Bellamy on way out at Man City

[Guest alex]

Forgot about him JTFW.

JTFW? JFTC

Jesus titty-fucking wept.

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

haha

[shackbleep 0]

The Asprilla thing - my mate's dad worked at Barclays at the time and was well aware of the loan we had in place for the Shearer deal. Basically Hall mortgaged us to the heavens and the terms were fucking harsh - it had to be repaid within 12 months!

 

The bank wanted a £10m repayment by Christmas 1996 with the balance paid by the end of July 1997 but the impending floatation combined with the Keegan departure issues bought us some time. 6 months to be exact.

 

In the summer of 97 we sold Ferdinand for £6m and Clark and Ginola for £2.5m each which covered the £10m inital down payment. Selling Asprilla the following January (6 months later) covered the balance plus the interest.

 

As I've said earlier, Keegan's autobiography touches on this and he alludes to the severity of the replayments.

That's fair enough. The point is though that those were players he didn't particularly rate either. There were also players who came in that summer: Tomasson, Pistone, Ketsbaia. Can't remember who else off the top of my head. He made some bad decisions, basically - even if his hand was forced somewhat.

 

Agree that he didn't particularly rate some of them. I'm not so sure about Asprilla mind, especially after the Barca game.

 

He did make bad decisions, yes. But he's vilified largely for not being as good as Keegan at the job when in reality he was working under very different circumstances.

 

Would love to know how Keegan would have handled it but of course we'll never know. I'd wager he'd have struggled somewhat - being a bit like a kid who's got too many sweets, all ones he loves and he's told to put a couple back.

 

If what I'm told is correct, Keegan left not because they wanted him to commit to a long term deal (he'd signed a 10 year deal in the past remember?) and not because his love for the game had wained (that stuff about the 7-1 win over Spurs was a smoke-screen). It was a combination of being told that in no uncertain terms, the Shearer signing was the last of the 'free-spending' attitude combined by the realisation that even with Shearer on board we weren't good enough to topple Man United. He felt more serious investment was needed and knew it wasn't forthcoming.

[Guest alex]

The Asprilla thing - my mate's dad worked at Barclays at the time and was well aware of the loan we had in place for the Shearer deal. Basically Hall mortgaged us to the heavens and the terms were fucking harsh - it had to be repaid within 12 months!

 

The bank wanted a £10m repayment by Christmas 1996 with the balance paid by the end of July 1997 but the impending floatation combined with the Keegan departure issues bought us some time. 6 months to be exact.

 

In the summer of 97 we sold Ferdinand for £6m and Clark and Ginola for £2.5m each which covered the £10m inital down payment. Selling Asprilla the following January (6 months later) covered the balance plus the interest.

 

As I've said earlier, Keegan's autobiography touches on this and he alludes to the severity of the replayments.

That's fair enough. The point is though that those were players he didn't particularly rate either. There were also players who came in that summer: Tomasson, Pistone, Ketsbaia. Can't remember who else off the top of my head. He made some bad decisions, basically - even if his hand was forced somewhat.

 

Agree that he didn't particularly rate some of them. I'm not so sure about Asprilla mind, especially after the Barca game.

 

He did make bad decisions, yes. But he's vilified largely for not being as good as Keegan at the job when in reality he was working under very different circumstances.

 

Would love to know how Keegan would have handled it but of course we'll never know. I'd wager he'd have struggled somewhat - being a bit like a kid who's got too many sweets, all ones he loves and he's told to put a couple back.

 

If what I'm told is correct, Keegan left not because they wanted him to commit to a long term deal (he'd signed a 10 year deal in the past remember?) and not because his love for the game had wained (that stuff about the 7-1 win over Spurs was a smoke-screen). It was a combination of being told that in no uncertain terms, the Shearer signing was the last of the 'free-spending' attitude combined by the realisation that even with Shearer on board we weren't good enough to topple Man United. He felt more serious investment was needed and knew it wasn't forthcoming.

Again, fair enough. Re: Asprilla I think it was also to do with his being a 'disruptive' influence. That said, while he was fantastic against Barca and very good generally in Europe he wasn't really cut out for the PL imo. Obviously he had the odd great game / moment of genius.

[LeazesMag 0]

Who said it was without Dalglish's knowledge? Keegan made it adundantly clear that he wouldn't work under the circumstances that the board wanted which was why he resigned. The made sure that his replacement would 'play along' before they put a contract before him.

 

The season we finished 2nd we still had Ferdinand who, alongside Shearer was naturally first choice.

 

True Dalglish's spend was almost double his incomings but it was periodic downpayments which were the important factor to note. The bank were demanding a serious amount of cash in the summer of 1997 and winter of 97/98. Ferdinand and Asprilla were sacrificed for it.

 

You only have to read Keegan's autobiography to know this. Keegan himself was pressurised to sell in the winter of 96/97 and commented that the only offer he had on the table was from Sunderland for Lee Clark (which happened anyway the following summer).

If that was a fundamental factor above everything else, why did they try to stop the Spurs deal going through when Shearer got injured. Tino's sale was to do with nothing more than trying to fund deals for the likes of Gary Speed suggesting anything else is rewriting history.

 

They tried to stop the sale because it became abundantly clear that Ferdinand leaving was a massive fuck-up from the footballing side of things.

 

Tino's sale was exactly what I said it was - not re-writing history. Your opinion is different

 

They attempted to stop Ferdindands sale when Shearer was injured. They realised it was a fuck up, also in Keegans book, he says he was told to raise 6m quid to maximise the share price at flotation, he had an offer from Everton for Ferdinand and told Douglas Hall he didn't want to sell him. Who was the first big player to be sold after Keegan left ? Ferdinand, but when Shearer was injured they realised they needed him.

 

As for Arsprillla, if Dalglish decided to sell him to raise funds for Gary Speed then he was right, because Arsprilla was shite, a shite professional who just ambled around a pitch doing his own thing, and a waste of space.

[Dolly Potter MD 0]

I still stick by what I said at the time about him being in the wrong more than Souness. Should never have faked injury. Would I have him back? Looking at this squad, 100% yes.

 

I said this at the time [when it happened] on another forum. That discussion forum being newcastle/kiddies-online, and i was probably a lone voice on this.

 

Souness substituting him a fortnight earlier was the thrown cigarette which started the fire, and Bellamy's bewilderment and subsequent tirade when heading for the showers was completely justafied. Souness arrived at the club with an already manufactured view of the player in question.That move [on Souness' part] was the opening salvo in a war of two strong personalities, with Souness flouting his ego & position of power by making a non-footballing based decision.

 

Footballing-wise it made no sense whatsoever. With three points very much there for the taking you don't substitute a fit and the team's best player and most productive on the day, and the team's most damaging & creative outlet on the counter-attack: especially away from home.

 

Bellamy is just one of those characters [regardless of which club he's at, and whom he is playing under] who busts his guts come matchday [and out on the training pitch and is prepared to say it how it is. Football ability should supercede personality quirks, it's up to managers to man-manage them, and that doesn't include physically assaulting them in the aftermath/out on the training pitch.

 

This is going back a bit but in one game, during Keegan's 1st stint as manager, Beresford was having a shocker. Giving up possession cheaply being the main crime committed on the day. Being close to the dug-out, KK was able to convey to him that he had to pick up his game. Beresford told him to 'fuck-off' or something like and was substituted. Beresford lost his spot after that, on performance based merit [i think it was an emerging Howey in a reshuffle of the back 4, somebody will correct on this] but their professional relationship didn't suffer: there were no bruised egos. Unlike the case of Bellamy, Beresford wasn't banished from town & sent to a competition comparable to the Russian Frontier for the remainder of the season.

 

BTW i'd have him back in a heartbeat.

Was Robbie Elliott btw.

 

Duly noted , hence the disclaimer in the original post.

 

 

Being overseas at the time [in the U.S. for nearly a year] it's ironic that i virtually the missed the entire campaign of 95/96 [the most memorable one].

 

Specific line-up re-shuffles aren't exactly my forte, pertaining to that campaign. At the time of posting i knew i should've omitted the name mentioned, as the two had come through Ardiles' brief but youth orientated 1st team set-up. It was easy to go with Howey because he was most versatile & multi-functional defender of an unheralded & often unfairly derided unit, especially in the wake of KK previously converting him from an attacking outfielder to more cultured defender. Overlooking the the forgotten man of that group[Elliot] was a serious oversight on my part.

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

I still stick by what I said at the time about him being in the wrong more than Souness. Should never have faked injury. Would I have him back? Looking at this squad, 100% yes.

 

I said this at the time [when it happened] on another forum. That discussion forum being newcastle/kiddies-online, and i was probably a lone voice on this.

 

Souness substituting him a fortnight earlier was the thrown cigarette which started the fire, and Bellamy's bewilderment and subsequent tirade when heading for the showers was completely justafied. Souness arrived at the club with an already manufactured view of the player in question.That move [on Souness' part] was the opening salvo in a war of two strong personalities, with Souness flouting his ego & position of power by making a non-footballing based decision.

 

Footballing-wise it made no sense whatsoever. With three points very much there for the taking you don't substitute a fit and the team's best player and most productive on the day, and the team's most damaging & creative outlet on the counter-attack: especially away from home.

 

Bellamy is just one of those characters [regardless of which club he's at, and whom he is playing under] who busts his guts come matchday [and out on the training pitch and is prepared to say it how it is. Football ability should supercede personality quirks, it's up to managers to man-manage them, and that doesn't include physically assaulting them in the aftermath/out on the training pitch.

 

This is going back a bit but in one game, during Keegan's 1st stint as manager, Beresford was having a shocker. Giving up possession cheaply being the main crime committed on the day. Being close to the dug-out, KK was able to convey to him that he had to pick up his game. Beresford told him to 'fuck-off' or something like and was substituted. Beresford lost his spot after that, on performance based merit [i think it was an emerging Howey in a reshuffle of the back 4, somebody will correct on this] but their professional relationship didn't suffer: there were no bruised egos. Unlike the case of Bellamy, Beresford wasn't banished from town & sent to a competition comparable to the Russian Frontier for the remainder of the season.

 

BTW i'd have him back in a heartbeat.

Was Robbie Elliott btw.

 

Duly noted , hence the disclaimer in the original post.

 

 

Being overseas at the time [in the U.S. for nearly a year] it's ironic that i virtually the missed the entire campaign of 95/96 [the most memorable one].

 

Specific line-up re-shuffles aren't exactly my forte, pertaining to that campaign. At the time of posting i knew i should've omitted the name mentioned, as the two had come through Ardiles' brief but youth orientated 1st team set-up. It was easy to go with Howey because he was most versatile & multi-functional defender of an unheralded & often unfairly derided unit, especially in the wake of KK previously converting him from an attacking outfielder to more cultured defender. Overlooking the the forgotten man of that group[Elliot] was a serious oversight on my part.

That team played football on occasion as nice as many Premiership clubs today, pass, pass, pass. We just had no mental strength. Mind that game we were 3-0 up at half time against Charlton and lost 3-4.

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

I wish nufc.blog.org would fuck off by the way.

 

My feeling is he has a broad knowledge of nufc, and someone like Beye has told him he'd be an absolute superstar here.

[shackbleep 0]

Caulkin reckons Sunderland, Everton, Newcastle & Celtic are all interested in taking him on.

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

Caulkin reckons Sunderland, Everton, Newcastle & Celtic are all interested in taking him on.

He'll choose us out of them. Look at the options. Sunderland - loads of strikers, a chatty club who aren't attractive. Everton - ramshackle deathtrap stadium stadium no European football this season, 1/4 empty stands for most of the games plus he's a Liverpool fan and he won't want to play for a low profile club. Celtic - SPL. Newcastle - unifinished business, he loved his time he for the most part probably more than any other period in his career, idolised by half the support.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Tuco Ramirez

[Dr Gloom 19714]

Caulkin reckons Sunderland, Everton, Newcastle & Celtic are all interested in taking him on.

He'll choose us out of them. Look at the options. Sunderland - loads of strikers, a chatty club who aren't attractive. Everton - ramshackle deathtrap stadium stadium no European football this season, 1/4 empty stands for most of the games plus he's a Liverpool fan and he won't want to play for a low profile club. Celtic - SPL. Newcastle - unifinished business, he loved his time he for the most part probably more than any other period in his career, idolised by half the support.

 

he might choose us if we were in for him but i don't think we're in the running, are we?

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

Caulkin reckons Sunderland, Everton, Newcastle & Celtic are all interested in taking him on.

He'll choose us out of them. Look at the options. Sunderland - loads of strikers, a chatty club who aren't attractive. Everton - ramshackle deathtrap stadium stadium no European football this season, 1/4 empty stands for most of the games plus he's a Liverpool fan and he won't want to play for a low profile club. Celtic - SPL. Newcastle - unifinished business, he loved his time he for the most part probably more than any other period in his career, idolised by half the support.

 

he might choose us if we were in for him but i don't think we're in the running, are we?

Caulkin says we are

[Wavey Davey 0]

I can say with total confidence that Bellamy will not come back.

[Guest alex]

I'd be amazed like. If he did though, I wonder how long it would take for Carroll to knock him out.

[Ketsbaia 0]

I'd be amazed like. If he did though, I wonder how long it would take for Carroll to knock him out.

 

Depends if Bellamy brings his 9 iron to the party then it could be like something out of Gladiator.

[shackbleep 0]

Fulham have admitted interest. Mark Hughes is like the fucking piped piper to Welsh rat boy. He'll end up at Craven Cottage IMO without a shadow of a doubt.

 

Fulham manager Mark Hughes says he is interested in signing Manchester City's out-of-favour striker Craig Bellamy.

 

The 31-year-old has been left out of City's squad for next week's Europa League qualifier against Timisoara and is expected to leave Eastlands.

 

"Yes, I'd be interested in signing Craig," said Hughes. "He's one of the top players in the Premier League."

 

Hughes has signed Bellamy twice before, at Blackburn and City, and was also his manager when in charge of Wales.

 

The Cottagers boss added: "If he comes on the market, and if we're in the position where we can conclude a deal for Craig Bellamy, then yes we would be very interested.

 

"It seems that Manchester City won't be using Craig at Premier League level, so from his point of view it is very important that he makes the right decision for his career.

 

"A wrong decision at this point in time could hurt him, so I wish him well in what decision he takes."

 

Celtic are keen to take Bellamy on loan for a second time, while he has also been linked with Sunderland and Spurs.

 

Bellamy, who had a four-month spell with Celtic in 2005 while on the books of Newcastle, appears surplus to requirements at Eastlands after a summer of heavy spending and is unlikely to be named in manager Roberto Mancini's 25-man squad for the Premier League.

 

On Tuesday, Bellamy stated he could even quit football if he fails to make City's squad, but since then several clubs have revealed an interest in the Wales striker.

 

Bellamy has scored 15 goals for Manchester City in 51 appearances since joining from West Ham in a £14m transfer in January 2009.

[Dr Gloom 19714]

Caulkin reckons Sunderland, Everton, Newcastle & Celtic are all interested in taking him on.

He'll choose us out of them. Look at the options. Sunderland - loads of strikers, a chatty club who aren't attractive. Everton - ramshackle deathtrap stadium stadium no European football this season, 1/4 empty stands for most of the games plus he's a Liverpool fan and he won't want to play for a low profile club. Celtic - SPL. Newcastle - unifinished business, he loved his time he for the most part probably more than any other period in his career, idolised by half the support.

 

he might choose us if we were in for him but i don't think we're in the running, are we?

Caulkin says we are

 

really? well i'd i'd love it if we were and i think he might be interested if we are, but i can't see it, sadly. hope i'm wrong like - he'd transform our front line. ideal partner for carroll

[Guest alex]

I thought Fulham / Hughes straight away tbh. I like Fulham but they're a crappy little club compared to us. However, Bellamy mentioned Hughes is the only manager who's got him playing at the same level as SBR, in his recent interview, which is why I think he might end up there. They've got the lolly too.

[Dr Gloom 19714]

really? fulham have got more bunce to offer players than us? what a depressing prospect - aspiring to be at fulham's level.

 

sort it out mike ffs

[Guest alex]

really? fulham have got more bunce to offer players than us? what a depressing prospect - aspiring to be at fulham's level.

 

sort it out mike ffs

Well, he's just sold Harrod's, hasn't he? I would imagine Hughes was promised funds too, prior to going. Otherwise I think he'd have held out for another job. It's just wages anyway, but I would think his wages are too much for Ashley even if Man City pay 60% or whatever. I'd love to be proven wrong like.

[tinofbeans 86]

he'll be off to fulham. when he was at blackburn he played easily as well as when he was with us. never quite prolific enough for them so the numbers don't quite add up in terms of goalscoring.

 

with our cap of 25-30k for new people coming in i don't think he'd drop to that level.... shame, but he'd definitely get us further up the table.

[wykikitoon 16458]

Would have him back here in a shot

[Phil 6]

Just saw an interview on Sky Sports and Mancini said Bellamy is not in there 25 squad.

 

'Arry was on after saying he wanted him, but City wont sell to a rival.

 

 

My moneys on Fulham, but live in hope we'll get him.

[Papa Lazaru 0]

I'd be ecstatic to get Bellamy back as he should still be here with Souness out on his arse at the time instead, however i doubt we'll go in form him myself or if we do it'll be the usual cheap attempt not coming close to what's required. He'd make a collossal difference to our team if we had him here.

 

He loved his time here and would definitely consider coming back (if we were being serious and not dicking about) but as people have said he would like to play for Hughes so Fulham have a great chance.

[shackbleep 0]

I'd be ecstatic to get Bellamy back as he should still be here with Souness out on his arse at the time instead, however i doubt we'll go in form him myself or if we do it'll be the usual cheap attempt not coming close to what's required. He'd make a collossal difference to our team if we had him here.

 

He loved his time here and would definitely consider coming back (if we were being serious and not dicking about) but as people have said he would like to play for Hughes so Fulham have a great chance.

 

As much as I thought Souness was a complete wanker, the board HAD to back the manager (whoever he may be) over the player in this instance. It would have been a dangerous precedent had events turned out as you suggested.

 

That said we were a poorer team for his departure and I'd be behind him coming back.