***Official Mike Ashley Euro express thread***

[LeazesMag 0]

Anyway, the season ends in May, not November, so this thread was a bit premature. Predictably and all too obviously.

[jaythesouthernmag 0]

a couple of teams will catch NUFC before now and the end of the season. Not sure who, Stoke maybe, but we haven't got a cat in hells chance of qualifying for europe through the league position, especially when another player is sold and the money is pocketed.

 

Will Alan Pardew be tempted to join another club, that backs their manager, soon ?

 

is that your expert view ?

Of your repetitive posts, Yes

[TicTacWoe 0]

Anyway, the season ends in May, not November, so this thread was a bit premature. Predictably and all too obviously.

 

To be fair though, 7th place is realistic wouldn't you think? This season 7th could well be a european spot.

[LeazesMag 0]

a couple of teams will catch NUFC before now and the end of the season. Not sure who, Stoke maybe, but we haven't got a cat in hells chance of qualifying for europe through the league position, especially when another player is sold and the money is pocketed.

 

Will Alan Pardew be tempted to join another club, that backs their manager, soon ?

 

is that your expert view ?

Of your repetitive posts, Yes

 

you know nowt. About anything.

 

can't believe you are 38 or 39 years old and are unable to see a selling club when it stares you in the face.

 

How many times have you seen NUFC play ?

 

Your posts are, of course, as varied and interesting as anybody else I've ever read. If you think I'm going to say how well the future is going to be when I know it is going to be nothing of the sort, you can think again.

Edited January 10, 2012 by LeazesMag

[LeazesMag 0]

Anyway, the season ends in May, not November, so this thread was a bit premature. Predictably and all too obviously.

 

To be fair though, 7th place is realistic wouldn't you think? This season 7th could well be a european spot.

 

whatever they do, it is just a blip and completely down to the manager doing a great job with his hands tied behind his back. It will not be sustained because of the approach of the club. If NUFC don't reach for the levels they ought to do, why are you happy with it ?

 

That is and always has been my entire point about Mike Ashley, ever since he bought the club. It was obvious very quickly how he was going to do things. I'm only saying the truth, it's only incredible that there are still people who can't see it.

[jaythesouthernmag 0]

a couple of teams will catch NUFC before now and the end of the season. Not sure who, Stoke maybe, but we haven't got a cat in hells chance of qualifying for europe through the league position, especially when another player is sold and the money is pocketed.

 

Will Alan Pardew be tempted to join another club, that backs their manager, soon ?

 

is that your expert view ?

Of your repetitive posts, Yes

 

you know nowt. About anything.

 

can't believe you are 38 or 39 years old and are unable to see a selling club when it stares you in the face.

 

How many times have you seen NUFC play ?

 

Your posts are, of course, as varied and interesting as anybody else I've ever read. If you think I'm going to say how well the future is going to be when I know it is going to be nothing of the sort, you can think again.

I don't expect you to post anything different. We just played Man U off the park and you say nothing. If we won the FA cup and qualified for Europe it would be a flash in the pan. You only want to moan and preach what most of us know. Just enjoy what is happening on the pitch and then pass judgement on sales and acquisitions as and when they happen.

[LeazesMag 0]

a couple of teams will catch NUFC before now and the end of the season. Not sure who, Stoke maybe, but we haven't got a cat in hells chance of qualifying for europe through the league position, especially when another player is sold and the money is pocketed.

 

Will Alan Pardew be tempted to join another club, that backs their manager, soon ?

 

is that your expert view ?

Of your repetitive posts, Yes

 

you know nowt. About anything.

 

can't believe you are 38 or 39 years old and are unable to see a selling club when it stares you in the face.

 

How many times have you seen NUFC play ?

 

Your posts are, of course, as varied and interesting as anybody else I've ever read. If you think I'm going to say how well the future is going to be when I know it is going to be nothing of the sort, you can think again.

I don't expect you to post anything different. We just played Man U off the park and you say nothing. If we won the FA cup and qualified for Europe it would be a flash in the pan. You only want to moan and preach what most of us know. Just enjoy what is happening on the pitch and then pass judgement on sales and acquisitions as and when they happen.

 

enjoy ? Maybe I think that NUFC ought to be bigger and better than they currently are ? You don't get it do you ?

 

Your expectations have been well and truly lowered chum. You also should have said to those who criticised the club when they were playing in europe and keeping our best players to "enjoy it". Now THAT is something to enjoy.

 

ManU, good as it was, is only 3 points, you don't get extra points for beating ManU, and the season is 38 games not 1 game, and I've seen us beat ManU loads of times. Typical Newcastle to play utter shite at Liverpool, and lose at home to West Brom then beat ManU. Its the inconsistency which is indicative of a lack of quality in the team. Did you go to the ManU game by the way, or did you enjoy it sitting in your armchair or the pub ?

 

I've called Mike Ashley correctly for 4 years now, and been spot on all the way. You should listen and you may learn something.

Edited January 10, 2012 by LeazesMag

[jaythesouthernmag 0]

I would say most people on here know what Ashley is about so you don't need to keep reminding everyone with your I told you so posts, very boring.

 

You could cherry pick results from most seasons where we beat top teams and lost to so called lower teams so not sure what you are getting at there

[Chronic the Drug Wasp 6]

I would say most people on here know what Ashley is about so you don't need to keep reminding everyone with your I told you so posts, very boring.

 

You could cherry pick results from most seasons where we beat top teams and lost to so called lower teams so not sure what you are getting at there

 

When we beat Man United 5-0, did we not then go to Leicester and lose 2-0?

[jaythesouthernmag 0]

I would say most people on here know what Ashley is about so you don't need to keep reminding everyone with your I told you so posts, very boring.

 

You could cherry pick results from most seasons where we beat top teams and lost to so called lower teams so not sure what you are getting at there

 

When we beat Man United 5-0, did we not then go to Leicester and lose 2-0?

So by Leazes logic that team would have lacked quality

[LeazesMag 0]

I would say most people on here know what Ashley is about so you don't need to keep reminding everyone with your I told you so posts, very boring.

 

You could cherry pick results from most seasons where we beat top teams and lost to so called lower teams so not sure what you are getting at there

 

stating league positions over the 15 year period of Mike Ashley's predecessors as compared to what has happened since, tells you everything you need to know regarding who was running the more successful and progressive club.

 

No need to cherry pick at all.

[LeazesMag 0]

I would say most people on here know what Ashley is about so you don't need to keep reminding everyone with your I told you so posts, very boring.

 

You could cherry pick results from most seasons where we beat top teams and lost to so called lower teams so not sure what you are getting at there

 

When we beat Man United 5-0, did we not then go to Leicester and lose 2-0?

So by Leazes logic that team would have lacked quality

 

please come back when we are challenging for the title in May, or you will be confident we will be challenging for the title or a Champions League place in May, rather than November

Edited January 11, 2012 by LeazesMag

[The Fish 10857]

I would say most people on here know what Ashley is about so you don't need to keep reminding everyone with your I told you so posts, very boring.

 

You could cherry pick results from most seasons where we beat top teams and lost to so called lower teams so not sure what you are getting at there

 

stating league positions over the 15 year period of Mike Ashley's predecessors as compared to what has happened since, tells you everything you need to know regarding who was running the more successful and progressive club.

 

No need to cherry pick at all.

 

There are too many variables for your argument to be valid, Leazes. For example; the gap between title challengers and the rest, the wealth of clubs.

 

If (for example) a wealthy businessman bought the club and started throwing H&S equivalent funds at the playing staff, City, Chelsea et al would, at Christmas, simply blow us out of the water. To effectively challenge for the CL spot we would to usurp one of 5 clubs. All of which can outspend us and all of which can promise more (bigger club or guarantee CL football, or by simply being in London). I look at this squad bought on a shoestring and I see perhaps the 2nd strongest spine in the Premier League behind Man City.

 

You've previously stated that you view Villa, and Spurs as our rivals (I think). Now, so far we're far behind Spurs in terms of 1st team strength, but I'd have our spine ahead of theirs. Krul is younger and will become a better 'keeper than Friedel, Colo is better than all but 100% fit King, Tiote and Cabaye are better than Parker and Modric and Ba is better than anyone they've got up front. This squad is a mix of Old style spending (Colo), new style scouting and scrimping (Cabaye, Tiote and Ba) and luck (Krul) and it's working.

 

I think that currently, Champions League is out of our grasp, but 7th spot is ours to lose. I think the additional tv and sponsor money from appearing on that would provoke more spending from Ashley. If we were sitting 10th and having a few good days Ashley wouldn't buy a centre half or a striker in this window because the difference between 10th and 8th is nothing to him. Spending £5m on a defender to recoup £1m(ish) from the Premier League, to him, it's just not worth it.

[NJS 4379]

I'd also say that if LM insists being half decent at the moment is due to a fluky management appointment which is fair comment, I'd say the previous regime only progressed when they fluked two good managers and their response to adversity under shit managers they appointed took us backwards massively.

[The Fish 10857]

To be fair, his assertion is that H&S backed their manager regardless of his ability. He also states Ashley does not.

 

There are so many flaws in his argument it makes my head spin. However until he can be held accountable, he won't change the way he builds a position.

[manc-mag 1]

There are 5 teams with significantly greater resources than us: Man C (bankrolled), Man U (bigger natural resources), Chelsea (bankrolled), Arsenal (bigger natural resources) and Liverpool (bigger natural resources and bankrolled), so we're not doing badly to be 7th in our second season back.

 

It's fair to say it might not last and it's fair to say we need to bust a gut to retain key personnel, but we all have a healthy dose of cynicism about that, nobody is deluded no matter what Leazes tries to make out. Ashley could clearly spend more as an owner and it would make a big difference to us as fans, but that difference might only be one place in the league, which means absolutely nowt to him. He won't spend CL money to get amongst the CL that's for certain, as that would mean saddling himself with extra (essentially personal liabilities) of hundreds of millions of pounds (tens of millions in transfer fees and hundreds of millions in wages over eg 5 year deals) for perhaps only one appearance in the competition if we fail to repeat the fate of qualification. Leazes has already said he doesn't advocate that we compete with the top teams on spending anyway so theres not a massive amount of difference between his position and Ashley's in that particular sense. So the only route left is to try and get amongst it on a moderate trajectory and to that end Tottenham are the beacon. If they get a season in the CL it will make them, if they miss out it won't matter to them (financially).

 

That's the absolute height of Ashley's ambition in any sane reality. I'd love to see us push on in the manner Tottenham have but I don't for a second assume it'll happen. For that the austerity we've seen will at some point need to move more towards the happy medium that Alex and a few others have referred to previously. The timing of that will be massively important and even failing to do so on time will cost us dearly. It will result in plateau and the end of footballing 'progress'. If it doesn't happen at all then timing is neither here nor there.

 

In any event, I intend to enjoy the fact we have a team which fights for the shirt and is looking up rather than down, because that's how it should be and for too long we had players who just took the piss. And I mean way longer than any genuinely 'big club' would tolerate, hence why we'd long since ceased to be anything of the kind.

[Park Life 71]

There are 5 teams with significantly greater resources than us: Man C (bankrolled), Man U (bigger natural resources), Chelsea (bankrolled), Arsenal (bigger natural resources) and Liverpool (bigger natural resources and bankrolled), so we're not doing badly to be 7th in our second season back.

 

It's fair to say it might not last and it's fair to say we need to bust a gut to retain key personnel, but we all have a healthy dose of cynicism about that, nobody is deluded no matter what Leazes tries to make out. Ashley could clearly spend more as an owner and it would make a big difference to us as fans, but that difference might only be one place in the league, which means absolutely nowt to him. He won't spend CL money to get amongst the CL that's for certain, as that would mean saddling himself with extra (essentially personal liabilities) of hundreds of millions of pounds (tens of millions in transfer fees and hundreds of millions in wages over eg 5 year deals) for perhaps only one appearance in the competition if we fail to repeat the fate of qualification. Leazes has already said he doesn't advocate that we compete with the top teams on spending anyway so theres not a massive amount of difference between his position and Ashley's in that particular sense. So the only route left is to try and get amongst it on a moderate trajectory and to that end Tottenham are the beacon. If they get a season in the CL it will make them, if they miss out it won't matter to them (financially).

 

That's the absolute height of Ashley's ambition in any sane reality. I'd love to see us push on in the manner Tottenham have but I don't for a second assume it'll happen. For that the austerity we've seen will at some point need to move more towards the happy medium that Alex and a few others have referred to previously. The timing of that will be massively important and even failing to do so on time will cost us dearly. It will result in plateau and the end of footballing 'progress'. If it doesn't happen at all then timing is neither here nor there.

 

In any event, I intend to enjoy the fact we have a team which fights for the shirt and is looking up rather than down, because that's how it should be and for too long we had players who just took the piss. And I mean way longer than any genuinely 'big club' would tolerate, hence why we'd long since ceased to be anything of the kind.

 

Fair post.

 

Both Liv and Spurs are vulernable however. Think Spurs are at their limits now reg spend and might need to cut back a bit if they don't make CL. Although Liv have bigger income I'm not convinced that their new owners are that gung ho...This season will tell.

[manc-mag 1]

There are 5 teams with significantly greater resources than us: Man C (bankrolled), Man U (bigger natural resources), Chelsea (bankrolled), Arsenal (bigger natural resources) and Liverpool (bigger natural resources and bankrolled), so we're not doing badly to be 7th in our second season back.

 

It's fair to say it might not last and it's fair to say we need to bust a gut to retain key personnel, but we all have a healthy dose of cynicism about that, nobody is deluded no matter what Leazes tries to make out. Ashley could clearly spend more as an owner and it would make a big difference to us as fans, but that difference might only be one place in the league, which means absolutely nowt to him. He won't spend CL money to get amongst the CL that's for certain, as that would mean saddling himself with extra (essentially personal liabilities) of hundreds of millions of pounds (tens of millions in transfer fees and hundreds of millions in wages over eg 5 year deals) for perhaps only one appearance in the competition if we fail to repeat the fate of qualification. Leazes has already said he doesn't advocate that we compete with the top teams on spending anyway so theres not a massive amount of difference between his position and Ashley's in that particular sense. So the only route left is to try and get amongst it on a moderate trajectory and to that end Tottenham are the beacon. If they get a season in the CL it will make them, if they miss out it won't matter to them (financially).

 

That's the absolute height of Ashley's ambition in any sane reality. I'd love to see us push on in the manner Tottenham have but I don't for a second assume it'll happen. For that the austerity we've seen will at some point need to move more towards the happy medium that Alex and a few others have referred to previously. The timing of that will be massively important and even failing to do so on time will cost us dearly. It will result in plateau and the end of footballing 'progress'. If it doesn't happen at all then timing is neither here nor there.

 

In any event, I intend to enjoy the fact we have a team which fights for the shirt and is looking up rather than down, because that's how it should be and for too long we had players who just took the piss. And I mean way longer than any genuinely 'big club' would tolerate, hence why we'd long since ceased to be anything of the kind.

 

Fair post.

 

Both Liv and Spurs are vulernable however. Think Spurs are at their limits now reg spend and might need to cut back a bit if they don't make CL. Although Liv have bigger income I'm not convinced that their new owners are that gung ho...This season will tell.

 

Aye. I reckon Spurs are probably alright but you may well be on to something with Liverpool. They will need to continue to be gung ho if they don't want to fall out in a massive way with Dalglish mind. Obviously I hope they're not and they do.

[Andrew 4748]

didn't the owner admit they'd overspent to get the fans and dalglish on side?

 

they'll be scaling back, a lot if they dont get the CL

[The Fish 10857]

How long can Spurs really sustain this kind of spending without a continuing Champions League Presence? they must be haemorrhaging money!

[Park Life 71]

How long can Spurs really sustain this kind of spending without a continuing Champions League Presence? they must be haemorrhaging money!

 

There won't be any serious upgrades there unless they get CL money this year. If they don't get CL then they will have to start cutting back a bit (or sell Modric).

[Christmas Tree 4725]

Leazes, you let people like Stevie down when all you do is constantly post your negative shit.

 

We all know the history and couldn't really care who guessed what and who didn't.

 

No football club has a god given right to be anywhere and I have put up with lots of shit times pre and post Keegan 1.

 

As Stevie says you have so much to offer but you are stuck in these puss boring Newcastle Online arguments.

 

In my forty odd years of supporting Newcastle, this is one of the good times. A passionate manager getting quality passionate players to do it where it counts on the pitch.

 

Stop pissing on everyones chips and act your flipping age.

[TicTacWoe 0]

How long can Spurs really sustain this kind of spending without a continuing Champions League Presence? they must be haemorrhaging money!

 

To be fair to Spurs, their current squad actually didn't cost that much, the nucleas was relatively inexpensive

 

Friedel (Free)

Walker (4.5 m)

Essou Ekotto (3.5m)

King (nowt)

Dawson (4m)

Bale (5 million rising to 10 with add ons)

Parker (5 million)

VDV (8 million)

Lennon (1.5 million)

Modric (16 mi - the only key player in their usual first XI who cost over ten million)

Adebayor (loan)

 

Though they spent quite a lot on flops like Pavluchenko and Gomes who haven't worked out.

Edited January 11, 2012 by TicTacWoe

[Park Life 71]

Bale was 12m upfront and utpo 18 with add ons.

 

How about Bentley? 17m

[TicTacWoe 0]

Yeah, they spunked loads on players like Bentley (not to mention the buying back of people like Keane, Kaboul etc). I've read Bale was 5 rising to ten in several sources. Their current squad cost far less than the other big 6 (apart from Arsenal) though.

Edited January 11, 2012 by TicTacWoe