The two sides of the story are coming out about what happened yesterday with Andy Carroll.
Alan Pardew – Andy asked for a new contract at Newcastle
And Alan Pardew has spoken for the first time today about the events of yesterday, and puts a little twist to the story, which makes the Newcastle club look a little better. – even a lot better.
Pardew believes that money was the key factor behind the 22-year-old Newcastle icon agreeing to a record move for a British player.
And Alan says that when Newcastle wouldn’t give him a new contract, Andy asked for a transfer to force the move through – as the club had stated.
This is what Alan Pardew said today:
“We didn’t force anybody to leave. I disagree with that point.” “He had a contract here for five years, and at some point it would get renewed.”
“But for him to sign in October and it get renewed in January – where would it stop?”
“Personally, I’m disappointed. He’s a lovely lad, and I really like him, but it was his decision, and you can’t change that.”
“Was this about football? That’s what you have to ask. I don’t think it was.”
Newcastle had seemingly rejected Liverpool’s initial offer for Carroll, but accepted the second after Pardew said the Newcastle club would not hand Andy another new contract, that presumably would have seen Carroll stay on Tyneside.
Alan added:
“We turned down a big offer, and they came back with a second big offer.” “We were having a discussion about what we were going to do with that offer when Andy requested to see me.”
“I went to see Andy, and face to face we had a conversation about him wanting a new contract, even though he signed on in October.”
“And Andy said if he didn’t get that contract, he wanted to go.” “I asked him what he wanted, and I went to the board. We had a discussion about what the ramifications would be for the whole club.”
“We took the view, with him signing a contract in October, that this would cause us all sorts of problems.” “We decided that we needed the conversation confirmed, and he put in a transfer request, which he did.”
“He spoke to his agent, and between them they put the request in. We decided with the size of the offer, and what it meant to us, that we would accept.”
“But no club is about one player. We’re absolutely gutted that he’s gone. It’s disappointing, but we’re not in a financial position like Liverpool.”
We think the problems Alan talks about giving Andy a new contract would be the impact it would have on other players, like Steven Taylor and Joey Barton, as just two examples.
Maybe they would think they had now been hard done by and would be in for increased wages – you can see what Alan means about – where would it end?
We’re glad that Alan is not bent out of shape with the Newcastle board, and at some point, fairly soon today, we will start getting behind the lads for tomorrow night’s tough game at Fulham, where a win would be terrific.
Maybe a certain Shola Ameobi can get a hat trick tomorrow night?
Here is Andy Carroll’s side of the story – as told to Steve Wraith.
143 comments so far
gorskino10
Feb 1, 2011 at 12:53 PM
Comment #81Both are at Fault
Fat Ashley and the board wanted to sell Andy as they saw they could buy a striker for £10 Million and pocket 25 Million profit off Andy.
But, Also Andy must of understood £35 Mill is ALOT and he must of realised that they would accept it because its ALOT of money but HE DIDNT HAVE TO ACCEPT THE LIVERPOOL OFFER, you have seen it many times teams accepting a bid as it was too good to refuse and the player refusing to join that team and thus would go back into the NUFC ranks like Andy would of but he ACCEPTED the Liverpool mainly for MONEY so its both there faults BOTH Ashley and Andy are t**ts
Malaysia-RASHID
Feb 1, 2011 at 12:53 PM
Comment #82hahaha….you all trust people who always lies to us in the past…
someone who help us climb championship, palying like hell, make us pride again, you say liar, judas,
so sad….but what to do..just read the comment and keep faith to other lads…
thepict
Feb 1, 2011 at 12:53 PM
Comment #83Wish somebody had paid me £1.6 000,000 when I was 22. Really disappointed with the player . Sees the £££££££ signs and f*******s off.
The guy is not the finished article for Gods sake. How can he expect a new contract after signing one 3 months ago?
Rotonda heights
Feb 1, 2011 at 12:54 PM
Comment #84Explain why we then put in a 17M bid for Bendtner, 12m for Crouch and 12M for n’Zogbia
and don’t tell me ‘Arry wouldn’t have taken it if he could.
Robby Bobson
Feb 1, 2011 at 12:55 PM
Comment #85A player can be backed into a corner to leave, but not to actually hand in a transfer request.
Add the two stories together and they dont really constrast at all. Just AC isnt telling the whole truth about how he was “backed into a corner” because they wouldnt offer him the huge wages he demanded.
Rotonda heights
Feb 1, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Comment #86Carroll is just trying to come out of it as well as he can. he wanted his cake and eat it !!
Robby Bobson
Feb 1, 2011 at 12:57 PM
Comment #87“Reading between the lines, sounds like Carroll tried to pull a ‘rooney’ but for him, this time it backfired. ”
Exactly….and lets be honest, AC should have seen it coming. Ya dont try and play around DL and MA.
Malaysian Toon
Feb 1, 2011 at 12:58 PM
Comment #88Mike Ashley didn’t sign the Liverpool Contract. Pardew didn’t sign the Contract. Andy Carroll did. End of Story. Lets move on !
shearermania
Feb 1, 2011 at 12:58 PM
Comment #89rashid – go easy on those drinks buddy…..
geoff777
Feb 1, 2011 at 12:59 PM
Comment #90Strange Ashley was in town and his helicopter was available for Carroll …
lewman
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:00 PM
Comment #91he would have known fine well that his contract offer would be refused. but he obviously wanted the big lifestyle with the ferraris and chester mansion, i reckon ashley has for once, been almost faultless here and i wouldnt believe anything that harry redknapp says as he always contadicts himself on ssn. if we end the summer and we have enrique and tiote in our squad on new contract plus a decent early twenties(maybe foreign) striker worth about 10 million and a few decent youngsters aswell(maybe whickham), then i am sure that ashley will be forgiven by most fans for past mistakes as we are still building for the future and we will not be held to ransom by any player.
ashley turned down a 30 million bid for andy carroll and that in itself is only something that an owner who is serious about going places would do.
boater
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:00 PM
Comment #92Rotonda Heights – sorry, are we looking at this from the perspective of whether or not this is a good deal for ashley? Yes it’s amazing.
From the supporters point of view- we entered the transfer market needing a top striker to compliment our other 1 top striker, well we now have none. Chelsea have 1 more, liverpool have lost 1 and got 2 more. We have minus one and a vague, unsubstantiated hope that the money will be re-invested lavishly by a notoriously ‘cut-price’ board.
These maths may work for Ashley – or even you, but sorry I honestly think I woken up in a parallel universe in which we’ve been mugged,, and people are trying to tell me we are better off for it.
Spuggy
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:01 PM
Comment #93I for one am really looking forward to the summer. This year was always about consolidation.
I expect some great players in, and this time I believe it will happen. Don’t forget Ashley has bought Tiote, Arfa, Gosling etc. He’s not exactly a skin flint, just sensible. If we can get more players of that calibre across all of our weak positions – CF, RB, winger then it’s happy days. Especially if Ireland comes good and we sign him. That would only leave a CB replacement for Campbell but we have Kadar.
AndyNUFC
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:01 PM
Comment #94What sticks out like a sore thumb amidst all comments to me is the confirmation on both sides that a contract was being waved about by Carroll. He says he wants to be here, he says why would I want to leave if i’m here for 5 years and it’s my club? I say if you’ve just signed a deal, where’s the need to discuss a new one?
So then yes it steers clearly into the indication Carroll/his agent was aware of his demand in the window – which gives him great leverage over a new deal. They played the contract to the demand of his services and have ended up coming out of it richer – as they always intended, where that be with NUFC or Liverpool – it’s just Andy seemingly would have “prefered” the obscene wages up here. Good for you Andy, thanks son, we love knowing you want to bend us over for wages when you’ve just signed 5 year deals… Now shut the door on your way out please.
He’s a Geordie, we’re supposed to be a passionate football club, but one thing we are not is smaller than one player and stupid enough to break our backs in a time of crazy money. All I want to see on our St. James’ Park pitch is those Joey Bartons who will take pay cuts to repay our fans.
Plus, just think of how many Tiote’s and Ben Arfa’s this £35mill is going to nick us! (being flippant, by the way…)
big bob
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:02 PM
Comment #95good luck andy
if the club valued him at 35 million then he should of had a contract that reflected that not 24 grand a week
the reason they have made him hand in transfer request in is so they dont have to pay him money for leaving so again saving the club money (ashley)
if my boss says to me i wasnt wanted but another company wanted me and trebled my money then i would do the same end of the day he has a career to look after and newcastle are going no where fast ……..
also the picture where he looks happy at liverpool what do you expect he can hardly be in tears
Robby Bobson
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:03 PM
Comment #96“Strange Ashley was in town and his helicopter was available for Carroll …”
It is strange that Ashley is in town on the busiest day of the year. Clearly he had planned to sell Carroll 23 years ago when he saw the milkman wink at carrols mom, so arranged for his helicopter to be there to take him to Liverpool. Only possible explanantion.
BiffBaffBoff
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:04 PM
Comment #97Carroll didnt use Ashleys helicopter, he landed in Liverpool by plane and Ashley was in town because it was the final day of the transfer window perhaps?
Point is, we’ll never know the truth, positive to take out of this is that we got £35M!!!! for a player who has played half a season in the PL, we dont have a replacement but have faith in our current strikers, we might not finish as high in the table as we would have done with Carroll but there is no way we’ll be relegated, their are far worse teams in the league then us.
We also have a reason now to spend in the summer and Ashley has no excuses, will we spend £35m+ in the summer? I doubt it, but we can always live in hope 🙂
Ashley is a business man at the end of the day and this is an offer no club in the world would refuse, we’re getting more money then what Valencia got for David Villa!
nimo
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:05 PM
Comment #98Yeh I hope some one cuts his hair off in his sleep, might be like Achilles only came good with that
stuckdownsouth
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:06 PM
Comment #99Rotonda – don’t always agree with you but you are spot on today.
AC didn’t have put in a transfer request. His Agent Mark Curtis would have been in his ear!
geoff777
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:08 PM
Comment #100Chronicle interview with Andy says he used Ashley’s helicopter …
Would Ashley be in town to sign Ireland?
It stinks …
boater
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Comment #101Spuggy – and you’re encouraged by the club’s intent to re-invest the money from the top young english no.9 striker on the likes of n’zogbia and carlton cole.?
NUFC_Richyg01
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Comment #102We have proved when trying to get players in that we do not sucumb to their demands like we used to.
So why should we do it for people already in the club?
If AC’s new contract was so poor, why did he sign it only a few short months ago?
If AC was here for pride, respect, football and for being a geordie, then his contract would be meaningless to him, but he proved that was not the case and that it’s money that drives him.
Im no fan of MA/DL and I know everyone wants to blame them and AP, because they are the usual scapegoats, but I beleive this whole thing is down to AC and his agent.
Everyone is worried MA will do a Milner and pocket the transfer money. I don’t think he will, he will put some of it back on the table for AP, even if he keeps £10M, that still leaves £25M+
To be fair, we cannot complain about MA taking money back out of the club, how much of his own cash has he pumped in?
BiffBaffBoff
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Comment #103Sky sports quite clearly showed Carroll landing in liverpool stepping off of a plane…
Geordiedoonsooth
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Comment #104Carroll did use Ashley’s helicopter it was all over the radio & SSN that he arrived by helicopetr not aeroplane. Just read the Journal I believe the kid was pushed into a corner by a very manipulative Owner, henchman & lapdog (Pardew). I don’t trust any of them they are conmen & schisters.
cyprus
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Comment #105Well said BigBob
alka
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:12 PM
Comment #106It will be very interesting to see just how much longer AC will be “injured” for.
dublin mag steve
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:12 PM
Comment #107carroll got what he deserved joey barton is more important to us than ac and if hes willing to take a drop and carroll wants a rise what signal does that give to joey? good ridance andy ill give u 3 mths before your in a scrap in southport we will move on very quickly without you cause the club is whats important.BTW when you said how proud u where to wear the no.9 we didnt think you were talking about a red one. you will never be good enough to replace torres thats your bench mark mate so best of luck with that.
Spuggy
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:13 PM
Comment #108I believe we will spend 35 mill in the summer. And be a better team than the one we had 24 hours ago.
Mourinho and Inter Anyone? People were up in arms when the board sold ibrahimovic, including mourinho – but then he bought Eto’o, Sneijder and Milito and we’re a much better team for it and went on to win the treble.
So it is possible – be patient and see what happens in the summer.
Geordiedoonsooth
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:13 PM
Comment #109God we’ve got some gullible people on this site. I wish I could deal with them in business I’d make a fortune they believe anyone with some sort of authority.
NUFC_Richyg01
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:14 PM
Comment #110@ Spuggy // Feb 1, 2011 at 1:13 PM
EXACTLY – One player DOES NOT make a team!
NUFC_Richyg01
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:15 PM
Comment #111@ Geordiedoonsooth // Feb 1, 2011 at 1:13 PM
Whos being gullible mate?
mully_09
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:15 PM
Comment #112We’ve let go the best young prospect we’ve had for years, and who will go on to be Englands number 9 for the next 10 years because we wouldn’t offer him a new contract. Everyone loving our new regime of not offering big wages is stupid he was our most valuable assett and was earning less than half of what alan smith earns. No wonder his head was turned. £35 million means nothing when you can only attract average players
Spuggy
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Comment #113@ boater
Non of those deals we’re confirmed, maybe Zog but he ain’t a bad player – not my choice – but no one could deny he would improve the team.
With more time they will scour the world for better talent, just like they’ve proved they can – Tiote and Arfa prove that.
Everyone is WAY overeacting.
fern cottons pants
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Comment #114The influence of 24hr live news.
AC under influence of an agent watching the developments of the transfer saga used the crazy demands of Liverpool as an opportunity, confident that Newcastle would cave in and increase the value of a recently signed 5& 1/2 yr contract.
Newcastle where at the stage where the sums involved where so large they could not be given at least some consideration. AP was stuck in the middle and cannot really argue against the thought process of either side, DL & MA believing the cash was good for the business but not at the right time, AC and agent in terms of the new money quickly available.
I do not think AC wanted to leave Newcastle and I don’t believe Newcastle wanted to sell at this stage of the window. The position that developed, forced home by live news and money left the owners of the club in a no win situation. On one hand they sell, on the other hand they call AC’S bluff hoping he would back down. A business consideration has to be viewed, if they did not call ACs bluff then the other players contracts (Barton, tiote, Enrique, Ben Arfa) would also be pushed through similar press driven interest via agents. Although AC probably not wanting to leave, through human greed in hoping Newcastle would cave to his demands had forced upon himself a departure to Liverpool, leaving behind the mess we are all left with.
Only losers in all of this are the supporters.
Geordiedoonsooth
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Comment #115Spuggy we could be in the championship by then. Do you really believe Ashley will spend the £35m on players dreamer. This window sums up Ashley & co. Sell our best player without a replacement bring in an injured player with a bad attitude and an injury & f*ck to the fans who mean nothing to him at all
ALEK mkd NUFC
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:17 PM
Comment #116GREETINGS from macedonia!sad day for newcastle club!BUTwe must keep to stick to the club my friends…Andy does well for us but we have to look forward and play and win more games like this game tommorow night against fulham….
Spuggy
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:24 PM
Comment #117Us supporters will not be losers come the end of the summer window – mark my words, when 3-4 top quality signing are made with the carroll money. So long as we stay up, which I beleive we will, esp if Ireland finds some form.
lewman
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:25 PM
Comment #118i reckon ashley was going to spend about 10 million in the summer anyway so will now pay off some debts with that 10 million plus an extra 5 million from andys transfer. maybe we will then spend about 25 million in the summer and another 5 the following january and hopefully have about 5 new faces to show for this and hopefully be a better team for this.
we just have to sit back for the next few months and hope for the best, lets hope the other players have a point to prove tomorrow and show that they are not all about andy carroll.
.
Rangerman
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:25 PM
Comment #119I believe Pardew in all of this just because what he says makes sense to me, if Carroll din’t want to leave then him and his agent must be seriously stupid to hand in a transfer request meaning he loses out on his % of the fee.
It says a lot about Carroll holding the club that stood by him through his troubles to ransom on the last day of the window but I think he might be regretting the move.
It’s a good move for us really as long as the money goes back into the squad, we were not a one man team by a long way and we’ve got a very good base to build on in Enrique, Coloccini, Barton, Tiote, Nolan and Ben Arfa.
Funnily enough those 6 cost us roughly the same as we sold Carroll for so finding replacements for the other positions shouldn’t be too bad, again that is if it’s reinvested.
jarra geordie
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:26 PM
Comment #120the more I read about AC asking for more money the more I can’t help compare him with ratboy Ashley Cole… What I mean is he was unhappy on the wages the club who made him who he is and gave him the oppertunity to play. So, he goes to another club for double wages. Poor thing must have been finding it hard to get money for the electricity meter or having to struggle like thousands of other local people who have just been shit on again by someone who we reguarded as a local hero.