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Mully
Shola
Last year there was definitely uproar for most of the season despite being in the top 8 for most of the season. - Focus for a lot of fans then suddenly switched to the Cups. And journos and fans were mocking the 'race for eighth'.
And the team of; Krul, Debuchy, Williamson, Colo, Santon. Tiote, Sissoko, Cabaye, Remy, Cisse, HBA was viewed as not good enough by a large section of fans, and 'certain to struggle and in a relegation battle.' After having a disaster of a summer where we added a top quality striker and kept all of the stars.
2008 was a disaster. And it is clear that the wrong people were running the club, but Jiminez, Wise, Llambias and Verere are all long gone now, and at least Ashley has put the damage right.
And Newcastle have outlined their 'vision' and strategy to try and get Newcastle up the League and challenging for the CL - Which generally includes scouring Europe for younger players with potential resale value as well as buying in more youth players and more focus on developing youth. And focusing on making the League the priority, (presumably to be a more attractive club to new signings + more revenue).
However in practice it doesn't always work, eg signing MYM on paper is a brilliant piece of business, as a long term replacement for Colo, but unfortunately (or bad scouting) he just wasn't suited to the PL. Likewise Anita and Amalifitano not being good enough. And being unable to secure a top striker.
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And made just shy of £30million in selling Cabaye and Debuchy, plus about £80million for being in the Premier League, and made a profit in our most recent financial figures. There's enough for one more striker/defender in there, although if things continue to be this shite, it may have to be used in January.
Most of the moaning was to do with the JFK return and lack of activity that summer. Granted the squad was overall good enough for a full top 10 finish ultimately, although we did get the luck with injuries in the first half of the campaign like we did in 2011/12, only this time for player departures and injuries lead to it all falling to shit. Relegation battle wasn't that far fetched a fear - after all that squad had nearly been demoted in May, and still had the same manager/coaching staff (as indeed, we still do), even after accounting for the 14 additional games that the Europa League put in..Granted that was hyperbolic pessimism and midtable was probably about right.
Last summer, it may have been more assuring if Remy had been bought on a permanent deal, although I think its been mentioned he only wanted a loan move.
I'm not saying that rehabilitation of the relationship between Ashley and at least the majority of fans is impossible, even if it will never be like when he was getting hammered in the away end in the first season he owned us, but it either had to have been done differently or has to be on a new course. And I don't just mean in sacking Pardew - there has been a lack of communication directly from on high. Its all been left either to hamfisted PR statements or to Pardew (not that there's a difference). Before his bizarre comment in the Independent last week, and when the Mirror's NE journo asked him questions at SportsDirect's AGM after buying shares in the company, when was the last time he spoke directly?
Five years exactly have passed since the verdict that Newcastle constructively dismissed Keegan and a tribunal said the club habitually lied to fans and media. Just because most of the incompetents who were running it then have left doesn't mean Ashley (and Lee Charnley, although his role is now more prominent than it was in 2009) hasn't left, and that distrust would take longer than five years to change.
Poe
I think finding Cabaye for 4.6m has skewed Ashley's thoughts on the transfer market.
And the team that Shola posted there isn't good enough - Williamson is relegation fodder and Cisse is a poor player.
Shola
What realistic striker would you have bought to be 1st choice?
That team isn't good enough for what exactly?
Number 1
Welbeck and Remy never wanted to come but allegedly we were offered Lacazette in the last week of the window and refused to bid even Lyon's cut price fee, which they lowered after they were knocked out the Europa League in qualifying. Its hardly a helpful theory, and probably not 100% away from the truth.
Beyond that, you would have to find someone you'd be willing to pay a premium for. Maybe not Darren Bent, as Pardew wanted, but somebody. There's probably names out there that would do a job.
.verse
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Crane
"I'm not holding any grievance against the media, or some of our more militant fans, or the guys who printed the posters.
"I've been out and about and had a few fans telling me their opinions, quite strongly. A few cars are diving a bit too close to me.
"I get it. I will go home, shine my manager of the year trophy and give myself a bit of confidence."
Lol.
Mully
If he was such a money grabber he'd have taken every penny (This season you only let go Debuchy for a decent fee). He allowed the management to reinvest it, albeit poorly from the looks of things so far. The rest of the money goes on running the club (I think I read somewhere, you have one of the largest wage budgets in the league).
I personally don't see why there's any grievance towards Ashley, apart from the fact he's not let that clown go yet.
Shola
Pretty much. The club is barely making a profit. And yeah Newcastle wage budget is pretty competitive - I think it's a bit bigger than most of the midtable teams. But still miles of the big teams.
The increased Sky money is often used ie - where has the money gone?, but it will soon be absorbed into higher wages, higher agents fees etc. Same as every other increase in Sky money.
Shola
Pardew getting smugger with every defeat is great.
Number 1
I agree that Ashley is good at the business side of things - he kinda has to be given he's gone from running a squash club shop to being a multi-billionaire with shops all over the UK. And sure, higher agent fees, wages and running costs will be factored into where a lot of the Sky money goes. But there is definitely enough for more players, and it has been reported we will be buying in January.
Certainly, nearly anyone could have been a more worthwhile signing than Facundo Ferreyra.
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King Luis
Crane
Quite good!
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Telegram Sam
K3V0
Beautiful doesn't do him justice tbf.
He's remarkable.
bluemoon.
He's the best player in the league.
Slashman X
Based Jorge
K3V0
Sam
The Platypus
bluemoon.
Sam
Poor penalty really.
Ninja
K3V0
First time Baines has missed a penalty in the Premier League.
Shola