Mike Ashley -- Irrelevant Cunt

[OTF 7295]

Exactly right, also the amount we've spent with these recent transfers seems higher than it is because of the increase in TV money. Four of five years ago these were reasonable fees, these days they're nothing out of the ordinary. We still need several more players, though I think with these three in I can see it becoming a case of sell to buy. Looking at the menu from last season there's not much we could serve up that would be appetising to other teams. As always hoping to be proved wrong.

[Christmas Tree 4725]

Whats with all the 'we've turned a corner' crap going around on the social media. Yeah we've signed two good players, but we're still a way off from having a competing squad, even for the top 8. And its not like other clubs around us have been standing still. Even if we do manage to get in 2-3 more players we'd still only be catching up.

 

Far too early to get excited.....

Well we could be starting the season two weeks today with Carver, stone the same hump ball tactics with the same players.

 

Guess some fans are heartened by the New manager, new coaches, new emphasis on attacking football and what seems like 3 first team exciting new signings with the promise of more to come.

[Tom 14011]

The protests seem to have worked - simple as that really. I'm not sure it's a change of heart per se but I'm fairly happy with the way things are going.

 

I'm not sure there's an emphasis on attacking football like but it'll definitely be nicer to watch if we're actually employing footballers to play some proper intelligent football rather than the % based rubbish we've had for a few years or whatever Carver was trying to do, I don't think he knows himself.

 

I think we'll get a nice mix under McClaren but it may take a couple of years to come into fruition.

[aimaad22 4156]

Well we could be starting the season two weeks today with Carver, stone the same hump ball tactics with the same players.

 

Guess some fans are heartened by the New manager, new coaches, new emphasis on attacking football and what seems like 3 first team exciting new signings with the promise of more to come.

 

Im happy with Carver gone too, and look forward to some better football under McClaren. Hopefully. Actually looking forward to this season after a long time.

 

But that was not the point. I was speaking in terms of our spending. Its not big or extra ordinary by any means. Everton have spent more than that on a singe player. The likes of Villa are buying players for the same amounts. And as HF pointed out above we ourselves spent 37M last year. So I dont understand the fuss. This was the very minimum requirement to stay afloat, in fact we're still 2 defenders behind meeting that requirement. We still dont have a great squad.

 

I suppose its the belief that we're still looking to sign 2-3 players after Mbemba thats getting people excited. If that happens THEN we'll have turned a corner, in terms of keeping up with the rest of the league anyway.

[Christmas Tree 4725]

 

Im happy with Carver gone too, and look forward to some better football under McClaren. Hopefully. Actually looking forward to this season after a long time.

 

But that was not the point. I was speaking in terms of our spending. Its not big or extra ordinary by any means. Everton have spent more than that on a singe player. The likes of Villa are buying players for the same amounts. And as HF pointed out above we ourselves spent 37M last year. So I dont understand the fuss. This was the very minimum requirement to stay afloat, in fact we're still 2 defenders behind meeting that requirement. We still dont have a great squad.

 

I suppose its the belief that we're still looking to sign 2-3 players after Mbemba thats getting people excited. If that happens THEN we'll have turned a corner, in terms of keeping up with the rest of the league anyway.

That's fair enough. I guess just given recent years and last year in particular, it's just quite refreshing looking forward to this season. I know everyone's not, but quite a few are.

[OTF 7295]

There hasn't yet been a situation where I haven't looked forward to a season. It's how long that enthusiasm lasts that's in question.

 

I'm particularly looking forward to see how Motrovic does, he's shaping to be one that could swing wildly in either direction, and I like that volatility. I'm hoping he adds some character to the team, it's something we've lacked since Nolan was sold and Barton was moved on.

[StoneColdStephenIreland 74]

We need a sustained period of no deliberate fuck ups to get a lot of fans back on side. I'm still cynical towards the club and its intentions and one good transfer window isn't going to completely change my opinion.

[Dr Gloom 21923]

Exactly, we haven't even had that yet. I'm interested to see if the approach has changed but let's not get carried away just yet

[Happy Face 29]

As I write, Newcastle United have just confirmed the signing of Aleksandar Mitrovic for a reported £12.5m.

 

Together with £14.5m Georginio Wijnaldum that brings spending for the summer up to £27m.

 

Some will tell you that this is an abrupt change in transfer policy at the club, signalled by the interview Mike Ashley gave prior to the final game of the 14/15 season. However, it’s not been that abrupt.

 

Net transfer spending over the last 3 windows is now £45.8m. Total outlay before player sales is £64.4m over 2 summers.

 

It doesn’t stop there either, the upturn in the willingness of the club to spend more buying players than it recoups from selling them dates back to the sale of Jose Enrique in 2011, he was the player that took transfer profiteering under Mike Ashley to its nadir.

 

 

That was 4 years ago!

 

Even taking into account the likes of Cabaye, Debuchy and Ba being sold at significant profit since then, the club has consistently not only reinvested that income but extended outlay on transfer fees further.

 

If the sale of Enrique marked the end of a sales spree to balance the books, the £58.4m spent since then over and above the reinvestment of fees received, suggests the club really has now moved out of the sell to buy phase.

 

Recent purchases also indicate a willingness to invest some of the reported profits and future TV income in more expensive signings than previously.

 

Having bought only one player for over £10m in seven years (Coloccini), Newcastle have now broke that three times in one year (Cabella, Wijnaldum and Mitrovic). There’s also a new manager and coaching staff in place, suggesting the club are making a new start, despite the claims of a previous chief exec that we would always look to promote from within.

 

Onwards and upwards then?

 

Perhaps not. Most of Ashley’s harshest critics will point to the fact that the graph above shows that the purchase of Mitrovic only took Ashley into a net outlay on transfers this past week. Hardly an indication of ambition over his entire ownership.

 

Personally, I prefer to look at the trends to gauge the direction of the club, rather than including events seven or eight years ago and assuming Ashley’s priorities for the club then remain the same now – other than advertising his shop which will always remain the top priority, obviously.

 

A stronger argument for caution ahead of optimism is that while spending is increased overall, when it comes to individual purchases the club has still only been willing to outlay half what Everton were willing to spend on Lukaku (£28m).

 

We’ve also fallen short of prices paid by Aston Villa (£18m on Bent) and West Ham (£15.5m on Carroll). Newcastle United have the oldest standing club transfer record in the Premier League, 10 years having passed since £16m was splurged on Michael Owen.

 

Getting ahead of those other clubs outside of the top 6, is going to take some proven top players, not several punts on foreign starlets that will take at least a year to acclimatise to the pace of the Premier League, if they ever do.

 

The Everton, Aston Villa and West Ham examples above were all for players proven in the English top flight. The jury remains very much out on Remy Cabella, a player who arrived with as much fanfare as Wijnaldum and Mitrovic, but also with just as little experience of the league.

 

Personally, I remain satisfied with transfer business at the club overall, this has never been an issue I’ve had with Ashley.

 

I think a multi-billionaire like him could have put more of his own money in, it certainly wouldn’t have broken any FFP rules if Sports Direct paid for their “partnership”, but I am happy as long as the club is allowed to invest its own money to sustain itself, whether it’s via funds in the bank or funds secured from future TV income.

 

The protests I have supported and joined have not been against transfer dealings. I remain as concerned as ever that Ashley will shoot us in the foot otherwise though. After all, we have been here before.

 

In 2008 the club spent £27m too, and that was more then than it is now. Kevin Keegan was the new manager 7 years ago, the only appointment Ashley has previously made to shade McClaren in terms of popularity. That’s not to say McClaren has been embraced at all, only that all other appointments have ranged from uninspiring to lamentable.

 

Back then, despite everything looking bright publicly with the purchases of Coloccini, Gutierrez and Guthrie, behind the scenes things were rotten, with Xisco foisted on the manager at a cost of £5m and the income from the sale of James Milner not being spent as wisely as Keegan wanted.

 

The acrimonious fallout that followed led to the arrival of Joe Kinnear, 4 managers in one season, further slash and burn tactics with the sale of N’zogbia and Given and ultimately the club being relegated.

 

This is the worry with Ashley, no matter how good things look, no matter what he allows the club to spend, you always wonder what catastrophe he can conjure up next.

 

I don’t doubt his ambition, I’m certain he wants his Newcastle project to be a success, It’s clear he will allow the club to spend within its means, he’s not taken any money out of the club in three years, his shop may have put nothing in for advertising but the club pay no interest on £129m of debt mostly (but not close to all) accrued prior to his arrival.

 

Despite all of this, I’m not sure he’ll ever be capable of keeping everyone associated with the club pulling in the same direction, whether on the field or in the stands.

 

Just as we’re getting there, he’s likely to pull a bone-headed stunt like putting Sports Direct on the roof, like stripping the stadium name, like moving fans and killing the atmosphere, like forcing membership on fans, like banning the press, or the supporters trust, like pulling Coloccini and others from another winnable cup tie he plays in both games either side of.

 

It’s worth celebrating the quality of signings coming in, but it’s worth tempering that optimism with caution, because McClaren has been frustrated with the pre season schedule foisted on him by the club, both at home and abroad.

 

He’s on the record with expressing his frustration at the back four he had to put out in Portland, less than 3 weeks before the season starts. This after adding £14m to an already well populated midfield.

 

It will take more than continuing to reinvest the club’s earnings to convince me that the tide has turned on Ashley’s propensity to blow things.

 

 

http://www.themag.co.uk/2015/07/a-corner-turned-or-history-repeating-newcastle-united-transfer-spending/

[ewerk 30610]

 

the upturn in the willingness of the club to spend more buying players than it recoups from selling them dates back to the sale of Jose Enrique in 2011, he was the player that took transfer profiteering under Mike Ashley to its nadir.

That was 4 years ago!

Even taking into account the likes of Cabaye, Debuchy and Ba being sold at significant profit since then, the club has consistently not only reinvested that income but extended outlay on transfer fees further.

 

During those four years we had an 18 month period where we didn't make a single permanent signing, I'd hardly call that consistently reinvesting our income.

 

I think the recent increase in net spend is more to do with the fact that (Sissoko aside) we don't have anyone that we're capable of flogging at a decent profit.

[Dr Gloom 21923]

And we just got a shitload of cash from the new TV deal

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

And we just got a shitload of cash from the new TV deal

Aye, it's just the author desperately playing Devil's advocate

Edited July 27, 2015 by TheGingerQuiff

[Happy Face 29]

Aye, it's just the author desperately playing Devil's advocate

I wasn't like. I've said for years the spending has been pretty much what the club could afford. And the problem isn't what the club can afford but Ashley's decisions otherwise.

[Kitman 2207]

The neglect of the squad is what strikes me, regardless of the spending stats. Taylor, Willo and Collo in defence - our shield consisted of a perma crock, shithouse and an OAP. Our spearhead for much of last season was Perez. Fucking hell.

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

The neglect of the squad is what strikes me, regardless of the spending stats. Taylor, Willo and Collo in defence - our shield consisted of a perma crock, shithouse and an OAP. Our spearhead for much of last season was Perez. Fucking hell.

 

Aye, the neglect after they sold Carroll and Cabaye as well, despite being able to afford immediate replacements.

[Happy Face 29]

The neglect of the squad is what strikes me, regardless of the spending stats. Taylor, Willo and Collo in defence - our shield consisted of a perma crock, shithouse and an OAP. Our spearhead for much of last season was Perez. Fucking hell.

 

While I don't believe Ashley is as hands off as he claims, I don't think he could do much more than provide the funds for purchases like Mbiwa and Riviere. The failure to identify if they could cut it in this league or work for the manager in charge was only his in so much as he won't let the manager choose players. The fact we've spent tens of millions on defence and attack and that investment was completely wasted is the crime, not that we didn't put reasonably priced bodies in the squad for selection.

[PaddockLad 17260]

If and when mbemba appears he's one of the first names on the team sheet. Hes Williamsons replacement 3 years too late though. That's where only going for cheapies, bosmans and those with a good get out clause gets you. Newcastle's transfer policy in the last 5 years has rarely addressed the real needs of the squad, its addressed what is good for the clubs bank balance.

[ewerk 30610]

 

not that we didn't put reasonably priced bodies in the squad for selection.

 

Again, I'll reiterate the point that we went 18 months without a permanent signing.

[Kid Dynamite 7027]

We may have spent more money last year but there is definitely a change in policy. Gone are the days of spending £3,4,5mil on squad players on the off chance we capture another Cabaye.

 

Seems like they've finally clicked that you may as well have a £12mil starter like Mitrovic than two £6mil players like Rivière and Anita warming the bench

[Kitman 2207]

If and when mbemba appears he's one of the first names on the team sheet. Hes Williamsons replacement 3 years too late though. That's where only going for cheapies, bosmans and those with a good get out clause gets you. Newcastle's transfer policy in the last 5 years has rarely addressed the real needs of the squad, its addressed what is good for the clubs bank balance.

I agree with this. I think we bought Anita because somebody thought he was a bargain, not because a mf was a priority.

[Happy Face 29]

 

Again, I'll reiterate the point that we went 18 months without a permanent signing.

Because we don't spend in January unless relegation threatened.

 

Being relegation threatened brought forward that seasons summer spend.

 

Not a policy I agree with and one I've raised with the fans forum, only to get a shit answer from the club.

 

Whenever the money is spent though, if the club has been profitable, there had been an annual budget over and above what is earned from sales.

[ewerk 30610]

Because we don't spend in January unless relegation threatened.

 

Being relegation threatened brought forward that seasons summer spend.

 

Not a policy I agree with and one I've raised with the fans forum, only to get a shit answer from the club.

 

Whenever the money is spent though, if the club has been profitable, there had been an annual budget over and above what is earned from sales.

 

We only spent £18m in that January window though and still had a £10m profit for the same accounting period. That isn't being allowed to spend what you earn. If we hadn't brought those signings forward the club would have had a profit of around £35m for that year. That was followed by a £19m profit the following year. None of this strikes me as the club being allowed to reinvest its own money.

[PaddockLad 17260]

https://mobile.twitter.com/alextomo/status/628983203911569408

[ewerk 30610]

[Rayvin 5223]

That's actually pretty funny. If kind of depressing at the same time.