As we had suspected, Joe Kinnear was in contact with Mike Ashley on Wednesday, but only by phone, but what he heard is not what fans had hoped for.
Mike Ashley – may not be able to sell the club – then what?
Kinnear says that Mike said that none of the 3 serious bidders have provided any proof yet that thye have the money to buy the club. That doesn’t say they don’t have it, but it seems, as we reported yesterday, that the Chelsea game will be a key date, and there should be some statement from Mike Ashley at that time.
It seems it could either be that we have a new buyer, or that Mike has tried to sell and couldn’t find a suitable buyer, and of course the world-wide recession and financial situation is hardly a great time to buy a football club.
Joe spoke about the situation:
“I know that after the Chelsea match at Stamford Bridge on November 22 it is D-day. After that it will all be revealed,” “Either it will be sold or they’ve changed their minds.” “And I think you will (get a statement from Mike Ashley or the club) after the Chelsea game. I think Mike will have to – it’s been a long time without anything being said now.”
“I think I was originally brought in for eight games and in that time span he thought the club would be sold. Now if it’s not, he’s got to come up with other ideas.” “I think he’s prepared to sit down and say ‘okay – where do we go from here’. At the moment – and I know this for definite because he told me – he is talking to three people. But they haven’t come up with the goods yet.”
“When he talked to me, he said ‘we’ve got three people involved in buying, I’m fairly optimistic but I’m waiting to see if they come up with the cash’. He said ‘all will be revealed after Chelsea (on November 22)’.” “It might be difficult. I think the way he could do that is by saying ‘I haven’t had any buyers offering me the money for the club and therefore he can’t sell it’,”
“I know he’s deeply hurt by what’s happened. I don’t know how he would (begin to heal the rift with supporters). Who does he talk to, what does he say? Does he need to go to the supporters? I don’t really know.”
Kinnear believes that decisions must be made soon – and Joe is showing excellent leadership in that something needs to be said to both him and the players, not to mention the fans, who Mike has just ignored these last couple of months.
But we have contracts to be renegotiated at the club, and if Mike cannot get a buyer we wouldn’t be surprised if some of the players elect to leave the club, unless he comes out and says he will change the way the club is run, and at least say what he will do short term through the end of the season. That though would hardly be comforting to the players.
Michael Owen and Steve Harper in January will be able to talk to other parties, and Michael will definitely get some offers as will Steve, who showed just what a good goalkeeper he is, at the end of last season.
Joe continued:
“I have spoken to the players – I think we’ve got three whose contracts are up – and told them I’m not in a position to give you any answers until after Chelsea,”
“I sat them all down before I started and said that I know you’re all going to be chucking questions at me about the state of the club and your own personal contracts. But until I get permission I can’t tell them. If I’m here until the end of the season, then I’ll sort them out.”
“I’d start sitting down and talking to players and then I’d report back to Dennis Wise or Mike. Decisions have to be made, that’s for sure.”
It seems to us that Joe is being used to get the reaction of the fans, should indeed Mike not be able to sell, and Joe is showing good common sense. He has nothing to do with what happened, but he’s come in and done a more than decent job, and some would say he’s been the perfect manager in this unique situation.
He’s a good communicator himself, just like Kevin Keegan, and if we cannot sell the club, we have to at least find a way through this season, so we don’t lose our good players, and then there will be the January transfer market that we must participate in.
If Mike wants to stay for a while he needs to support Joe in the transfer market – and let him bring in 4-5 good players, that would be the very first thing that Mike would need to do – that would take us through January and maybe even survive the rest of the season in the Premier League. The last thing anybody wants is for us to be relegated.
But there is still deep division because of what happened between Mike and the fans, and if we cannot get a buyer by the end of the year, things will be difficult, to say the least, but we must all think of what’s best for the club right now, and not do anything to make the whole situation even worse.
That’s something nobody even thought about in early September, and look at the mess we are in now.
Comments welcome.
33 comments so far
Rich
Nov 1, 2008 at 9:41 AM
Comment #1what ever happens, its long term stability that’s required, Mike or not.
adam
Nov 1, 2008 at 9:43 AM
Comment #2report back to wise aye. since when is he a football god…
KEEGAN FOR PM
Nov 1, 2008 at 9:50 AM
Comment #3My plan B would be sack Wise,appoligise to the fans,give the manager full control of transfers and a promise of transfer money then he might be forgiven.
Phil,Gosforth
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:01 AM
Comment #4It would be hard for me to settle down with MA involved anywhere at the club to be brutally frank.
He is NOT interested in bettering the club,the team,anything.’Cept his wallet.£20m a year investment my ar*e.
Leave us alone and just ask for a reasonable price for the club you fat £$*(^*”. 😀
UTD111
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:01 AM
Comment #5If Ashley stays – the poison dwarf and “ooh I could slap a grape” Llambias have to go – otherwise I think a lot of fans will just boycott our beloved club.
mag
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Comment #6I´d prefer if Mike stays and gets rid of Wise and Llambias and hires a good manager (maybe Keegan) and starts sorting out all the contracts
Ausgeordie
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Comment #7Wise is still playing the “buying for the future” card so he can claim nil responsibility for first team affairs
Silence of the Llambias
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Comment #8Yes. Wise is the problem. That was MA’s big,big mistake. A choice between his sneaky boardroom pals, and KK. Pals out may be a way forward. No chance otherwise.
MA is deeply hurt? Cheeky fat greedy bastard. We are deeply bloody hurt.
The reason for lack of progress is the asking price. How far will MA move on this? The answer by 22nd Nov.
JK is MA’s PR man. Well he needs one.
I have my doubts about JK as a Manager and think that the monday game will tell us a lot.
Keep praying.
Timmers
Nov 1, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Comment #9Can’t say i’m surprised that he hasnt been able to sell the club. A reported huge asking price (if true) and the current financial climate will not have helped. Also you dont become a billionaire without a ruthless streak for making money so i think Mike’s plan all along was to put the club up for “sale” if someone came in with a riducluous offer he would accept. The more likely outcome would be to keep making money at low expense by keeping the club. I think JK is doing a good job but Jan will be like Sept and we’ll only see fringe/squad players bought (perhaps not a bad thing for the future) but Mike plse remember for the future there has to be a present!!! If you detach yourself from the club and look inwards would you as a person sign for a company that may not want you/keep you if sold. Or would you look for a job with stability. This is true if you were currently there and wanted to further your career aka Owen (although i’m still unsure who Owen would go to poss Spuds-i dont see a top 4 team wanting him+would he want to be a sub) I hoped Mike would sell the club to a consortium perhaps 5 ppl, then you wouldnt have a situation like Liverpool as its unlikely all would want to sell at the same time. Also it would take the financial burden off one person. This may upset a few ppl but i wouldnt mind if Mike Ashley stayed but sold %’s off to other investors, and sort advise of football mangement structure. As much as i dislike Spuds Levy said “fair enuff its not working no head coach, hello manager” Personally i think the manager should be allowed to appoint the Director of Football not the Owner/Chairman-this way Owner gets the structure he wants but the manager gets a trusted representative on the board. (Still i’d love a mega billionaire to come in and get a top class manager so we could play fantasy football like some clubs.) Rant over.
Toon Daft
Nov 1, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Comment #10starting to really worry me this – it does sound like JK is being used to test the water, or lay the foundations for an Ashley statement stating he is staying
this cant happen! he has publicly said he is no longer prepared to finance the club, which we are in dire need of
if we don’t have new owners in soon i doubt the club will be settled for a long, long time. New owners need to bring in a period of stability BEFORE January, i.e. new manager and contracts resolved, new coaching staff and new board in place OTHERWISE who would want to sign for us in January when they don’t know where the club will be at the end of the season
as for JK doing a more than adequate job….. is that for real? two draws, a defeat against the Makems and a less than convincing 3 points against West Brom (a favorite for relegation I will add) – we are a worrying prospect at the moment
either we are in serious negotiations with some big players at the moment, or we are in a serious relegation battle that I have no confidence in whatsoever
roll on high-flying Villa eh ………. 🙁
Greg B
Nov 1, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Comment #11Plan A – Club sold, consortium or an owner looks at the state of the club (playing staff, coaching staff, finances etc), rather than panic buy in January sorts current players contracts out and brings in one or two promising players in January (maybe a defender and a midfielder). The re-building can then begin in July with Harper, Owen etc on board.
Plan B – Ashley looks at his favorite club (Spurs) and takes on board what has happened there (whereby Levy seems to have realised that the manager has to be responsible for the first team rather than having to answer to a director of football (or whatever they want to call them). Either sticks with Kinear short term (maybe offer contract up untill end of sason and see where we are at then) or brings in a manager who will have total support in the transfer market without having to report to Wise/ Lambias.
I think he has realise that this situation will not work at Newcastle however it absolutley dumbfounds me as to what the hell Wise is still doing at the club. Ashley has become public enemy number one up here due to his backing of Wise, if he ever wants to lose that tag Wise and (IMO worse than Wise) Lambias have to go, no ifs and buts, they are not wanted at this club.
Sav
Nov 1, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Comment #12Wise may be a little sod and LLambias, too but its Ashley’s bidding they’re doing. His ‘I’m one of the fans’ cover story fell off when he followed up flogging Milner by putting the rest of the squad up for grabs on the final day. A fan? No,
No respect shown to his own manager and none since to the fans. Silence of the Llambias it is, that’s for sure.
‘We went to the French U-21s and put 3 down and Wisr was looking at a German club and put 2 down’???!!! Howay, Joe, I know you are the only one with the courtesy to address the fans at all, but who the hell do you think we are? You are playing Champ Manager. Until Ashley puts some money in (for the first time) its all BS. If he really wants to do us a favour, he could abandon his plan to make a killing out of NUFC, reduce his asking price and f… o.. sharpish.
Failing that, Kinnear stays on but having to accept Wise, Llambias and the tea lady having seniority over him as he was never promised any different. That’s not a good way to run the club imo.
skin d
Nov 1, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Comment #13joe isn,t doing a good job,and the longer he is in the worse it will get.
his style of football is terrible,his tactics are weak.
i can see the so called honeymoon being well and truely over very shortly.
Crimecall Newcastle
Nov 1, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Comment #14Is it not time newcastle fans realised that keegan is not coming back and why wud you want him its not the first time he has walked out on Newcastle
ELFER
Nov 1, 2008 at 2:10 PM
Comment #15We all want stability at our beloved club…I think it is time to all be together in one boat and that includes MA!! Why not give him a second chance? I think kinnear is good for us, let him go on.
albi
Nov 1, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Comment #16I am sick to the back teeth with all of these ifs buts and maybe’s. Its unthinkable that the club wont be sold. Whats the alternative Ashley,Wise and Kinnear ?I am a season ticket holder and supported the club for over 40 years. I havent been to the ground since the Keegan fiasco and despite forking out the money for my ticket i have no intention of going back until Ashley has gone. The club has no soul and i have no affinity with any staff or player with the exception of Shay Given . It breaks my heart to see Bobby Robson. There is a true legend.He is Newcastle to me.Until we get someone of his passion at the club i will never go back. I am probably not the only one !!!
Daniel
Nov 1, 2008 at 2:52 PM
Comment #17Yea lets all go on a boycott, that’ll help the team so much!
BJ
Nov 1, 2008 at 4:54 PM
Comment #18No albi theres probly another 5 or 6 just like you! I will continue to go to as many games as i can possibly get to and give my full support to the lads.
lordi
Nov 1, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Comment #19I for one wouldnt want Kinnear as Permanent manager Mike has to act swiftly if there aint no buyer that would mean sacking Wise and llambias only then can he reckonsile with the Geordie faithfull employ a local man as chairman that doesnt mean Shep by the way and sort out the transfer budget for Jan which would have to be substantial as the squad is so thin be a Man admit that he was wrong to employ those idiots and then we might be able to move on the reason for Kinnear not being my choice as manager has to do with Wimbledon awful long ball side
Mike
Nov 1, 2008 at 7:26 PM
Comment #20If anyone things Ashley is going to put any money into this team they are going to be sadly mistaken. Since taking the helm he has tied the hands of all our managers and has PROVED that he has no interest in putting his money towards luring top talent to Newcastle.
With his decision to sell the club and to make a profit, it would seem more than likely that he will continue his sell off.
Look at this summer, we all thought we would be getting better, no he goes and sells most of our squad.
He wasn’t trying to help the team then and he’s not going to do it now.
marhy
Nov 1, 2008 at 9:07 PM
Comment #21ashley is not interested in improving newcastle,only his wallet.kinnear is a load of crap so if there is no sale we are deeply in the mire
Winston P
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Comment #22I think Joe Kinnear is doing a creditable job at the moment and appreciate his open-ness and honesty in a delicate situation.
Having, myself ventured south of the tyne on occassion, I have no unfounded bias against the likes of Dennis Wise, who has done nothing but behave professionally and effectively in his time at the club.
If Ashley stays, I will continue to get behind the club and support my team.
Cooper
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:44 PM
Comment #23Protests again.
Now where did we put that “Cockney mafia out”
banner
Geordie Jayne
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:47 PM
Comment #24Its not a case of Joe being honest, its a case of him letting things slip out all the time to prepare the foundations for CASHLEY. Harris said we had serious buyers now we don’t huh.
Well i swear that myself and my family will not go back to St James’ Park until he is gone and we all swear by that.
Enough is enough, zilch squad, zilch spending, as lifelong fans that all of my family are, we have never ever seen it this bad and I honestly mean that.
If you want to back CASHLEY go ahead, but he ain’t getting anymore of our money end of.
He came here bought us, promised us the world and look at the squad, look at the board level, look at our spending and selling its there folks for all to see.
Wise and co brought in superstars, well look at the mess we are in great squad and players godddddddddd I am angry, this is not just about Keegan anymore, its about our heritage our right OUR TEAM>………..
Geordie Jayne
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:49 PM
Comment #25Winston you are on drugs, show me your proof about Wise, show me
Cooper
Nov 1, 2008 at 11:02 PM
Comment #26Winston you are a prick
Dondatta13
Nov 2, 2008 at 1:37 AM
Comment #27And so, the whisper campaign continues …
Joe F’ing Kinnear, when first interviewed on match of the day after he was appointed interim manager, seemed very much in the know “Mike’s put X amount into Newcastle to pull this club out of the Sh*t” ….
Then later into his tenure, Joe F’ing Kinnear says “there are seven or eight very interested parties in relation to the purchase of NUFC” …
Next up we have the “Mike almost jumped out of the window when N’zogbia’s effort was cleared off the line, beacuse he loves this club so much” …
Then, surprise surprise, Joe has a January shopping list drawn up …
All of a sudden, Joe F’ing Kinnear knows nothing about whats going on at he club with regards to a sale …
The lastest part of this whisper campaign http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/58626/KINNEAR-YOULL-CHANGE-TOON-OVER-KEVIN-KEEGAN.html
Its one big scam, Joe F’ing Kinnear is blatently batting Ashley (as he was the man who has given Joe the best job he has ever undertaken), He has started to knock KK now…
All that “You don’t need to protest against me no more, you’ve made your point, Im selling” CRAP!
Obviously we do need to protest against you, because you think we have short memories and you think you can ride out this storm by keeping a low profile …
ASHLEY OUT ….. NOW!
Dondatta13
Nov 2, 2008 at 1:39 AM
Comment #28Opps typo lol.
Obviously, he isnt batting Ashley he is batting FOR Ashley lol
Soz 😉
Winston P
Nov 2, 2008 at 4:50 AM
Comment #29So I’m on drugs, just cos my opinion differs from your own!?
(Proof – Gutierez, Colloccini, Tozer…)
Good job this forum is online Cooper, I’d love to see you say that to my face, retard.
CHUCK
Nov 2, 2008 at 7:41 AM
Comment #30What planet are you guys living on, with your Wise this, Ashley that, giving ultimatims on whats acceptable to them as if they have the personal backing of every fan and it`s obvious most have a great degree of ignorance about whats taken place, ignoring totally the negative role they themselves have played .
Its even mentioned in this blog What does Mike do to “heal the rift with the fans”
The same way the Glazers did “nothing” , He is still the owner of the club and can do what the f**k he wants with it. In case you dont remember the Glazers ignored the jerk fans at Man. U.,they still attend the games, both the fans and owners.
As far as making money and not spending, thats bull***t it takes money to operate a team in the PL and to not invest is to invite relegation, which in turn devalues the team and brings a massive reduction in earnings.
Ashley may have made certain mistakes but he is no fool and certainly accepting KK`s resignation was`nt one of them.
And exactly what has D. Wise done to get everyone so upset, oh yeah the regional inferiority thing Soft Suverners and Tough shirtless Geordies, grow up please.
MA. may not get the asking price due to the present economy, so maybe everyone should get used to the idea he may be around for a while.
Geordie Taipei
Nov 2, 2008 at 9:10 AM
Comment #31Plan B has to be: 1:sack wise. 2:sack Lambias:3: massive apology.4:massive investment:5:control of players to be either done ny manager or to have someone acceptable to us in Wise’s position, like shearer or beardsley someone we respect. 6: a conserted effort to better communicate with us.
but i must state that i like plan A much better by where he sods off back to the south and a new buyer comes in and we get Keegan back.
Len
Nov 3, 2008 at 7:57 AM
Comment #32How many posts on here are by the Toon PR dept? My guess is four. Thats excluding Ed.
SBR4EVA
Nov 5, 2009 at 12:07 AM
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