The Source of Hughton speculation

[ChezGiven 0]

Mick Harford was playing cricket with Joe Kinnear at the Bunbury CC who said he fancied a return to Newcastle (pissed up in the club house). Mick Harford then said this in an interview with Mark Douglas (or one of the Sunday Sun bloggers), this was picked up by Simon Bird who published it. Many of his twitter followers gave him grief for taking an idiotic source/angle national and he then retracted the idea. However, it was now in the national press and soon after some heavy gamblers put some money down causing further press speculation.

 

Fuck all to do with the fans, the club or least of all the players.

[Happy Face 29]

Which one's Simon Bird?

[Guest alex]

Mick Harford was playing cricket with Joe Kinnear at the Bunbury CC who said he fancied a return to Newcastle (pissed up in the club house). Mick Harford then said this in an interview with Mark Douglas (or one of the Sunday Sun bloggers), this was picked up by Simon Bird who published it. Many of his twitter followers gave him grief for taking an idiotic source/angle national and he then retracted the idea. However, it was now in the national press and soon after some heavy gamblers put some money down causing further press speculation.

 

Fuck all to do with the fans, the club or least of all the players.

This was actually on Radio 5 about 2 weeks ago. They must be fucking short of celebs to play for them btw.

[ChezGiven 0]

Mick Harford was playing cricket with Joe Kinnear at the Bunbury CC who said he fancied a return to Newcastle (pissed up in the club house). Mick Harford then said this in an interview with Mark Douglas (or one of the Sunday Sun bloggers), this was picked up by Simon Bird who published it. Many of his twitter followers gave him grief for taking an idiotic source/angle national and he then retracted the idea. However, it was now in the national press and soon after some heavy gamblers put some money down causing further press speculation.

 

Fuck all to do with the fans, the club or least of all the players.

This was actually on Radio 5 about 2 weeks ago. They must be fucking short of celebs to play for them btw.

Maybe JFK is handy with a bat?

 

Is that it though (the source) or is there anything else anyone has heard? There are obvioulsy issues going on at the club so when you delve deeper into the situation there is more material about contracts etc but this all started 2 weeks ago and it was Mick Harford afaict.

[Guest alex]

Mick Harford was playing cricket with Joe Kinnear at the Bunbury CC who said he fancied a return to Newcastle (pissed up in the club house). Mick Harford then said this in an interview with Mark Douglas (or one of the Sunday Sun bloggers), this was picked up by Simon Bird who published it. Many of his twitter followers gave him grief for taking an idiotic source/angle national and he then retracted the idea. However, it was now in the national press and soon after some heavy gamblers put some money down causing further press speculation.

 

Fuck all to do with the fans, the club or least of all the players.

This was actually on Radio 5 about 2 weeks ago. They must be fucking short of celebs to play for them btw.

Maybe JFK is handy with a bat?

 

Is that it though (the source) or is there anything else anyone has heard? There are obvioulsy issues going on at the club so when you delve deeper into the situation there is more material about contracts etc but this all started 2 weeks ago and it was Mick Harford afaict.

Don't know if there's anything more to it but this was the source of the JFK story, aye. Probably all there is to it although I've heard rumours about Pardew and Curbishley being sounded out (no idea if there's any truth to them). Seems totally pointless appointing either of those in place of CH (and that was my view before Sunday too).

Edited November 2, 2010 by alex

[Dr Gloom 22216]

it's always been a bullshit non story. it's clear the fans aren't calling for his head - he might even have close to 100% support from the terraces now after the result at the weekend plus the players are all behind him. i was wondering where it came from. it's almost like the media had to stir some some shite up because we're doing ok and we haven't been a soap opera this season. it will have disappointed more than a few of them.

 

the contract issue on the other hand is a real story and should be addressed.

[Happy Face 29]

Mark Douglas had the Kinnear "story" in the Sunday Sun on 10/10....

 

http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/sport/newcastle...79310-27439092/

 

Dunno when Simon Bird tweeted it but The Daily Mail was the first place I read hughton's job was on the line....that was the Monday after the Wigan game (18th) cos they said Collo saved him his job.

[ChezGiven 0]

Mark Douglas had the Kinnear "story" in the Sunday Sun on 10/10....

 

http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/sport/newcastle...79310-27439092/

 

Dunno when Simon Bird tweeted it but The Daily Mail was the first place I read hughton's job was on the line....that was the Monday after the Wigan game (18th) cos they said Collo saved him his job.

 

Dont think he just tweeted it, think he may have published something too. The Daily Mail piece was after the Harford interview, so that may well have been where their story comes from.

 

Unless the club have sounded out Pardew / Jol / Curbishley and this has leaked from their side, it would appear to be the Sunday Sun piece on the 10th.

[AgentAxeman 190]

Fucking hell, Pardew??

 

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY HUGHTON!

[Happy Face 29]

His Wigan match report on the 17th said "With every home disappointment, his position as manager is weakened."

 

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Newca...icle602887.html

 

Content free as the mail article was, perhaps they did base it on such a throw-away line from Bird.

Edited November 2, 2010 by Happy Face

[Mac-Toon 1]

 

That's Simon Bird from the Mirror. He was at a couple of NUSC meetings and was hammered for being so negative towards NUFC and jumping on the bandwagon but to be fair to him he spoke up and put his views across - He's actually not as much of a nob as he comes across in some of his pieces in the mirror.

 

Mick Hartford is a fuckwit and has always been one and he talks as much wet as his pal JFK. We sell papers as people are interested in our club, now that's a fact. Regardless of others saying it's due to us being a laughing stock it's due to the stature of the club.

[Guest alex]

Sums up Kinnear that he took exception to a headline (which Bird didn't write) rather than the article written by Bird (which Kinnear hadn't read).

[Mac-Toon 1]

Sums up Kinnear that he took exception to a headline (which Bird didn't write) rather than the article written by Bird (which Kinnear hadn't read).

 

The bloke's a fuckin' helmet, man.

[Giraffidae 0]

Simon Bird’s article today about the sports shop owner and the casino manager’s philosophy:

 

Revealed: Why Newcastle have still not rewarded Chris Hughton with a new contract

 

To understand why Chris Hughton is being left in managerial limbo, you have to understand how Newcastle United is being run these days.

Owner Mike Ashley and MD Derek Llambias have a ruthless streak when it comes to striking deals. Every pound the club spends is being fought over.

 

For instance, gone are cosy deals with agents who have found it too easy to cream off their 10 per cent, or more, in fees for the entire multi-million value of a contract. In has come hard, aggressive bargaining, with negotiations completed on Newcastle's terms, and fees slashed to a minimum.

 

Most fans, I believe, would agree with their club's cash being saved in such a way, even if it rubs some people up in football the wrong way.

 

Ashley and Llambias are trying to apply methods from the cut-throat, cost conscious world of retailing, into football. The books are looking better for it and one day soon the club might break even, even if plenty in the game say: But that's not the way we have always done it.

 

The contractual situation Hughton finds himself is unfortunate.

 

His two year deal expires in June. An initial offer (let us assume it was hardly generous compared to other Premier League managers' pay) was made earlier in the season, rejected by the manager, and withdrawn by the club.

 

And so now he finds himself in a sort of managerial limbo with precious little security, and underpaid considering value he's added to United's balance sheet.

 

The club, as is now their policy, are playing hardball and not just with Hughton. It's also led to rows with players over their bonus system this season, and to contract negotiations with players breaking down in acrimony - notably the public spat, and transfer listing of defender Steven Taylor over his alleged wage demands.

 

MirrorSport revealed a fortnight ago Hughton was "on trial", a fact backed up by last week's statement that United would only look to renegotiate Hughton's contract in the New Year.

 

On the face of it is seems a sensible approach. Newcastle's owner wants to see if Hughton can cut it in the Premier League - not just to survive but to finish mid-table - before committing the club to a further two year deal worth £1 million plus.

 

Ashley, who has been putting in £25 million a year to keep the club ticking over, has been stung on managerial pay off's before. Remember Sam Allardyce walked away with £3 million-plus and now has a lovely villa in Spain named Casa St James'.

 

The argument from the club is: why hand Hughton an enhanced new deal now, when it might all have gone wrong by the end of the season, which would inevitably lead to a managerial switch and an expensive pay off.

 

United probably think they have a very strong hand. Hughton is cheap to sack, won't get a bigger job than this if he moves on (although he might get a better paid offer), and has just lost his No2 Colin Calderwood.

 

He is also such a decent bloke that he will keep any frustrations private, towing the party line in public, rather than rocking the boat like other managers would do faced with the challenges of holding Newcastle's fragile coalition together.

 

Maybe Ashley and Llambias also enjoy the tension, keeping their manager on his toes and left guessing whether he has a future?

 

Maybe they think they need a more glitzy, high profile boss to catch the eye of the Sky TV executives who dish out £500,000 per live match?

 

But there are problems too with Ashley and Llambias's current approach.

 

Nurturing a club means backing your boss and creating a supportive, stable environment for manager, players and potential new recruits.

 

It means showing there is a long plan, and the personnel in place to execute it. By keeping Hughton dangling Newcastle have none of that.

 

Hughton, even before the magnificent derby win over Sunderland, is hugely popular among the fans. Sacking him now, or even before the end of the season, would cause a backlash.

 

Last week's betting frenzy, predicting he was going to be sacked, seemed bizarre given that not one supporter has called for his head this season.

 

Contrary to the old myth, Newcastle fans are patient, understanding and supportive of Hughton. They give him credit for last season's promotion, admire his understated, modest "we're all in it as a team" ethos (having seen plenty of egos pass through unsuccessfully), and simply want to survive in the top flight this season.

 

They admire the way his collegiate approach, always willing to talk to players, (while not afraid to dish out a rollicking when needed) that has built an atmosphere of togetherness in the dressing room.

 

Hughton is also an expert politician, tip-toeing through the minefield that is dealing with tough owners who like any fan, fancy they know plenty about football and want to share it.

 

Could any other boss have put up with the issues on and off the pitch that Hughton has had to deal with in the last 16 months?

 

Ashley and Llambias will have to backtrack if Hughton's contractual situation is to be stabilised quickly. I doubt that will happen.

 

But I also doubt there is a strong appetite to sack him either. If they did there would be uproar from the terraces.

 

The best outcome will be continued good form on the pitch. That will mean that come February, Hughton, hopefully bolstered by a new No2 chosen by him, and with Premier League safety on the horizon, will be able to negotiate from a position of strength, as a proven top flight boss.

 

However it turns out, no one should forget that it was Chris Hughton's managerial expertise, with backing from his players, that glued together a broken club.

 

He saved Newcastle from oblivion last season, and made/saved Ashley millions in income by gaining promotion.

 

It would be only fair to hope that somewhere along the line Hughton gets his rewards.

 

link to mirror page

Edited November 2, 2010 by Giraffidae

[Rob W 0]

we'd look a bit stupid if he went off to W ham .........................

[Park Life 71]

The Telegraph normally gives us the fairest coverage, followed by the Times.

[Billy Castell 0]

Which one's Simon Bird?

 

Don't you know.................???

 

 

I apologise.

[Monkeys Fist 43241]

Which one's Simon Bird?

 

Don't you know.................???

 

 

I apologise.

[manc-mag 1]

[ChezGiven 0]

Apparently on Norwegian TV, the presenter said the rumours were driven by gambling organisations.

[Park Life 71]

Somewhere there are a 100 monkeys looking for typewriters.

[Guest alex]

Apparently on Norwegian TV, the presenter said the rumours were driven by gambling organisations.

Hitzfeld all over again.