There have been two reports in the last few days on reports that Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley may be willing to sell the club, but Derek Llambias has today accused some of trying to unsettle the club.
Derek Llambias – somebody is trying to destabilize this club
Today Newcastle United’s Managing Director, Derek Llambias, has again spoken out against the rumors surrounding the club about possible takeovers, which we know has some Newcastle fans very angry.
He has spoken out, after reports the family of Osama bin Laden had contacted the club about a potential deal.
But the Evening Chronicle is reporting today that The Bin Laden family construction business has made no approach at all to Newcastle.
Those reports came after rumors that a New York-based firm, InterMedia, had been approached by Newcastle about a takeover.
So we’d love to know who it is that’s spreading these rumors, and reports even said the New York-based private equity firm, after Llambias’ denial, that they had been approached.
Somebody is up to no good here, and they are trying to get at the club for some reason.
Mr Llambias said today:
“At a time when everyone at Newcastle United is working hard to prepare for the new season ahead, it is annoying that we have to continually correct inaccurate newspaper stories.”
“Whoever is putting these stories around is clearly trying to destabilize the club and you wonder what their motives are for doing this.”
“By putting a new management structure in place this year, by investing in new signings at first team and academy level, and by introducing cheaper tickets for our younger fans, the long-term commitment and vision for Newcastle United is there for all to see.”
“Those actions speak louder than any words and I’m sure supporters see these stories for what they are – utter nonsense.â€
Excellent comments by Derek, and he needed to do that because even we were starting to suspect there may be something in the reports.
SBG (Saudi Bin Laden Group) has severed links with Osama bin Laden since 9/11 and their International Relations Officer Mr Yahia al Yahia today told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle:
“It is the wrong information. We are not interested.”
“Nobody has asked us about it. We are not interested at this time. Maybe in the future, about six months or so.”
“We have not spoken to anybody in Newcastle. Nobody has visited Newcastle.â€
It’s also good work by the Chronicle to actually approach the company who was supposed to be interested in the purchase of the club, and get the denial, from the horses mouth, as it were.
We’ll have to be wary of these reports on Newcastle, because some of the media out there seem to have it in for the club.
If we knew who they were we’d have it in for them.
44 comments so far
judge 99
Jul 7, 2008 at 11:48 PM
Comment #1.
Aussie geordie
Jul 7, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Comment #2Great to see the comments back. Thanks Ed. Its a privilage not a right!
Now whoevers destabilising our club bugger off.
ObaFan2
Jul 7, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Comment #3Horray, missed you so soooooo much 🙂
About time our chairman said something 🙂
ObaFan2
Jul 7, 2008 at 11:50 PM
Comment #4errr managing director then ……..
Tom_Toon
Jul 7, 2008 at 11:51 PM
Comment #5🙂
Almost got my social life back then, oh well 🙂
Cheers Ed!
Tom_Toon
Jul 7, 2008 at 11:55 PM
Comment #6Ed, what policy are you using to deal with comments now?
+ can we have the 5 lates comments bar back please 🙂
Ross
Jul 7, 2008 at 11:59 PM
Comment #7Ed..thanks for bringing the comments back, the blog genuinly isnt the same without it. within a day of not being able to comment on here i realised how much of a difference it makes.
i can guarantee 95% of the people on here dont use the blog as a form of abusing others or getting a cheap argument. we comment to speak about the one thing we collectively love, newcastle united.
you obviously cannot monitor everything said, but if anyone on here is commenting abusively, or just simply looking to aggrivate others, is there any way you could make a method of reporting them to you, so you could take appropriate action, banning them from posting if need be?
ObaFan2
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:07 AM
Comment #8With nearly 6 million hits there’s bound to be some plonkers on here but they can’t be as bad as the so called reporters writing for the daily rags?
mozza
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:10 AM
Comment #9am with you ross, you divent realise what youv’e got till it’s gone, mind saying that al hold me hands up av had a pop at other clubs stirrers on here, and at 36 a should know better, my lass said the day”you look like youv’e lost a limb you misserable ####”, dont rise to the people snipin on here is the lesson a few including myself need to learn, cheers ed although my lass wont thank you
Rob Kirton
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:22 AM
Comment #10“Some one trying to destabilze this blog” –
Derek Llambias believes it’s Osama Bin laden
That’s right isn’t it?
Never mind. Welcome back with the comments switched on.
mozza
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:25 AM
Comment #11ha ha rob bin ladden, more like binhadon with the gutter press
Hadrian
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Comment #12untill mike gets his message across to the fans , then newcastle will have to come out and deny statements like these every other day .
yes they are pushing newcastle to make some noise, probably killing them the lack of it comming out of saint james’ .
and no mike shouldnt be forced into talking to the press at all , but the fans are a different story .
i think its pretty much unheard of , a owner buying a business and not saying anything to his customers .
what are we subscribing to ?
ObaFan2
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:39 AM
Comment #13Hadrian, the owner has staff to deal with the public for him? and thats what the managing director did.
arctoa
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:44 AM
Comment #14My father was going bonkers when he heard the Bin Laden stuff on the radio, I knew that it had to be total cobblers. Really, whomever has it in for us must be getting desperate to come out with stuff like that. It’s almost amusing, in a shaking-head sort of way.
ObaFan2
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:47 AM
Comment #15Robert Mugabe is probably gonna have a punt too if we’re lucky !!!!!!!!!!!!!
catawbamag
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:48 AM
Comment #16As for the destabilizing, I say its the mackem dope chairman, Quinn. Hes still trying to get even with Ashley for the post derby Mamba dance. 🙂
mozza
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:51 AM
Comment #17it doesen’t help when the bin laden company say where not intersted now but maybee in six months or so we will be, it would help imo if ashley done an interview with a well respected journo such as caulkin from the times and portrayed what his exact vission is for our beloved club
tam toon
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:54 AM
Comment #18There is no way I am singing the Binladen Races for the potential new owners —aaargh sorry lads.
Beattie
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:55 AM
Comment #19It also doesnt help when the press completely ignore us issuing denials of these rumours
ObaFan2
Jul 8, 2008 at 12:57 AM
Comment #20mozza, MA doesn’t have to tbh, he has people running the club for him and these people are responsible to him and to us.
It took a while for the Geordies I think to warm to Mort but he did try and keep us informed, now it’s up to Llambias to run the club and if anyone should do an interview I think it should be him.
mozza
Jul 8, 2008 at 1:02 AM
Comment #21aye i agree obafan2, mort done a brilliant job and seemed really genuine and Llambias needs to do more of the same
Tom_Toon
Jul 8, 2008 at 1:06 AM
Comment #22La-la-la-lama-bias.
Leo
Jul 8, 2008 at 1:07 AM
Comment #23would i be right in thinking that if the bin laden group took over they may stop surving drinks at the ground, seen as they are muslim…?
i think its niall quinn
Len
Jul 8, 2008 at 2:55 AM
Comment #24Frankly I cant decide which is harder to believe, the stories “Loch Ness Monster Buys Toon”, or the number of people who fall for this dog poo.
tapir
Jul 8, 2008 at 3:11 AM
Comment #25Leo,
pls dont start something that touch sensitivity of other group
on the other hand, llambias need to involve more on PR. They need to talk more and not hiding!
dcbashore
Jul 8, 2008 at 5:28 AM
Comment #26It’s probably either that muppet Quinn or that muppet FFS. Maybe both.
Martin
Jul 8, 2008 at 8:55 AM
Comment #27Cheers Ed, glad we’ve been allowed back in, even if our wrists are smiting a little!
I’m pleased Llambias has done this, I think it was neccessary even if he does seemed a little irritated…
Is there no end to Mr Bin Laden’s devious attempts to ruin the Western World? First the Jihad on America and now us – who next Gregs the Bakers?
Ericles
Jul 8, 2008 at 9:17 AM
Comment #28Are there out in the media world some who are so jealous that under KK NUFC may have some success soon? Is this their way of trying to destabilise us? I am glad of the response from the club. Onwards and upwards and we will leave the doubting Thomas’s behind. I think KK and the Toonarmy will suprise everybody starting in August!
Ian
Jul 8, 2008 at 9:20 AM
Comment #29Good to see the blog back on.
I do not care what Derek Llambias says, one thing is very, very clear and that is Newcastle united are making the worst job ever with PR and keeping their fans informed.
It is no good this man coming out stamping his feet about someone trying to cause bother, they should look back at themselves, this isnt the look of a club which has been taken over by a person who has any interest at all in Newcastle United or football, there is no buzz at all around the club or the city, everything just appears to be little tit bits to keep everyone quiet, buy a player and they will think we are going to build a team, sign Taylor and that will shut the fans up and they will buy season tickets, that press sale thing is getting out of hand so make a statement, it doesnt matter if it is correct or not, that is the way it looks because no-one appears to have any control over the media.
It doesnt matter what your view is, that Ashley is buying this and going to make a go of it, or he is trying to sell it as soon as he can make a certain amount of profit, either way in the meantime the club is suffering from bad press, is not an attractive club for players to join and isnt exciting many of the fans at all, plus let us face it the more this goes on the less attractive it looks to buy.
It is just as easy to turn this whole argument around the other way, the American company will not want everyone to know if they are going to buy a club, so they would deny that they would buy too. Bin Laden’s family deals with Americans in a big way, is a well known and respected business family it makes good news a link with that family, but all they said was no business purchases for 6 months, the American investors said they would not buy at £400m, neither said they wouldnt buy the club.
I do not care what anyone says, our club at the moment doesnt look as if it has been taken over by someone who is about to make a big impact in the premiership, or ever intends making an impact, if he does and we are getting all of the messages wrong then all he needs do is get some professional help with PR, what they are doing at the moment is not working. Look how quickly other clubs nip rumours in the bud and head off trouble, because experience tells them that is the best way to handle everything.
Chicken
Jul 8, 2008 at 9:25 AM
Comment #30The Bin Laden story isn’t as daft as some of you might think. It’s just it’s been sensationalised by the press because of the obvious link with Osama – the world’s most wanted terrorist.
The Bin Laden family are actually extremely rich, and very influential on the world stage. This is taken from Wiki:
“The bin Laden family (Arabic: بن لادن‎), also spelled bin Ladin, is a wealthy family intimately connected with the innermost circles of the Saudi royal family. The financial interests of the bin Laden family are represented by the Saudi Binladin Group, a global construction and equity management conglomerate grossing $5 billion U.S. dollars annually, and one of the largest construction firms in the Islamic world, with offices in London and Geneva. According to an American diplomat, the bin Laden family also owns part of Microsoft and Boeing.”
I’m sure if they wanted to buy Newcastle United, and it it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility, they could do so in a heartbeat.
Ian
Jul 8, 2008 at 9:33 AM
Comment #31Chicken you are right, and as you point out with Microsoft etc they deal in a big way with the Americans and other countries, they arent anti American or British.
Martin
Jul 8, 2008 at 9:33 AM
Comment #32Ian I’m going to have to respectfully and politely disagree with you here…
You say Ashley doesn’t look like he’s in the club for the long term – Completely disagree!
Lowering the wage bill; This won’t really kick in for a year or 2 when the money saved on the wage bill mounts up into the millions! If he was going to try and sell up after a year then he wouldn’t reap any rewards for this!
Singing youth; Why on earth would he bring in young players who won’t come into effect for another year or 2 if he didn’t have a long term future plan in place?
Signing Taylor; You’ve got a completely pessamistic view of this one – how can you possibly infer that Ashley is trying to pull the wool over our eyes by signing a loyal, young, commited and indeed local player on a long term contract? What’s the point in buying youth if we’re going to let it leave for free once it establishes itself in the premiership? It’s just sensible, level headed business!
Llambias has come out in the press and quashed the rumours; what else do you want him to do? visit your house and swear (cross his heart and hope to die) that Ashley is here to stay? Why and more to the point How can you trust a stinking red top ahead of representatives of our club?
I will concede this though – I think Ashley may sell within the next 10 years…If that IS the case I think it will be for one of 2 reasons;
1) He is hounded out of the club by supporters, much like yourself, who do not trust him and do not want to show faith in him. he takes the view – whats the point in being unpopular for a living? and sells to the first bidder going!
2) OR he actually helps us get some success (if only a regular European slot) which therefore attacts interest from foreign investors who make him an offer he can’t refuse (horses’ head aside).
If it is due to option 1 we only have ourselves to blame, and if option 2; how can we complain? He’ll have done a great job getting us up the league, possibly even a bit of silverware, and by the looks of things, he’ll have done it sensibly and economically
So – I think that some fan’s, who are more than entitled their oppinion – should perhaps consider giving Mike Ashley more respect and certainly more time to proove his worth…Rome wasn’t built in a day!
JJ
Jul 8, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Comment #33Judge 99 – your comment moved me, I think it is up there with the Kennedy speech, or Martin Luthor King. Well said lad. : )
Ian
Jul 8, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Comment #34Martin, if you think that the club is giving positive PR at the moment and creating any sort of buzz then you are blind and deaf.
Every comment from the club does not state clearly that the club is not for sale at all, you read that in to what they say, they are carefully chosen words which neither say one thing or another.
For instance the ‘£420m’ is absolute rubbish, not that it will not be sold at least for the next three years, two years or next season, that would end speculation, if he isnt selling why be a smart ar*e and just come out and say it, it is not man of mystery it is behaving like a pri*k.
You say that it has a wage cutting policy but actually that hasnt been confirmed either, it is just rumour too and you presume that is why Owen hasnt signed but in fact no-one has told you that is the case, all players are assets on a club’s books, some signings add value to the business others would be deemed a financial comittment/liability Owen wouldnt be a financial asset he would be good for the football team though, every move they make in your eyes is a football move, every move they have made so far in my eyes is a business move and wouldnt damage a sale, or reduce the value of a sale, as I have said in the past I have managed businesses for many years and I see business moves and carefully chosen words.
I see nothing to indicate someone who wants success in football, or who is stirring up a club to do great things, where is keegan??? If Keegan isnt going to do the club’s talking then either Ashley himself or a professional spokesperson who is preferably a Newcastle fan/ex player and from the North East needs putting in place and some information needs passing around, some good solid black and white info not words similar to a politician or from a programme such as house of cards or yes minister, just plain football club statements.
I am neither pessamistic or enthusiastic I am bewildered at the poor management of the club, the fans and the media; the fans and the media are the income of the club, as many people including you on several occasions have pointed out Ashley is a very succesful business person, he will know where his income comes from and if he was commited and intended keeping the club would look after that income very well, but the fans the media and then of course the sponsors who feed off both of those are wondering what game he is playing.
If it was Gretna he could buy it and run it out of his income no problems, say nothing and run it the way he wants.
Newcastle United is far too big for him to run as a plaything he is no Abramovic, the club needs media interest, fans packing every seat and sponsors clamering to get their name in the club so if he is keeping the club, why hasnt he made a priority of this? Or has he completely misunderstood how a club runs?
If what you say is true then he hasnt grasped running a football club and what it entails.
FERNANDO
Jul 8, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Comment #35Aaah. (sipping on a mug of horlicks)Its good to be back!
Martin
Jul 8, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Comment #36I see where you’re coming from and your points are very valid – I still maintain that your glass was looking a little half empty without due reason though!
I think that this is a pretty tough situation for any Newcastle fan as of course we crave stability. But the fact is, Ashley isn’t REALLY doing anything wrong. As a business man, we can safely assume that if the right offer came – he’d have to consider it and probably accept it…
Can you blame him or hold a grudge against him for that?
In my oppinion – No!
Also – if you had the choice to keep a media hounded, press-speculated Ashley or Freddy Shephard – who would you take?
I’ve have Ashley in a crack! In My oppinion he’s nout but good for this club so far and therefore as long as we’re going in the right direction if and when he sells we can’t really grumble!
Micky Toon
Jul 8, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Comment #37Fantastic an actual debate on here without people resorting to calling names. Just what this place needs.
My stance with MA is that he’s not actively looking to sell. However if you were in his situation would you not sell for a £200m profit? Take the emotion out of it, picture yourself not as a fan but just as someone who owns the business. You’d be daft not to sell up.
I’ve said it before, I reckon MA or one of his stooges did talk to the Americans about the club. When he was asked to name his price he said £420m. Knowing they would say no, but if for some mad reason they actually said yes, he would be laughing all the way to the casino.
Ian
Jul 8, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Comment #38Martin-he hasnt done anything yet.
He has only employed Keegan and seems to be burying him in a corner, he may as well have employed Roeder and saved himself some cash.
Look at the ‘extra’ prime time the sponsors are getting who pay huge amounts of money to be on the conference room wall etc. Nothing done in the community, no unveiling of their new signing, the best they have had this year was Meat Loaf wearing one of our shirts and that had nothing to do with the club.
Football clubs HAVE to be high profile to attract income, no fans, no media, no sponsors, no merchandise sales, no income, less of any of these and less income too.
Freddy Shepherd with all his millions of faults has the edge till now, the club was in the News every other week, brilliant for keeping the stadium full and guaranteeing sponsors loads of prime time TV all in addition to the actual games themselves. those selling the sponsorship must have had hours of extra TV time to boast about and to hook the companies with.
If they dont have players like Owen and Martins in the future then I think they may struggle to keep interest alive, other clubs are on a downward trend which they cant seem to end. Freddy and co were very succesful in this area so they must have been doing something right.
As I said I am bewildered as to what he is doing, the only sensible thought is he is desperately trying to sell and make a profit, if he isnt then it looks as if the board is missing some people who know how to keep the income coming in by communicating with the media. Maybe a retailer struggling to get to grips with the entertainment business.
Keith
Jul 8, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Comment #39Martin – I have commented before Ian’s comments are almost anti-Newcastle when they fly in the face of the facts. He bit part selects info and attempts to reshape it into an informed point of view. I dont think he is worth responding to. I whole heartedly agree with your take on it.
Some “fans” have a glass half empty point of view, others glass has a hole in the bottom – Ian is an even further extreme and may be Nial Quinn in disguise.
Ian
Jul 8, 2008 at 11:24 AM
Comment #40Rubbish keith, you just like conflict in the blog, however at least you are not offensive.
Time is ticking and I dont see many positives, but I am waiting like everyone else.
You say I may be a Sunderland fan i say you may be Ashley’s mates trying to firefight the clubs image problems, well it isnt working.
They need to get off their backsides and start treating the fans with respect and understand who really pays the bills.
Just found this, exactly what I am saying:
http://www.newcastleunited-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=397127