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Optimistic Nut

FantasyFootball
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  1. Michael Owen moves closer to new deal at Newcastle

    George Caulkin

     

    Having sat down with Michael Owen for lengthy discussions this week, Joe Kinnear has expressed optimism that the England striker will remain at Newcastle United for the remainder of his career. After persuading Mike Ashley, the owner, to fund a new contract worth £18 million over the next four years, the manager has been heartened by the player’s response although, as ever, there are notable contradictions.

     

    Kinnear, the Newcastle interim manager, stated yesterday that Owen had informed him he would make a decision on his future “in the next couple of days” which, on the face of it, sounds unlikely. After allowing the 29-year-old to run down his present deal, which expires at the end of the season, Newcastle will not be able to prevent him from negotiating personal terms with other clubs next month.

     

    In the circumstances — Newcastle are still up for sale and beset by instability, with Kinnear’s own contract only stretching until the summer — it would be understandable if Owen’s representatives chose to keep their options open, even if most clubs would struggle to match the £90,000-a-week offer. Kinnear said that Ashley has not imposed a deadline for an agreement to be reached.

     

    Everton have been pursuing Owen — who earns £115,000 a week on Tyneside — but their highest-paid player commands a weekly wage of only £45,000 and while Manchester City would not balk at the forward’s demands, their transfer policy is not straightforward. In the light of the financial climate, Newcastle have been generous, although the club’s approach to the issue has been incoherent and slow.

     

    Owen has started just 46 league matches since his £16 million transfer from Real Madrid in August 2005 and Newcastle’s offer of a three-year deal, with a fourth dependent on him appearing in 50 per cent of matches the previous season, is a reflection of his injury record. According to Kinnear, Owen was “delighted with the length of time”. A week ago, Kinnear was playing down the possibility of Owen staying on Tyneside, but mixed messages are now ingrained at the club. “He \ said he was very happy here but like everyone else, I suppose, he will go back and negotiate with Mike \ and Derek Llambias \ and then they will put it to bed. I’m not going to say he will sign but I think he will.”

     

    He rated the odds at “60/40.” Kevin Keegan, the former manager, made repeated requests for Owen’s future to be secured, but Ashley sanctioned only a 12-month offer worth £80,000-a-week in the days that immediately preceded the departure of Kinnear’s predecessor. “I didn’t see any value in that, so I just said to Michael, ‘What if we can tie you up for the rest of your career, more or less, would you be happy with that?’ And he said ‘Yes, I’d be delighted.’ ”

     

    Kinnear is adamant that a commitment from Owen would benefit both club and player. “If he signs it will help me in everything else that I’m trying to do,” he said. “That’s the thinking. The more top-class players you have at a club, the more players are prepared to join. It makes it easier.

     

    “If he does stay, it can help him get back into England. He will help himself. He is looking sharp, scoring goals. It will not be long before he is in the England side. Fabio \ has said he will come and have a look at him. The problem has been that when they have had a look, he has not been at his best, he has been coming back into the team after being injured and has had disappointing matches.”

     

    Kinnear said that Nicky Butt, Shola Ameobi and Steve Harper are all close to signing new contracts, but Newcastle are losing the services of Richard Money, their academy director, after only six months in the job. Money is set to be named as the new manager of Swindon Town.

  2. The founder and owner of Sports Direct paid £134m for the club last year. Since then he has ploughed another £110m into the club to reduce debt.

     

    Asked about the sale, he said: "Basically, I'd take £250m."

     

    And walk off with 2 years of Sky TV money, gate receipts, advertising and corporate cash stuffing his pockets while leaving a hideous fucking shambles in his wake with an ugly 50ft long Sports Direct sign emblazoned across it.

     

    Eh? How do you figure that one out? The only money Ashley will walk away with is the £250m the new people pay him. That money you've mentioned will still be in the club's accounts, not Ashley's.

  3. Yep, definitely a more attractive proposition. :aye:

     

    Portsmouth defender Lauren believes a successful team is being 'dismantled' on the South Coast.

     

    Pompey have already given France international Lassana Diarra permission to speak with Spanish giants Real Madrid, while the future of many other players remains unclear.

     

    Tony Adams is adamant that he will not sanction a mass exodus of his top talent in January, but the Fratton Park chief could be in for a difficult New Year.

     

    Lauren certainly believes that further departures are on the cards, with the Cameroonian full-back tipping Jermain Defoe and Glen Johnson to join former boss Harry Redknapp at Tottenham.

     

    He told Spanish newspaper AS: "The team is being dismantled and the big teams are coming in. Not only is it Diarra, there is Defoe, who could return to Tottenham, to whom Glen Johnson is also going to go.

     

    "The economic situation is very bad, we are already aware of this.

     

    "Look at the signings that were made in the last two years. They brought me, (Sol) Campbell, Kanu, (Peter) Crouch, Defoe, (Pedro) Mendes, who has already gone to Rangers. Of these, the great majority are going to go."

     

    Lauren also lists himself among those who could be heading for pastures new during the impending transfer window.

     

    He added: "Me as well. In January. It's Turkey or Greece."

  4. West Ham & Portsmouth have much smaller incomes than us, smaller stadia, managers on long-term contracts who'll cost a lot of money to replace if need be and are in serious debt, whereas the only debt we have is around £40m on transfers still owed out which you get at every club anyway, a good infrastructure, the knowledge that they'll be welcomed straight away by the fans because they're desparate for their current owner to leave, and are in a position where in May they can appoint whoever they want without paying any compensation, or if they buy us before then, won't have to pay much to pay-off JFK.

  5. I've said all along, my judgement on Ashley will be made by February 3rd, after the transfer window. If he's strengthened the squad and Owen is still there, even without a new contract, I'd settle for that. If not, and Owen's gone, then yeah, that's when I'll turn against Ashley.

     

    How many chances do you want to give the bloke?

     

    Personally I want rid, asap regardless of what he does from this point on - I trust him less than I ever trusted Fat Freddie (amazingly).

     

    The only real mistake he made was Sept 1st, so I wouldn't say he's had a chance to put that right. January is his one, and only chance for me, to put things right...or at least try to.

  6. I've said all along, my judgement on Ashley will be made by February 3rd, after the transfer window. If he's strengthened the squad and Owen is still there, even without a new contract, I'd settle for that. If not, and Owen's gone, then yeah, that's when I'll turn against Ashley.

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