After the announcement that John Carver was to be our caretaker manager until the seasons end, to be honest my first reaction was. Well at least a decision has finally been made! As underwhelming as the decision to stick with Carver is, it does however indicate that we have found our (unknown) man to take us forward next season. There is some fear that if Carver does really well, he will be kept on full time next season but I don’t think that is the case here.
Lee Charnley has not been in the hot seat long and he has a tough task to win back some trust from the clubs fan base. His predecessor Derek Llambias came across as a very astute financially sound business man but conversely, a really unlikable character with a cold disdain for the clubs fans . He took gambles with player sales and held a tight leash on finances and over time his relationship with the fans descended into a seemingly hate/hate affair. There were no tears when Llambias announced his departure but there was some degree of skepticism when Lee Charnley was promoted from within the ranks of power. No one really seems to know much about the guy and he really hasn’t done much to improve this situation with the fans. However throughout his first transfer window I thought he did a good job of bringing players in and trying to get deals over the line. It was actually nice to see that we held off on letting Debuchy go until we had indeed sign cover for him. Maybe mistakes of the past were being heeded? Unfortunately we were still the missing a striker and the replacement for Mbiwa but I do believe that we were working on deals that could not be completed in time. Maybe if we were a little more relaxed with our purse strings it would not have happened, who knows? It would be hard to believe that transfer negotiations were a simple affair. These are still two areas of real concern and hopefully Lee can finally get it right. This transfer window has been thrown into turmoil with the departure of Pardew and looks like being another fizzer. It is almost like torture as we wait for the striker and centre back we need and unfortunately I can see the torture continuing.
As far as Pardews replacement goes, I think we have got someone pre-signed and ready to go next season. I think Charnley knows how important this is and I reckon he will be doing his damnedest to get it right. Given the tight restraints that he has to work with, I think he is doing a good job and seems to be making the right noises. Charnley has really taken on a poisoned chalice of a role with in the club and it can’t be easy for him to operate under Ashley’s tough finacial model. But if he has his heart in the right place and tries the best he can to drive the club forward and bring back some exciting times then I am willing to cut him a little slack when things don’t turn out as they should. The new manager appointment will go a long way to see if my faith in him is right or misguided.
What are your thoughts?
They are Aussie defender Curtis Good, midfielder Haris Vuckic from Slovenia, English defender Remie Streete, Burundi-born Gael Bigirimana, striker Facundo Ferreyra, an Argentinian, and teenage Swiss defender Kevin Mbabu.
we’re just a feeder club to Mikes favorites now. we must be saving a fortune on players wages. theres a few left now. Barfa, Mbiwa, Marv now 5-6 to rangers. Cool 😎
Gashley(Quote)
TDS – As for targeting something, why not do something totally and utterly radical and target a cup? I know that’s probably not on your radar because gradual withering away at the core by complete comatose is more your idea of success.
Stuart79(Quote)
no money is going out of the club to Ashley, its not coming in either.. advertising around the stadium would help our coffers, who make money out of this??
I though Mike admitted SD owns the clubs shops now and it goes through his accounts. Am I wrong?
Gashley(Quote)
STUART79
Typical dumb British mentality. Slam a player/club for not constantly progressing without considering that they’re doing well and competing against other players/clubs who are also trying very hard to progress.
Like the idiots for slamming Andy Murray for “only” winning 2 grand slams and for not being quite as good as Federer, Djokovic or Nadal…
Like the idiot slamming Wayne Rooney for not being as good as they’d like him to be, despite being a cracking player.
No club progresses year after year on the field, it just doesn’t happen!
Consistent top 10 finishes, better facilities, young improving players, reduced debt and increasing revenue in proportion to other PL clubs is progression. if we’ve overtaken Everton in revenue terms, that’s good!
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Malky Mackay for manager TDS mate!!! Malky Mackay I say!!!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Check this out: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2920602/Real-Madrid-football-rich-list-Premier-League-dominates-overall-making-HALF-40-wealthiest-clubs.html
Look at the gap to Spurs and above and look at the gap to Everton, West Ham and below. Bloody big gap above but pretty small below…
Football IS money these days. Players usually join clubs for money and clubs are run as businesses these days.
If any of those 6 clubs above us finished below us, either they have woefully underperformed based on the resources they have or we’ve incredibly overperformed.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
As I understand it no more than 2 players from one club can be loaned, any other loans have to come from other clubs.
kimtoon(Quote)
Are we grumpy today TDS mate? No Weetabix available? Fibre! My kingdom for some fibre!!! Argghhhh!!!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
STUART
Same old boring **** argument.
Every single Premier League club rotates for the cup unless it’s a latter round or a derby game. I checked the teams that they put out.
It’s just a fact of modern football.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I think it’s 4 players plus an extra youth player Kimtoon mate. Read it on another blog so take it with a grain of salt though.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Just some facts for you…now I’m off…cheerio.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Can’t be arsed to get into a finance row but I do know we seem to have zero ambition football wise. Our cup team selection v Leicester was fraudulent and proof positive of our total lack of ambition to win anything other than a decent set of accounts . Given the remit of any sporting outfit in any field of sport is to start your season/campaign to try and win a title/medal or trophy then we are a big fat failure and I don’t think any level headed person can dispute that. If progression is staying in the black and balancing the books then whey hay, we top of the league . As far as football progression goes we most certainly are not.
kimtoon(Quote)
TDS, rotating a squad for cups is one thing but saying 5 are injured then by a miracle all fit a few days later is an out and out lie and just plain disrespectful to over 2000 fans who travelled to that game. I take it your not daft enough to believe they were all injured?
kimtoon(Quote)
Anyone on here who has any football ambition for the club and wants to see us win silverware had better just leave now. Mike is in charge. He has a plan. We got monkey owner. He play toe jam football.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
TDS – Complete bollocks as usual! Out debt has gone up since Ashley took over so I will stop you there. Hahahahahaha!! 😯
Can’t take you serious as there are no signs of progress since Ashley arrived apart from increasing TV revenue and everyone gets that…
Bell piece!
Stuart79(Quote)
To Mike Ashley:
Where is the love Mike?
Why do Rangers supporters get all the love?
We need some as well.
Come on Mike we’re waiting.
With all due respect (that would be none at all).
Newcastle United Supporters.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Kim – It’s the fact that the same players get injured on the same weekend every single year. It’s really uncanny don’t you think?
Stuart79(Quote)
We havent won anything in nearly 50 years, This is hardly isolated to the last 7
CC(Quote)
CC – The fact it’s been that long makes it worse that we don’t even try!
Stuart79(Quote)
But we played some wonderful football under Keegan and Robson CC mate. We’ve long since given up on that under Ashley/whoever the current pinhead manager/head coach is.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
There’s still time before the window closes Mike. Show us the love. Go on then. Show us you have football ambition for the club. I’ll hold my breath.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
KIMTOON
Players are virtually always a little bit injured. The bollox about 100% fit isn’t true. Ask a footballer and they’ll tell you that they often play with knocks and that’s why many cry out for a winter break, so they can wind down and focus on getting rid of them rather than being full on all season.
So when a PL manager has 5 players carrying knocks and they’re going to be playing a weakened Leicester team in the cup, they rest those 5 players. Every single PL club does it. The only time they don’t is when it’s a later round of the cup or it’s a particularly important game for their players, i.e. a derby.
NUFC fans are just wrong for slagging off anyone at the club for doing that. Slag off Sky, the FA and the Premier League for making money the most important thing for our football clubs. Clubs in Newcastle’s position don’t risk key players in early rounds of cups when they’re carrying knocks, it’s just that simple.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Deadline day question: can we sell Stu to Ed’s blog?
MDS(Quote)
http://mobile.newsnow.co.uk/A/756495381?-11058:809
Sharpy17(Quote)
TDS – More bollocks!!!! You say every club play weakened teams in the cup; Stoke played a full strength team against Rochdale in the Cup. Man Utd, played Di Maria, Falcao, RVP, Herrara and many, many more of their best players.
Think you should stop know as everything go you say is basically wrong! 😯
Stuart79(Quote)
That cup claim is right up there with your “Our debt is coming down” comment. 😀
Stuart79(Quote)
Players are virtually always a little bit injured. The bollox about 100% fit isn’t true. 😯 😆 😆
and how comes you know this bollocks? have you ever asked a player…
Gashley(Quote)
I can’t quite believe TDS is a toon fan. Is he just winding us up?
Gashley(Quote)
The lack of ambition in the club is tremendous now. We really know how to make money. If Haidara plays well for the next 2 seasons he’ll be sold before he can ask for a better wage. Dummett is hopeless as a left back but might make a decent CB with time. Willo would be gone from any other top 12 Prem club. Colo should retire at the end of this season. JC is not a Prem manager or even a head coach. Ah well, we’ll just blunder on.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
A lot of clubs don’t play weakened sides in the cups TDS mate. Do you watch the cup games? Some very strong teams out there. Except for ours of course.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
STUART
Looked it up. Hughes changed Begovic and dropped Muniesa to the bench. Don’t know why. Interesting to read Hughes’ comments that he specifically wanted to win to make headlines for the right reasons and keep momentum. And their best striker is injured for the season now…
Man Utd rested Rooney and dropped Van Persie to the bench…and their manager is desperately still trying to work out a formation while also knowing he MUST get into Europe and winning a cup could be the only thing that stop him getting in trouble if he doesn’t get into the CL.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
West Ham seem to be doing whatever it takes to make sure their squad has enough cover defensively. Caulker, Distan and Vidic are the three they’ve enquired about today.
People might not necessarily rate the lkayers Theyre going for but its how a football club should react. They should be trying to bring in players that the squad need and at the Tim ether squad needs them. They are clearly wanting to improve their league position. Can anyone really say we’re trying to do the same?
Stuart79(Quote)
Anyway we’ll never all completely agree on anything. I see no growth or improvement at the club to speak of. Just a revolving door of players coming and going with no goal except to make more money for Ashley. How many more years of it do we have to see? That’s the real horror question.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
GASHLEY
Yes.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Stuart @ 694
We had incredible chances to reach two finals in the last three years; Your man Pardews to blame for the fact we squandered them. He tried to juggle the Benfica/Spurs matches and the upcoming derbies and dropped all the balls.
CC(Quote)
TDS – Thank you. You have just proved my point. I think we made about 5 – 7 changes for Leicester and the two teams you mentioned made two at most.
Stoke are safe in the PL so would rather give the cup a good go. They lost Bojan but so what, he could have got injured in training! They’re still in with a chance of winning the FA Cup while not getting relegated. I know which positikn I’d rather be in.
You really talk utter ***** I’m afraid.
Stuart79(Quote)
GASHLEY
Meaning yes, I have asked a player. I’ve chatted to a few professional players every so often and this is a topic I spoke to them about. I’ve also seen lots of players say it.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
CC – I can’t blame Pardew for that I’m afraid. He was following club orders and that’s exactly what Carver did and exactly what the next patsy will do.
Stuart79(Quote)
G2 – If you want a laugh, ask TDS again where the improvement is in the club over the past 5 years. He will start with debt reduced (which of course it’s increased) and will then go onto the improved facilities that nobody really knows what they are… Unless he means the bore hole at the training ground!!! 😯 🙂
Stuart79(Quote)
Geordietwo
I havent given up on us playing some wonderful football under a new coach; I had long since with Pardew in charge. But a gifted coach could do wonders with Sissoko, De Jong, Cabella, Aarons, Cisse & Perez
CC(Quote)
I think we might be forgetting Santon lost his place due to his poor play before he got injured. One of the worst defensive left backs I’ve ever had the misfortune to watch. Never really came into his own in the league. I don’t think we’ll miss him but we will miss not getting in a decent CB or striker. Ashley is an idiot as usual.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
STUART
Reading the BBC report, “Both Leicester and Newcastle made seven changes after their respective New Year’s Day draws against Liverpool and Burnley.” Have you considered that both managers chatted to each other and maybe agreed to make 7 changes each to even it up? Wouldn’t surprise me…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I blame him completely, No way Ashley forced him to play Bigirimana wide right on our biggest european night in years
CC(Quote)
Leicester rested players, we said they were injured – same as last year on the same weekend. A joke!
Leicester are now in the 5th round and we are not.
No comparison.
Stuart79(Quote)
“Facing the music afterwards, Carver insisted the likes of Daryl Janmaat, Jack Colback, Moussa Sissoko and Fabricio Coloccini were all unavailable owing to various minor injuries”
Translation…Mike Ashley has most likely instructed his manager to not take any risks with any players carrying knocks before the latter stages of the cup. “Unavailable” is a loose term…they were unavailable because of Ashley’s instruction, I bet most of them would have played if it was a league game. Rested or unavailable due to knocks and the instruction of the owner…semantics…
But as I said, communication is not our club’s strong point these days…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Tats ok then. 😕 😕
Stuart79(Quote)
So the storey is Santon plays ten games on loan and Milan agree to pay the transfer fee of 2mill 😯 😯
icedog(Quote)
TOONDARNSARF sorry mate but I just don’t believe that. They’re sportsmen / athletes.. Why would they virtually always be a little bit injured.??
I’ve got mates that play as much as pro players and probably train more. They’re fit as fiddles…
GASHLEY(Quote)
@ice 2mill is better in asleys pocket then a player on the bench
GASHLEY(Quote)
GASHLEY
There is no chance that they play to the intensity of professional players or are as fit as them. These football clubs play big money for the best facilities, trainers, coaches, dieticians, physios etc. and your mates don’t have access to that.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
So if they have all of that and are still virtually always injured, I’d say its a waste of money. What you have said is total **** mate, sorry 😉
GASHLEY(Quote)
Here’s a question for you…20 clubs in the PL…which ones do you reckon are doing about average based on where they should be this season, which are doing better and which are doing worse?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
So we admitted we had a replacement for mbiwa, then saylor got injured and now we sell santon and some people can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 😯 I think that shining is mike gold being topped up
GASHLEY(Quote)
GASHLEY
Depends what you consider as injured! But when a player comes off the pitch there are often niggling injuries that stay around a few days and a lot of players carry injuries over long periods of time that don’t’ quite get sorted. They manage them with physio, specific training and sometimes injections too.
When was the Leicester game? Two days after the Burnley game. Several of the players will have received knocks from that game and the decision was made to rest those players rather than have them tire quickly and then risk serious injury.
That’s why players want a winter break, so they can take some time to get rid of these knocks and be more fit for the 2nd half of the season.
It’s also why England managers have said time and time again that a winter break would help England in the tournaments at the end of the season.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
GASHLEY
Who cares that MYM left? I didn’t see other PL clubs lining up for him! Dummett has replaced him in the squad and done fine.
As for Santon…fans have been crying out for Haidara to get a run in his place for ages! So again, who cares? Better to get these players off the wage bill than rot in the reserves and get paid for the privilege.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Spot on Gashley. The club make things up as they go along. Excuse after excuse after excuse. We will probably sell Sissoko, Cisse and Krul in the summer and bring in a couple of players so yet again we will be trying to play catch up. It’s uncanny really. We just never seem to strengthen the squad.
Why do we consistently reduce the quality of our squad every season? It’s to stay up that’s why. We just do enough.
Wimbledon of the 2010’s we are!
Stuart79(Quote)
I believe in the winter break. Far too many games played and players flogging themselves. I just dont believe they’re virtually always injured to the degree you’re talking about. Yes, players carry knocks but our weakened team v Leicester was a bailout, nothing more
GASHLEY(Quote)
Pardew, Mbiwa, HBA, Santon, all off the wage list, with approaching 12 million quid in the bank. What a great move by Ashley.
There could be a few things with Santon, including his knee injuries. Plus his contract runs out in the summer 2016, so he would be after a pay rise and a 5 year deal most probably, so they decided to cash in on him now.
What does all these outgoings do to the morale of the remaining players ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
***** me, Ashley really is doing his best to **** off the toon army !
Munich Mag(Quote)
I didn’t say I cared. I wasn’t a fan. I said the club admitted we had a player ready to replace him but it fell through due to mbiwa not being sold.
I’m not too fussed about santon either tbh but I’d like them replaced to see our team progress. Which toon fan wouldnt
GASHLEY(Quote)
GASHLEY
I’m talking about knocks. Just minor injuries. But when you have a minor injury, you can’t play to your max and are more susceptible to a more serious injury.
Leicester rested 7 players too so what’s wrong with that?
Fact is, taking 7 players out of each team, we should still have done enough to beat them.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Munich – The players know the score. It must be absolutely totally disheartening to play for such a club. Their professional Pride must be battered.
Expect some transfer requests in the summer and yet another season of ‘transition’.
Still waiting for TDS to explain his comments above about us improving and growing slowly. Doubt he can to be honest.
I am really seriously asking a question about what people think NUFC’s plan is. What is the future?
Stuart79(Quote)
Fact is, we haven’t got the quality to take 7 out because mike doesn’t believe in buying quality players or the cup. He’s admitted he doesn’t like cups or Europe. Its a hindrance to finishing 10. It may result in relegation
GASHLEY(Quote)
So we are loaning Rangers 4 players – wow that’s a desperate attempt from Ashley to get his future club back on track for promotion!.
I have no issue with what’s happened in today’s transfer window. It’s entirely what I expect from Ashley and his troops, but at least it’s further evidence to rest of the footballing world what’s happened at Newcastle.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’d love to see the deal with the loan players. We’re probably paying 70% of their wages 😆 bankrolling Ashley’s new venture
GASHLEY(Quote)
Sharpy – The rest of football couldn’t give a **** about the ****** who owns us and treats us like a little trading game.
Just such a shame…
Stuart79(Quote)
Perez will be the next one out…and pdq as well if he has any sense. It’s strange but who can honestly blame the players ? Ashley has ground us all down… 👿 ..but we’re not beaten…
Munich Mag(Quote)
So it’s Streete who’s off to Rangers then not Good.
kimtoon(Quote)
http://www.football-italia.net/62163/santon-i-never-rejected-inter 😕
kimtoon(Quote)
I hope Santon has 2 bedrooms in his new pad in Milan, cos he’s gonna end up in the huffy room 😳 😳 .
Looks like there lass may have muffed it a bit and spat her dummy oot, when her David knew what was happening all along 😉
http://www.football-italia.net/62163/santon-i-never-rejected-inter
Munich Mag(Quote)
I wonder who’s name would you put on the back of your new Wonga shirt ? If you were daft enough to buy a new shirt that is :-).
Munich Mag(Quote)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2937010/Newcastle-target-Frank-Boer-rules-Premier-League-move.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
kimtoon(Quote)
MM, I don’t buy shirts now we have the Wonga deal .
kimtoon(Quote)
So I suppose the one positive is that we didn’t sell any of our best players. Can you believe we are looking at that as the positive these days…?
Stuart79(Quote)
Carver will get the job full time. Why wouldn’t he? I’m sure we will finish mid table which is the clubs aim and he has said he will work under any circumstances. Plus he will be as cheap as a fish supper. It’s just never ever in doubt.
Stuart79(Quote)