The Daily Mail is reporting today that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is ready to appoint Joe Kinnear until the end of the season, as hopes apparently are fading fast that a deal can be sealed to sell the club.
Joe Kinnear – likely contract through end of season
We think this was going to be the announcement after the Chelsea game, but the Newcastle Board backed off for whatever reason, probably in case they faced the wrath of Newcastle fans again. However, the news that came out on Sunday hardly set a vision of the club being sold anytime soon.
Americans are said to be the only bidders still in and apparently their bid is woefully short of the estimate Ashley has of the value of the club, and would likely mean a big loss on the deal for the Londoner.
While the news of the Newcastle club’s failure to sell will come as a big dampener for Newcastle fans, the appointment of Kinnear though the end of the season is more good news than bad. Joe has shown he can still manage well, and has instilled tremendous fighting qualities and not a little bit of organization into the side.
He also seems to be threatening to put together a strong defense at the club, as witnessed last Saturday by one of the best defensive displays for a long time – frightening indeed. 😀
The new news today is that two American groups are now on the verge of pulling out of talks with Ashley and Keith Harris, simply because their bid is way too low and simply unacceptable. It may be that Mike has to wait a while until hopefully the economic conditions are more supportive of a sale in the region for £250M.
Kinnear’s current contract runs out at the end of December, but he has made no secret of his desire to take over on a full-time basis, and he keeps telling anybody who will listen how thrilled he is to be the manager of the famous club. He’s certainly managed to instill the pride that is Newcastle United into his players in a short 9 weeks, that’s for sure.
So it looks like the former Wimbledon manager will be rewarded with a new and longer deal, and hopefully they’ll start paying Joe a decent wage, given the pittance (in comparison) he seems to being paid right now.
That’s compared to the £3M/year we’ve paid to Sam Allardyce and Kevin Keegan, our last two permanent managers.
But if anybody deserved a deal through the end of the season it’s Joe Kinnear.
He’s got 10 points from the 8 league games he’s been in charge of, and while that’s not particularly great – before he arrived Newcastle had lost 5 straight games, so he’s managed to turn things around.
Under Kinnear Newcastle have played well in all their games apart from Fulham and Wigan, where we lost 5 valuable points, and are still stuck at 3rd bottom in the league.
Anything that will add a little stability at the club right now is welcomed, but exactly how we persuade players to stay at the club now is a very good question, since things are still temporary at best.
But no doubt Joe will be giving that a go very shortly. We wish him the best of luck because Joe has worked his socks off for the Newcastle United cause and we on the blog are very appreciative of his work and effort on behalf of our club.
It’s as simple as that.
Comments welcome.
88 comments so far
UTD111
Nov 27, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Comment #1Well well well….what a surprise YAWN!! And people accused me of peddling a conspiracy theory when I said Cashley had no intention of selling and he was worming his way back in by stealth LOL
Partizan
Nov 27, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Comment #2Thats good news to hear i must say….we need stability and not just changing our managers like a pair of socks.
Shearbliss
Nov 27, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Comment #3Nice one Ed! But you can stop call MA a londener. I know he is but you just whip up the north south divide. I for one would welcome MA back to SJP as I still feel all this is blown out of proportion! He isn’t any worse than other owners and it is difficult financial times. So my fellow fans could you please get off of MA and DW back, and be loyal fans of the club and it’s staff! I feel they are trying to resolve this matter.
As I said in past blogs KK caused this mess, no one from the board said we were going to have all these fantatic imaginary signings, are squad is still competeing, and we WERE slowly building foundations to make us sustainable.
We got rid of SBR,GR,BS and now MA. All I feel had the best intrest in the club for the long term! WOULD YOU INVEST IN NUFC?
Viper
Nov 27, 2008 at 10:51 AM
Comment #4As has been said, can’t fault his determination for somebody who is not a Geordie!
Give him a contract as opposed to the NUFC continous manager merry-go-round.
StevieA
Nov 27, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Comment #5Pittance he is on now? He is ok 20k a week plus a very large win bonus (around 10-15k) let’s not have another pop at Mr Ashley for no reason.
He has Joe on a very good contract considering it’s a month to month deal.
Joe is what we need for a while, he has earned the job for me and I wouldn’t say he has turned us around but he’s done well and the league is closer than ever at the moment. A good few wins and we could be 7th or 8th, even the team acknowledge that so let’s hope we can get the wins in soon.
Starting with boro on Saturday!
Alex
Nov 27, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Comment #6Best news in along time , if true . It seems that the Americans have lost interest in a deal , so to appoint Kinnear full time at least gives us a bit of stability and some chance of signings in January .
Shearbliss
Nov 27, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Comment #7Hope MA takes the club off the market!
Nick 69
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Comment #8iv gotta say ed, sometimes you talk a lot of rubbish, you keep sayin how it would be good news if JK was appointed longer term and how most newcaslte fans wouldnt argue with him staying longer, THEY WOULD, 99% of people i talk to here in newcaslte want him gone and gone now, i mean you keep praising him for this ‘excellent job’ hes done so far, erm incase you hadnt noticed, we are in the relegation zone and are very much struggling, we WILL be relegated if he stays here and i would put money on that, anyone who thinks hes a good manager and the type of manager that we want and need here at newcastle, has a short memory as i can remember just how woeful his wimbledon team and the type of football they played were.
Cyprus-Toon
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Comment #9I’d given up any hope of us being sold ages ago, as Ashley wasn’t gonna get what he wants, so now he’ll just hand on to us & wait till the summer, which he won’t spend any money so we’ll not bring in any more players then either!!
So get use to it lads & lasses, we’re going to be a relegation battling team from now on!! Yer can kiss goodbye to those night in Europe & even think of us in the top half of the table, we’ll be fighting along with teams like Fulham, Wigan, Mackems, etc to stay up every season now!!!
Stardust
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Comment #10Good post Shearbliss – hopefully we wont be starting an owner merry go round to join the managers. Ashley to stay for me – 100%.
Stardust
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:10 AM
Comment #11Cyrus Toon – I disagree re relegation, bar a few freak results, bad decisions, bad luck we could be top half, if Ashley stays and JK is appointed till the seasons end itll add one of the last three ingredients we need for success – Stability.
The squad is better than our previous 3 seasons, and the last 2 ingredients are being added – PR seems to be slowly improving and finally the last ingredient for success is for the Mob to stop being anti Newcastle and start Supporting the team.
UNITED we stand – Divided we fall.
Guinea Mag
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Comment #12A bit harsh to say we’ll be relegated if JFK stays as the squad is just too thin. KK realized this and walked out on us again…..
We need to off load several players in the january window; Smith, Cacapa, Geremi, maybe even Owen and Viduka and bring in reliable replacements.
I only hope MA will protect his investment and provide funds or we could be a Championship team next season!
Nick 69
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Comment #13guinea mag- hows it harsh? we’re in the relegation zone and don’t look like moving out of it anytime soon, you say our squad is too thin then say we need to offload several players, including our best player, now offloading players isnt exactly a way of curing a squad that is too thin is it? even if you replace the players the squad is still the same size and we will not have money to buy quality players anyway well be scrapping around for cheap crap that nobody wants and loan deals
Bill F (Original)
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Comment #14Rather what we have than a, “Sell in haste, repent in leisure” situation. Football is a business, BUT, it is also a religion to many of us and we do not want it any more tainted than it may seem at present. I am one of the many of us who is happy to see how things play out under the present regime. And I quite like Joe He is a bit like KK in that he don’t hide his feelings but seems more aware that he is an employee, and has to work with the boss, like it or not! He is still not a total puppy and yes man though. If he can get the players he wants then I think he’ll do ok.
Ryan Peacock
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Comment #15good news about keeping kinnear but i cant stand ashley!
Punk Skunk
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Comment #16How the hell is it a good idea to ‘off load’ players & then say: the squad is paper thin?..
…We need to BUY players if the squads thin…QED!..
lesh
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Comment #17Well, if the Americans have or are likely to pull out of negotiations and due diligence ceases, surely there’s no real reason why MA shouldn’t revert to his commitment to investments into the side?
I’m sure MA wouldn’t want his club to be relegated and further devalued and if he’s gonna stay, then we need to forget the past, look forward and get behind him – especially if he’s source of funds!
geordie jock
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Comment #18Are you lot completely mad, keeping fat B*****D as owner of our club will destroy us. He didn’t spend any money in the summer when we needed it and there is no way he will spend any in january. As for Joe Kinnear he needs all our support big time to get us out of the mess we are in. Alright he wasn’t the manager anyone was expecting but the only person who would help us and for that we should be grateful as without him i fear we would be already doomed.
workyticket
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Comment #19Ed, Ashley is not a Londoner. He’s from the Berkshire / Buckinghamshire borders. It’s a bit like describing someone from Sunderland as a ‘Geordie’.
bowburnmag
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Comment #20An overwhelming number of Ashley sympathisers on here…..
Punk Skunk
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Comment #21We are stuck with the owner ’til someone else buys the place…
…So, in these dire football times, we must support the team…Bollox to who’s in charge, the team is more important now!..
…They need support to get out of this situation & if that happens, we will become a better proposition to a potential new owner!..
…All the belly-achin’ in the world ain’t gonna change that!..
Stardust
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Comment #22Lesh – the saying here is “You reap what you sow”
I feel that the Mobs reaction has made it virtually impossible for anyone to invest further money in us – that goes for Ashley, Americans, Chinese whoever they are.
Time to get back supporting the team and in time the success will come that we crave.
Punk Skunk
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:53 AM
Comment #23Aye,
Great support WILL take you a hell of a long way!..
Colin
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Comment #24I read this blog with amazement sometimes, half the people who post on here have to be Mackems on a wind up.Ashley and his cronies will never be accepted back at NUFC.
Those that are willing to accept them back are a disgrace to everything our proud club stands for, simple as that.
To those using the stability argument, as a reason to allow fatty back in, this club was stable at the start of the season, Ashley’s appointments caused the rift, then the split.
Anyway it could be fun and games come the end of the January transfer window, i wonder what Ashley and his cronies have in store for us.
Make or break at the end of January for me, He will either spend (lol) or weaken an already small squad, which could seal our fate.
african-kenyan-ronniezog
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:57 AM
Comment #25he deserves a contract until the end of the season then after that he can go back to nottingham forest
sav
Nov 27, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Comment #26Kinnear has done ok but then, he has been in a sort of win/win situation, ie. he can’t be blamed if we get hammered and has nothing to lose anyway and on the other hand, if he gets a few points and stabilises the club, he’s a genius. But he deserves to see the season out at least (still don’t think anyone with better credentials would touch us under present circumstances). I can’t help feeling this has more to do with a pragmatic realisation that the club isn’t going to be sold rather than a reward for loyal service (FatAsh don’t do loyalty).
As for Shearbliss and Starshite, with your anti-Keegan rewriting of the facts and your ‘The Mob’ crap, Get the f..k outta here. Ashley texted Joe after the Chelsea match. Wise slunk off from Stamford Bridge without talking to JFK or the team. What kind of running of the club is that?
The sooner FatAsh and his entourage are out of toon the better and they can haul lickspittles like you away with them.
k k forever
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:01 PM
Comment #27SPOT ON COLIN
eaststander
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:01 PM
Comment #28This is going to be the longest season of my life. Please for the love of god Ashley out!!!!
k k forever
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Comment #29COLIN STOREYS LIKE THIS YOU DO FIND OUT WHO THE REEL FANS ARE
workyticket
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Comment #30Stardust, you have a very good point. Most times a prospective owner looks at Newcastle, they see vitriolic supporters baying for the current owners head and they say “no thanks, that could be us being forced to sell in a years time”. It’s so obvious.
UTD111
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Comment #31Think “Stardust” might be Lambias in disguise?? If so its the most he’s ever spoken to the fans LOL
Stardust
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:16 PM
Comment #32Workyticket – thats my view entirely – as a group of supporters – collectively we have no patience – we demand immediate success and trophy signings, millions to be spent (The Mob dont realise FFS was satisfying their greed and bleeding the club dry of cash by the 10s of millions).
It rankles me to say “we” but even though I am totally opposed to the Mob (who react when they are called it but can only be labelled as human once they act as individuals) I have to say everyone outside of Newcastle sees us as dillusional fools.
Rome wasnt built in a day – the Mob want to conquer the world in a day and riot if it doesnt go ahead……….unfortunately those with a mind for themselves have to pick up the pieces.
THE BEAT.
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Comment #33no suprise knew all this crap would come to fruition,newcastle is like a badly scripted soap opera,it is worse than corra!!!!.
StevieA
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Comment #34Ashley has been driven out of the club by the fans so of course he isn’t going to turn up to the games to see Joe face to face.
He received death threats so of course he is going to stay clear of the fans.
I have always said our biggest positive is our fans but it’s also our biggest negative. It’s always a them against us mentality and how many other clubs have that kind of deal with the chairman and board?
Not many. I think it all goes back to the pickets and us against them era to be honest, it’s in the blood I think.
While we have that we will never achieve anything we need stability and patience.
Ashley has made some mistakes but I will never forgive Keegan for leaving us in the mess we are in now either. I agree he should have had the final say on players coming and going, I know for a fact that this only became a problem towards the end of the transfer window.
Kinnear seems to be the straight shooting manager that we need, he seems to spill the beans quite a lot and this helps the fans be patient. He has good contacts in the game and knows a lot of players. I also like the fact that he sees this as a big opportunity, he’s smart because he was the only manager with the balls and know-how to take the job.
He knows this could make his career, even if he doesn’t get the Newcastle job at the end of it.
We really need some stability, if Ashley came back and changed the setup. Gave someone full power over who comes and goes then I wouldn’t mind him back because he has a long term vision for the club and that’s something we haven’t had for a long time.
bowburnmag
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Comment #35Stardust -it’s still totally unfair to cast the same aspersions on all and sundry who protested. Some just wanted answers, there was no intent to riot. You make them sound like morons just because they became a collective trying to voice their opinions. Not all of them are lunatics. Just those that stick their noses in front of the microphone, generally. I think it’s crass to criticise a group of fellow supporters for caring about their club enough to voice their opinions. I wouldn’t have done it but there weren’t many options/mediums available other than doing what they did.
UTD111
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:23 PM
Comment #36Stardust – I think you should change your name to Starbuck, then you might wake up and smell the coffee.
At the Hull game best part of 50,000 fans were chanting against Cashley Wise & Co – because we had just seen a manager we know and trust be totally undermined by a little cretin and his clueless boss.
Its no good dismissing people as a mob just because they happen to have a different point of view from you – and in any event its difficult for you to dismiss us as we are the 50,000 who go to the games.
Now why dont you go back under whatever rock you crawled out from?
sav
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Comment #37FarAsh is hardly under threat at Stamford Bridge – and text-messaging? FFS, man.
‘The Mob’. A convenient catch-phrase to describe the vast majority whose opinions differ so widely from your own.
Have you always had these feelings that you were somehow superior to others?
Have you had these delusions since childhood?
Do you spend long private hours parading in front of the mirror practising responses and
sav
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Comment #38…do you have a small, black, neatly-trimmed rectangular ”tache?
UTD111
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Comment #39LOL Sav
bowburnmag
Nov 27, 2008 at 12:32 PM
Comment #40StevieA – My hunch is that the ‘Ashley family attends Chelsea game’ rumour is the first ruse to testing the water and seeing what kind of reaction he’d get from the fans. He’ll be through the back door before we know it, or like it for that matter, depending on your opinion. Yes, tensions were high but his life was never in danger. That’s a nonsense. Enough time has elapsed for him to come back and get a load of stick and carry on. He’d get a lot less if he came out and tried to build bridges. He might not have any choice at the rate we’re going.