How to lose your friends and alienate people

[ohhh_yeah 2795]

Say what you like about Mike Ashley, at least he is consistent. Having got just about every major decision wrong since he took over at Newcastle United, he looked to have broken the pattern with the temporary appointment of Alan Shearer as manager.

Shearer could not keep Newcastle up, indeed results were poor, but he restored credibility to the club with his dignified demeanour and by accepting responsibility, not least in his swift action over Joey Barton.

When Shearer said that he was prepared to discuss a permanent position as manager, and take on the challenge of restoring this shattered club to the Premier League, it appeared as if Ashley had at last lucked out on a way forward.

With admirable speed, he soon put a stop to that.

The decision to announce the club was up for sale was a masterstroke, immediately throwing all future plans up in the air and causing the positive vibes around Shearer's appointment - the only cause for optimism on Tyneside at the moment - to evaporate like morning mist.

Sure enough, there is now confusion around whether Shearer will carry on, management talks are in limbo, massive redundancies have stalled decision making in all areas, and there is even a suggestion the local hero may now be lost to West Bromwich Albion or Southampton.

Ashley may feel he made a horrible mistake in buying into the black hole of Premier League ownership. He will not be alone in that. Looking at the state of the finances, Tom Hicks and George Gillett probably regret the day they decided to get hooked up with Liverpool Reds, too.

What sets Ashley apart, however, is his determination to take his investment in directions that can only make his life more difficult. At least Hicks and Gillett resolved the dispute with Rafael Benitez, the manager, and have avoided upsetting Fernando Torres or Steven Gerrard.

If Ashley drives Shearer away, as he did Kevin Keegan, by contrast he will have successfully alienated two of the club's biggest heroes. It is as if he wilfully devises ways to drive a wedge between himself and the public.

Short of claiming Jackie Milburn was rubbish, compared to Len Shackleton, or getting the team to run out to Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner, there is not much more he can do.

It was said from the start that Ashley was an outsider with no feeling for the club, and this seemed daft protectionism considering how well served Newcastle had been by local men such as Freddy Shepherd in recent years.

In fact, the appointment of Keegan showed Ashley attempting to pander to the locals to curry favour, and that was misguided and doomed from the outset.

Recruiting Shearer was different. We still do not know if he is the right manager but he is the right man and that is a start. Better to have not involved him at all, though, if this was where it was going to end.

As it is, Ashley's indifference to local sensitivities will be proved if he gives supporters hope through Shearer, only to snatch it away.

It is as if he is determined to make their rejection absolute. How could he even countenance losing Shearer? How could he risk denunciation by the one man who has made his regime even half-credible in the past few weeks?

Shearer may be finding his feet as a manager, but Newcastle under Ashley are still to find theirs as a plausible football club. Shearer at least seemed to have a handle on the high density of overpaid wasters, mercenaries and dilettantes that populate his dressing room.

His training ground speech to the players about 'not taking the piss out of this city or its football club' must rank as one of the few moments in the season when Newcastle fans had reason to cheer.

It should have been Ashley's absolute priority to ensure that man remained in his camp.

Instead, he risks allowing Shearer to walk away, disgruntled, as the club staggers along the Leeds United treadmill to oblivion; although if this happens, the most shocking element will be the lack of surprise.

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1...s.html?ITO=1490

[Asprilla 96]

Every fucking word.

[David Kelly 1117]

Short of claiming Jackie Milburn was rubbish, compared to Len Shackleton, or getting the team to run out to Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner, there is not much more he can do.

 

 

Don't worry there's still time for Ashley to take us into administration and flog Bassong and Beye to the makems.

[Fop 1]

The decision to announce the club was up for sale was a masterstroke, immediately throwing all future plans up in the air and causing the positive vibes around Shearer's appointment - the only cause for optimism on Tyneside at the moment - to evaporate like morning mist.

 

Sure he's writing a book about how to get a club relegated in 2 consecutive seasons.

[AgentAxeman 90]

[Kitman 2188]

Martin Samuel is a fat cunt of the first order, I haven't forgotten the ill informed shit he wrote about us earlier in the season. So I'm not going to applaud him now he's finally got something right.

[Asprilla 96]

Martin Samuel is a fat cunt of the first order, I haven't forgotten the ill informed shit he wrote about us earlier in the season. So I'm not going to applaud him now he's finally got something right.

I didn't realise it was him....

 

 

"YABOO BOLLOCKSS HISSSSS"

[Kitman 2188]

Martin Samuel is a fat cunt of the first order, I haven't forgotten the ill informed shit he wrote about us earlier in the season. So I'm not going to applaud him now he's finally got something right.

I didn't realise it was him....

 

 

"YABOO BOLLOCKSS HISSSSS"

 

Reminds me of:

 

[Asprilla 96]

Martin Samuel is a fat cunt of the first order, I haven't forgotten the ill informed shit he wrote about us earlier in the season. So I'm not going to applaud him now he's finally got something right.

I didn't realise it was him....

 

 

"YABOO BOLLOCKSS HISSSSS"

 

Reminds me of:

 

 

 

*moseys over to amazon to see how much Father Ted boxsets are....*

[Happy Face 29]

Say what you like about Mike Ashley, at least he is consistent. Having got just about every major decision wrong since he took over at Newcastle United (Keegan was the right decision, the youth teams/reserves are working, I'm over the moon with the seating re-shuffle, the pricing, the extended family enclosure, the opportunity to pay in advance for a saving, cheaper cup tickets, an excellent new online booking system etc.), he looked to have broken the pattern with the temporary appointment of Alan Shearer as manager.

 

Shearer could not keep Newcastle up, indeed results were poor, but he restored credibility to the club with his dignified demeanour and by accepting responsibility, not least in his swift action over Joey Barton. (How brave was it to suspend a player the FA had already suspended for the rest of the season?)

 

When Shearer said that he was prepared to discuss a permanent position as manager, and take on the challenge of restoring this shattered club to the Premier League, it appeared as if Ashley had at last lucked out on a way forward.

 

With admirable speed, he soon put a stop to that.

 

The decision to announce the club was up for sale was a masterstroke, immediately throwing all future plans up in the air and causing the positive vibes around Shearer's appointment - the only cause for optimism on Tyneside at the moment - to evaporate like morning mist.

 

Sure enough, there is now confusion around whether Shearer will carry on, management talks are in limbo, massive redundancies have stalled decision making in all areas, and there is even a suggestion the local hero may now be lost to West Bromwich Albion or Southampton.

 

Ashley may feel he made a horrible mistake in buying into the black hole of Premier League ownership. He will not be alone in that. Looking at the state of the finances, Tom Hicks and George Gillett probably regret the day they decided to get hooked up with Liverpool Reds, too.

 

What sets Ashley apart, however, is his determination to take his investment in directions that can only make his life more difficult. At least Hicks and Gillett resolved the dispute with Rafael Benitez, the manager, and have avoided upsetting Fernando Torres or Steven Gerrard.

 

If Ashley drives Shearer away, as he did Kevin Keegan, by contrast he will have successfully alienated two of the club's biggest heroes. It is as if he wilfully devises ways to drive a wedge between himself and the public.

 

Short of claiming Jackie Milburn was rubbish, compared to Len Shackleton, or getting the team to run out to Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner, there is not much more he can do.

 

It was said from the start that Ashley was an outsider with no feeling for the club, and this seemed daft protectionism considering how well served Newcastle had been by local men such as Freddy Shepherd in recent years.

 

In fact, the appointment of Keegan showed Ashley attempting to pander to the locals to curry favour, and that was misguided and doomed from the outset. (None of whom had so much as suggested Keegan....many of whom said it was ridiculous)

 

Recruiting Shearer was different. We still do not know if he is the right manager but he is the right man and that is a start. Better to have not involved him at all, though, if this was where it was going to end. (so he should have stuck with Kinnear? Get to fuck)

 

As it is, Ashley's indifference to local sensitivities will be proved if he gives supporters hope through Shearer, only to snatch it away.

 

It is as if he is determined to make their rejection absolute. How could he even countenance losing Shearer? How could he risk denunciation by the one man who has made his regime even half-credible in the past few weeks? (It allows new owners to bring in whoever THEY want numb nuts)

 

Shearer may be finding his feet as a manager, but Newcastle under Ashley are still to find theirs as a plausible football club. Shearer at least seemed to have a handle on the high density of overpaid wasters, mercenaries and dilettantes that populate his dressing room.

 

His training ground speech to the players about 'not taking the piss out of this city or its football club' must rank as one of the few moments in the season when Newcastle fans had reason to cheer.

 

It should have been Ashley's absolute priority to ensure that man remained in his camp.

 

Instead, he risks allowing Shearer to walk away, disgruntled, as the club staggers along the Leeds United treadmill to oblivion; although if this happens, the most shocking element will be the lack of surprise.

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1...s.html?ITO=1490

 

Generally whatever they write about Newcastle, it's over the top horse shit. Whether it panders to the fans or not, it's always reactionary, sensationalist bollocks designed only to annoy or cajole the supporters into a response.

 

It's not so black and white, unfortunately very few journalists can express the shades of grey which are closer to the truth.

Edited June 8, 2009 by Happy Face