Summer transfer windows under Mike Ashley for Newcastle fans are always a torturous process. Will he invest even the bare minimum? Will Charnley dither again in securing targets? And now we have Rafa, will he stay if it looks like we still aren’t ‘doing things right’?
It may be a bit early and it could also be tension from the past, as the window is not really in full swing yet, but I worry already the warning signs are there that Newcastle will make the same mistakes this summer as they did last.
What new and familiar factors is Rafa working against to get what he needs this summer?
World Cup year – holds up deals?
We have he added pressure of it being the World Cup, which is great as a football fan but transfer wise, it unquestionably holds deals up. The top players will of course be playing at the tournament and often banned from National coaches from discussing deals with clubs until their national stint is over. Although Newcastle won’t be in for the likes of Griezmann – it sometimes takes the big deals like this to start and then filter down the rest of the market.
We also may be trying to sign players who play for some of the smaller World Cup participants and like us with Mitrovic, clubs rightly won’t sell until after the tournament in case they do well and suddenly see their value rocket.
Window set to shut earlier – more need for early business
Complicating this further, Premier League clubs voted in favour of shortening the summer transfer window – meaning the window will now shut early August, a few days before the new season kicks off. It means two weeks less of player trading and is good in many respects as it means starting with a settled squad. However, add the World Cup in the mix and Newcastle need to do business and quickly. Ashley won’t spend big money as we know, but that’s more reason to act fast on the targets we’ve been identifying for goodness knows how long. We can’t afford to keep standing still yet you get the feeling he constantly ignores Rafa’s wishes.
Feels like we’re having to sell before we buy…
Already the Ashley machine seems to pushing out our high wage bill and it seems shifting the likes of Mbemba, Sels and Mitrovic is needed before we can bring fresh faces in. This is frustrating.
With us having the full effects of TV money now after a full year back in the top flight, cash flow should not be holding Rafa back. We need to get rid of deadwood, that is clear – but it should not be driving our ability to recruit as much as it appears to be.
Slow to secure targets? (again)
Rafa always states he wants business done early, a clear warning after the slow antics of Charnley and co. that cost us some top targets last summer (Abraham and Cabellero by all accounts). Have we learnt from those mistakes? I’m not sure sure – especially after claims that Ashley won’t back Rafa until he agrees to a new deal, coupled with the fact Benitez won’t entertain any new contract until Ashley proves he’ll show ambition this summer. So, another impasse where we’re wasting time and frustrating Rafa?
In amongst all this, it is reported Benitez wants a minimum of four signings tied up quickly to get some real momentum this summer – and knowing the Ashley/Charnley combination, this seems so unlikely.
With Spain sacking their manager today, another clear threat has resented itself to us and the very real chance Rafa will leave and say enough is enough.
Let’s hope our owner finally learns from his mistakes and secures the long term of the biggest asset we have.
As for Couthinho’s move, nobody has stopped it yet. Arjen Robben built a whole career over that cut inside and shoot low from outside the box move. They spent 15 years trying to stop it and nobody did.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – the boy got me it for Father’s Day ??. Just when you thought you couldn’t love someone more ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
England have some big lads in our team. McGuire is a monster and even Henderson is like 6-2. Maybe we should target set-pieces and NOT have Harry Kane take corners.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sturaro only played 12 times for Juve last year. It sounds pie in the sky but he is a fringe player.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
After watching Neymar today he fell into the same trap as Messi of trying to win the game by themselves. Neither did it at Barcelona but it seems their national managers have let them take over the team and play totally selfishly. Neymar did that to an extent at PSG and there was almost a falling out because of it – Cavani was particularly pissed off. They have to strike a balance because neither can do it on their own for the 7 games it takes to win a World Cup. Not even the greatest player I have ever seen, Messi, and that includes both Ronaldos, Zidane, Cruyff and Maradonna.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Any England predictions? Tunisia don’t concede. I want to be optimistic but it wouldn’t be England if they didn’t dig themselves a hole in the 1st match. Oh, fck it, I will go against my better judgement and say 1-0 to England, even though my head says 0-0. I am not trying to have it both ways there, I am predicting 1-0 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
if England cannot beat this lot they want to pack up and come back home imo
icedog(Quote)
Sharpy , I got very choked at the end when they showed his last appearance at SJP, I remember it well and was really upset to see him so poorly. I remember saying to my daughter that he wouldn’t be here this time next week and that we’d be losing a father figure in English football.
Amazing and very giving person who got treated terribly by certain sections of the press, especially given the repeated battles with that evil illness .
kimtoon(Quote)
Tunisa beat Costa Rica in a warm up, and they didn’t look too bad against Serbia. So maybe a proper test. Can’t see it though. At RSC with Family.
PremAndUp(Quote)
you enjoy mate
icedog(Quote)
Sharpy have loaned the dvd to lews day centre as lots of the carers wanted to watch it. Most are fans of other clubs but ALL love Sir Bobby and the older ones have fond memories of italia 90 and what he tried to achieve .
Did you know Sir Bob would of returned in 1999 before they appointed Keegan if they’d asked ? After all the press did and said he would of stepped up again. Then again we’d of missed out on him at Toon if he had so I’m glad he never got the call.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – I don’t know if you saw his appearance on the sports personality awards when he got the life achievement awards – the standing ovations lasted ages. I wept like a school kid – it was such a lovely gesture and probably meant more to him than the award.
You could still see the passion and life in his eyes but his body was broken down.
I was lucky enough to meet him when I was younger and he was the nicest kindest bloke.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Kim – the missus was saying she had a real problem getting me the DVD as everywhere up here had sold out, and the place she got it only had 2 left.
I think Bobby would have climbed out his death bed to manage NUFC again, such was his love of the club and fans, and the game.
Sharpy17(Quote)
So Feyenoord say they want £22m for Jorgensen – no thanks.
If it were him or Rondon for £16.5m, then it’s Rondon all day for me.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Firstly England will win tonight – 2 nil.
Secondly, Sharpy, how many goals has Rondon scored in the PL?
Stuart79(Quote)
Not many Stu. I’m not keen myself but he works his socks off and apart from not scoring looks good. I’d rather have a similar but better Kodjia from Villa. Cheap.
I hate to admit it but we really can’t compete for the really good players. Looks like we’ve missed that kid from Croatia too. Went to Dinamo for only £2m which means we never bid in the first place.
georgio(Quote)
I did mate, yeah there is a lot of love for him and beyond our country too. Amazing that Pep wrote that he wanted to join him at SJP too.
I’m glad he joined Toon and didn’t get the second call from England, and it was his dream to manage us even if it became a nightmare thanks to certain players and fans.
kimtoon(Quote)
Stu – how many has Jorgensen?. I’m not saying Rondon is my first choice, I’m just saying of the 2, Rondon is the better risk as he has PL experience already and is cheaper than Jorgensen.
As for England, I’d take any win based on how the tournament has started
Sharpy17(Quote)
They should be embarrassed asking that based on his WC appearance the other night. At least wait for the lad to put a few good performances in.
Not for me, I am seeing nothing there better than what we have.
kimtoon(Quote)
Hope we win tonight but our history with first games is bloody awful so can’t see it.
We do like to do things the hard way too.
kimtoon(Quote)
Ashton gate are showing it on a giant screen tonight, should be a good atmosphere until we lose 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
Georgio – We can’t compete for just good players, never mind really good players. The lad from Norwich is off to Leicester for £22m! He’s a Championship player ffs!
It’s embarassing.
Stuart79(Quote)
I haven’t been impressed with either tbh. But it’s typical NUFC and their warped logic that they expect a players value to reduce even in a rising market. They’re like a space cadet who’s got off on the wrong planet!
Stuart79(Quote)
I think people will be surprised at how good Tunisia are. I’ll be very surprised if England win. I’d like them to but . . .Kane predicting a hat trick etc doesn’t help.
georgio(Quote)
Stu – yeah but that will be coz Mahrez is on the verge of joining City for £75m if the reports are right.
If we were selling players for that amount then maybe we could compete.
But Leicester are a good example of a club that have spent big fees on bang average players who haven’t really came good.
There’s a few reports this morning we are in for Jordan Ayew from Swansea.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Wow! Really writing the appetite for the new season with a relegated striker who scores every now and again.
Also the fact that leicester have bought a few average players really isn’t a good reason for us not to try and compete. We either trust Rafa or we don’t.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – Ayew scored 11 goals last season – I’m pretty sure that was the tally of Gayle and Joselu put together.
I don’t get why you are so down and negative on it just coz another team choose to spend a small fortune on a half decent championship player with no PL experience at all.
If Rafa didn’t want that player why should we be competing with them. If you are talking about the amount spent in a window – well if they spend £22m on this kid and we get Kenedy for £20m – which is the better signing?.
We go on about a repeat of last summer. Yeah, I remember a big chew on about players other teams were signing then too – Swansea being one of them, and Stoke – didn’t work out all that well for them. Everton was another, but we weren’t that far off them in the end.
As long as we get players in and Rafa gets players HE wants, then that’s all that matters – not who other clubs sign.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Rondon and Ayew are both relegated forwards, but Rondon got 10 last season and Ayew got 11.
Gayle managed 6 and Joselu managed 4.
So like it or not, they would be upgrades.
Are there better ones, of course. But if Rondon costs £16m and Ayew costs around £10m – we sell Mitrovic for £20m – that’s an extra 20 goals we’ve added for £6m.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Whatever happens today there is still hope with a forward looking England team. Sweden are starting with ex-Mackem, currently of Hull, Seb Larsson, 104.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think it’s simply a case of trusting Rafa. Irrelevant of the club and owners politics I think that Rafa is a wise enough bird to spend the clubs money wisely and start the season in a better shape than we finished the last one.
What constitutes an upgrade? Setting decent number 9, getting Kenedy or his equivalent over the line, and then strengthen competition in a few places.
PremAndUp(Quote)
We cannot be judging players by one game at the World Cup.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
no Eric we should youtube them as well
PremAndUp(Quote)
Prem – I find it frustrating mate. The second Huddersfield or Brighton sign someone none of us have heard of for £15m – people are on here saying we can compete and they are more ambitious.
But the truth is, if we were in for those players – or the likes of Rondon or Ayew, it’s then typical NUFC. These players aren’t good enough, and we are shopping in the cheap basket – despite them out performing the players we had last season.
They can’t win.
I dare bet if we had bid for this young un from Norwich, the comments would have been – typical Ashley looking to buy a championship player who’s young and has a sell on value. There’s Ashley giving Rafa another player with no experience.
If we got Rondon for arguments sake, it will be said that it’s the cheap option, and Rafa won’t want him – but how do they know – just coz it’s not the player they want, doesn’t mean Rafa is unhappy about it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
You’re missing my point, Sharpy. It’s teams that are spending the big money (although to be fair it’s not big money anymore, just to us) and that has a major influence on the market that we are all working in. If a average player is now going for £22m what does that say for a striker that we need? Can you not see the problem? It’s basically why we end up buying Joselu. If you’re happy then fine, mate. I’m just not happy with constantly being behind every single club in the PL.
If you think this window will be any different then I seriously think you’re on the drink early for tonight’s game…If you also think we will get Kenedy for £20m then you are assuming Chelsea go around with their eyes closed and pay no attention to the transfer window and prices being paid for players. Unlikely I’d say.
Stuart79(Quote)
Blimey, Sharpy. You’ve been living under a rock mate!
Stuart79(Quote)
I still think that you are still peddling a pre-2102 world-view Stuart. Up until then our net spend was always negative. You can argue over the reasons or necissity for this, but since then our net spend has been consistently positive. Ashley has backed managers, often inept, with funds and long contracts. It is actually possible, and there may just be evidence to indicate Ashley isn’t the problem in the way it is portrayed. Not spending money until it is in the bank, ensuring that we don’t breach wage/income ratios is simple business sense. Plenty of clubs from Leeds onwards have shown how not to do it.
There well may be problems with the ability of Charnley etc to execute Rafa instructions, but we don’t know what they are. And yes I do agree that £20m + for a championship player is ridiculous, and yes that does skew the market, maybe that just makes the process more difficult, rather than a prima facto proof of incompetence by NUFC.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Rumours of the demise of Brasil are greatly exaggerated. I watched a lot qualifiers and they blew some very good teams away whilst Argentina struggled. If they can stop Neymar’s peacocking they should be able to get back on track. Cut that ridiculous hair for a start. That may sound like a stodgy old man talking but by any objective measure in the history of footballers’ haircuts that has to be the worst and I lived through seeing the 70s perms and 80s mullets.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Rondon will cost more than him because he wants big wages but his agent asking really silly money to do the deal,ime not happy with either of them
icedog(Quote)
Eric, I thought Neymar was pants yesterday, selfish showboating and trying to do a Ronaldo and drag his team to the win.
kimtoon(Quote)
me neither mate
kimtoon(Quote)
We should try for a loan of Tammy Abraham again, under Rafa he would do well I reckon.
kimtoon(Quote)
Neymar
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/034/6/3/applejack_isn_t_applejack_without_her_hat__period__by_tangledtabby876-d5tqh29.png
Eric Sykes(Quote)
that i would go for over those other two mate
icedog(Quote)
Interesting times. Why do I feel Newcastle should be going for the 2nd tier talent and not the left overs you are taking about here?
xavier(Quote)
Ice – I probably would too, but would that be seen as backing Rafa over spending £15-20m on a forward?
It’s a genuine question. I personally think it would if that’s the forward Rafa preferred but I think a large portion would say it’s the club being skin flints not spending again.
Sharpy17(Quote)
VAR doing it’s job there
right call
kimtoon(Quote)
Who would you suggest mate. ?
kimtoon(Quote)
better to loan a good prospect possibly with a buy and sell on fee option than take one permanently who may be an epic fail.
Unless be can get our hands on a quality forward why take the chance .
kimtoon(Quote)
we not be
kimtoon(Quote)
Sweden defo the better team today, SK overly physical and really lacking in technical skill on this showing.
kimtoon(Quote)
Actually, I’m not sure I would want Tammy. But if Rafa did then so be it
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stu – it would be nice to actually debate something with you in a respect way.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I would even be tempted to try and get Hernandez from West Ham, they don’t play him that often and even at 30 years old he still looks lively.
kimtoon(Quote)
Agree the call was correct but I think VAR might change the game as we know it. Some of the worst games are when the Ref calls every single foul and it becomes stop-start. If VAR calls every single penalty I can see a lot of games being just about penalties. Open play goals then become a smaller part of the game which in my opinion would be bad. Yes, you get more correct calls but I think it would be bad for the game.
VAR will get it right more than a Ref because it allows for more than one look. But there are so many times when a team shuts up shop after a goal and I think VAR will only exacerbate this situation.
I don’t know what the answer is because ostensibly VAR makes the game more fair by making the correct calls more often. But what you will end up with is more games decided by penalties which I do not see as a good thing.
I think I would rather have missed calls than every other game coming down to a penalty. Maybe the players will change and not lunge in as much? That would be the ideal outcome as you would see more open play shots and less cheating.
Still waiting for a simulation booking. Come on Deli or Raheem you can be the first.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
One thing I can see repeated is Ashley’s hatred of signing players early. Why pay someone a huge amount to be on holiday in May and June? Expect any signings to be at the end of the window.
Whoever mentioned Neymar I wholly agree with. Showboating. Idiotic dribbling to win a free kick. Pep’s message (and also his mentor’s, was it Del Bosque?) is there are three thing to judge a player on. Humility, Hard work, always put the team before yourself. He’s also said he’d never sign a player with a silly haircut or an ear ring. I’d bet Rafa would agree.
georgio(Quote)
I do think VAR is useful for offside “goals” to get that correct.
How many times have you heard commentators say that if that was outside the box it would have been called a foul? It would be interesting to see how many more penalties there are where VAR has been introduced because I amy be worrying about nothing. And… we may get more than one penalty a year.
Is VAR used for sendings off as well? If so, is only for actual sendings off or for potential like Harry Kane’s over the top foul in our game against Spurs last year?
I am not going to get too deeply into it as I am sure these points will come up as the WC progresses.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Georgio: Neymar is a great player but Brasil would have been better off without him yesterday.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – yeah. If it came with a buy option I agree. But he’s Chelsea’s prospect and without that option I don’t think it develops us.
He was on loan with Swansea last year and wasn’t getting started come the end of the season – he only managed 8 goals as well.
But again, if it’s the player Rafa wants then we go with it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy ,Ian Wright was saying he should of come to us on loan rather than Swans as Rafa would of gotten more out of him and I think that’s true.
Georgio, that was me moaning about Neymar, he was pants yesterday, not a team player .
kimtoon(Quote)
Apparently Palace want to buy Tammy.
kimtoon(Quote)
Stu is right, we should be able to compete with Palace, Bournemouth, Saints , West Ham , and the like. We are followed just as well if not better and it is sickening to see spurs leapfrog us revenue wise through our mismanagement and not pushing on when we should of.
kimtoon(Quote)
Everything needs investment , training ground, academy and first team, the fact that’s it been left to rot is disgraceful . If he really cannot afford to run us properly then he should sell up. It’s like having a beautiful house and just buying furnishings when you have leaks cause you are too cheap to get the guttering leak fixed. Why let his investment rot away, sell it to someone who will get it looking good again.
kimtoon(Quote)
That is the best scenario we will have this summer – bring in some players with good potential by loan. Buy some decent players? no way under Ashley.
funrafa(Quote)
So Belgium finally score and what a great volley. Panama look like the Toon, totally toothless at the front.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
just thinking that very thing, god knows why Belgium have made such hard work of it though.
kimtoon(Quote)
Oh De Bruyne. Behave yourself!
Shamrock(Quote)
Kim – but we do compete. It’s just each clubs circumstances are different. Clubs like WH and Saints were actually in profit last season – largely because of player sales exceeding the money sent on incomings.
We were a grand total of £10m behind B’mth in spends last season. Palace out spent us by about £20m, but didn’t they have an investor come in? – that’s where their extra money came from.
Leicester will have got a tidy sum for winning the league and CL money – but they also sold players like Kante and Drinkwater – and this summer will finally sell Mahrez for around £75m (according to the papers).
At the same time though, Burnley spent next to nowt – but were excellent last season. Because they got the players Dyche wanted and needed – regardless or how much or little they spent.
That’s why I say I don’t care how much we spend, providing we get players in that improve us and that Rafa is happy with.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Well that’s a good win for the Belgians there, but I really think De Bruyne should’ve got a red for kicking the other guy in the stomach. A red would’ve been ideal for us… ?. Oh well… let’s hope we don’t embarrass ourselves against Tunisia now.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Only 2,000 England fans. It seems the media scared them away but Tunisians, Peruvians and Argentinians didn’t get the message.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
After like 12 years of it I am just so happy not to see Wayne Rooney’s ugly mug splashed on every poster, camera’s continually cutting to him in the warm up.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Well here we go…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Bright start. Come on England. There is no pressure this year, so they might actually suprise themselves – and us.
Shamrock(Quote)
Get innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
kimtoon(Quote)
Henderson has been excellent so far.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Maguire needs to settle down.
Sharpy17(Quote)