We said at the time Kevin Nolan left Newcastle that it was a very sad day.
Kevin Nolan – why didn’t he stay in the Premier League at least?
And for Kevin to actually leave Newcastle for a team playing in the English second division was hardly a step up for the player, and we think he’ll be wondering right now what exactly happened, and we hardly think he will be very happy with things.
Presumably he could have just seen out the remaining two years of his contract, but it seemed to most fans, that he was not in danger of leaving the club for at least a year, even if he didn’t sign a new deal.
And some of the inner workings around what happened have seemed to be revealed in the News of the World today, when a source said to be close to Nolan had this to say:
“Kevin is disappointed with Alan Pardew.” “Kevin is especially disappointed because he made a point of supporting the manager when he first arrived at Newcastle.”
“He thinks Pardew paid lip-service to keeping him at Newcastle.” “He feels let down and he’s furious with his former manager. Kev expected him to try harder to keep him at the club during contract talks.”
“The incentives they wanted put in Kev’s contract were all about how high up the league table Newcastle finished.” “They are managers’ clauses, not players.” “If they’d wanted him to be manager, they should have given him the job.”
“It was a very difficult time for Alan Pardew to take over and the support of the club captain was crucial.” “He needed Kevin Nolan on board and Kevin made sure the dressing room moved forward with the new manager.”
“When the crunch came, the manager did not reciprocate the support and that was very disappointing.” “Kevin was a big character who helped him settle in and that was forgotten.”
Kevin has gone and he’ll never return to the club, but why he left to join West Ham – that’s a bit of a mystery – and Aston Villa apparently tried to get Kevin to join them, but very late in the West Ham negotiations.
By then Kevin had given his word to Sam Allardyce and to West Ham, and as we all know Kevin is a loyal guy, and not one to break his word, it’s what makes him such a good captain for one thing – what you see is what you get.
But this event will not help Alan Pardew get away from the impression that he has absolutely no power at the Newcastle club, and that it’s Mike Ashley who decides which players come and go.
Alan is what Ashley wanted to reduce Kevin Keegan to – he coaches the team and he picks the team, and is the face of the club to the press – but not much more than that.
It’s not the old fashioned idea of what an English manager should be, but it seems that Pardew has little influence over Ashley in trying to get even his captain a decent contract – which Kevin surely deserved after his tremendous contributions to Newcastle over the last two seasons.
We would feel a lot better if Kevin Nolan was still at the club, because we wouldn’t have these doubts about the team spirit for next seaosn, and who exactly will become the captain – at the moment there’s not a lot of good choices.
But you also have to be responsible for things you do in this life, and Kevin Nolan was the only one who decided to accept a £55K/week deal for five years at West Ham – a deal he was not offered to stay on Tyneside.
It was a deal that West Ham owner David Gold tried to pacify the West Ham fans with, that it was a huge coup, but the joint owner’s credibility is completely shot, after all the big talk that has only landed the West Ham club in the second division.
We all know what West Ham fans are going through right now, because Newcastle fans went through the same terrible empty misery a short two years ago.
However, it was a great acquisition for the Hammers, and Kevin will be huge for the Hammers next season.
But the big shock was why Kevin Nolan would leave a club like Newcastle at the time he did, with 52,000 home gates in the Premier League, and when he had two years still left on his contract, for a team that will now try to fight its way clear of England’s second division.
That was the biggest surprise to us and as we said, it’s all very sad.
What do you think about all of this?
Comments welcome.
335 comments so far
..SwedishMagpie..
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:19 PM
Comment #81are we going to have a new away kit for next season ?
niafron
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:19 PM
Comment #82Well that also a question of merchandising. Sturridge will probably bring to the club more money than any french player, including Ben Arfa.
jetsy964
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:23 PM
Comment #83We are f***d next season the way Ashley and Pardew are going on like they are market stall traders, destroying our club. No team can afford to sell like we are and replace with unknowns.
Everything is set up for us to have a decent team apart from owners ambition, we ain’t gunna see any “exciting signings or any of that coin spent”.
We need a couple of very good strong PL players to add some spirit and steel and as for selling collo thats just crazy, absolutely no excuse for how Ashley treats our club.
RoxstaH
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:23 PM
Comment #84England 1 up.. Welbeck ’76min
slazberger
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:26 PM
Comment #85LeoMacedonia-NUFC there is a big problem here in england with technical ability imo. i personally wouldnt want us to pay anything like £20m for sturridge, if anything sign him on a loan to buy as we would have nothing to lose. but if we are focusing on a specific formation/style next season then we should be looking for players to suit that system then use substitutions to adjust that system when needed. this is only my opinion but english players arent trained to a specific quality but rather to do as many things as possible which as the saying goes results in a jack of all trades master of none. i love supporting my country but they are built up by the press far to much.
Barras
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:26 PM
Comment #86@LeoMacedonia-NUFC
I’m sorry but that is a crazy statement. Sturridge is very, very good player. If we bought him for £15-20m now, he would be worth around £30m in around 3 years time.
dickinsonjuniour
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:27 PM
Comment #87sturridge has changed then england game likee really liking the look of kyle walker to
kilcline
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:29 PM
Comment #88Doesn’t Sturridge hate Barton?….
LeoMacedonia-NUFC
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:30 PM
Comment #89:@niafron Erdinic was a comparation about not so good footballer & not my wish at all with his worst career season behind him with 8 league goals & sturridge with 9 league goals & like judas half season wonder who will be overpaid primaddona with around 80k a week…
my english its not so good i have a hard time thinking in english but i hope u got my point…
Andy
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:30 PM
Comment #901-1 czech.
free giveaways
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:30 PM
Comment #91Kilcline;
Mehdi Adeid is an eighteen year old right footed attacking midfielder who can also play in a forward position. Like Hatem Ben Arfa, he is of French Tunisian descent. Abeid himself said that he he has spolen with his compatriot, along with Cheock Tiote about the club, and that they “encouraged” and “welcomed” him to the club.
Having gained most of his previous experience in Lens’s ‘B’ team, rather than in full ‘Ligue 1? competition. He does have experience with France’s Under 17 and under 18 teams though, with 14 under 17 caps (scoring 2 goals) and 3 Under 18 caps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PfYibY3Kto
NUFC_Richyg01
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:31 PM
Comment #92Pardpoo to bid £8M for Bendtner this week!
slazberger
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:31 PM
Comment #93agreed 100% Dannyo – like i mentioned i think some people are allowing there hatred of ashley to get in the way of simple logic
free giveaways
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:32 PM
Comment #94Sturridge is a fantastic player, no doubt. I think he’s the best player in the u21 team and some players from there are going for fees of £15m – £20m.
kilcline
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:32 PM
Comment #95@freegiveaways
Thanks bud!!! Hpe he is another potential star!
Hoodrat
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:33 PM
Comment #96Can see Ashley/Pardew coming out saying we’ve spent over 20 million this summer having probably recovered the same amount by selling our best players and ashley pocketing that 35 million from the Carroll sale. Only time will tell I suppose but I can see the usual post transfer deadline day comments coming out ‘oh we didn’t want to just panic spend’ ‘We had irons in the fire but it was too late’ etc etc etc. Hope they prove us wrong.
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:33 PM
Comment #97Killer can you name a player that likes barton lol apart from nolan
LeoMacedonia-NUFC
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:34 PM
Comment #98have u saw this??? this English team worth in the least 30 times more than this Czech team… u know who understand football will understand me…
Andy
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:34 PM
Comment #992-1 czech
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:35 PM
Comment #100England out now we can start to sort out this sturridge deal
flash
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:37 PM
Comment #101slazberger I have to agree with you the english youth work is just not up to scratch compared to other countries. Lets take the Dutch for example with their Ajax model one great player after another. Then you have the French who worked remodeled everything in the way how a footballer should be teached E.g the Claire fontain accademy. They simply worked out that when you are young your brain authomates things much more easy. E.G ball controll. In England looking accorss my field I see the coaches let 10 year olds running and push ups rather keepy ups!
kilcline
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:40 PM
Comment #102Great video posted by FREEGIVEAWAYS
He is going to be a very good player, physical enough to handle the prem now, great first touch and skillful. Def be in our carling cup team!
Some post our carling cup team NOW!!!!
Cheers in advance.
niafron
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:41 PM
Comment #103@LeoMacedonia-NUFC
I got it, even if not agree. And don’t worry about your english, i’m french!
GeordieGerman
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:42 PM
Comment #104Sturridge had a crap game today.
LeoMacedonia-NUFC
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:42 PM
Comment #105This is fu<king absolute joke This is talent??? That scum Handerson cost 20milions??? nothing worse than Sturidge trust me… i pray we're not going to take… as i was happy for Ba singing i was even more happy that LoserPool shitwhole took that scum… Mark my words LoserPool will be even worse this season & Daglish will be first in EPL with sack in his arms…
slazberger
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:43 PM
Comment #106lol LeoMacedonia-NUFC i think i’m the only one who agrees or possibly understands your point.
put it another way if Sturridge had played in any other league including spain, italy or germany and had the stats he had,would people think £20m was a sensible bid? dont always believe what the english press say about a player,
i certainly dont believe them anymore when they think we have a chance of england winning a major competition. just look at the under 21’s stuart pearce will get massive criticism if not the sack for something we have rarely done if ever.
it never seems to be the players who arent good enough in the presses eyes and as a result many peoples eyes.
gorskino10
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:44 PM
Comment #107Looks like N’Zogbia is close to Liverpool move.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740388-liverpool-agree-fee-and-terms-for-wigan-winger-charles-nzogbia-agency-claims
LeoMacedonia-NUFC
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:45 PM
Comment #108:@flash Completely Agree With U!!!
nimo
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:45 PM
Comment #109sturridge waS poor this tournament – welbeck looked the better player of the two but the two stand out for me was the 2 man u cb’s
niafron
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:45 PM
Comment #110@Kickline
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEfdr0Y05co&feature=related
kilcline
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:46 PM
Comment #111@niafron
hor he hor he hor he hor!!! (French lol)
BigKirky
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:47 PM
Comment #112Just been watching shaqiri on you tube. He looks excellent. Very skillful, good close control, technique, shooting.
GeordieGerman
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:48 PM
Comment #113The future of English football have just made a hash of it. Wiltshire and Carroll should be ashamed.
gonufc
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:49 PM
Comment #114“u know who understand football will understand me”
Don’t ever claim people understand less about something just because they disagree with you!
I don’t know how much you have watched Sturridge but a few years ago at Man City he looked like one of the most promising youth team players in the country and this season he is looking to have made up some of his potential- very impressive.
However….
Henderson is more overpriced % wise than Carroll! Ridiculously average!
Tinman
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:50 PM
Comment #115100% agree GG
More like Wenger should be ashamed.. Pulling players out of international competitions should not be allowed
kilcline
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:50 PM
Comment #116Carling cup team!
—————Forster—————
Tavernier–Williamson-Kadar–N Taylor
———Gosling-Guthrie———-
————–Vuckic————-
—–S.Ameobi——Ferguson—
————–Ranger
flash
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:50 PM
Comment #117LeoMacedonia its the only way on how to produce talent like on a conveyor belt. England needs to sort this out if ever they want to challenge at the Top level only then there will be another Alan Shearer, Peter Beardsley, Paul Gascoine etc.. In the older days they guys learned to kick a ball on streets cos there was no Xbox no TV all they knew was a football. Kids dont do this anymore these days. I take it you are from Macedonia I remeber the great players you once had under the old Yugoslavia. Just need to say NR9 Darko Pancev 😉
GeordieGerman
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:53 PM
Comment #118gonufc. Hear hear.
niafron, take no notice of kilcline. He abuses everyone and anyone. Nationalist prat.
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:54 PM
Comment #119Carling cup
forster
tav willo saylor (c) naylor
Donaldson gosling vuckic jonas
strolla lovenpants
niafron
Jun 19, 2011 at 9:54 PM
Comment #120@Kickline
Sorry guy, but i must counterstrike:
Three english guys and one french are drinking in a pub.
The first english tell the two others: “look at this froggy, i will upset him!”
So, he approach the french and tell him:
“-Did you know Napoléon was gay?
-No, but thanks for the information.” answer the french very quietly.
A bit dispointed, the english go back to his mate. The second tell him.
“Haha, look and learn.”
So he go to the french and tell him
“-Did you Know Napoleon was dress like a girl all the time?
-No but thanks to let me know that” Say the french.
The second english is even more dispointed than the first.
The third say to his companion:” YOu know nothing, this is the best way to upset a french guy!”
And he shout at the french:
“-Did you know Napoleon was english?
-Oh yes! Your two friends have just explained it to me!”