It’s not really surprising news that Michael Owen wants to stay at Newcastle United if Alan Shearer becomes the long term manager.
Michael Owen – will stay if Shearer stays – but happens if we are relegated?
The News Of The World is reporting today that a source close to Owen told the News of the World:
“Michael’s priority is still the same. He wants to help Newcastle to stay up.” “Everyone knows there is a mutual admiration between Alan and Michael and they are looking forward to working together for the rest of the season.”
“Beyond that, time will tell. But Michael has a genuine affection for Newcastle and the fans and with Alan in charge I am sure that affection will grow even stronger.”
Newcastle are said to be working on a new deal for Owen, but nothing will be offered until the end of the season, when Newcastle will know if they have managed to stay up in the Premier League, and that’s looking increasingly like the team could go down.
And one thing Mike Ashley is reported to be working on is a deal to keep Alan Shearer as manager of Newcastle, but just what would happen if Newcastle go down is debatable – and would Alan want to manage the club back to the Premier League?
Certainly if Alan was in charge it would be easier to retain some of the playing staff but many players will need to be shipped out in the summer whatever happens including Smith, Viduka, Cacapa, Edgar, Geremi and the like, most of whom are on massive wages, which they hardly earn.
The Observer is reporting today that Mike Ashley’s new structure, with Dennis Wise having been dispensed with, will try to keep Shearer long-term, despite Alan’s initial insistence he will return to his BBC role this summer summer.
The news is that Ashley has offered Shearer a £4m-a-year contract, which we can abelieve, but the Observer is also reporting that a £50m transfer budget will be available to Alan if he stays, but we find that hard to beliive, unless there is new money infusion into the club.
With some good purchases in the summer £50M should not be needed since we have the basis of a decent squad right now, but they are completely out of confidence, and the results are showing that.
Unless Newcastle’s form is turned around quickly the big question will be what will Newcastle do about their players and the manager should they be in Championship next season.
It’s all very interesting but there’s one big questioon to be answered first in all of this – can Newcastle beat the drop?
Comments welcome.
127 comments so far
Ashley Hole
Apr 5, 2009 at 12:41 PM
Comment #11st?
Ashley Hole
Apr 5, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Comment #2Harper
S Taylor Beye Bassong Enrique
Jonas Barton Gutherie Duff
Owen Viduka
YES WE CAN!
Stardust
Apr 5, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Comment #3Ed – sorry to hear your thinking of ending the blog – you have a shop full of customers – it only takes a little creativity to get the best out of it.
Re you stories and getting up at 4am – why dont you appoint administrators, to write articles – limit the amount written per day to 4 – or get the Chronicle and Journal to add the storylines.
It shouldnt be the end – if the time differences are a problem – I am sure a few of us here could make a few calls for you.
The site will go on – it should go on – you simply need to restructure your processes.
bowburnmag
Apr 5, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Comment #4Ed – I agree with Stardust.
Happy to volunteer my own services for the time being, if it would help. Let me know.
batty
Apr 5, 2009 at 12:54 PM
Comment #5Stardust email ed see what he says m8 but make sure you dont ban me if you get the job lol
Doocey
Apr 5, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Comment #6Sorry to hear this mighty blog is ending.
Ed, I know you’re mind is made up, but you can always use an ‘Auto Poster’ to post articles at specific times. It’s handy because you could have a days work done in under a hour (5 or 6 articles)
I know what you mean about making revenue, Google Adsense can pull in a few dollars if you have worthy interest clickers.
Also I’m guessing with the massive amount of hits you’re getting, you’re probably on an Unlimited Hosting Plan for roughly $8-$9 a month? Costing you too much considering the little revenue back from it.
You’ve been a great blogger and gave us the stories as they are.
many thanks.
Lets hope your last post is about us preparing for the next season in the Premier League 🙂
Doocey
Stardust
Apr 5, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Comment #7“batty // Apr 5, 2009 at 12:54 PM
Stardust email ed see what he says m8 but make sure you dont ban me if you get the job lol”
Batty Lol – youve already latched onto my evil plan lol
Stardust
Apr 5, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Comment #8Doocey – you could take it over instead of running yours?
hitman
Apr 5, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Comment #9somthing needs to be done this is a cracking site,we need to keep it going.
RyanToon
Apr 5, 2009 at 1:46 PM
Comment #10get in there. LUTON!!!!!!!!
The Original Todd
Apr 5, 2009 at 1:47 PM
Comment #11Ed: You’ve done an amazing job running this blog. I’ve been absolutely stunned at the amount of content it has at times.
I REALLY would like to see you carry on. Perhaps you could take advantage of the offer from volunteers – or even just cut back a little. Sometimes you cover this team better than the media does, and perhaps you just need to go easier on yourself.
It would be a real shame if you shut the blog down. This site has been a favorite of mine since the beginning, and you’d very much be missed!
eamonn
Apr 5, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Comment #12I’ve been thinking United will go down this season since JKF’s heart problems. Based on past form I expected that Ashley & Co would not act quickly to get in an experienced PL Manager and this would effectivly seal our fate. I admire Shearer for answering the call, but it’s too little too late. We are not getting any luck with other results and it now looks like either ourselves or the Mackems for the last relegation spot. They have 3 points more than us and better GD. If Shearer can pull of a string of results with the players at his disposal and save the club, it would be his greatest acheivement in the game. However it’s so unfair throwing him in at the deep end like this, no comparision to KK in 92 and SBR in 99. We were in the mire on these occasions but both had months to turn things around. At least Big Al has nothing to loose by taking it on, it shows that he loves his club as much as any Geordie. Hopefully he will come back on a permenant basis sometime in the future. But for me it’s going to be JFK and the Championship next season, maybe Ian Dowie will stay on and might be the man to get us back in the top flight eventually? I’m delighted that JFK is not coming back as the relegation dogfight could have killed him.
safferman
Apr 5, 2009 at 1:58 PM
Comment #13I actually think this season is going to be legendary, with a win against Villa needed on the last day to keep us up, and Shearer cementing his status as the real “messiah” by keeping us in the Prem! It will bring the team together and players like owen to stay, and we’ll finally kick on and start competing at the top.
workyticket
Apr 5, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Comment #14Very sorry to hear about the site Ed. I would just like to say thanks for the last couple of years. It has been a great place to slope off to when I get bored with my web design projects. I may even have to start a new NUFCblog to fill in all that missing time next season!
hitman
Apr 5, 2009 at 2:11 PM
Comment #15worky,we need to save this site m8,im no nerd so dont know how to do it,but this site needs saving,over 17million hits in 2 years proves this site needs saving,come on lads.
Ross
Apr 5, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Comment #16Really sorry to hear about the blog Ed, dont think there’s anyone here, me included that want to see it finish.
Your mind seems to be made up but as you can see there will be plenty of people willing to help you in trying to keep it going!
Really hope something is worked out, bar .com there isnt many other Newcastle sites i read on a daily basis like yours.
51times
Apr 5, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Comment #17Ed, you need to appoint a successor before you close the blog or we’ll have a “Diadochi” type situation here.
The correct answer is me btw, I am your heir.
Brazilian Geordie
Apr 5, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Comment #18Oh, Ed, I’m also really sorry about the blog’s situation. Actually I even always asked myself how could you work from the USA bringing news so early in the morning.
But you’ve done a great job, man. And I think you’re really respected by everyone here.
By the way I don’t know what to do from now on so. I visit this blog everyday, is always the first website I check when I’m online and I really don’t know any other NUFC blog with such nice members. Anyway it’s sad news because this blog has also played a big part in my life as a Newcastle fan.
Really gonna miss your comments, Mr. Ed. Really gonna miss those ”Comments welcome” in the final of every post. I’m really sorry about the situation.
Wigaz
Apr 5, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Comment #19Ed such a shame this blog will be no more come end of season. I just hope that Newcastle are still in the premiership when you say your goodbyes mate. I think realisticly we need to look at gettin 3pnts from next 3 games. They are all winnable games if we dont beat Stoke at the very least i think we’ll be stuffed. Just hope Big Al can work his magic.
RichY
Apr 5, 2009 at 2:45 PM
Comment #20on a more positive note….
Whitley Bay in the FA Vase final at Wembley!!
come on the mighty Bay!!!!
RyanToon
Apr 5, 2009 at 2:53 PM
Comment #21well done LUTON TOWN!
workyticket
Apr 5, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Comment #22hitman // Apr 5, 2009 at 2:11 PM
“worky,we need to save this site m8,im no nerd so dont know how to do it,but this site needs saving,”
Aye hitman, I knaa and I’m disappointed by it too. I AM a nerd BTW, and I can see lots of ways that Ed could make a success out of the site, but I suspect he just wants to enjoy other things in his retirement. Perhaps he would sell it? Who knows. One thing though, despite the fact that Ed has put years of hard work into this site, and built it up from nothing, he isn’t it’s greatest asset, that is US collectively if we stick together. That’s nothing against Ed, without him this site wouldn’t exist. But the whole idea of dynamic, interactive sites like these when they work, they are a ‘community’.
hitman
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:03 PM
Comment #23so how do we save it worky
Bill F
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:14 PM
Comment #24From some of the comments, it seems like we might be assuming a premature burial. I must admit I misread the statement and thought it was finishing now. It appears we could have a phoenix type situation instead. Certainly hope so anyway.
As for the game and my twopennorth I would blame the tactics. Long high balls up the pitch to two small strikers against big defenders was never going to work. Martins was handled with ease by Terry in those situations. Cech was never bothered (hardly anyway) by any of the crosses into the box. I would rather have seen us trying to hold the ball at the back same as they did then try to engineer something from this. If the long ball game is going to be used then we need a big strong player up front (Carroll or Taylor) to facilitate it. It could work against Stoke but was doomed to failure against Chelsea.
At least thats the quality teams out of the way now we face the scrappers and the real test.
Joey Barton 666
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:16 PM
Comment #25ronaldo what a finnish, james milner u spotty fool.
that was awful, dreadfull keeping from big friedel
batty
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:17 PM
Comment #26tottaly agree bill f
Joey Barton 666
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Comment #27i am now going to comment on our performance yesterday. i thought owen was not to bad yesterday in his withdrawn role, he looked sharper and defended well from the front.
Martins was god awfull, i think we should maybe look at cutting our losses with him. he has not been the same player for a long time.
colo- Dreadfull. he was one of my fav players before he come, now he is one of my most hated after yesterday.
jose enrique- brilliant. defended auwesome
butt- good tackling
nolan- poo!!!!!!!!!
jonas- defended well. should be played in the middle of the park
beye- can this man do any wrong?
harper- few good saves, is not commanding enough back there though
duff- did he play?
guthrie- best player whe he came on
RyanToon
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Comment #28joeybarton 666 = bennytoon
Wigaz
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Comment #29JB666 i agree 100% with you mate. I firmly belive that if Shearer keeps us up he’ll stay & the first player on the transfer list out will be Oba. ?There’s no doubt he has bags of pace & can cause problems but when was the last time he actually did? how many chances does he fluff in a game? I think Shearer will go for a big striker for the number 9 shirt. I think he may go for Ashton. I know I know he’s injury prone but IF we could keep him fit he’d be our best CF since the man himself. If he doesn’t go for Ashton I think he may go for Crouch but only if Harry aint interested & oh yes as long as we’re still in prem like. Fingers crossed he’ll do it.
RyanToon
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Comment #30villa 1-1 carewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
RyanToon
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Comment #31only JOKING JOEY 😉
Joey Barton 666
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Comment #32anyone seen about adriano going missing.
villa just eqaulised, gary neville is just as bad as
our defenders
Joey Barton 666
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:36 PM
Comment #33wigaz- i would say crouch, that man is made for us. i would even go for darren bent. i would even take kevin davies for a season
RyanToon
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Comment #34joeybarton
do you like spurs?
Wigaz
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:40 PM
Comment #35Def JB think either one of em would be good buys. Big Kevin Davies would be great with Owen as would crouchy. Lets just hope we stay up & Al gets some £££ to spend on players. There could be some decent players available in summer. Heard Bentley is on his way out of Spuds he’d be a good player for us on the right & stick Jonas on the left. At least that would be someone to whip decent crosses in for Crouch/Ashton/Davies/Bent as well as Owen.
batty
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Comment #36ryan what time did you get back last nite m8
jimiley
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Comment #37NOTW are carrying a story that Owen will stay next season. That caps a crap weekend. I wonder if he wants to stay because no other team is stupid enough to pay him 100K a week (you get a max of 15 games a season out of him) or he has suddenly taken the Toon to his heart.
batty
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Comment #38we need attacking midfeilders before C F
Tom4Nufc
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Comment #39Dowie in the stands at Old Trafford… Must be scouting Villa.
batty
Apr 5, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Comment #40JIMLEY OWEN LOOKED A BIT SHARPER YESTERDAY