Cameron wants answers From Ashley!

[Park Life 71]

Ashley is a salesman. He has built a sales empire but doesn't personally get to sell anything in his shops anymore.

 

The reported hands on approach he apparently takes when it comes to negotiating player sales seems to me to be the primary interest he has in the club. Competing with other chairman to see who can do the best in the market. Scaling up the trading he enjoys to a multimillion pound product that keeps it interesting.

 

He's not going to buy players expensively on the last day of a window for the good of the team. That would be losing the game he is interested in, which isn't football.

Bang on. That's where I am with him. Getting Cabs to listen to the call says it all.....

[McFaul 35]

 

Ashley was being praised for this sort of thing 18 months ago. Not that much has changed tbh, other than the present understanding that we're not going down the road that Spurs have gone down; i.e. money from player sales going straight into further recruitment. All money is going to pay off the loans, and if we're then desperate for a player or staring relegation in the face then we'll maybe buy then. But only in January.

This is it in a nutshell.

[Barney 0]

He blocked the Douglas transfer. Bent was told he'd have to wait till the last day of the window and obvioulsy that was ridiculous and disrespectful.

 

Pardew wanted Bent from day one.

 

That seems about right. Kinnear, intentionally or not, blocked two transfers.

 

Pardew seemed to really want Douglas in. I couldn't be arsed looking for quotes, but when under pressure for our poor set-pieces, he was quoted saying he wanted another couple of 6foot plus players to offer us a bigger threat.

[PaddockLad 16505]

He blocked the Douglas transfer. Bent was told he'd have to wait till the last day of the window and obvioulsy that was ridiculous and disrespectful.

 

Pardew wanted Bent from day one.

 

Which is fair enough. Think he must have forgotten who his boss was this summer. He could have saved himself a lot of heartache if he'd gone for a part time window cleaner from Kilmarnock

[ChezGiven 0]

Tbf Bent looked utter shite last week.

[Park Life 71]

TBH out of the whole bag of strikers we've been linked with we've actually managed to end up with the best one (albeit for a year).

[Kitman 2204]

 

Ashley was being praised for this sort of thing 18 months ago. Not that much has changed tbh, other than the present understanding that we're not going down the road that Spurs have gone down; i.e. money from player sales going straight into further recruitment. All money is going to pay off the loans, and if we're then desperate for a player or staring relegation in the face then we'll maybe buy then. But only in January.

 

fwiw I'm not bagging him for signing younger players instead of knackered old pros looking or a last pay day (aka Fat Sam's target market). It doesn't look so flash though when you don't sign the players you need. Bent was a pragmatic option if not a money maker

[Christmas Tree 4433]

From the journal

 

Alan Pardew mounted a surprising public defence of Joe Kinnear’s recruitment efforts yesterday as pressure grew on Newcastle United’s director of football to justify his position.

 

Having earlier declined a request from The Journal to speak, the Newcastle boss then released a statement through the club in which he said the club had done the majority of their business in January.

 

Newcastle’s attempt to repair the damage of their transfer-window travails saw Pardew put himself in the firing line by defending the club’s summer business.

 

The United boss said that the club approach the rest of the season in an “optimistic frame of mind” and with a “strong squad” – although it must be noted that the mood among supporters dismayed by a lack of business is anything but optimistic.

 

Throughout the window Pardew had spoken of his hope to get at least one more striker into the club, but he took the shock step of rowing back on that yesterday afternoon, saying that many of the options offered to the club were not as good as the squad they already had. Elsewhere there was silence from Newcastle officials as the vacuum created by Derek Llambias’ summer departure was exposed.

 

While Llambias might have sought to justify the club’s summer business there was no sign of Kinnear – who has barely spent any time in Newcastle this summer.

 

He was said to be in France by a national radio station that was attempting to make contact with United’s director of football, and he is facing a fans’ backlash after a calamitous summer.

 

The Journal understands that Mike Ashley was prepared to release significant funds in the summer and sanctioned moves for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bafetimbi Gomis during the close season.

 

They also made enquiries about Tom Ince, Toby Alderweireld and Josuha Guilavogui – although many of those moves depended on players going out, such as Yohan Cabaye.

 

After being turned down – or seeing the move collapse due to player demands or the fee demanded by the selling club – Kinnear was unable to supply alternative names.

 

Ashley has come in for fierce criticism in the hours following the close of the transfer window, but those close to him say he has no intention of selling up despite an unsuccessful summer and the calamitous decision to bring in Kinnear. They say takeover rumours can be dismissed.

 

Indeed he is understood to have asked his transfer team to come up with a list of under-20 players who will strengthen the club – proof, according to those close to him, that he is not actively looking for a buyer.

 

If that is the case, though, the summer window must go down as another huge misjudgement. Kinnear’s own position is under scrutiny and those within the club are waiting to see exactly what his role will entail now that the summer window has shut.

[Barney 0]

Tbf Bent looked utter shite last week.

Yeah, I'm not saying Pardew was correct in wanting him. But between that, Douglas "at least 2 in" and wanting another contract for Perch it seems that decisions are being taken out of his hands. He's basically a coach at this stage.

[Kitman 2204]

Yeah, I'm not saying Pardew was correct in wanting him. But between that, Douglas "at least 2 in" and wanting another contract for Perch it seems that decisions are being taken out of his hands. He's basically a coach at this stage.

 

Exactly. Pardew has fuck all to do with transfers other than giving his opinion on what's needed for the team. It reminds me of that scene from Mike Bassett where when he needs something he writes it on a piece of paper and pushes it under the chairman's door.

[PaddockLad 16505]

 

fwiw I'm not bagging him for signing younger players instead of knackered old pros looking or a last pay day (aka Fat Sam's target market). It doesn't look so flash though when you don't sign the players you need. Bent was a pragmatic option if not a money maker

 

 

Yeah, I'm not saying Pardew was correct in wanting him. But between that, Douglas "at least 2 in" and wanting another contract for Perch it seems that decisions are being taken out of his hands. He's basically a coach at this stage.

 

mate, thats all hes been since he got the job. I cant see how his role has changed. Asking for and getting Obertan is probably the limit of his recruitment activity, other than watching the youtube links Carr emails him.

[Barney 0]

 

 

 

mate, thats all hes been since he got the job. I cant see how his role has changed. Asking for and getting Obertan is probably the limit of his recruitment activity, other than watching the youtube links Carr emails him.

Yes, you're probably right. I'm not sure it's been this blatant though. I knew he was brought in as a yes-man and because nobody else would have taken a job on such limited constraints.

 

Maybe it's the fact he's making public his requirements and then makes a 'statement' on the website to the contrary. Poor bastard.

[trophyshy 7055]

Asking for and getting Obertan is probably the limit of his recruitment activity.

Understandable he's not allowed a say after that tbf.

[Kitman 2204]

Understandable he's not allowed a say after that tbf.

 

[PaddockLad 16505]

Yes, you're probably right. I'm not sure it's been this blatant though. I knew he was brought in as a yes-man and because nobody else would have taken a job on such limited constraints.

 

Maybe it's the fact he's making public his requirements and then makes a 'statement' on the website to the contrary. Poor bastard.

 

I'm ambivalent towards him tbh, he got involved with his eyes wide open. I think his tactical shortcomings miss the point though, he's still employed by Ashley. Ashley could employ a better coach, but hasnt done up to now and Pardew is cheap...Kinnear could be even cheaper...

[Barney 0]

If this is the way he's going, he'd be as well off just employing a top class coach. Send someone from PR out to do the press conferences.

[Happy Face 29]

Understandable he's not allowed a say after that tbf.

 

That's why he's still at the club. Whenever Pardew speaks in a meeting Ashley buzzes his secretary, Lord Sugar style, and has her send in Obertan. Fully kitted, for the rest of the meeting he stands next to Pardew who looks at his hands in his lap and fiddles with his wedding ring.

[Kitman 2204]

 

That's why he's still at the club. Whenever Pardew speaks in a meeting Ashley buzzes his secretary, Lord Sugar style, and has her send in Obertan. Fully kitted, for the rest of the meeting he stands next to Pardew who looks at his hands in his lap and fiddles with his wedding ring.

 

[Kitman 2204]

Strange how no-one was in for Obertan over the summer....

[trophyshy 7055]

That's why he's still at the club. Whenever Pardew speaks in a meeting Ashley buzzes his secretary, Lord Sugar style, and has her send in Obertan. Fully kitted, for the rest of the meeting he stands next to Pardew who looks at his hands in his lap and fiddles with his wedding ring.

[Christmas Tree 4433]

That's why he's still at the club. Whenever Pardew speaks in a meeting Ashley buzzes his secretary, Lord Sugar style, and has her send in Obertan. Fully kitted, for the rest of the meeting he stands next to Pardew who looks at his hands in his lap and fiddles with his wedding ring.

[Barney 0]

The club confirmed last night a fans meeting that the balance from Ashley's interest free loan(£30m) from the relegation year would be paid back this year. £19m

[Park Life 71]

To what level that affected transfer business is hard to define. There was a bid for Gomis, so it isn't as if we were working under a transfer embargo.

[PaddockLad 16505]

Wheres that from Barney?..

 

If we'd sold Cabaye, we may have brought Gomis in. But it looks like this years priority was getting the cash back that he lost because of the relegation he caused.

[Howmanheyman 31565]

Wheres that from Barney?..

 

If we'd sold Cabaye, we may have brought Gomis in. But it looks like this years priority was getting the cash back that he lost because of the relegation he caused.

Yep.

 

'Ash!!

Ahaaaa!

He saved every one of us!'

 

[/Queen]