One of the first players to express their wish to stay on Tyneside after relegation has come out to say that the situation at Newcastle cannot go on much longer.
Damien Duff-Would love Shearer appointment soon
Damien Duff has called for a new manager to be appointed soon. He goes on to explain why but it is just basic common sense. Something that seems to be lacking at Newcastle currently.
Damien said,
“That situation needs to be sorted sooner rather than later,
“To be fair to the lads, they’ve just got on with things, but it’s all about bedding people in after the new guy arrives.
“The new manager is going to come in with his own ideas.
“There are going to be big changes in terms of team and formation.
“So things have got to be decided soon.”
Damien is right that a new manager will come in with his own ideas but if it is Shearer then the transition will be a lot smoother.
With the current wage bill being so high, it is unlikely that many of the players who were so dismal last year will remain for a promotion fight.
The problem is that with time ticking on the transfer window, a clear out is going to be much harder to organize. Again these comments are just stating the obvious.
It was nice to hear something from Duff as he has always been a dedicated player even though his form on Tyneside hasn’t always been up to par.
9 comments so far
lesh
Jul 20, 2009 at 1:10 PM
Comment #1The longer this situation drags on then surely the worse it’s going to get.
I honestly cannot understand Ashely’s negotiating strategy – if indeed he has one!
As time goes by, any potential buyer will realise that they’re going to be saddled with the top-heavy wage bill, littel chance of outgoings and incomings leading to a poor start to the season.
On MA’s side of the coin, he could be left with the potential buyers walking away and beeing saddled with the overheads he wants rid of.
The alternatives he has are to:
a) appoint a manager with authority and funds to manage
b) potter on and incur more losses
c) place the club into administation
d) potter on as is.
In each of those scenaria, he is the loser – unless I’ve missed something here?
Would it not make sense to cut his losses and take £70m rather than stick out for £100m and get nowt.
Beats me!
On the other, the longer things drag, they’ or ne
bill
Jul 20, 2009 at 1:20 PM
Comment #2Here we go again.
We do not know if it is Ashley or the potential owners who are causing the delay.
It would appear from the embargo on transfers that something is going on.
The Guardian, I think, suggested that due diligence squared (forensic account checks) were ongoing.
This seems likely considering the complexities of transfer payments, players contracts, season ticket sales, etc, etc that need to be checked.
Whumpie
Jul 20, 2009 at 1:57 PM
Comment #3Bill – quite. I think we’re suffering from the basic problem that the average Mail reader hasn’t got the IQ to understand the real situation, so they make up one to sell papers.
Someone in a different thread explained this earlier: you can’t change what you’re selling.
Seymore Pierce went to market with a package, which included certain players, other assets and liabilities, and no manager.
The bidders have bid based on that, and negotiations are obviously dragging on.
He cannot now change the item he’s selling by appointing a manager, selling players, signing new ones or anything like that or we’d have to go right round the loop again.
The mistake on Ashley’s part is again a rookie one, and Seymore Pierce have to take some blame: they know how long these things take, so should have made the Shearer appointment before asking for bids, and also put provisos in about taking offers for certain players.
Still, I’m a rookie on this too, so I suspect there are good reasons why it wasn’t done or Seymore Pierce would have addressed it.
JinkyGenius
Jul 20, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Comment #4Get real, folks. The concerns of the supporters are of no importance at the moment. This is how business works. MA will have done his calculations, his worse case scenario, his no-sale contingency plan and the like. The bidders are currently doing theirs – and seeing just how far they can push. Given that MA walked into a seventy-odd million black hole back in ’97 it is likely that whatever he gets for his investment will incur a vast loss. The question is how much is he prepared to lose and at what point does it make more sense to hang onto the club and try and re-build its value by getting back into the Premiership?
In terms of not wasting half a dozen games the very best thing is for supporters and MA to bury their respective hatchets and work together.
FIRSTLY – Take the club off the market, let bygones be bygones.
SECONDLY – Use the current squad and the parachute money to effect a quick return. Get Shearer in, and put some fire into the player’s bellies, young and old.
Of course it will cost heavy with the current wage bill, but the bottom line is will MA lose even more by taking a rock bottom price than gambling that the increase in value of the club if promoted will be greater than another year’s wages?
BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, I SUGGEST…
lesh
Jul 20, 2009 at 2:25 PM
Comment #5Bill, due diligence squared was mentioned weeks ago… in the Times I think.
IMO, of course these things are time-consuming but it doesn’t help when we appear to have an owner who both hasn’t got a clue about the natire of the beast he owns nor seems prepared to negotiate sensibly.
Jinkygenius, c’mon man wake up…. where were you a few months ago when Llambias admitted big big mistakes including communication and commited to stick with the club, and Shearer?
We know the devil you refer to and he has a reliabilty score near zero!
NUFC-0809-Oh Dear
Jul 20, 2009 at 2:32 PM
Comment #6Alan Shearer was back on Newcastle United premises on Sunday for the first time since his eight-game run as temporary boss ended with relegation from the Premier League.
He was spotted at the club’s academy in Benton, fuelling speculation he was about to return to the St James’ Park hot-seat, says the People.
stavtoon
Jul 20, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Comment #7Fat Ash and Llabia are simply liars been proven time and again.
tino_asprilla
Jul 20, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Comment #8same old shit, different day.
Lew Davies
Jul 20, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Comment #9Seems obvious to me, there will be NO SALE.
The trouble is its not just a question of buying the club. There is also the club debt to be paid back (loan from Ashley?) plus the wage bill to be paid, and also a war chest to spend on transfers. This could well add up to £300M all in. Its no wonder no ones really interested.
PG are not interested in NUFC long term, just hoping to get us on the cheap, and sell at a profit if/when we get promoted again.
What FFS is hoping to do I just dont know, but it was his leadership that got us into this mess in the first place, so I dont even think he can be a serious bidder. That leaves nobody else.
Either Ashley takes us off the market when the transfer window closes and rides the wave for another season with what we’ve got, or more likely puts us into administration at the end of the season if we fail to get promotion.
Not looking good at the moment thats for sure.