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Mort To Go?


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Guest alex
Chris Mort seems to be doing a decent job and I'd like him to stay, if there is anything behind this story at all...

 

I feel the complete opposite. I reckon the job requires an inside knowledge of how the football world works tbh. I had hoped that the initial rumours of David Dein coming on board were true - however, they proved not.

I agree there. By his own admission he knows very little about the game and even less about being a club chairman.

What knowledge of the game is actually required for a chairman?

 

I think a knowledge of the industry would obviously be an advantage but it's not that much different from any other sporting club. One area in which a 'football' person would be a bonus is regarding contacts in the game, however, with Wise, Jiminez and the other fella on the board I don't think that that is as much of an issue with us.

 

The lass on reception reckons Freddy Shepherd has been in asking for an application form.

 

[/iTK]

Would you want him on the front desk of your company? I think not.

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Chris Mort seems to be doing a decent job and I'd like him to stay, if there is anything behind this story at all...

 

I feel the complete opposite. I reckon the job requires an inside knowledge of how the football world works tbh. I had hoped that the initial rumours of David Dein coming on board were true - however, they proved not.

 

its not a job for someone who knows so little about football, and may never catch on either. No big loss.

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I can remember it being mentioned he was only here for a year at the time he was appointed.

 

 

I can't find anything that said that at the time, and I wasn't under that impression. Certainly wasn't mentioned on the official club announcement.

 

Though Wiki does reference him as Newcastle's "stand in chairman" on Ashley's page.

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Mort will take his time to do the job right

Aug 2 2007

 

 

 

Chris Mort’s honeymoon as Newcastle United chairman has not lasted long but, as he told Luke Edwards, he is only just starting to get his hands warm as he attempts to end the decades of under-achievement at St James’s Park.

 

EVERY long journey begins with a single step and the man charged with the task of leading Newcastle United towards an exciting new era is more concerned with making the first move forward than where it might end up.

 

Chris Mort does not have the charisma of some Premier League chairmen and he does not have the football experience of others, but what he does have is a sharp mind and proven business acumen.

 

A lawyer by trade, Mort does not hurry his words or his judgements, he is careful and considered in his approach, but a cool exterior hides a burning determination to succeed.

 

Those expecting a rollercoaster ride of fast spending, showbiz signings and delicious soundbites might be disappointed with Newcastle’s new chairman, but those who want to see their football club finally have clear direction and a long-term plan should be thrilled by his presence in the boardroom. It is sometimes said a marriage heads downhill as soon as the honeymoon starts and, while Mort has no intention of ending his relationship with Newcastle in an acrimonious divorce, he will perhaps have some sympathy with those sentiments.

 

Barely were the new man’s feet under the desk in his new office when the first whispers of criticism began to be heard. He was criticised for a lack of spending in the transfer market as Sam Allardyce struggled to sign the defenders his squad desperately needs, sniped at for failing to move his family home to the North-East and questioned about his long-term commitment to the club, with rumours buzzing around the City that owner Mike Ashley would look to sell the club at a profit as quickly as possible.

 

 

“It is not a short-term project for Mike Ashley or myself and I want to put that to bed straight away,” said Mort, who has revealed he will spend the majority of his time in his office at St James’s Park, despite keeping his family home in London. “If you look at the companies Mike has bought, like Dunlop and Slazenger, he has developed them over a period of 20 years.

 

 

“He does small investments like he did in adidas, which he then sells on, but that is not a whole business, it’s a minority stake. He has bought an entire asset here and the plan is to develop it over a lengthy period of time, not turn things around quickly and sell it on again.

 

 

We are here for the long term, this is a long-term project. We are looking at how to take the club forward over various timescales. We are looking at the short term, which is making sure the team is a strong as possible for the start of the Premier League season, which means getting the squad and staff right.

 

 

“Then there is the longer time frame, like property development, which we haven’t really looked at yet at all. We have to get the foundations right here to sustain long-term goals.”

 

 

Although long-term goals are fine, it is the strength of the squad for an assault on the Premier League on which Mort and manager Sam Allardyce will first be judged. With rumours of financial trouble limiting the funds made available to the manager and even talk of tension between the two men, Mort confirmed the club’s debt – perhaps conservatively estimated at £80m – is larger than they first believed. He was careful not to openly criticise the club’s former owners, but there was also the clear inference that things would be better managed in the future.

 

 

There was also an overt pledge that the necessary money would be made available to Allardyce to buy the players he wants. Mort said: “The calibre of player we want to bring in is someone with a lot of Premiership experience or Champions League experience and they are in short supply. We are at a stage where we don’t want to just bring players in to add to the squad, we want players who are going to be in the first team. We are not just trying to add numbers, we are trying to add quality. I think Sam and I are not that focused on the money side of things, we are just trying to bring in the right people. We are conscious we don’t want to overpay, or panic buy and so we are managing our funds properly. But we both know we are going to have to pay decent money to bring decent players in. We are certainly willing to spend the money we have to strengthen the squad and we are close to bringing in two or three players before the start of the season.”

 

 

He continued: “The debt was certainly higher than we thought. The club’s finances were not in as strong a position as we first thought when we arrived, but that’s something we will work with over a period of time. It obviously wasn’t a positive thing to find out that the business isn’t in as good a financial health as we believed. It’s not a criticism of the previous regime, their heart was in the right place to do what they could to bring success to the club, but we’ll look at the debt and get it to a level which is suitable for the size of the club and its revenue.

 

 

“It has not been a hindrance to what we are doing in the transfer market and for me the two are separate. We are doing lots of things on the financial side and buying players is just one of those, the debt is another. The debt has not stopped us from trying to buy the players we want to improve the squad.”

 

 

There were also further assurances for Allardyce he will be given the chance to construct the firm foundations needed to sustain long-term success at the club. Mort added: “The aim is to win that first trophy, of course, but we are not setting Sam any specific goals for this season or beyond. We appreciate there is lots of work to do with the squad and behind the scenes in terms of backroom staff support.

 

 

“We want to be heading in the right direction in the Premiership, but we haven’t said we want this finish or that finish. We want to have a team which is tough to beat and who other teams are wary of, but this is going to be a gradual process. Our ambitions are to take the club back into Europe, but this is just the first step forward. We are getting the foundations in place in the first team, but also across the whole of the club. We are not focusing too much on what happens in the first few weeks and months.”

 

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcast...-name_page.html

 

You'd have thought the article would mention he was a short term appointment if that was the case.

 

I also find the bold quote interesting. Who changed Ashley & Mort's thinking on the kind of signings they want from being proven champions league first teamers to being unproven youngsters with potential?

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I also find the bold quote interesting. Who changed Ashley & Mort's thinking on the kind of signings they want from being proven champions league first teamers to being unproven youngsters with potential?

 

Well the likes of Smith, Cacapa and Enrique all had a bit of CL experience didn't they?

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I also find the bold quote interesting. Who changed Ashley & Mort's thinking on the kind of signings they want from being proven champions league first teamers to being unproven youngsters with potential?

 

Well the likes of Smith, Cacapa and Enrique all had a bit of CL experience didn't they?

 

 

They also always stated they would look to bring in young players with potential as well. Proven with Kadar, Tozer and the likes.

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I also find the bold quote interesting. Who changed Ashley & Mort's thinking on the kind of signings they want from being proven champions league first teamers to being unproven youngsters with potential?

 

Well the likes of Smith, Cacapa and Enrique all had a bit of CL experience didn't they?

 

He alone is enough to change the policy I suppose.

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Aye, none of them were hardly names to set the world alight.

 

I like Enrique

 

 

I'm not saying he's a bad player but when Mort was talking about players with CL experience I suppose I had set my sights on 'bigger names' than those 3 I mentioned.

Edited by ewerk
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Fuck. There's something up there I reckon, the chairman doesn't just step down at the beginning of the transfer window.

 

Unless this was always the plan with that fella coming in as vice-chairman?

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Fuck. There's something up there I reckon, the chairman doesn't just step down at the beginning of the transfer window.

 

Unless this was always the plan with that fella coming in as vice-chairman?

 

Well thinking about it I suppose it's not the worst timing seeing as Wise and Jiminez will probably be doing a fair bit of the work regarding transfers.

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Gone according to SSN

 

Gone according to talkSPORT (just a tiny, passing comment)

 

 

There are only 60 minutes in an hour and 59 of those have to be about the greatest game of the century.

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Chris Mort is to step down from his role as Newcastle United chairman. Mort, a lawyer, had advised Mike Ashley in his takeover of the club and replaced Freddy Shepherd as chairman on July 24, 2007.

 

However, he has overseen a club in transition and his tenure has been fraught with difficulties, culminating in the sacking of manager Sam Allardyce in January 2008 after a poor start to the campaign.

 

Mort was instrumental in local hero Kevin Keegan's return to the club as manager, who has stabilised the club despite failing to win his first eight games in charge.

 

But off the field problems have continued to mount and midfielder Joey Barton was jailed this week for six months for assault and affray.

 

More soon.

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle3984322.ece

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Gone according to SSN

 

Gone according to talkSPORT (just a tiny, passing comment)

 

 

There are only 60 minutes in an hour and 59 of those have to be about the greatest game of the century.

 

Don't forget the adverts for air conditioning and van insurance.

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http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcas...72703-20948004/

 

NEWCASTLE UNITED look destined to start the new season with a new chairman at the helm with Chris Mort set to return to the London legal circuit.

 

His departure is not set to be immediate and is expected later in the summer, but he could be replaced by Derek Llambias, recently-appointed deputy chairman and a long-term acquaintance of Mike Ashley.

 

The Toon chief arrived on Tyneside last summer as deputy chairman ahead of Mike Ashley’s full takeover of affairs at St James’s Park before replacing Freddy Shepherd.

 

But after a year of being the voice of United, with Toon tycoon Ashley a rare public speaker, Mort is expected to return to his role with London law firm Freshfields.

 

And a United insider told the Chronicle today: “It was always the scenario that at some stage Chris would return to his role at Freshfields in a full-time capacity.

 

“He’s been a valuable figure since he arrived at St James’s Park and he’s certainly taken the club forward in his year as chairman.

 

“During that time he has significantly improved relationships between the club and the supporters.

 

“He’s also done lots of good work in the community and met members of the public at sporting dinners and awards nights.

 

“And he has been instrumental in appointing key members of the board to lay the foundations at Newcastle that will hopefully take the club forward in the future.”

 

Mort played a big role in appointing Dennis Wise as executive director (football) and Tony Jimenez in a player recruitment role, with the Londoner at last night’s Champions League final in Moscow.

 

Other appointments included Jeff Vetere as technical co-ordinator and operations director David Williamson, who formerly worked at Newcastle Racecourse in a similar role.

 

His most recent appointment, though, was Llambias, who left his role as managing director of swanky London gambling club Fifty last month.

 

Mort’s stint on Tyneside has been a positive one after many Toon fans were severely disgruntled with the previous board.

 

And he recently thanked the fans for their backing.

 

Speaking on the club’s terrible mid-season run, he said: “These are the months for which I must give most thanks to our supporters.

 

“The support of the team during that period, both home and away, was fabulous.

 

“To have sell-out crowds when the team was unbeaten was excellent.

 

“However, to have 50,000 supporters cheering on the team when the team is struggling and 6,000 fans making the trips away I must thank them for their incredible backing.”

 

The Welshman made it his business to meet as many fans as possible and held regular meetings with fanzine editors and also ventured into the Bigg Market on several occasions, singing a famous rendition of the Blaydon Races after the recent 2-0 win over Sunderland.

 

Like Ashley, who watched most games from the away end in a black-and-white shirt, Mort was happy to listen to the supporters and take on the Toon Army’s views on board.

 

Indeed, like the Geordie nation, Ashley and Mort became tired of the unorthodox long-ball tactics of Sam Allardyce in January and knew that the fans craved a more attractive brand of football.

 

Their remedy came in the shape of former boss Kevin Keegan, who returned at the start of the year, duly rescuing United from a dire situation in which their Premier League status was in doubt.

 

Now with the job of steadying the black-and-white ship seemingly done and dusted, Mort’s work appears to be over and, as people close the Toon board expected, he will return to the capital.

 

Significantly, Ashley did not take his place in the away end for the final game of the season at Everton and, donning a suit, took his place alongside Mort.

 

Next season could well see Ashley adopt a similar position alongside Llambias.

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So it was all planned to happen anyways, I can't believe that the media didn't get all the facts before reporting on it in a negative fashion... :)

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Ashley to take a more hands on role? Interesting.

 

Sounds like he didn't have the time to personally overhaul the company from top to bottom himself, but now that it's done he's happy to have a part in keeping things ticking over.

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