So has Shepherd gone completely?

[MattM4 0]

I thought our beloved Fatman was going to be staying on as chairman under the new regime, and I was away all last week (it's hard to get back into the forumite rhythm with page loads of new topics).

 

Now there's all this talk coming from this Chris Mort bloke

 

*is confused*

 

 

... but it all sounds very positive!

[sammynb 3355]

I thought our beloved Fatman was going to be staying on as chairman under the new regime, and I was away all last week (it's hard to get back into the forumite rhythm with page loads of new topics).

 

Now there's all this talk coming from this Chris Mort bloke

 

*is confused*

 

 

... but it all sounds very positive!

Fat man - still ill (allegedly)

Chris Mort - Laura's man!

 

That help?

[Ken 119]

Fat Fred is staying, so I believe. He is being made to earn the two year salary he wrote into his own contract.

Chris Mort, although Deputy Chairman is actually calling the shots, business wise. I like it.

[tinofbeans 91]

agree with Ken on this, the chubster will have to raise a sweat to get his money, if he doesn't perform he's out.

[Jimbo 175]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/p...m=1&bbram=1

[Guest Patrokles]

I thought there was a quote from Mort saying Fred will stay on for a little while to smooth the transition, then he'll be off.

[Jimbo 175]

Reading between the lines of the BBC interview with Mort, it seems that the new regimen as a part of their review of the club will review what were Shepherd's plans for the club prior to the takeover, I got the feeling that if that didn't match their vision of the club then Shepherd might be off, but even so it sounds that Shepherd is still a very ill man.

[Dr Gloom 21922]

has Shepherd gone completely?

 

he may as well as. definition of a lame duck tbh

[East Stander 0]

I thought there was a quote from Mort saying Fred will stay on for a little while to smooth the transition, then he'll be off.

 

Direct quote from article in today's Journal

 

 

“We’ve asked Freddie to stay around while we do the strategic review,” added Mort. “He’s not well and the first priority for him, his family and for us is for him to get better. Moving forward, we will think it through as we do that (review). The plan in reality is that over time I will take on the senior role and Freddie will look to step away. But it will be useful to have his perspective because he has been in the driving seat for so long.”

[Ally 0]

'For a while'. So in other words he's fucking off.

 

Don't like the guy for footballing reasons but I hope he gets better soon, sounds nasty what he's got.

[Sicklee Sausage Roll 0]

'For a while'. So in other words he's fucking off.

 

Don't like the guy for footballing reasons but I hope he gets better soon, sounds nasty what he's got.

 

I hope there's a release clause in whatever he's contracted.

[luckyluke 2]

[ewerk 30610]

Sounds like Mort is gonna take over as chairman when the fat man fucks off.

 

WOR & PEACE

By Martin Hardy

NEW tough-talking Newcastle chief Chris Mort has promised to stop his players quitting St James' Park ... by banning get-out clauses.

 

He has also pledged to put a stop to the lavish excesses and soft-touch reputation of a club that has blown over £250million in a decade and won nothing.

 

The Magpies are powerless to hold on to star strikers Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins because of the deals that brought them in.

 

Owen can go for £9m and Martins can quit if a bid of £13m is received.

 

Mort, installed as deputy chairman by billionaire Mike Ashley, will take over full power from Freddy Shepherd in the next couple of months.

 

"We need to go forward and clearly we would prefer not to have those kind of provisions in the contracts," said Mort.

 

 

"The guys who brought players in felt they did what they had to do to get them through the door.

 

 

"However, the debt levels have got a bit too high and I don't think it will do any harm to have someone coming in with a fresh pair of eyes.

 

 

"I think it's a combination of things. Clearly, the debt has been raised with some of the player transfers.

 

 

"I will look at whether it would make sense to bring in any specific individuals in specific roles to improve things.

 

 

"The intention in the initial period is to look at how the club is currently run but I intend to stay beyond that - I've not come in with a view to stepping down in a couple of months' time, this is absolutely longer term than that.

 

 

"It's a fabulous challenge we've taken on.

 

 

There are negative aspects to it, but they are far out-weighed by positive aspects."

 

 

Mort, a 41-year-old lawyer, has admitted he will act like Peter Kenyon does with Roman Abramovich at Chelsea.

 

 

And he has warned manager Sam Allardyce that he will say no if he does not feel deals are right.

 

 

"AmI strong enough to say no to Sam? Yes, absolutely," he added.

 

 

"If I want to do my job properly, I'm not going to come in a confrontational way.

 

 

"Sam and I are going to work together. He's clearly going to lead the charge on who the player targets are. He has the skills to do that.

 

 

"Sam's appointment happened before we got involved. Sam was already the manager when we started talking to Sir John (Hall).

 

 

"But Sam has to be given time. I think one of the difficulties the club has had is it's lost some stability over the years. If we can give him some stability, I think that would help him to take the club forward.

 

 

"Sam is a big enough name to do that.

 

 

"Is it similar to Abramovich and Kenyon? Yes, potentially. I've been asked to run the club on a day-to-day basis, so I guess it's comparable in some ways.

 

 

"I think the fans would love to get at the top of the table and that's certainly the desire.

 

 

"But I think those expectations aren't there currently because that's not what the club have been doing in recent years."