Mike Ashley -- Irrelevant Cunt

[Dr Gloom 21794]

And you're never too far away from his next cunt's trick

[The Fish 10682]

Aye there's no way Ashley would in anyway shake the boat now, the bloke is a total cunt but he knows he needs the club in the Premier League. As I said I wouldn't be shocked if he did eventually return to his previous way but it wont be for at least 2 seasons, he'll want us comfortable in the PL with a squad that looks comfortably then he might start cheapening out.

 

Absolutely, if we're sitting pretty in 12th at the end of the 1st season and Ashley thinks that's good enough for him I'd not be remotely surprised if he tries to manipulate the transfer policy towards hunting for Cabayes and Sissokos in cheap leagues, in the hope that Rafa is capable of improving whatever squad he's got. But the risk of fucking about with a policy that's working towards the sole aim of this season is beyond stupid. 

 

I'm inclined to agree with trooper. This story could be pure bullshit, probably is, but never rule anything in or out with that fat cunt. There hasn't been any movement yet on transfers and we need at least a couple in, possibly more depending on how bad these injuries are.

 

Just because we've not announced signings doesn't mean that we've changed policy, that we haven't tried, or that there hasn't been any movement. 

[Howay 12496]

I think our lot are probably trying to get players in but this window has been pretty fucking stupid so far, Brentford asking 15m for Scott Hogan when their club record signing was barely 2m, Fulham wanting 15m for Cairney, Chelsea not wanting to loan out Loftus-Cheek for some daft reason. We're in a tough spot where we could do with players like Hogan and Cairney but honestly they'd be squad players at best in 6 months so is it worth paying 15m for them when we'd most likely get promoted with what we have? 

[Howmanheyman 32708]

Loftus-Cheek, FFS, man.

[Howmanheyman 32708]

I got the V's from some kids at QPR once, not sure if they were relations of his?

[Howay 12496]

Loftus-Cheek, FFS, man.

 First name is Ruben, he's Carl Corts half brother as well iirc.

Edited January 15, 2017 by Howay

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

DIdn't realise he's Carl Cort's half brother Hopefully got his build quality from his mother's side.

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

 First name is Ruben, he's Carl Corts half brother as well iirc.

 

We must have wikipedia'd him at the same time

[Howay 12496]

We must have wikipedia'd him at the same time

Got to love a bit of shit trivia.

[The Fish 10682]

I think our lot are probably trying to get players in but this window has been pretty fucking stupid so far, Brentford asking 15m for Scott Hogan when their club record signing was barely 2m, Fulham wanting 15m for Cairney, Chelsea not wanting to loan out Loftus-Cheek for some daft reason. We're in a tough spot where we could do with players like Hogan and Cairney but honestly they'd be squad players at best in 6 months so is it worth paying 15m for them when we'd most likely get promoted with what we have? 

 

The same people demanding we spend £20m+ on a striker now would be bemoaning the same player not being up to snuff in the top flight. I trust in Rafa to buy the right players for what we need for the next 18 months or so. Even if what he thinks we end up signing is another Murphy/Hanley type for c£5m.

[Leon 13]

Fairy Nuff lads just he hasn't pulled one of his stunts for a while & we know how cuntish he can be.

 

I think he's had the shit beaten out of him with Sports Direct last year and wants to be seen as the good guy again.  NUFC is the success story from the shit pile which was being dragged in front of a select committee and then having his club relegated.  He didn't even see much positive press when he bought up BHS and it came out that he tried to save it from going into administration.

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

His plans to make the BHS stand for big halfprice sale ultimately cost him that deal

[The Fish 10682]

His plans to make the BHS stand for big halfprice sale ultimately cost him that deal

Zing

[Dr Gloom 21794]

The same people demanding we spend £20m+ on a striker now would be bemoaning the same player not being up to snuff in the top flight. I trust in Rafa to buy the right players for what we need for the next 18 months or so. Even if what he thinks we end up signing is another Murphy/Hanley type for c£5m.

Who is demanding that?

[Howmanheyman 32708]

Who is demanding that?

The same people, I think?

[Dr Gloom 21794]

Absolutely, if we're sitting pretty in 12th at the end of the 1st season and Ashley thinks that's good enough for him I'd not be remotely surprised if he tries to manipulate the transfer policy towards hunting for Cabayes and Sissokos in cheap leagues, in the hope that Rafa is capable of improving whatever squad he's got. But the risk of fucking about with a policy that's working towards the sole aim of this season is beyond stupid.

 

 

Just because we've not announced signings doesn't mean that we've changed policy, that we haven't tried, or that there hasn't been any movement.

I didn't say it did

[Dr Gloom 21794]

The same people, I think?

Fish wants to have an argument with "the people"

[The Fish 10682]

Who is demanding that?

 

Twidiots, newspaper article commenters, etc.

 

I didn't say it did

Yet you agree with Trooper that it's more likely than not that this story about Ashley reverting to the previous transfer policy is true. 

[Dr Gloom 21794]

I simply said never rule anything in or out with Ashley. That's the one thing we've learned from almost a decade of the cunt as owner. When it looks like we might have turned a corner, he usually finds a way to screw us. That was the case after the last relegation/promotion cycle.

[The Fish 10682]

I simply said never rule anything in or out with Ashley. That's the one thing we've learned from almost a decade of the cunt as owner. When it looks like we might have turned a corner, he usually finds a way to screw us. That was the case after the last relegation/promotion cycle.

 

I don't think there's as much malicious intent as all that. Way I see it, it's more "meh, fuck 'em", rather than "Right, lets fuck 'em". Explains the transfer policy being more about making money, rather than making a team. Explains Wonga and Sports Direct branding; he doesn't/didn't give a shit about the club or the fans, and cared only about Sports Direct.

 

Tearing control of the football side of things from Rafa Benitez strikes me as too much like giving a shit for Ashley to put up with. Especially as it's going so swimmingly.

[trooper 940]

It's going that swimmingly that we'll struggle to put a side out against Brum. Also you know how Ashley works so nothing should surprise you we all know what happened with Keegan & Hughton sorry I don't trust Ashley one bit. The story may well turn out to be a complete fabrication or it maybe the truth we don't know I guess we'll see if there's anything in it soon enough. I'm not a gambling man but i'll be amazed if Benitez sees out his full tenure with Ashley as the owner.

[Dr Gloom 21794]

I don't think there's as much malicious intent as all that. Way I see it, it's more "meh, fuck 'em", rather than "Right, lets fuck 'em". Explains the transfer policy being more about making money, rather than making a team. Explains Wonga and Sports Direct branding; he doesn't/didn't give a shit about the club or the fans, and cared only about Sports Direct.

 

Tearing control of the football side of things from Rafa Benitez strikes me as too much like giving a shit for Ashley to put up with. Especially as it's going so swimmingly.

His intentions may not always be malicious but the end result is still usually a shit sandwich for supporters.

[Happy Face 29]

There's 3 possibilities and no-one knows what the reality is except Ashley, Rafa, Moxley and a couple of others...

 

1. Made up bollocks.  The best we can hope for, but indicates what we can expect going forward anyway.  The reporter is playing up to well founded fears and although some have refused to accept the story, that view is based solely on the timing, no-one thinks Ashley is incapable of doing something as stupid later on.

 

2. Club leak - Ashley, Rafa, Charnley and that all had a meeting and all agreed that this sort of  message could be put out. Rafa might be fully on board with the principle on condition it can be broken if he deems necessary on occasion.   It is a sensible approach most of the time after all, although Rafa added loads of experience last summer.  It could also be aimed only at telling selling clubs we won't pay over the odds for players without the potential to accrue value.  The only reason this would be an issue is it suggests Rafa being managed by those above and increases the chances of a clash like he had at Valencia before resigning, but we already feared it long term anyway (see 1).

 

3. Rafa or Ashley had it leaked without the other knowing to try and exert some pressure following the early window discussions.  This becomes a power play, like when Keegan challenged Ashley to show ambition before the season started.  It's a downward spiral quite quickly once this happens and we know Ashley will never back down the way Hall did.

 

With the £33m credit being extended, I'm inclined to think there will be something in it, but it's more number 2 than number 3.

[trooper 940]

Regarding your 2nd suggestion HF wouldn't the club just not pay over the odds rather than leak something out ? It just seems very cloak & dagger sadly I'd be more inclined to think option 3 could be playing out behind the scenes. Again it's all speculation but as I've said nothing should surprise us regarding Ashley.

[Happy Face 29]

Regarding your 2nd suggestion HF wouldn't the club just not pay over the odds rather than leak something out ? It just seems very cloak & dagger sadly I'd be more inclined to think option 3 could be playing out behind the scenes. Again it's all speculation but as I've said nothing should surprise us regarding Ashley.

 

There's been a lot of frustration reported about the prices we're being quoted and as a club I can see that we would want to do something about that.  

 

It's all well and good saying they just wouldn't pay it, but we've got 16 players available in the midweek squad, have to start bringing some bodies in soon.