Ashley to allow spending spree in summer

[sniffer 0]

Good to see you are paying attention. I actually said there are other players I'd get rid of before Barton.

[Guest alex]

Semantics tbh. Amounts to the same thing.

[LeazesMag 0]

If I was Fat Mike, I wouldn't be that confident that Hughton would spend the money well so I'd be leery about forking over 20 million. Giving Routledge and particularly best three and a half year deals doesn't exactly make me think he has an eye for a player. Least said the better about about even having pancake at the club.

Aye, routledge has been a terrible signing like

 

Sniffer obviously cant smell a good player.....

Had to double take reading that myself. Routledge has been a great signing for us this season.

Routledge may be at his level in the championship like a number of our players. He's already shown that he can't cut it in the premier league. Martin O'Neill rolled the dice on him but only gave him an eighteen month contract rather than commit himself to a long term deal and sure enough, he was on his bike. I hope he turns out to be a great player for us and an inspired signing, but I still think three and a half years is a gamble and the difference in thinking between an experienced manager and a novice.

The manager won't have negotiated the contract though so you're blaming the wrong person. Also, if he was given 18 months he'd be free to leave in summer 2011. Canny logic by you there like sniffer.

 

Generally, I don't have anything against a short term signing so long as the manager considers him to be so, and informs the people doing the contracts accordingly. So on that basis, I find it quite worrying that players who - IMO - aren't good enough to be good premiership players, as a minimum requirement, are being given 3.5 years. Its too long unless the manager assesses him as long term quality - or - the manager knows its the best he is going to be allowed to sign.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

Or wants to be able to get his money back on them!!!!!!

[Guest alex]

If I was Fat Mike, I wouldn't be that confident that Hughton would spend the money well so I'd be leery about forking over 20 million. Giving Routledge and particularly best three and a half year deals doesn't exactly make me think he has an eye for a player. Least said the better about about even having pancake at the club.

Aye, routledge has been a terrible signing like

 

Sniffer obviously cant smell a good player.....

Had to double take reading that myself. Routledge has been a great signing for us this season.

Routledge may be at his level in the championship like a number of our players. He's already shown that he can't cut it in the premier league. Martin O'Neill rolled the dice on him but only gave him an eighteen month contract rather than commit himself to a long term deal and sure enough, he was on his bike. I hope he turns out to be a great player for us and an inspired signing, but I still think three and a half years is a gamble and the difference in thinking between an experienced manager and a novice.

The manager won't have negotiated the contract though so you're blaming the wrong person. Also, if he was given 18 months he'd be free to leave in summer 2011. Canny logic by you there like sniffer.

 

Generally, I don't have anything against a short term signing so long as the manager considers him to be so, and informs the people doing the contracts accordingly. So on that basis, I find it quite worrying that players who - IMO - aren't good enough to be good premiership players, as a minimum requirement, are being given 3.5 years. Its too long unless the manager assesses him as long term quality - or - the manager knows its the best he is going to be allowed to sign.

Fair comment but I think it was a canny January, don't you? (Putting the past aside for a moment). Only Best (of the people of longer contracts) doesn't look the part. We'd have no trouble selling the likes of Williamson and Routledge to Championship clubs but, on the evidence so far, I'd say they look to be good signings. They were both just what the side needed in fact.

[LeazesMag 0]

If I was Fat Mike, I wouldn't be that confident that Hughton would spend the money well so I'd be leery about forking over 20 million. Giving Routledge and particularly best three and a half year deals doesn't exactly make me think he has an eye for a player. Least said the better about about even having pancake at the club.

Aye, routledge has been a terrible signing like

 

Sniffer obviously cant smell a good player.....

Had to double take reading that myself. Routledge has been a great signing for us this season.

Routledge may be at his level in the championship like a number of our players. He's already shown that he can't cut it in the premier league. Martin O'Neill rolled the dice on him but only gave him an eighteen month contract rather than commit himself to a long term deal and sure enough, he was on his bike. I hope he turns out to be a great player for us and an inspired signing, but I still think three and a half years is a gamble and the difference in thinking between an experienced manager and a novice.

The manager won't have negotiated the contract though so you're blaming the wrong person. Also, if he was given 18 months he'd be free to leave in summer 2011. Canny logic by you there like sniffer.

 

Generally, I don't have anything against a short term signing so long as the manager considers him to be so, and informs the people doing the contracts accordingly. So on that basis, I find it quite worrying that players who - IMO - aren't good enough to be good premiership players, as a minimum requirement, are being given 3.5 years. Its too long unless the manager assesses him as long term quality - or - the manager knows its the best he is going to be allowed to sign.

Fair comment but I think it was a canny January, don't you? (Putting the past aside for a moment). Only Best (of the people of longer contracts) doesn't look the part. We'd have no trouble selling the likes of Williamson and Routledge to Championship clubs but, on the evidence so far, I'd say they look to be good signings. They were both just what the side needed in fact.

 

yes, they both helped to clinch promotion. While accepting the fact that we might find another Rob Lee, he also now has to accept an injection of better quality is needed and accept that it will cost more money.

 

I just can't accept people saying "we can't afford it" when we have the gates and potential that we have, as has been said somewhere else [maybe in this thread but I read it earlier] we are different to the other clubs. We don't have to play by the rules of smaller clubs and we should not kid ourselves that we should be doing it.

[Guest alex]

I think the signings were made in the context of the situation and that's fair enough. KK was a genius at that and there's nowt wrong with it. I'm not saying Hughton is as good a judge of a player. The main point was I think it's being ridiculously picky to have a go Hughton for getting Routledge in when he quite clearly had a tight budget to work within and had a few areas to strengthen.

[Guest alex]

I'd also add none of them will be on big wages, so that makes the length of the contract debate somewhat moot imo.

[donaldstott 0]

I'd also add none of them will be on big wages, so that makes the length of the contract debate somewhat moot imo.

 

Spot on, the mistake made by past managers/past boards was offering long contracts on ridiculous wages.

 

Case in point - Geremi, three year deal on 60k, he played regularly (and abysmally) for half a season then stuck around for another two years picking up a wage that no other team would go near matching. That's fucking bonkers!!

[acrossthepond 748]

I'd also add none of them will be on big wages, so that makes the length of the contract debate somewhat moot imo.

 

Spot on, the mistake made by past managers/past boards was offering long contracts on ridiculous wages.

 

Case in point - Geremi, three year deal on 60k, he played regularly (and abysmally) for half a season then stuck around for another two years picking up a wage that no other team would go near matching. That's fucking bonkers!!

 

Another Fat Sam special.

[Park Life 71]

This is a unique opp for the club with wages back down to manageable levels and a possible income next year of 100m. If there is anything about MA this would be the time to strike. I would immediately get rid of the high earners who are average (Smith, Nolan, Butt who is gone anyway). That shaves another 10m off the wage bill (down to 40m) and I'd get spending the 20m + 8m from outgoing. There might even be decent offers for Taylor and Carroll.

 

The priority is two CM's and two strikers.

 

Put pressure on the Govt for a casino license etc...There is a million things that can add value and revenue.

Edited April 8, 2010 by Park Life

[Christmas Tree 4005]

Uh oh!

 

 

 

 

Hughton curbs fans' expectations

 

Newcastle manager Chris Hughton has warned the club's fans to lower their expectation levels ahead of their return back to the Premier League.

 

Hughton has led the Magpies back into the top flight at the first time of asking with five games left and the club currently top of the Championship.

 

But he told BBC Five Live: "It might be a question of lowering expectations.

 

"What we have to be able to do is to consolidate and become a very solid and steady team before we can push on."

 

Newcastle have exceeded expectations this year with 26 wins so far from 41 matches, helping them to win promotion on Monday when Nottingham Forest's 0-0 draw with Cardiff guaranteed them a top-two finish.

 

Their next task is to ensure, having led the division for so long, they go on to win the Championship title, says Hughton.

 

606: DEBATE

Pick your Newcastle team for next season

But the manager is also allowing himself a glance into the future to consider Newcastle's preparations for next season, saying: "The most important thing is that we have a good group of players.

 

"You do take heart from other clubs that have gone up - like Birmingham and Wolves - and who without the big finances and without making wholesale changes have been able to cope and cope very well with a higher division.

 

"In some ways, what we hope is that we can learn from this season. We can learn from our relegation, learn what it takes to stay in the top division.

 

"What you see at this club is a group of people and players that realise how difficult it is to stay in the Premier League, the consistency you have to have in a team and in a club.

 

"We're a club going back up to the Premier League and the expectation levels cannot be so high."

 

Hughton also revealed that he had been contacted by former Newcastle player and manager Alan Shearer, who was briefly in charge in 2009.

 

"Alan called, yes, and it was very welcome," said Hughton. "He's someone I've got a lot of admiration for from my dealings here with him. And of course, apart from anything, he's a massive Newcastle supporter and is delighted to see the club back in the top division."

[Problem Child 0]

I’d like to know what Hughton thinks the supporters expectations are, as far as I can tell most are expecting the team to struggle but stay up.

 

This summer is Ashley’s big PR opportunity. On the back of promotion a decent net spend would win round many of the doubters and probably secure another season of TV money. He’d have to be a grade A prick to gamble (again) on spending the bare minimum he thinks he can get away with.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

The Magpies were guaranteed a place back in the top flight on Monday and, as they bid to wrap up the Championship title, thoughts have already turned to next season.

 

Wild speculation has suggested that owner Mike Ashley may be prepared to offer Hughton a £60million transfer warchest to reinforce his squad, with the likes of Hull City's Jimmy Bullard being reported as an early target.

 

It has also been suggested that Newcastle are in need of a clinical striker, but while Hughton will want to make signings, he does not expect to be given money to burn in a market which has changed drastically since the worldwide credit crunch.

 

Realistic

 

The Newcastle boss said: "The game has changed. Even Chelsea, with the owner they have, are not investing the sort of money they were a few years ago.

 

"That's the way the game has gone. There generally isn't the money around and clubs do have to live within their means, they have to work hard, they have to work on a youth policy and bring players through. That's the realistic side of the game now."

 

There has been debate over whether or not Hughton is the man to lead Newcastle in the Premier League with just a year remaining on his contract, but he is relaxed on the matter.

 

He said: "This is a club I want to stay at. I have thoroughly enjoyed the two years I have been here and certainly I would like to stay here.

 

"But that's not the most important thing at the moment. The most important thing is we have got promotion, there is a feel-good factor here and around the city and we want to finish off this division in good style."

[Park Life 71]

I’d like to know what Hughton thinks the supporters expectations are, as far as I can tell most are expecting the team to struggle but stay up.

 

This summer is Ashley’s big PR opportunity. On the back of promotion a decent net spend would win round many of the doubters and probably secure another season of TV money. He’d have to be a grade A prick to gamble (again) on spending the bare minimum he thinks he can get away with.

 

Regarding the second bit, this is a real 2nd chance for MA to bury a lot of skeletons and start to build bridges. I think he realises now that actions rather than words is the currency at St James's Park.

[Isegrim 9045]

"What we have to be able to do is to consolidate and become a very solid and steady team before we can push on."

With other words: Expect us to play a lot of dull and unsuccessful football as the likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Hull etc...

 

This could come directly from the Sam Allardyce and Graeme Souness textbooks of football murder.

[Problem Child 0]

I’d like to know what Hughton thinks the supporters expectations are, as far as I can tell most are expecting the team to struggle but stay up.

 

This summer is Ashley’s big PR opportunity. On the back of promotion a decent net spend would win round many of the doubters and probably secure another season of TV money. He’d have to be a grade A prick to gamble (again) on spending the bare minimum he thinks he can get away with.

 

Regarding the second bit, this is a real 2nd chance for MA to bury a lot of skeletons and start to build bridges. I think he realises now that actions rather than words is the currency at St James's Park.

It is and I think he’ll take it. Not huge spending but sufficiently ambitious to buy him enough goodwill to see him through the crap that will come when he reverts to type.

[Problem Child 0]

"What we have to be able to do is to consolidate and become a very solid and steady team before we can push on."

With other words: Expect us to play a lot of dull and unsuccessful football as the likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Hull etc...

 

This could come directly from the Sam Allardyce and Graeme Souness textbooks of football murder.

What else can we do? The current squad isn’t PL quality and the club is skint. If we are going to survive scrapping it out is the only option. It might have been different if we’d adopted WBA’s approach to getting prompted, but we didn’t.

[Craig 6375]

Or

 

Like all the other Jouurnalists this week, Simon Bird is speculating with no more facts than the rest of us.

 

No interviews have been given, there are no quotes about spending plans or ambition from anyone at the club.

 

It seems as though the self imposed vow of silence is being maintained so that Chris and the players can concentrate on winning the division. (which is good).

 

It is the next statement of intent that comes out of the top two at the club that will be the make or break one and then and only then will it be time to start contemplating bleak years in the wilderness.

 

Until then its all pie in the sky

 

If you hoy any more rocks around, we'll have no windows left!

[Craig 6375]

with the likes of Hull City's Jimmy Bullard being reported as an early target.

 

God no... more injury prone than Woodgate!!

[OTF 6464]

If I was at all optimistic I'd be hoping that this was a case of them promising little, and then delivering slightly more than little.

 

Hughton is not one to talk a bit game, though I don't like his implication that supporters have grand ideas for next season.

 

This season should be about cementing ourselves back in the top flight. Realistically if we wanted to push for anythign above mid-table we'd need to largely gut the squad replacing just about all positions, with a ridiculous cost easily exceeding 100 million with massive wages accompanying. If that was done it would still be a very big gamble to assemble a new squad and throw them at the Premier League. The right thing to do is to keep the existing squad largely together, but add in some additional talent in our weakest areas.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

If I was at all optimistic I'd be hoping that this was a case of them promising little, and then delivering slightly more than little.

 

Hughton is not one to talk a bit game, though I don't like his implication that supporters have grand ideas for next season.

 

This season should be about cementing ourselves back in the top flight. Realistically if we wanted to push for anythign above mid-table we'd need to largely gut the squad replacing just about all positions, with a ridiculous cost easily exceeding 100 million with massive wages accompanying. If that was done it would still be a very big gamble to assemble a new squad and throw them at the Premier League. The right thing to do is to keep the existing squad largely together, but add in some additional talent in our weakest areas.

 

 

Which is what will happen imo

[Deano 0]

If I was at all optimistic I'd be hoping that this was a case of them promising little, and then delivering slightly more than little.

 

Hughton is not one to talk a bit game, though I don't like his implication that supporters have grand ideas for next season.

 

This season should be about cementing ourselves back in the top flight. Realistically if we wanted to push for anythign above mid-table we'd need to largely gut the squad replacing just about all positions, with a ridiculous cost easily exceeding 100 million with massive wages accompanying. If that was done it would still be a very big gamble to assemble a new squad and throw them at the Premier League. The right thing to do is to keep the existing squad largely together, but add in some additional talent in our weakest areas.

 

 

Which is what will happen imo

 

Agreed.

 

Three year plan is what we should be looking at really.

 

Summer 2010...OUT: Butt, Pancrate, Hall and Best (£1mil)...IN: 1st choice RB, CM and CF + LB, LW and RW as cover = £25mil

- Aim: Staying up.

 

Summer 2011...OUT: Shola, Smith, Nolan and Lovenkrands (5mil??)...IN: CF x2, CM x2 + Few youngsters with potential = £30mil

- Aim: Mid table to top half (12th - 8th)

 

Summer 2012...OUT: Anyone aging...IN: 1st choice big hitting CF, Top quality CB and Top quality LW + RW = £50mil

- Aim: Top 6-7

 

Simples.

[LeazesMag 0]

If I was at all optimistic I'd be hoping that this was a case of them promising little, and then delivering slightly more than little.

 

Hughton is not one to talk a bit game, though I don't like his implication that supporters have grand ideas for next season.

 

This season should be about cementing ourselves back in the top flight. Realistically if we wanted to push for anythign above mid-table we'd need to largely gut the squad replacing just about all positions, with a ridiculous cost easily exceeding 100 million with massive wages accompanying. If that was done it would still be a very big gamble to assemble a new squad and throw them at the Premier League. The right thing to do is to keep the existing squad largely together, but add in some additional talent in our weakest areas.

 

 

Which is what will happen imo

 

Agreed.

 

Three year plan is what we should be looking at really.

 

 

 

Almost everybody on here and another certain message board were harping on about needing a "5 year plan" [to guarantee success] when Mike Ashley took over because we had never had such a thing before despite being recognised as one of the countries biggest clubs.

 

We are now into Mike Ashley's 3rd year of this mythical "5 year plan"

[Deano 0]

If I was at all optimistic I'd be hoping that this was a case of them promising little, and then delivering slightly more than little.

 

Hughton is not one to talk a bit game, though I don't like his implication that supporters have grand ideas for next season.

 

This season should be about cementing ourselves back in the top flight. Realistically if we wanted to push for anythign above mid-table we'd need to largely gut the squad replacing just about all positions, with a ridiculous cost easily exceeding 100 million with massive wages accompanying. If that was done it would still be a very big gamble to assemble a new squad and throw them at the Premier League. The right thing to do is to keep the existing squad largely together, but add in some additional talent in our weakest areas.

 

 

Which is what will happen imo

 

Agreed.

 

Three year plan is what we should be looking at really.

 

 

 

Almost everybody on here and another certain message board were harping on about needing a "5 year plan" [to guarantee success] when Mike Ashley took over because we had never had such a thing before despite being recognised as one of the countries biggest clubs.

 

We are now into Mike Ashley's 3rd year of this mythical "5 year plan"

 

Indeed we are Leazes but i dont give a fuck about that.

 

We went down and now we are back up again...fresh start.

 

Mistakes have been made and i hope this time lessons HAVE been learned.

 

A new plan NEEDS to be in place...steady progress is needed.....not a total 60mil blowout.