Llambias certainly has had a lot to say these last couple of days, and we suppose there’s more to come on Thursday and Friday of this week.
Derek Llambias – where’s the fake beard?
Derek has today commented on the fateful Hull City game, which was our first game following Kevin Keegan leaving the club. And to make matters a lot worse, Newcastle went down to Hull City by a score of 2-1.
Danny Guthrie was sent off right at the end, and the Newcastle fans were none too happy before the game, and even less so after the defeat to a newly promoted club, who most fans thought should have been an easy win.
And of course it was that particular day that fans protested against “The Cockney Mafia”.
Owner Mike Ashley, as you recall, didn’t attend for safety reasons, leaving Derek Llambias on his lonesome, shown above, to take the significant abuse that came from the Newcastle fans, who were rightly furious at the goings on at the club, that had culminated in Kevin Keegan leaving.
Derek was also surrounded by many empty seats in the Newcastle Directors’ box, and seemed to have a smirk on his face the whole game, which was hardly well received by Geordies who saw that on the TV.
That particular game was beamed live around the world.
Llambias said to the Evening Chronicle today:
“They are Mike’s seats. Now he’s back he will sit next to me again.” “It was difficult as far as fans were concerned, I felt a bit isolated.”
“But quite honestly my position is to run the stadium side of things and the income of the club.” “It’s all part and parcel of my job, that’s why I was there.”
“I don’t manage the team and don’t get involved with the team.” “I certainly don’t know enough about football to start telling Joe Kinnear who to put on and take off.”
“I’m there to support and run this business for Mike.” “I can understand why he didn’t come and I can understand why Dennis didn’t come because they are associated with the football side of things.”
“But for me, I run the business, we sell the pies and chips.”
Llambias also commented on the Cockney Mafia banners, which was in every newspaper in the land the following day:
“The one thing about fans is that they chant some great stuff.” “They are funny and they are so quick. When I saw that banner, I had a wry smile.
“I knew they had gone a long way to do that.” “I thought ‘that’s their statement’ so I had a wry smile.’ ”
“People said I was being smug – I wasn’t. I thought they’d gone out of their way to do it.” “I have heard the chants as well, some of it’s very funny.”
“I have a sense of humor and they aren’t being spiteful so I can understand it.” “I can understand their passion. There is so much passion here and you have to appreciate that.”
“So as far as the lonely times in the stand are concerned that was just me getting on with my job.”
“It wasn’t a case of ‘up yours’, it was a case of the club is bigger than us, it was always the factor.”
That particular Saturday will of course go down as a very bad day in the history of Newcastle United, and we hope we see nothing more like it, to be quite honest.
It’s 11 days until our next game, but things will look a little better if we can win for the second game running, a rare event indeed, against 6th placed Everton.
By then Joe Kinnear will have had his heart bypass operation, and hopefully will be recovering nicely.
We hope the players will in some way dedicate the game to Joe, who seems to have given more than he had to the Newcastle United cause.
And win it for the gaffer!
Comments welcome.
160 comments so far
hungarian fan
Feb 11, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Comment #1Kádár saved Newcastle supporters website
Tamás Kádár and his mother will continue to be operated safely for a year thanks to the Newcastle United supporters Hungarian side. The Magpie is a young English talent injury convalescence is paid an annual cost of the storage site, such as a fan site in the coming year are not at risk.
already the site of intensive communication Tamás Kádár and his mother thanked the gesture of the http://www.nufc.hu operation since February 10 have been suspended, if you do not pay the annual storage cost of 16 thousand forints. A fan site forum is more organized collection of the page to save the nufc.hu However, in the coming year is sure it will work, as Tamas Kadar and his mother paid for the hosting cost. Magpie supporters of the home site of the Commission thanked the gesture of young talent.
http://www.pepsifoci.hu/node/24966
Toon_Ksk (Huh? u mean David Craig is real?)
Feb 11, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Comment #2Took him too long to explain things. Look at the damage done!! Is this the proper way a businessman should handle things?
Leo
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Comment #3he is certainly mending some bridges now, he seems like he actually has a personality!!!
workyticket
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:02 PM
Comment #4Who did the damage Toon Ksk?
NewManagerPlz
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:16 PM
Comment #5“I certainly don’t know enough about football”
Finally admitted he doesnt know what he’s doing.
The Circus keeps on going.
Wigaz
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:23 PM
Comment #6I think the NUSC is to thank for this sudden flury of communication from the club. Thank you. Back to the issue’s at hand. We must get a Manager in to sort things out now. Leaving things to Hughton is a disaster waiting to happen. He’s a great defensive coach but has no idea up the other end of the park where you win games. Personally i think an approach for Bruce on a 5 year deal to implement Ashley’s plan would be best way to go. But a temporary solution of Venables till end of season might be an option. Sven has clearly said how much he’d want a return to the prem but i think is suttely saying that it’s not pompy job he wants. He’s always said how much he likes our club. When he was England & City boss. For me it’s Bruce all the way. He’d jump at the chance to be NUFC boss & is Geordie to boot.
geordieman
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:24 PM
Comment #7All of his excuses for what has happened to date under this regime will be taken in by some but the vast majority will see him for what he is.
If you read his answers in the local press to the questions asked he comes across as an apathetic clown!!
geordieman
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Comment #8Wigaz
I would like to see Bruce in the dugout also but I don’t think he would work with the constraints put upon him by Ashley. Would anyone be able to work with the dwarf looking over their shoulder.
ginkoh
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Comment #9At least he come out to express something to supporter is good. Although some of answer will not satisfy me. Almost excuse from board.
Whatever it’s better and step up forward for our club. Slowly but make sure we don’t step back again.
nufcc
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:31 PM
Comment #10not related to the article but maybe since joe kinnear wont be involved with the team for about a month, chris hughton out of desperation will play the 4-3-3 formation with martins owen and viduka/smith. I feel this formation takes alot of load off of our defence. Also nolan barton and guttierez in midfieild would be nice.
harrier
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:35 PM
Comment #11Hmmm whine about no communication. You don’t believe what they say when they start trying to fix it. We had lots of problems under FFS. We have different problems under MA. If a new owner came in, there would still be problems, and people would whine and complain just as much. The grass will always be greener to some who seem to enjoy having an enemy to fight against.
Fog-on-the-Tyne
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:35 PM
Comment #12Prick…. Get Wise out !!!!
MDS
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:37 PM
Comment #13@NewManager
Who cares if he doesn’t know anything about football. His job is to run the finances and the business side of the club.
It is now clear that the manager and Wise make the football decisions while Llambias and Ashley decide on the funding.
harrier
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:40 PM
Comment #14“excuse” is an interesting term to use when they have readily admitted they have made mistakes.
Alex
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:40 PM
Comment #15NewManagerPlz
If he is good at the business end of running the club by building up sponsors and bringing in extra revenue , then i would say he does know what hes doing . He admits he does not have enough football knowledge , So what . As long as he can sign deals to bring players in that the manager needs . Their is not many Chairman with real football knowledge but most are successful businessmen . Lets just hope he takes a crash course in communication 🙂
workyticket
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:46 PM
Comment #16nufcc
4-3-3 isn’t really a great formation for us at the moment IMO, and Keegan’s thing was more of an Argentine / Ancelotti style 4-3-1-2 anyway. 4-3-3 is more for confident teams who are at the height of their powers, not teams who are mired in a dogfight at the wrong end of the table.
NE3 NICK
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Comment #17We don’t have any choice but to try to get along now. He can’t sell, and has admitted making mistakes.
They should have done this months ago, but at least they have had the bottle to come public now.
If we can stay up, there is just the chance that their plan might work. I like the Nolan and Taylor signings and I like the youth policy.
WE should put the past behind us IMO.
MarkO
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Comment #18Don’t want Martinez at all he needs more time to learn the trade and Bruce would be a very good choice my manager shortlist in order is:
Eriksson
Shearer
Bruce
But my choice would be AC Milan assistant Mauro Tassotti. He has a vast knoledge of the game and would get the team playing at a great level.
What do others think about Mauro Tassotti??
NE3 NICK
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:52 PM
Comment #19Incidentally, does anyone know when the current Northern Rock/Adidas deals run out?
workyticket
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:58 PM
Comment #20NE3 NICK // Feb 11, 2009 at 6:52 PM
“Incidentally, does anyone know when the current Northern Rock/Adidas deals run out?”
2010 Nick.
stevep
Feb 11, 2009 at 6:59 PM
Comment #21Erikson would be a disaster, he spent over 50 million at man city and achieved nothing, whats he going to do with no money to spend. People have very short memories, his tactics and man motivation have always been extemely suspect and he’s doing a terrible job at Mexico!
stevep
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Comment #22@workyticket – northern rock deal runs out in 2010, adidas deal expires May 31st 2010
stevep
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:01 PM
Comment #23sorry that was meant for NE3 NICK
workyticket
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:23 PM
Comment #24stevep // Feb 11, 2009 at 6:59 PM
“Erikson would be a disaster, he spent over 50 million at man city and achieved nothing,”
Stevep he was there for one year and he had to make a whole new team gel, he was doing a pretty good job, certainly alot better than Hughes. He won the UEFA cup with Göteborg. He won the cup winners cup, the european supercup, Serie A and several Coppa Italias, Portuguese Liga and cups, and he was the runner in the champions league with Benfica, and more.
What a disasterous career!
Cockney Magpie
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:23 PM
Comment #25all this talking by DL everyday is making me feel alot better (even though some of it is a bit jubious) they seem to have a long term plan and we r all just a bit impatient but i think we should jus sit back now a see where this goes we know this season is basically just about survival now and hopefully MA open his cheque book and starts bring in some talent and if he does this i would be alot happier having a man with a long term plan than having somebody like the man city owners who jus jump straight in and try and buy the world and fail.
Cockney Magpie
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Comment #26and as far as new managers go i dont think we could go far wrong with Steve Bruce
RyanToon
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Comment #27roy keane might be going to pompey, talk sport are speculating. bryan kid has already been appointed assitant manager
Wigaz
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:44 PM
Comment #28This whole thing with JK couldn’t have surfaced at a better time. I dont wish ill on JK by any means folks i just mean that we have time now during the international break to sort out a new boss. Lets just hope that the board have started things going already. I have nothing against Hughton but he is not & will never be the man to get us results especially in a relegation run in. If we go on a run we could end up qualifying for Europe if we go in a slump we could be in bottom 3. Now is the time to strike for Bruce. If we appoint him i can see us in european place by end of the season if we dont relegation is a def possibility. I just hope that the board we’re aware of JK’s condition & have a plan already. But you never know with this mob.
RyanToon
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:50 PM
Comment #29ROI 0-1 Georgia, shay made a mistake after 45 secs 😉
Wigaz
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:54 PM
Comment #30Well ryan thats what he gets for playing for shitty! ha ha! Really hoping to see some Toon in talks with Shearer & Bruce about managers position articles on here tomorrow Ed.
Danish_Magpie
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:54 PM
Comment #31Good job Jonas… starting for Argentina!
reillers
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Comment #32RyanToon are you watching the game, that was 100% Stephen Kelly’s fault, without a doubt. How did you manage to conclude that that had anything to do with Given.
NE3 NICK
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Comment #33Cheers lads for the info. Was his mistake from a cross Ryan??
reillers
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Comment #34No really how do you see that as Given’s fault. HOW?
And Kelly f’d up a few seconds later causing Given to make a good save.
I mean really how do you figure that that was Given’s fault.
reillers
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Comment #35He didn’t make a mistake, Stephen Kelly was the one with the howler of a lifetime, he had a lifetime to clear the ball the entire crowd and a half were waiting for him to clear the ball, he didn’t he then stood on top of Given.
How did you see that as a mistake from Given Ryan, really?
reillers
Feb 11, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Comment #36A wee bit of bias me thinks, didn’t think anyone else was watching the game did ya.
Kelly is having a howler and needs to go badly. He’s making McShane look like a miss.
reillers
Feb 11, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Comment #37Well??
Wigaz
Feb 11, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Comment #38Has anybody seen any talk or heard any rumours about managers comin in? I really hope the masterplan isn’t Hughton & Calderwood. We’re Donald Duckt if that is the case.
reillers
Feb 11, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Comment #39Ya didn’t think so.
Leo
Feb 11, 2009 at 8:08 PM
Comment #40bias!!!! hahaha