Park Life

http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/200...iggest-dan.html February 03, 2009 The biggest danger facing Newcastle is apathy George Caulkin This has been a bleak season for Newcastle United and it could still become bleaker, yet amid the turmoil and the departures, the controversy, the numbing performances, the concern, the mess and the self-inflicted mishaps, hope is shimmering. It is a delicate, fragile sort of hope, encircled by thorns, but it is there, nonetheless. It requires assiduous nurturing. It will come as little surprise that events on the pitch, which have been largely miserable, have not prompted this spark of optimism. It will come as absolutely no surprise that nothing which has taken place in the manager’s office or the boardroom, where mixed messages continue to thrive, has contributed to it. As usual, it has emanated from the stands. The media perpetuate two myths about Newcastle supporters; that they are impatient and that they are perennially militant. Both are wrong. Quite how fans who have had no domestic trophy to cheer since 1955 and none at all since 1969 can be accused of impatience has never been clear – decent football and a committed team are hardly outrageous demands - and the militancy thing is simply nonsense. During the less inspiring moments of Freddy Shepherd’s tenure as chairman – and there were plenty to choose from – episodes of outright dissent were rare. Perhaps that was because there were other divisive figures to rival directors, whether unpopular managers (appointed by Shepherd) or fractious players (bought by him), but mainly because of loyalty. Loyalty almost to a fault. People may have a mental image of teenage Geordies bouncing outside St James’ Park in front of the television cameras waving their shoes in the air, but that is not representative. The protests which accompanied the 2-1 home defeat to Hull City in September, shortly after the exit of Kevin Keegan and which precipitated Mike Ashley’s decision to sell the club were vibrant and raw, but also untypical. But Ashley, of course, is staying (at least until a buyer emerges) and things have not got any better on Tyneside. A relegation battle is being fought by a small squad and the transfer window saw two senior players leave including, in Shay Given, a world-class goalkeeper with a passion for the club, but a loathing for all the chaos. Only three signings arrived; Newcastle, shamefully, made an £8m profit on their dealings. Derek Llambias, the perma-smirking managing director, from whom nothing has been heard, will finally break his silence late this week, answering questions, sent in by readers, to two local newspapers, but a far more significant exchange of views will take place elsewhere. On Wednesday at 7pm, in the Tyneside Irish Centre, Newcastle’s soul will be wrestled over. The Newcastle United Supporters Club (NUSC), an independent body designed to represent fans and challenge the club (and in spite of quotes attributed elsewhere, it is the only organisation of its type), was established in the aftermath of Keegan’s departure. Still in its infancy, it needs legitimacy, backing and members. It has spokesmen and issues press releases, but it is not staffed by people who crave attention for the sake of it. Influential fanzines and websites like The Mag, nufc.com and true faith have offered guidance, financial and philosophical, to the NUSC, but none have a wish to set or control the agenda. What it will ultimately be and could become is still up for debate; yes, there should be principled and serious opposition to Ashley, but what are the wider issues? Where would it go post Ashley? The biggest danger facing Newcastle at present is not relegation. It is not their billionaire owner. It is not Dennis Wise. And it is not anger, impatience or militancy. It is apathy. For home matches, attendances have often been 5,000 below capacity and after years of heartache and underachievement, there is widespread muttering about season tickets not being renewed, of hope finally being extinguished. But it is there. If supporters have less power than they used to, they still have some and those who step out into the freezing weather and head for the Irish Centre will be reclaiming their club. Membership of the NUSC is not required. As they put it themselves, they wish to “establish some common ground. Bring with you your thoughts, your anger, your hope, your ideas, your wants, your needs.” The NUSC has already promoted a boycott of official club merchandise and has written to Ashley to request a meeting, anywhere in the country, on his terms, simply to discern his plans for Newcastle. As they anticipated, their letter was ignored. But the greater the numbers, the louder the voices, the more difficult it will be for ears to be blocked. There is hope for Newcastle; it just needs seeking out.s LIVE NUSC STREAM HERE

You're right in the sense the only plan ever was a quick sale after a cheap buy. I don't think he ever wanted to be here more than a year or two, to balance the books and sell on at a profit.

Miss him.

He needs the attention, people with ADHD tend to tell a lot of lies just to try and get someone interested in them. Ewerk was spot on. Er no they dont Dr Jon Thats borderline personality disorder What other difficulties can occur alongside ADHD? ADHD often occurs alongside other difficulties and is not the sole cause of problem behaviour. Children may exhibit temper tantrums, sleep disorders, and be clumsy. Other behavioural problems that occur with ADHD include: confrontational defiant behaviour, which occurs in 60 per cent of children. The child loses their temper, argues and refuses to comply with adults and deliberately annoys others. conduct disorders occur in at least 25 per cent of children. The child may be destructive or show deceitful behaviour such as lying, breaking rules and stealing. If that doesn't sum up exactly the way Attain acts on forums I don't know what does! You have to admit it is funny though, getting mongs like you to have a bit of a 'tantrum'. As for the personal attacks, they just make me laugh everytime. You are like a 5 year old, 'she stole my dolly'. Grow up. I think its funny that you think you have "won" no matter how many people laugh at (not with, easily confused) you. Fop Jnr In the rankings is he above or below Manc-Foplite?

Just wanted to give myself and the rest of the fans some false hope. Regards.

Created to explain naughty middle class kids originally. Aye and lazy middle class parenting. These children are normally called Twizzle or Hector or Dandelion Goldilocks or summat....Here's an idea, give them a silly name and then pump them full of mind bending drugs.

Who's idea was it to sign Smith and Viduka?

....and who agreed those silly wages for hasbeens (Catnapper, Smith, Unfituka) anyway? Yes fatty himself.

I agree with most of that. He jumped in and thought he'd actually acquired the club fairly cheaply, he didn't do his homework and got bitten on the arse by a bigger cowboy FS.

Should have let this bumbling clown go.

He's doing all right at the moment anyway, £10m squirrelled away this window and the Milner money is still on a beach somewhere sunning itself. "Totally agree people should show their frustration and the club is being run bady from a first team pov. But he will have been calculating exactly how much to spend or profit with an eye on the bottom line. It is a classic baseline investment approach where growth/profit is extrapulated from within the business and not from returns on outlay."

ADHD is a made up thing anyway. Let the children play I say!

Whatever profit he made from this last window I guess...about £2 million? Nearer 8 million isn't it? + wages saved.

Did the predictor again 10th.

Can't remember the game now but he was about 10-12 yards out and just needed to head it, but tried some kind of panicked overhead. Near goal the ball just seems to frighten him.

It could be like a whole new signing indeed Imagine the sheer shock in the football world if Alan Smith banged in 15 goals by the end of the season and kept us up ... a boy can dream. Sadly I would need soft drugs to make the leap of imagination I think we'd need a bit more than soft mate.

Of course!!

Totally agree people should show their frustration and the club is being run bady from a first team pov. But he will have been calculating exactly how much to spend or profit with an eye on the bottom line. It is a classic baseline investment approach where growth/profit is extrapulated from within the business and not from returns on outlay.

Jinx

What are your expectations and where should he be played?

Aye his one size fits all business strategy is...... interesting (and ). People need to stop banging on about incompetance as MA is doing exactly what he wants. Are you saying they are mutually exclusive? Well if in his own mind he is pursueing his own strategy he isn't really being incompetant, I get what you mean though. It clearly is foohardy I agree. But hey're not doing it cause they are idiots or something, it is calculated. My feeling is he still wants to sell at the earliest oppurtunity.

....also Benny is turning out to be a bit of a nutter.

Aye his one size fits all business strategy is...... interesting (and ). People need to stop banging on about incompetance as MA is doing exactly what he wants.

He's just supporting the baseline, very basic investment strategy and totally unsuited to football club running.

He's got MA's cock lodged in his throat. Common knowledge.