Would this tempt Ashley to invest big again?

kimtoon

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So I was thinking the other day about our owners apparent lack of interest in the football ambition side of things. What, I thought, would it take to awaken his interest in investing in us to really compete? Well it occured to me, and bare with me here as it’s a tad fancifull but hey ho, I’m going with it anyway so here it is; European Super League. Over the years it has been suggested by the top clubs of the European leagues that there needs to be a European Super League, and I do feel it’s growing ever closer to reality. When you look at clubs like Bayern Munich they are pretty much outgrowing their league, same with Ajax, Real Madrid and Barca. With the premier league there are more contenders but it has to be said Chelsea and Man City do appear to have the dominant position at present. So let’s asume that around 2018 when I think UEFA look at the Champions league format again, that some of the big clubs decide the time is right for a break away league, then all of a sudden things in theory get very interesting. Now I’m not suggesting that Newcastle would get into the Super League for a second, but let’s assume that the top 3 from the Premier League go into the new super League then the opportunity to win the premier league suddenly becomes much more realistic. With say Chelsea, City and either Arsenal or Man utd gone to the new super league, that makes the Premier League much more competitive. Of course it would take an approach with a bigger mentality than mid table mediocrity to truely compete for the title but it does present the biggest chance to get close to it in recent times. You could then have a scenario where the winner of the Premier league plays the winner of other European Leagues much like the Champions league with that cup winner playing the winner of the super league for a kind of charity shield like cup. If an English club gets relegated from the super league then the winner of the Premier League would replace them with the relegated team dropping back into the Premier league. The potential to make even more money in sponsors and advertising would surely stir our owners loins and maybe just maybe it’s a scenario that would bring about a change in his mindset. He comes across as competitive, certainly in business, and likes a gamble so this would be the perfect chance to apply both those elements. If we factor in the Rangers situation too, well, if he still has interest there, then should they get promotion either this year or next then it’s likely with the right investment in players either they or Celtic would go into the super league thus increasing SD wealth via merchandising sales. I would imagine the Super league would be around 20 to 24 top european clubs with 3 from some leagues and 2 to 1 from smaller leagues. Anyway I see that as the perfect chance to start afresh and would hope he felt the same, then again maybe he really doesn’t care if we ever win a cup or compete again.

KIMTOON

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219 thoughts on “Would this tempt Ashley to invest big again?”

  3. *** what a cross from De Maria and a brilliant header from Rooney 1-1.

    Arsenal have just been denied AN ABSOLUTE STONEWALL penalty, Roca pulled back Welbeck in the box, and the bloke is on a yellow card. The referee bottled it BIG TIME. Absolutely SHOCKING !!

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  7. Kimtoon, these two teams are light years ahead of us…

    Di Maria sent off 🙂

    If you ask me the Man Utd full back Roca could and should be sent off almost every game. He should have got sent off against us, and could have been sent off this evening too !

    Fellini is the next one to get red 😉 😉

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  10. Comes to something when NUFC’s best representatives in football are Michael Oliver and Mark Clattenburg.

    Great performance by Oliver tonight.

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  11. Sharpy @ 64

    MLS average attendance for 2014 = 19,150
    Chinese Super League ave 2014 = 18,986

    Not much in it.

    I’d say the MLS is just shading it atm by way of “star” players, usually Euroblokes with a perceived lifestyle issue in mind. The Chinese fish in a different pool – Brazil mainly, though Drogba spent some time there,and Diamanti and Gilardino from Italy, And Tim Cahill is currently there.

    The MLS has also been around a decade longer than the CSL. It’ll be interesting to see how both develop in the coming years, but once China takes over as THE world power and political influence moves from Western Maritime to Central Asian, I expect the CSL to dominate. Could be 20-50 years from now, though.

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  12. Stuart

    You beat me to it. The bravest decisions made by him. Absolutely spot on.

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  13. Well Liverpool really need to beat Blackburn then knock out Villa cause I can’t stand the thought of that shower getting to the final 👿

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  15. Great to see Wenger proving his doubters wrong. The thick Gooners don’t appreciate the talent they have.

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  16. Begas

    Whilst you’ve got your crystal ball out could you tell us how the UK will look financially and status in world economics in 20 – 50 yrs.

    Just so I can advise my kids whether to emigrate or stay put.

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  17. Careful, Troy. The blog nanny will be onto you for making snide remarks. Oh, that’s right, it’s ok for you guys to do it, isn’t it. Sorry. Forgot.

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  18. Funny how things come round,m/u beat us because of a bad back pass,now they get knocked out of fa cup with bad back pass

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  20. Begas

    You have to acknowledge that you criticise Stuart repeatedly for predicting the near future. You’ve now gone and predicted beyond some of our existence. 😆

    You’re my blog star. 😉

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  21. But seeing as you asked… I can see the geopolitical situation transforming in coming decades. Can’t say specifically about the UK, except it’ll try and hang on to whatever influence it has, but Chinese foreign policy is to build up lesser economies in Eurasia, and that is where economic growth will occur – and in Africa, South America and SE Asia.

    There’s a big difference in making predictions based on knowledge and claiming to know the minds of other people. No problem with predictions. Claiming to be a mind reader is farcical

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  26. Tory boy – how do you know we have the 2nd youngest squad, yet don’t know who has the youngest ?
    I think you do know really, but reluctant to answer.
    Why would that be ?
    Hmmmmmmm
    Waiting. 😕

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  28. Is mashley duty bound to release the financial results, or is it something he can get out of ?
    Ignorance isn’t always bliss.

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  29. I just read Haidara is out of the everton game. Is that right? More game time for Raylor and Jonas then. Raylor looked knackered after half an hour against Manu and it looks to me his career is just about over. One more knee knock and that’s it.

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  32. Boots – for your peace of mind mate we don’t have the 2nd youngest squad. I posted a table a few articles back which I took from SSN site which showed we have the 4th youngest squad – Liverpool, Spurs & Saints have younger squads than us 😉

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  33. Anyone know where this Nixon guy has sprung from? He’s now described as Head of Recruitment at Nufc. Eh?

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  35. Matey@109, I will be interested in their findings on how much of the kit sales go to SD as if it’s a fair percentage then we can assume that it’s the same with NUFC.

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  36. Eric and your Tour of the North. There’s a really interesting place just north of Carlisle. The Gardens of Cosmic Speculation. Well worth a visit!

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  38. If Mike is serious about selling up in 2016 would there be any point hiring someone other than Carver ? A new owner would want to hire a manager of his/hers choice. I think we will get a couple of freebies in and maybe buy one or two players

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  39. Troy – I stand corrected on that one mate, when I’ve looked back mine said the average age of the starting 11 this season – and we had the 4th youngest.

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  40. All depends which stats you look at – a couple of weeks ago Spurs had the youngest starting eleven. We may have youngest registered squad, but then our squad includes Gillead and Mbabu. I’m all in favour of a young squad,lots of hunget and ideally pace, but with a sprinkling of experienced players as a spine to the squad – but that’s what we lack and will continue to lack.

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  41. Well my point for the last 2 years (probably more) has been that our squad is really poor because most of the squad players are kids who have played about 10 first team games between them. Not to mention most of them aren’t good enough.

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  42. Stu what I find with our younguns is that we here how good they are doing with the academy etc then after a yr or so we get to see them get a run out in a pre season game were they do ok then they get on the 1st team bench and eventually get brought on for 5 -10 mins then they disappear of the face of the earth normally injuried.

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  43. Well our injury record is nothing short of a disgrace to be honest, Dave. It’s that bad we could have a thread about it!

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  47. So Le10sport in France reckon we’ve made a pre contract offer for Andre Ayew but apparently today Roma have come in with a higher offer.

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  49. Vukic on the score sheet again for the teddy bears.

    Not sure what the rest of the mags are doing up there though. If they can’t get on the bench in the Scottish Championship we may as well ship them all out…

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  51. Dave – To be honest I don’t know enough about our injuries and what might cause them to write a thread.

    You and Kim are doing a great job keeping the threads going.

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  52. Sharpy, MM and Georgio: Thanks for the advice on the trip. I just realised I will be there on Mackem Sunday and pick up a hire car in time to get to the match.

    I have never been to Sunderland except to see a Pantomime. And that wasn’t at the old Roker Park, it was the Sunderland Empire when I was a kid.

    I booked a hotel in Malham as well so it will really be a tour of the North. I might have to piggy back my 83 year old Aunt up to Malham Cove.

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  53. Sykes – no worries mate 😉 without wanting to insult, the walk from Craster may be a bit much for your Aunt, but a stop off at Newton by the Sea would be well worth it – and wouldn’t take too much time your day – but IMO it’s the best view on the Northumberland coast.

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  54. Sharpy: was planning on Craster as my mother keeps raving about the kippers. I will get back to NUFC now though as I have taken up too much time already on here discussing my own stuff.

    When the **** are these accounts out?

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  55. I have been waiting for weeks now to go on a Fat Greedy ******* Ashley / We have to be able to do better than John (Ugly) Carver and Facundo when we make all that money – rant.

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  56. Sykes – Newton is about 5 mile north of Craster, you wouldn’t regret I promise. I don’t meant to impose on your trip like 😕 😆

    Back to footy though, is it only us that haven’t disclosed the figures or are most still to realise them?

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  57. Ayew joining would probably be a good signing but I fear 30 grand a week is probably to low a salary. I think 40’s probably more reasonable but it looks like some other club wont have a problem paying that so we will miss out yet again! Ben Arfa, Davide Santon and Mapou are all off the way bill and we can’t afford an extra 10 grand to secure someone’s services. Are team is getting cheaper and cheaper.

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  58. Stem – Only at NUFC would they expect £30k a week be acceptable to an out of contract player in his prime.

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  59. Stu – not entirely correct. They thought 55k was acceptable for Marv (an out of contract player in his prime) and look how that turned out.
    I believe that the offer is an improvement on what he’s on now, but even more so as Ayew is paying huge tax in France – more than what he’d pay here.
    £2m in hand and £1.5m per year isn’t a bad starting point really – they may go back with better. But if his option is NUFC or Roma, then wages won’t be the reason he doesnt come.

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  60. Sharpy – You seem to have this fixation on the fact that if NUFC offer a player an improvement on their current wages, it’s a good offer. I am not sure really. A good offer is to pay the going rate, not just improve on what he’s earning. He is probably earning about £10k a week in France but it doesn’t mean £30k a week is a good offer as the going rate might be more than that.

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  61. The Marv thing is relevant, though – when Ashley first came in, and again when he made the first lot of French signings, we paid a lot of £50-65k pw contracts. From his PoV he got f all for that from the great majority of those players. A lot of effort has gone into getting rid of high earning players and that process is finally nearly complete. The last thing we can expect is to be competing on wages. Forget Roma, next season Boro (if promoted) will be offering £80kpw contracts. I’m already discounting Ayew. They might surprise me, but the future direction looks young and low wage (bit like the SD workforce 😀 )

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  62. The world has gone a bit crazy when 1.5 million is considered low wages for running around a bit and kicking a ball pretty hard now and again. In fact, Falcao gets paid 13,000,000, yes THIRTEEN MILLION, for standing around a bit and not kicking a ball pretty hard.

    Agree about Roma Sharpy, Champions League every year or an ambition to get to 10th in the PL, get knocked out of the Cups ASAP and make Fatty lots of money?

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  64. Stu – but that’s the thing, what IS the ‘going rate’. For Marv it was 55k and we ‘fought’ off competition from Liverpool for him – but did we get our monies worth there?!.
    I don’t imagine many footballers/agents accept many opening offers in situations like this, so if the offer made is better than what he’s on now, then it’s a good start for negotiations – and at 30k they have left themselves plenty of room to do that.

    Prem – we aren’t all slagging the club off buddy 😉

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  65. GTE – The problem is that Ashley’s errors of the past are now becoming detrimental to the team. I would imagine there is not many players in our squad who are earning anywhere near what Colo is earning. Lets not forget that we one of the only clubs in the league who’s wage bill has reduced since 2007. This is even though income has consistently rose through TV deals and taking wages with it.

    It all comes together to show more evidence of stagnation.

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  66. Sharpy – The Marv situation was very different as if we paid him that much we were stupid because he had a history of injuries and had just failed a medical at Liverpool. That should have said it all!

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  67. Now we have made a pre contract offer to Fabian Schar of Basle
    YCMIU
    My God we are in for the summer of all summers.
    I’ll not be holding my breath.

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  68. BB – Problem as I see it, BB is that going for these type of players does have a little bit of difficulty for us as we don’t like paying higher wages and others will offer good wages. There are some good players who are out of contract but they are very rarely that cheap and that is a problem for us.

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  69. Having thought about it I don’t actually think we’ve made any pre contract offers to any players. My reason for this is that we usually keep very quiet about players we are talking to and I would think the next coach will have some input, they said he would, just not the final say. So that can only mean that JC is permanent if we’re talking to players/clubs/agents .

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  70. As for Ayew, he may be a bad egg as he’s been falling out with the other players of late, well that’s what I read yesterday.

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  72. I see Patrick Vieira has said that the best fans he’s played in front of away were Liverpool and Newcastle.

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