Promising????

[Christmas Tree 4858]

From today's Journal

 

 

NEWCASTLE United have put a transfer embargo in place which will prevent the departure of any of the club’s wantaway stars until a takeover has been completed.

 

Several Newcastle players, including Sebastien Bassong, Jonas Gutierrez and Habib Beye, have already publicly stated their intention to leave St James’s Park following the disaster of relegation.

 

Many more have also privately warned they will be forced to hand in a transfer request if Alan Shearer is not appointed manager by the start of next week.

 

Morale has hit rock-bottom behind the scenes at St James’s Park and some fear a full-scale player revolt unless some sort of breakthrough is made on the managerial front.

 

However, The Journal understands the club will not accept any written transfer requests or offers for their players until new owners are in place, despite a wage bill of more than £65m a year which is crippling its finances.

 

A senior United source said last night: “There will be no players coming or going until the takeover has been completed. There will not be a firesale and it is up to the new owners and manager to decide who comes and who goes.

 

“The transfer market does not really get going until August, and Newcastle will not be doing any business until a buyer has been found. It is all on hold.”

 

That position was backed up by Alex Black, the agent of United striker Alan Smith, who has been heavily linked with a move to Blackburn Rovers this week.

 

When asked about the future of the former Leeds and Manchester United player, Black claimed there was no point worrying about it at the moment because of the embargo.

 

He said: “Nothing has changed at this moment in time regarding Alan Smith. It is exactly as it was.

 

“To be honest, there is no point even worrying about it.

 

“Newcastle United have put a sort of embargo on any players moving in or out of the club until the situation is resolved in terms of ownership.

 

“So, what can you do until that is sorted out?

 

“There is no point worrying about it, as it is in Newcastle’s hands.”

 

That is bound to frustrate the likes of Beye and Bassong, although supporters will hope the embargo will not be lifted until Shearer is appointed, which will at least give the former Magpies skipper the chance to persuade them to change their mind.

 

Newcastle have received offers for Bassong, Obafemi Martins and Fabricio Coloccini already this summer, but all

 

are expected to continue to prepare for the new season with United, despite the state of limbo which continues to damage the team’s chance of making an immediate return to the top flight.

 

Although hopes of a sale have begun to fade rapidly among United fans after weeks of delays and passing deadlines, United sources have also attempted to reassure The Journal the club will still be sold this summer.

 

The same senior club official insisted last night that several groups remain interested in completing a £100m deal and claimed Seymour Pierce, the bank in charge of the sale process, remain confident a resolution to the increasingly damaging saga will come before the start of the Championship campaign on August 8.

 

That, though, has done little to relieve the tension on Tyneside, with manager-in-waiting Shearer a frustrated spectator at his home in Northumberland and supporters utterly disillusioned by the farcical situation.

 

While no-one believes nowt these days and rightly so, you do have to think it would not be in Ashleys interests to block players from leaving. This in-fact goes against earlier statements that everyone is for sale.

[Guest alex]

Don't you think it could be a case of they have received no offers for the 'stars' they have (or said players won't move on reduced wages) so they're coming out and saying there's an embargo? Sounds more feasible than an imminent sale to my ultra-cynical mind. Then if an offer does come in they'll just say it was too good to refuse/was for the good of the club/with the approval of the new owners (who don't even exist anyway). Just my 24d.

[The Fish 10978]

To be honest that may just be because there's a sale "in progress" doesn't mean it'll be resolved any time soon, nor does it mean the offer will progress all the way to completion.

[sammynb 3524]

A senior United source said last night: “There will be no players coming or going until the takeover has been completed. There will not be a firesale and it is up to the new owners and manager to decide who comes and who goes.

 

“The transfer market does not really get going until August, and Newcastle will not be doing any business until a buyer has been found. It is all on hold.”

 

Seriously, who the fuck are they kidding?

August?

No wonder we are such a shambles.

[ewerk 31237]

A senior United source said last night: “There will be no players coming or going until the takeover has been completed. There will not be a firesale and it is up to the new owners and manager to decide who comes and who goes.

 

“The transfer market does not really get going until August, and Newcastle will not be doing any business until a buyer has been found. It is all on hold.”

 

Seriously, who the fuck are they kidding?

August?

No wonder we are such a shambles.

 

That reminds me, what's Le Sib up to these days?

[Craig 6700]

Players want to leave, no-one is going to want to come with the current setup in charge so without an embargo in place the only certainy would be that the club's value would drop.

 

The embargo is entirely Ashley's way of maintaining the value until the club is sold - nothing else. And all it'll serve to do is piss off the players who, the minute the embargo is lifted will signal their intention to leave.

 

We're in a complete mess!

[Christmas Tree 4858]

But originally they were all up for sale, in fact I remember an agency being appointed to tout them all.

 

A lot of what has been written lately has to do with the club looking unattractive due to the high wage bill. Surely therefore reducing the wage bill would make the club more attractive to potential buyers.

 

I can not understand why any of these so called journalists can not dig a bit deeper or at least put some pressure on the likes of lambias through there columns. There fucking keen to have a go at us lot.

 

Why not a few articles regarding the two bids of 100 mill derek etc etc.

 

Lazy desk ridden wankers.

[Guest alex]

But originally they were all up for sale, in fact I remember an agency being appointed to tout them all.

At about the same time Shearer was supposedly identifying players to sign (even though he wasn't manager) and Bassong was being offered a new and much improved contract to stay though so you take everything with a liberal dose of salt.

Edited July 17, 2009 by alex

[sammynb 3524]

Let's be honest Ashley and Decka are easy targets.

They are clueless, liars and complete cunts.

And they are silent.

Unfortunately the fact they are all of the above and running our club makes it worse.

[Park Life 71]

A casino boss ffs!! You really couldn't dream it up. A man with almost no idea about the football business..

[Asprilla 96]

A casino boss ffs!! You really couldn't dream it up. A man with no idea about the football business..

fyp

[peasepud 59]

But originally they were all up for sale, in fact I remember an agency being appointed to tout them all.

At about the same time Shearer was supposedly identifying players to sign (even though he wasn't manager) and Bassong was being offered a new and much improved contract to stay though so you take everything with a liberal dose of salt.

 

Im guessing the Government will have to mobilise a medical task force up here soon with the dangerous levels of salt we're now taking each day.

[The Fish 10978]

Pud, is the feeling that NUSC has sufficient weight to in any way influence, if not the progression of the sale, at least the disclosure of the progression?

 

I'd be a little less frustrated if someone from the FA with gravitas came out with "The two remaining parties are satisfied with the finances they've seen, they have a few questions about personnel and facilities, these discussions are expected to take three days" Despite that not exactly telling us anything, we'd get a sense that things are actually moving along.

 

It just feels like they've gone into a room and locked the door, until they're owners lock stock and barrel, we, the fans are to be ignored.

[Park Life 71]

But originally they were all up for sale, in fact I remember an agency being appointed to tout them all.

At about the same time Shearer was supposedly identifying players to sign (even though he wasn't manager) and Bassong was being offered a new and much improved contract to stay though so you take everything with a liberal dose of salt.

 

Im guessing the Government will have to mobilise a medical task force up here soon with the dangerous levels of salt we're now taking each day.

 

Military grade at that.

[sammynb 3524]

if someone from the FA

 

Why hasn't someone from the FA made a comment on anything to do with the clubs situation?

One of the largest clubs in the world, currently being run into the ground by an obviously unfit owner, you'd think they'd be panicking over what could happen?

[Christmas Tree 4858]

Pud, is the feeling that NUSC has sufficient weight to in any way influence, if not the progression of the sale, at least the disclosure of the progression?

 

I'd be a little less frustrated if someone from the FA with gravitas came out with "The two remaining parties are satisfied with the finances they've seen, they have a few questions about personnel and facilities, these discussions are expected to take three days" Despite that not exactly telling us anything, we'd get a sense that things are actually moving along.

 

It just feels like they've gone into a room and locked the door, until they're owners lock stock and barrel, we, the fans are to be ignored.

 

 

The only people who have any chance of extracting any info either by good means or bad are the press. Lee Ryder keeps quoting a "united source" and the quotes a shitty one liner. Why doesnt he get a few paragraphs from the squealer. They claim to be in the know then just produce dribbles of nowtness.

 

Again it is also surprising that the locals on the nationals are not doing a bit more to find a squeeler or shame the fuckers.

[Park Life 71]

if someone from the FA

 

Why hasn't someone from the FA made a comment on anything to do with the clubs situation?

One of the largest clubs in the world, currently being run into the ground by an obviously unfit owner, you'd think they'd be panicking over what could happen?

 

If the club does financially implode, there might be grounds for legal action from the supporters. Not sure if there is precedent for this, but the EU Court for Human rights has large ears.

[The Fish 10978]

if someone from the FA

 

Why hasn't someone from the FA made a comment on anything to do with the clubs situation?

One of the largest clubs in the world, currently being run into the ground by an obviously unfit owner, you'd think they'd be panicking over what could happen?

 

They might be trying to cover their arse, it was, after all, they themselves who said he was fit to be an owner.

[peasepud 59]

Pud, is the feeling that NUSC has sufficient weight to in any way influence, if not the progression of the sale, at least the disclosure of the progression?

 

I'd be a little less frustrated if someone from the FA with gravitas came out with "The two remaining parties are satisfied with the finances they've seen, they have a few questions about personnel and facilities, these discussions are expected to take three days" Despite that not exactly telling us anything, we'd get a sense that things are actually moving along.

 

It just feels like they've gone into a room and locked the door, until they're owners lock stock and barrel, we, the fans are to be ignored.

 

Simple honest answer?

 

No.

 

There is little chance we can influence the sale of the club, what we can and are doing is promoting the importance of the fans to the buyers. We dont know who they are obviously but we provide information to the press, the club and Seymour Pierce if required. Showing them that regardless of what went on last season, buy this club, do right by it and you'll not find a better place to own as far as the fans are concerned. When this club is doing well the merchandising sales go through the roof, season tickets would be back up to 40k+ and there'd be a queue round the back of the Gallowgate to snap up the couple of thousand general sale tickets.

 

I guess the NUSC could come out publically and ask for information but chances are that the stock answers of "confidentiality clauses" would just be trotted out and frankly personally I dont want to hear Decka open his mouth as I dont trust a word coming out of it. Its got to the point where I long to hear him say "me and Mike are here for the long term, see you next week." as then Id have a glimmer of hope that they were about to depart.