Ashley hopes to sell United this week

[Fop 1]

Desperate situation has got worse

 

10:09am Thursday 25th June 2009

 

 

 

 

YOU have to hand it to Mike Ashley, he doesn’t do things by half.

 

Not content with running Newcastle United into the ground last season, the outgoing Magpies owner now appears to be doing all he can to ensure the club starts life in the Championship in the worst possible position.

 

Four-and-a-half weeks on from last month’s devastating defeat at Aston Villa, and a situation that looked desperate at the time has only got worse.

 

In the intervening period, Ashley has done nothing.

 

Okay, not exactly nothing – it’s Wimbledon fortnight so he’s probably managed to knock out a few cut-price tennis balls – but in terms of preparing Newcastle for next season, progress has been non-existent.

 

No one has arrived, and more importantly, no one has left either. Other, of course, from the hundred-orso low-paid club employees who inevitably paid the price for Newcastle’s allround incompetence.

 

The process of selling the club limps on interminably, with Ashley and the equally hapless Derek Llambias hiding behind a raft of confidentiality agreements to maintain a wall of silence that has alienated supporters for more than two seasons.

 

We keep hearing suggestions that two competing consortia are talking terms with brokers Seymour Pierce, but then we’ve been hearing that for a couple of weeks now and the status quo remains.

 

And all the while, the clock is ticking. Newcastle’s players – and there are still plenty of them on £50,000-aweek – are due to return for the start of pre-season training next Wednesday. When they do so, it is imperative that a full-time manager is there to greet them. To make things even simpler, it is imperative that manager is Alan Shearer.

 

Ashley has kept his managerial options open in the last month, claiming it would be counter-productive to install a new boss at such a delicate stage of takeover proceedings.

 

Perhaps, at the start of the month, that was true.

 

Now, though, The situation has changed, and if Newcastle are to have any chance of hitting the ground running in August, they need a fulltime manager to sift through the wreckage of what remains from last season.

 

What they don’t need is Chris Hughton handing out a few bibs and cones as a group of disillusioned players trudge back to work.

 

Hughton’s limitations have been cruelly exposed, and if he was to begin a third caretaker spell in charge of the Magpies next week, the message would be one of impermanence and confusion.

 

The start of pre-season training should represent a line in the sand, but how can Newcastle possibly embark on a new era if no one knows who will be leading them through their pre-season programme?

 

Ashley has dealt in ‘What ifs’ when it comes to Shearer.

 

What if the new owners don’t want him? What if they are reluctant to meet his contract demands?

 

Fine, but with less than a week of the summer training break to go, the ‘What ifs’ are now outweighed by the ‘What if nots’.

 

If Shearer is not installed before the middle of next week, it is hard to see how anyone can have any confidence about where the club is headed.

 

The players want Shearer, the supporters want Shearer and all the prospective new owners appear to want the former number nine as well.

 

To his immense credit, Shearer still wants the job despite all the to-ing and fro-ing of the last four weeks.

 

It seems a no-brainer, but then that description seems to fit Ashley perfectly. It will be his biggest mistake - and that’s saying something - if Shearer is not installed before Wednesday.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/445..._has_got_worse/

 

[Ayatollah Hermione 13760]

Not proclaiming any psychic powers or be ITK or anything but this is panning out pretty much the way i thought - I don't beleive there are any buyers its just a charade to get past another transfer window

 

I'm starting to get into that mode now. I hate to be overly cynical and Parkyish but there's a whiff of piss-taking and conspiracy about the whole thing. I expect Hughton to lead us out against West Brom with our second string playing.

[Park Life 71]

Not proclaiming any psychic powers or be ITK or anything but this is panning out pretty much the way i thought - I don't beleive there are any buyers its just a charade to get past another transfer window

 

I've been hinting at it on N.O. and the frothing has been unreal.

[Park Life 71]

Not proclaiming any psychic powers or be ITK or anything but this is panning out pretty much the way i thought - I don't beleive there are any buyers its just a charade to get past another transfer window

 

I'm starting to get into that mode now. I hate to be overly cynical and Parkyish but there's a whiff of piss-taking and conspiracy about the whole thing. I expect Hughton to lead us out against West Brom with our second string playing.

 

I remember a time not so long ago when I used to be positive.

[TheMoog 0]

Not proclaiming any psychic powers or be ITK or anything but this is panning out pretty much the way i thought - I don't beleive there are any buyers its just a charade to get past another transfer window

 

I'm starting to get into that mode now. I hate to be overly cynical and Parkyish but there's a whiff of piss-taking and conspiracy about the whole thing. I expect Hughton to lead us out against West Brom with our second string playing.

 

I remember a time not so long ago when I used to be positive.

 

There's no staying frosty anymore bud, Ashley's killed the spirit of everyone.

[Ayatollah Hermione 13760]

Not proclaiming any psychic powers or be ITK or anything but this is panning out pretty much the way i thought - I don't beleive there are any buyers its just a charade to get past another transfer window

 

I'm starting to get into that mode now. I hate to be overly cynical and Parkyish but there's a whiff of piss-taking and conspiracy about the whole thing. I expect Hughton to lead us out against West Brom with our second string playing.

 

I remember a time not so long ago when I used to be positive.

 

I think we all used to be. Somewhere, that kid who used to post the optimistic team threads is slowly having his innocence raped.

[micktoon 0]

Something really fucking stinks about all of this

[Norbert Colon 0]

Just caught the end of a conversation on talksport with george caulkin and he is adamant somthing is goin to happen tomorrow - it seems like its always fuckin tomorrow/end of the week/next wednesday - sceptical to say the least

[Jimbo 172]

from some ITK on Skunkers:

 

* Ashley has been at St James' once since season ended.

* Lambias not been near for a fortnight

* Shearer stormed out of meeting down south

* The folks made redundant were all the management types

* Nobody around to tell staff what to do, so standing around doing nothing

* No excess money to be spent, so they are half way through replacing executive chairs and have had to stop (after ripping all old ones out)

* The most senior member of staff there every day is a 27 year old accountant

* Three players (Duff, Smith, Enrique) refusing to leave unless Newcastle guarentee they will pay the difference in loss in wages for the duration of current contract.

 

They are in big fecking trouble, so much so apparently receivership could be as near as a fortnight.

[Tom 14011]

from some ITK on Skunkers:

 

 

[Jinky Jim 0]

from some ITK on Skunkers:

 

* Ashley has been at St James' once since season ended.

* Lambias not been near for a fortnight

* Shearer stormed out of meeting down south

* The folks made redundant were all the management types

* Nobody around to tell staff what to do, so standing around doing nothing

* No excess money to be spent, so they are half way through replacing executive chairs and have had to stop (after ripping all old ones out)

* The most senior member of staff there every day is a 27 year old accountant

* Three players (Duff, Smith, Enrique) refusing to leave unless Newcastle guarentee they will pay the difference in loss in wages for the duration of current contract.

 

They are in big fecking trouble, so much so apparently receivership could be as near as a fortnight.

 

 

Lad who gets in pub works for Newcastle and is proper (pre 92) Newcastle fan. Anyway main points are these

 

This is the Skunkers ITK.

 

Mate in a pub ITK !!!!

[Fop 1]

Not proclaiming any psychic powers or be ITK or anything but this is panning out pretty much the way i thought - I don't beleive there are any buyers its just a charade to get past another transfer window

 

I'm starting to get into that mode now. I hate to be overly cynical and Parkyish but there's a whiff of piss-taking and conspiracy about the whole thing. I expect Hughton to lead us out against West Brom with our second string playing.

 

I remember a time not so long ago when I used to be positive.

 

Fairly positive Assley is a twat.

[Howay 12496]

If that's all true I must say it doesn't surprise me, the last bit is sickening btw not only will they play to such a low standard they get relegated they then think it's fair to demand the club make up the difference when they move on as if we fucking owe them something.

[snakehips 0]

What I want to know is this: When will Max the plumber be returning to Ramsey Street (Neighbours).

[Toonpack 9106]

from some ITK on Skunkers:

 

 

 

 

You'd be surprised young Thomas

 

That post first appeared on RTG btw

[nufc4ever 0]

from some ITK on Skunkers:

 

 

 

 

You'd be surprised young Thomas

 

That post first appeared on RTG btw

 

Cheers, was racking my brain trying to remember where I'd seen it.

 

http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=419270

Edited June 25, 2009 by nufc4ever

[LeazesMag 0]

from some ITK on Skunkers:

 

 

 

 

You'd be surprised young Thomas

 

That post first appeared on RTG btw

 

Cheers, was racking my brain trying to remember where I'd seen it.

 

http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=419270

 

still acting the big guy and banning people behind the keyboard ?

 

Wanker.

[Isegrim 9677]

Only 20 mins? Not bad for his age...

[ewerk 30160]

[Kitman 2204]

Not proclaiming any psychic powers or be ITK or anything but this is panning out pretty much the way i thought - I don't beleive there are any buyers its just a charade to get past another transfer window

 

I'm starting to get into that mode now. I hate to be overly cynical and Parkyish but there's a whiff of piss-taking and conspiracy about the whole thing. I expect Hughton to lead us out against West Brom with our second string playing.

 

I remember a time not so long ago when I used to be positive.

 

There's no staying frosty anymore bud, Ashley's killed the spirit of everyone.

 

Nonsense, we haven't kicked a ball in anger yet. Never surrender. It's always darkest before dawn. We shall overcome. And any other cliche I can think of. But seriously, there's an end of empire feel to all of this......I think Ashley's going and will be gone soon. I will keep on hoping.