one way to look at it.
The other is that we’re 4 points and +1 GD compared to 2 points and 0 GD of last season for the corresponding fixtures.
Surely that’s an improvement.
Thad(Quote)
Half empty or half full 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Ashley is a bizman, and successful as well. this is simple hardball–whether the tactics are totally ethical, doubtful but Ashley doesnt do ethical.
The facts are both players have made it public they want to join us–1st part of the job done.
Both chairmen want to keep the player but looks like they have no choice but to let them leave (Modric/Fabregas/Nasri/Enrique) its the same.
Threaten to report us is just a means to try and up the anti–Ash is in the pound seats–let them sweat a bit first.–Still believe they will sign before the window closes–Otherwise Pardew will start to question his position, and Ash will struggle to replace him with anyone better. It`s not gonna happen, the deals are as good as done.
CT(Quote)
Thad I was not being serious, yes we have improved
Toonsey one of my teachers used to say it does not matter if the glass is half full or half empty, it’s what you do with the contents that matters 😆
Premandup(Quote)
Thad @54 if i remeber rightly did we not have 3 ponts and +3 GD?
3-0 away to many first game of season then 6-0 at home to aston villa.
forgive me if im wrong.
the way i see it if we equal or better our previous seasons perfomance until we are atleast a stable enough team to compete with the top 6 then we are already ahead.
Arsenal at home last season 4-4 1 point for a draw
this season 0-0 1 point for a draw.
sunderland away 1-1 (not that you need reminding) 1 point for a draw.
this season WHEY AYE 3 points for a win. game by game, team by team we can slowly build on last season. lets not plan for the end ofthe leugue but try to build on last season.
next game fulham at home, last year 0-0 remeber the pederson barton incident ending in a fa reviewed 3 game ban for barton.
well this weekend can be a good week all round and lets see if we can look for a positive outlook on what people keep dragging into negatives.
two years ago we were favourite to replace leeds, so just being here in the Prem might be where we are think we deserve to be, but until we get the points fumes dont mean nothing.
so let us look at each game, instead of panic and fear for the rest of the season. and as far as i can see we are already 2 points gained on last season.
so it looks good to me.
Stephen C(Quote)
Stephen C….I think Thad is referring to the corresponding games, Arsenal at home and 5under1and away 😉
richietoon(Quote)
ah well i think thad and i agree on the ethics.
and lets hpe it works out ths weekend at home to fulham 0-0 last year as mentioned above so lets see what becomes of this.
and more to the point can ryan taylor stake a claim for left back. if so it will make the transfer market of a left back less sellers market and more equal.
so lets hope we have a good day and have scunny in the bag thursday and fulham by sunday
Stephen C(Quote)
As two or three have already said Enrique – Cesspool!!!!!! 👿
Or even better example Barca – Ces Fabregas 👿 👿 👿 👿
Whilst not condoning tapping up, if we get done and the likes of the two above clubs go free from punishment, it is a travesty. 🙄
Mags(Quote)