Mike Ashley approval rating

[David Kelly 1245]

Id be interested to see who you disliked more, MA or DL. DL for me by a fucking mile.

Ashley. For while I think Lambias is a cunt of the highest order who sickens me everytime I see his ugly mug, without Ashley there would be no Lambias in our lives.

[WilsonNufc 0]

You should put more options on it tbh. I dont like MA or DL, cant stand them but I do agree with the way they are going about their buying of players. So far I have no problems with them shipping out Carroll, Barton or Nolan and bringing in Tiote, Cabaye, Marveux, Ba, Ben Arfa etc. They are trying to run the club properly I think, its just a shame they are complete and utter bellends (i.e. Sports Direct Arena etc...)

 

(These are my feelings until they sell Coloccini in Jan!!)

[Happy Face 29]

You should put more options on it tbh. I dont like MA or DL, cant stand them but I do agree with the way they are going about their buying of players. So far I have no problems with them shipping out Carroll, Barton or Nolan and bringing in Tiote, Cabaye, Marveux, Ba, Ben Arfa etc. They are trying to run the club properly I think, its just a shame they are complete and utter bellends (i.e. Sports Direct Arena etc...)

 

(These are my feelings until they sell Coloccini in Jan!!)

 

Sounds like you're happy with 2 transfer windows out of 10.

 

As they say, a stopped clock gets it right twice a day.

[LeazesMag 0]

I get the impression that Leazes suffers from split personality disorder. Leazes = CT?

 

I get the feeling that you, like a few others, suffer from a zero personality disorder.

[jaythesouthernmag 0]

I get the impression that Leazes suffers from split personality disorder. Leazes = CT?

 

I get the feeling that you, like a few others, suffer from a zero personality disorder.

Think you have o.c.d. gotta say this every day

 

I was right

Football wasn't invented in 1992

Trophy signings

14th highest turnover in Europe

The previously regime

I was right

Selling club

Stalk manc mag

Selling club

Flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan.

[LeazesMag 0]

I get the impression that Leazes suffers from split personality disorder. Leazes = CT?

 

I get the feeling that you, like a few others, suffer from a zero personality disorder.

Think you have o.c.d. gotta say this every day

 

I was right

Football wasn't invented in 1992

Trophy signings

14th highest turnover in Europe

The previously regime

I was right

Selling club

Stalk manc mag

Selling club

Flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan,flash in the pan.

 

you are learning. Far more accurate than the naive and foolish optimism you show. You also forgot the phrase "bookmark this"

[jonasjuice 0]

"Like" is irrelevant anyway, it doesn''t matter if you "like" someone or not, so long as the team is attempting to or actually being successful, and to date, it isn't.

 

Whatever a small flash in the pan run of results suggests.

 

I realise some people don't like Ashley, but plenty do

 

So then, plenty of people like Mike Ashley (they don't) and it's irrelevant if they do or not anyway.

 

Great stuff Leazes. I agree with you and will happily remind you that I do in four years time.

 

Incidentally, to employ one of your favourite argumentative techniques, when will this 'flash in the pan' be lengthy enough to be considered genuine progress? End of the year, end of next year or when everyone declares their undying agreement with you?

 

Make idiotic statement to support argument. Be quantitatively proven wrong. Declare said statement irrelevent. Move the goal posts. Repeat.

 

I've been correct in how I've called Mike Ashley since he got his feet under the table chum.

 

I'm not moving any goal posts, I've said exactly the same thing as I've been saying for years.

 

More fool you and certain thick twats who were completely unable to see the blatantly obvious.

 

Didn't you once say you thought he'd never achieve a higher than 12th finish? Still confident in that? Charity bet??

[TicTacWoe 0]

He said that we would finish lower this season than we did last season, still think that will happen Leazes?

Edited December 1, 2011 by TicTacWoe

[Happy Face 29]

"Like" is irrelevant anyway, it doesn''t matter if you "like" someone or not, so long as the team is attempting to or actually being successful, and to date, it isn't.

 

Whatever a small flash in the pan run of results suggests.

 

I realise some people don't like Ashley, but plenty do

 

So then, plenty of people like Mike Ashley (they don't) and it's irrelevant if they do or not anyway.

 

Great stuff Leazes. I agree with you and will happily remind you that I do in four years time.

 

Incidentally, to employ one of your favourite argumentative techniques, when will this 'flash in the pan' be lengthy enough to be considered genuine progress? End of the year, end of next year or when everyone declares their undying agreement with you?

 

Make idiotic statement to support argument. Be quantitatively proven wrong. Declare said statement irrelevent. Move the goal posts. Repeat.

 

I've been correct in how I've called Mike Ashley since he got his feet under the table chum.

 

I'm not moving any goal posts, I've said exactly the same thing as I've been saying for years.

 

More fool you and certain thick twats who were completely unable to see the blatantly obvious.

 

Didn't you once say you thought he'd never achieve a higher than 12th finish? Still confident in that? Charity bet??

 

An evens bet wouldn't really be fair at the moment.

 

We're odds on for a top half finish. Give me 5/1 and I'll have a tenner on it with you. None of this charity bollocks though.

[jonasjuice 0]

"Like" is irrelevant anyway, it doesn''t matter if you "like" someone or not, so long as the team is attempting to or actually being successful, and to date, it isn't.

 

Whatever a small flash in the pan run of results suggests.

 

I realise some people don't like Ashley, but plenty do

 

So then, plenty of people like Mike Ashley (they don't) and it's irrelevant if they do or not anyway.

 

Great stuff Leazes. I agree with you and will happily remind you that I do in four years time.

 

Incidentally, to employ one of your favourite argumentative techniques, when will this 'flash in the pan' be lengthy enough to be considered genuine progress? End of the year, end of next year or when everyone declares their undying agreement with you?

 

Make idiotic statement to support argument. Be quantitatively proven wrong. Declare said statement irrelevent. Move the goal posts. Repeat.

 

I've been correct in how I've called Mike Ashley since he got his feet under the table chum.

 

I'm not moving any goal posts, I've said exactly the same thing as I've been saying for years.

 

More fool you and certain thick twats who were completely unable to see the blatantly obvious.

 

Didn't you once say you thought he'd never achieve a higher than 12th finish? Still confident in that? Charity bet??

 

An evens bet wouldn't really be fair at the moment.

 

We're odds on for a top half finish. Give me 5/1 and I'll have a tenner on it with you. None of this charity bollocks though.

 

Kinda the point

[Happy Face 29]

so you're offering the odds?

[jonasjuice 0]

No im not convinced enough that we wont self implode to offer 5 to 1 ta.

[Happy Face 29]

No im not convinced enough that we wont self implode to offer 5 to 1 ta.

 

Wise choice.

[Happy Face 29]

From the football ramble, apologies if it's a re-post....

 

 

While Alan Pardew and his players are receiving rave reviews for their performances on the pitch, isn't it time Mike Ashley took his share of the praise?

 

Comebacks have always been an irresistible part of the wider football narrative, so it’s no surprise that Newcastle have been turning a lot of heads this season. Two and a half years after being relegated from the Premier League in a storm of negativity, the Toon are not only back in the top flight but, astonishingly, on course for the club’s highest finish since 2004.

 

As turnarounds go it has been nothing short of miraculous, especially when you consider that such lightning progress has been achieved in spite of significant fan unrest, a change of manager and a net profit of almost £40 million on transfers.

 

Now a club which still remembers fondly the days of title challenges under Kevin Keegan and Champions League nights with Bobby Robson is defying reduced financial circumstances to enjoy an Indian summer back among the Premier League big boys, and its followers have a new set of heroes worthy of their adulation.

 

Alan Pardew, having overcome misgivings at his appointment by taking Newcastle to unexpected heights, now hears his name chanted from the stands. Demba Ba, the club’s top scorer, has also won over the crowd with clinical finishing and tireless work rate. Cheik Tiote, too, has been adopted for his sheer physicality and passion for the cause.

 

But when the Toon Army are singing, the name ‘Mike Ashley’ is conspicuous only by its absence. For while the painful memories of relegation may have dimmed in the light of recent successes, Newcastle’s much-maligned owner has yet to be forgiven for the role he played in bringing about one of the club’s darkest days.

 

It is hard to argue against the view that, for the first two years of his reign, Ashley effectively provided a free masterclass in how not to run a football club.

His first mistake – and arguably his biggest – was the failure to do the required due diligence which would have made him aware of the full extent of Newcastle’s debts prior to his purchase in June 2007, believed to be around £100 million.

 

The sacking of Sam Allardyce was also misguided, but even more ill-advised was the brazen attempt to win over the fans by tempting Keegan out of a three-year self-imposed exile from the game to succeed him.

 

The Toon legend was never likely to tolerate the more continental scouting structure and strict financial controls which were also being implemented by Ashley and, when he walked out of St James’ Park eight months later complaining of interference, the owner’s popularity went with him.

 

One final heart-over-head gamble was taken with the brief appointment of all-time record goalscorer Alan Shearer, and Newcastle paid for it with their Premier League status.

 

If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. After abandoning the idea of selling up and taking what was left of his battered reputation elsewhere, this appears to have been the conclusion Ashley reached, for it is the mantra to which he has stuck ever since.

 

Relegation meant humiliation but it also offered the possibility of a fresh start and, this time, Ashley was determined to do things his way, regardless of the criticism he might receive.

 

Under the new regime, established stars on huge wages have become a thing of the past. Whether domestic talents or underrated foreign imports, their replacements are invariably younger, cheaper, hungrier footballers.

 

The notion of an all-powerful manager has also been dismissed in favour of something more resembling a head coach, under strict instructions to work with the resources at his disposal. What has emerged is a more vibrant, more cohesive and, most importantly, more successful football club.

 

At every stage, Ashley has shown a willingness to take risks and make unpopular decisions. The replacement of Chris Hughton with Pardew in December 2010 as Newcastle lay comfortably mid-table in the Premier League was initially incomprehensible but, while admittedly ruthless, it has been utterly vindicated by the success which has followed.

 

The sale of local hero Andy Carroll to Liverpool for £35 million appeared a ludicrously brilliant piece of business at the time despite fan hostility, and it looks even better with every match that replacement Ba continues to make a mockery of Stoke’s medical department.

 

Many shook their heads in disbelief when club captain Kevin Nolan and Twitter-botherer Joey Barton were jettisoned last summer, but Newcastle now enjoy a more united dressing room, lower wage bill and, in Tiote and Yohan Cabaye, also boast one of the best central midfield partnerships in the land.

 

Pardew and his players have rightly received credit for the club’s revival, and some more insightful observers have also identified chief scout Graham Carr as worthy of praise. By contrast, the acclaim directed at Ashley by the Toon faithful has been grudging at best, yet the resurgence they celebrate could not have occurred without him.

 

Sadly, the relationship between the Newcastle fans and their owner remains one of necessity rather than genuine affection and, after everything which has happened, it might be too much to hope for any improvement.

 

But if this particular comeback story turns out to have a few more spectacular chapters left, Mike Ashley might finally get his share of the credit.

[Guest alex]

Is that from Chez's blog?

[Baggio 0]

Great article that.

[ewerk 30620]

Apart from failing to mention the tiny annoyance of jettisoning part of the club's heritage in return for a few more mentions of his company's name.

[Happy Face 29]

Apart from failing to mention the tiny annoyance of jettisoning part of the club's heritage in return for a few more mentions of his company's name.

 

Aye. If your son in law is slapping your daughter about, you don't ignore it and appreciate the excellent work he does paying the bills and putting food on the table.

[Guest alex]

Great article that.

I bet you mean that as well.

[ChezGiven 0]

Great article that.

I bet you mean that as well.

He's a globally recognised expert on football finances who works in finance. His site is fantastic and it goes to prove the very last point made to Stevie in the other thread, the rest of the world are looking at us thinking 'thats good financial management that'.

[McFaul 35]

Great article that.

I bet you mean that as well.

He's a globally recognised expert on football finances who works in finance. His site is fantastic and it goes to prove the very last point made to Stevie in the other thread, the rest of the world are looking at us thinking 'thats good financial management that'.

Keir Radnege and Marcotti are recognised as global experts on football, and often they talk shite too. The article is so ignorant and unwilling to discuss why we are half the size we should be (a lot of it to do with Ashley) that it's not worth a minute of anybodies time.

[Guest alex]

Aye, walk down any street in the world and you won't find a person who hasn't heard of Liam Twomey

[Happy Face 29]

Great article that.

I bet you mean that as well.

He's a globally recognised expert on football finances who works in finance. His site is fantastic and it goes to prove the very last point made to Stevie in the other thread, the rest of the world are looking at us thinking 'thats good financial management that'.

 

Not the Swiss Ramble btw...The Football Ramble.

[Guest alex]

Love how it's just some kid straight out of uni doing freelance articles btw.

[Howmanheyman 33245]

From the football ramble, apologies if it's a re-post....

 

 

 

 

While Alan Pardew and his players are receiving rave reviews for their performances on the pitch, isn't it time Mike Ashley took his share of the praise?

 

Comebacks have always been an irresistible part of the wider football narrative, so it’s no surprise that Newcastle have been turning a lot of heads this season. Two and a half years after being relegated from the Premier League in a storm of negativity, the Toon are not only back in the top flight but, astonishingly, on course for the club’s highest finish since 2004.

 

As turnarounds go it has been nothing short of miraculous, especially when you consider that such lightning progress has been achieved in spite of significant fan unrest, a change of manager and a net profit of almost £40 million on transfers.

 

Now a club which still remembers fondly the days of title challenges under Kevin Keegan and Champions League nights with Bobby Robson is defying reduced financial circumstances to enjoy an Indian summer back among the Premier League big boys, and its followers have a new set of heroes worthy of their adulation.

 

Alan Pardew, having overcome misgivings at his appointment by taking Newcastle to unexpected heights, now hears his name chanted from the stands. Demba Ba, the club’s top scorer, has also won over the crowd with clinical finishing and tireless work rate. Cheik Tiote, too, has been adopted for his sheer physicality and passion for the cause.

 

But when the Toon Army are singing, the name ‘Mike Ashley’ is conspicuous only by its absence. For while the painful memories of relegation may have dimmed in the light of recent successes, Newcastle’s much-maligned owner has yet to be forgiven for the role he played in bringing about one of the club’s darkest days.

 

It is hard to argue against the view that, for the first two years of his reign, Ashley effectively provided a free masterclass in how not to run a football club.

His first mistake – and arguably his biggest – was the failure to do the required due diligence which would have made him aware of the full extent of Newcastle’s debts prior to his purchase in June 2007, believed to be around £100 million.

 

The sacking of Sam Allardyce was also misguided, but even more ill-advised was the brazen attempt to win over the fans by tempting Keegan out of a three-year self-imposed exile from the game to succeed him.

 

The Toon legend was never likely to tolerate the more continental scouting structure and strict financial controls which were also being implemented by Ashley and, when he walked out of St James’ Park eight months later complaining of interference, the owner’s popularity went with him.

 

One final heart-over-head gamble was taken with the brief appointment of all-time record goalscorer Alan Shearer, and Newcastle paid for it with their Premier League status.

 

If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. After abandoning the idea of selling up and taking what was left of his battered reputation elsewhere, this appears to have been the conclusion Ashley reached, for it is the mantra to which he has stuck ever since.

 

Relegation meant humiliation but it also offered the possibility of a fresh start and, this time, Ashley was determined to do things his way, regardless of the criticism he might receive.

 

Under the new regime, established stars on huge wages have become a thing of the past. Whether domestic talents or underrated foreign imports, their replacements are invariably younger, cheaper, hungrier footballers.

 

The notion of an all-powerful manager has also been dismissed in favour of something more resembling a head coach, under strict instructions to work with the resources at his disposal. What has emerged is a more vibrant, more cohesive and, most importantly, more successful football club.

 

At every stage, Ashley has shown a willingness to take risks and make unpopular decisions. The replacement of Chris Hughton with Pardew in December 2010 as Newcastle lay comfortably mid-table in the Premier League was initially incomprehensible but, while admittedly ruthless, it has been utterly vindicated by the success which has followed.

 

The sale of local hero Andy Carroll to Liverpool for £35 million appeared a ludicrously brilliant piece of business at the time despite fan hostility, and it looks even better with every match that replacement Ba continues to make a mockery of Stoke’s medical department.

 

Many shook their heads in disbelief when club captain Kevin Nolan and Twitter-botherer Joey Barton were jettisoned last summer, but Newcastle now enjoy a more united dressing room, lower wage bill and, in Tiote and Yohan Cabaye, also boast one of the best central midfield partnerships in the land.

 

Pardew and his players have rightly received credit for the club’s revival, and some more insightful observers have also identified chief scout Graham Carr as worthy of praise. By contrast, the acclaim directed at Ashley by the Toon faithful has been grudging at best, yet the resurgence they celebrate could not have occurred without him.

 

Sadly, the relationship between the Newcastle fans and their owner remains one of necessity rather than genuine affection and, after everything which has happened, it might be too much to hope for any improvement.

 

But if this particular comeback story turns out to have a few more spectacular chapters left, Mike Ashley might finally get his share of the credit.

 

I think it's fair to say this kid or bloke isn't a dyed in the wool follower of this club.

 

Just a hunch.

 

P.S. Whenever an article like this mentions overcoming 'fan unrest', why do they think the unrest happened in the first place. Hall and Fletcher were distrusted by quite a few Mags even at the height of our powers, you're never going to be universally liked. Ashley though, could've been a more popular owner but he's not, there's a reason(s) for that.