Happy Face 29 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 OBA AND OUTEXCLUSIVE KEEGAN FACES CASH CRISIS Kev has to flog £15m star to boost his kitty By Brian Mcnally And Steve Stammers 29/06/2008 Newcastle will sell star striker Obefami Martins for £15million to bolster manager Kevin Keegan's transfer fund. Martins, who joined Newcastle for £10.1m from Inter two years ago, is stunned by the news and has made it clear he has never asked to leave. However, Keegan returned to his St James' Park desk last week to discover that his summer transfer kitty could be as low as £20million - unless he raises more by selling current stars. He is already on record as insisting £5m-a-year Michael Owen must stay. And with an already thin senior squad further depleted by the summer exits of Emre, David Rozehnal, Peter Ramage and Steven Carr as well as the impending departure of striker Shola Ameobi, Keegan's £20m will have to go an awful long way in terms of simply getting numbers in. Advertisement Arsenal have been impressed with Martins since his match-winning performance for Inter Milan at Highbury as a 19-year-old in a Champions League clash at Highbury. Martins is still only 23 and Arsene Wenger may be tempted to make a move - especially if he loses the battle with Manchester United for Blackburn front man Roque Santa Cruz. Martins enjoys his life in the North East. He has never asked for a transfer and it appears his proven speed and goal power are being sacrificed so Keegan can bring in new players. Given that Sunderland have pledged a staggering £50m to fund Roy Keane's team-building plans, Keegan will find himself in the unaccustomed position of being the poor relation in Tyne-Wear management circles. The only way Keegan will be able to exceed the £20m barrier is by selling some of his big-earning stars. But with James Milner's proposed move to Liverpool snagged on a valuation dispute, keeper Shay Given insisting he is staying on Tyneside and a decided lack of interest in jailed midfielder Joey Barton and injury-ravaged Damien Duff, Keegan's future fund-raising options are seriously limited. Keegan has already publicly warned billionaire owner Mike Ashley he would have to splash the cash on "four or five" quality signings if the Magpies are to end their 53-year wait for a major domestic trophy. Of Ashley's ambition, Keegan said: "That will become clear when we see the players this club will go after in the summer." The stark reality is Newcastle have so far spent not a penny on any of Keegan's list of targets, while all the incoming players have been teenagers recruited by executive director Dennis Wise. By contrast Sunderland powerbroker Charlie Chawke, a member of the Irish-based Drumaville consortium that gave Keane £44m to spend in the last two transfer windows, said: "If £50m is what he needs, that's it. Some way or other he must get it." Newcastle season ticket sales are sluggish after a 10 per cent price hike and a Toon insider said: "Mike Ashley wants to get Newcastle back on an even financial keel and that means tighter budgets and lower wages. "But at the same time Keegan is being asked to end the trophy drought as costs are being reduced." Keane, meanwhile, is ready to target Manchester City's Greek striker Georgi Samaras, who helped Celtic to the Scottish title last term during a loan spell. The Black Cats boss is desperate to find a replacement for the injured Kenwyne Jones, who is out until Christmas. http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/sport/footba...98487-20625292/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 KK no money would have been a more accurate title probably cause that seems to be the core of the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 KK no money would have been a more accurate title probably cause that seems to be the core of the story. Story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Didn't KK ban Brian Mcnally from SJP for a time in his previous regime? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Didn't KK ban Brian Mcnally from SJP for a time in his previous regime? Rings a bell. Used to write for the Journal of the Sunday Sun didn't he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Didn't KK ban Brian Mcnally from SJP for a time in his previous regime? Rings a bell. Used to write for the Journal of the Sunday Sun didn't he? That's right. Think he may have been chief sports writer on the Sunday Sun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smoggeordie 0 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Funny how it takes two people to write that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howay 12496 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 They really aren't getting any information from inside our club now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hadrian 0 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 bolster his kitty ? for one of the 10-15 million pound signings wisey has earmarked ? this story is backwards , why sell our proven goalscorer only to buy an unproven one for the same amount of cash ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torres 0 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Keegan won`t see out the 08/09 season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayatollah Hermione 12938 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Keegan won`t see out the 08/09 season. Haha. Just like this will be Liverpool's season[/skysports] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 133 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Keegan won`t see out the 08/09 season. Haha. Just like this will be Liverpool's season[/skysports] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 sell Oba and i'll not be pleased bang on about getting talented youngsters, then sell the highly rated 23year old striker who proved he can get goals in the premiership i gotta admit, currently i'm looking less forward to this season than i was last year..and thats saying something with keegan there spurs spending all round them, other smaller clubs making moves all were getting linked with is the removal of high earners (oba shouldn't be one of them) and signing the odd 15year old who wont be getting a game fuck sake i'd rather see the back of Owen than oba It's not even July yet mate, bit early for a knee-jerk even by our standards. Owen has scored 18 in 43 for us, whilst Martins has scored 20 in 64 btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Keegan won`t see out the 08/09 season. You know if you keep on saying that it's bound to be true eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 sell Oba and i'll not be pleased bang on about getting talented youngsters, then sell the highly rated 23year old striker who proved he can get goals in the premiership i gotta admit, currently i'm looking less forward to this season than i was last year..and thats saying something with keegan there spurs spending all round them, other smaller clubs making moves all were getting linked with is the removal of high earners (oba shouldn't be one of them) and signing the odd 15year old who wont be getting a game fuck sake i'd rather see the back of Owen than oba It's not even July yet mate, bit early for a knee-jerk even by our standards. Owen has scored 18 in 43 for us, whilst Martins has scored 20 in 64 btw. Would have been 20 in 43 if Oba would just play a simple square ball. It really would be a little insane if we were looking to get rid of Owen, Martins or Viduka at the moment, adding to them yes (or getting rid of Smith maybe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I don't think Martins is a top top player, but he's good and will only get better. He still needs to score the easy chances and be more consistent in his finishing and general player if he is to step up, but just now I'd be disappointed if the club sold him just to finance other spending. There are players we wouldn't miss at all, its got to be quality every time and the time to let Oba go is when the manager has a better player through the door and not before that. Don't mean to sound churlish about a player who doesn't want to leave, but neither did Andy Cole and we got Ferdinand and then Shearer in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 13915 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 '' '' And why do they keep bringing Sunderland up? Roy Keane spent £50m but he spent it on shite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Your choice. I'd pick the guy with the (approx) 1 in 2 strike rate or the one with the (approx) 1 in 3 strike rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Would have been 20 in 43 if Oba would just play a simple square ball. to be fair he's got 6 assists in league/cup in 2years owens got 2 Aye, but there were 3-4 open chances (adding ~2-4 more points I think) that went begging for both Owen and Viduka in the last bit of last season. I don't know if it's just looking for a goal or not having the vision, but it definitely something he could improve on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy 9 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 just watch in 5 years time the clubs will all go bust and we will have a top squad recruited by Wise and be in the black, we will dominate everything in England and also in Europe, just you watch, mark my words whats that.... sorry...... oh shit breakfast is ready i must have been dreaming............................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 133 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 The Sun: ARSENAL are ready to make a move for Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins — if Emmanuel Adebayor is sold. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has long admired Martins, 23, but will not pay the £15million the Toon want. Even if Adebayor is sold for £30m to Barcelona or AC Milan, Wenger will not change his £11m valuation of Martins. The Nigerian’s contract has a £13m release clause and that can be triggered if he asks for a transfer. Newcastle have told Martins’ advisors he can go for the right price and Arsenal have let it be known they are interested. Martins agreed a new £80,000-a-week contract on Tyneside but the club did not complete the paperwork and the offer has been withdrawn. A Martins source said: “It is a shock Newcastle cannot find the money any more for his new deal but he is a player a lot of clubs want.” Adebayor’s future is still in doubt. He said he was staying at Arsenal then insisted the club should accept a good offer for him. At the weekend he said he wanted the £120,000-a-week Thierry Henry was paid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1117 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Fucking hell this is getting more and more depressing by the day. We finally get rid of the fat man but manage to find the tightest billionaire on the planet who replaces a manager who is used to working with small budgets and replaces him with a manger who is good at spending. We really are a comedy club and it's no wonder people are thinking the worst. At the moment we need about £20m to simply pad out the squad and yet Ashley wants to challenge for honours with this amount. You know what, I think Torres might be right for once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 48 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 It doesnt make good reading when most of the links are with us letting players go and we've yet to see any solid evidence of anyone coming in. Maybe we will and we'll all be happy (happier anyway), but at the moment its a bit depressing. Whats puzzling me is I dont think KK would have came if he was told there would be no money, or he had to sell to make his own money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asprilla 96 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Ashley, start spending, you c*nt.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Besty 4 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 All a load of shite if you ask me, Ashley's just keeping quiet so they're coming up with shite about us being on a budget/getting rid of players. It'll work out best for us in the long run so that we don't get ripped off for players because we have plenty of money, which I think is what Ashley is trying to stop happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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