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
Andy
Jun 19, 2011 at 7:55 PM
Comment #1I thought we were on to a 1000 commenter there Ed! In all seriousness though i don’t really care now. He’s gone so there is nothing we can do about it. Onwards and upwards from here!
burnsie
Jun 19, 2011 at 7:56 PM
Comment #2not 1st
listie
Jun 19, 2011 at 7:56 PM
Comment #3Personally I feel two reasons, length of contract and playing time next season
GeordieRob
Jun 19, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Comment #4I want to see Kev say it himself.
dickinsonjuniour
Jun 19, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Comment #5also cash on contract
Barras
Jun 19, 2011 at 7:58 PM
Comment #6@Anton (from last post)
True about Henry etc, someone made a comment about how the only person who thinks Bendtner is any good is himself, and I completely agree with that. He isn’t any worse than Shola, Lovenkrands or any others we currently have, but why pay £8m for someone who is so egotistical.
leeb1982
Jun 19, 2011 at 7:58 PM
Comment #7Just woke up for work any progress or new rumours on transfer front
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 7:59 PM
Comment #8Aye ed 2 people in this window im sick of hearing about is nolan and gervinho
ginkoh
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:01 PM
Comment #9If equal value contract put on the table for him, he will stay no doubt. But with his age, The contract from Westham is too much to turn down. Just simple like that.
Yes we should try to stay him here. Pardew should do better but nothing we can do now so let be it. Let’s hope he can do better with Barton and our another players.
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:03 PM
Comment #10Barras i dont we will go in for him i think someone with alot better quality will be coming in just with no9 still vacant can only mean a quality striker is coming lets hope anyway and i agree 8m is alot for a bit part player but when ive seen him hes been good
JackButler
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:04 PM
Comment #11BREAKING NEWS
Newcastle United to begin work on massive extension at St James Park in light of there being so many insider’s at the club. Mike Ashley feel’s that when these inside are spewing their bullsh*t to journalist with over active imaginations, they should be able to do so in comfort.
The Daily Mail and News of The World are said to be thrilled at the move by the Cockney owner.
One Journalist said ‘This move by Mike Ashley is very welcomed, as it allows us to meet up with fellow bullsh*tter’s where we can brainstorm what total rubbish we are going to print’
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:04 PM
Comment #12* i dont think *
ginkoh
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:05 PM
Comment #13Oh Watching EngU21 – CzechU21. Sturridge look class. Bit if we can sign him, I think he cannot go to America with team because he will get more vacation after U21 tournament.
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:06 PM
Comment #14Jb haha
ginkoh
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:07 PM
Comment #15Sorry “But” not bit
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:07 PM
Comment #16Jb who will be head of the bullsh1ters???
geoff777
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:08 PM
Comment #17Nolan – left for money x 5 years
Simples …
He was coming up to his sell by date, good move to get rid of him.
GeordieDan
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:11 PM
Comment #18Big thanks from me to Nolan for being a fantastic captain for us over the last couple of seasons!
Absolute class from the player in his attitude and commitment to us the whole time he was here. Big shame he’s gone but I have to admit getting fresh blood in with pace and technique should certainly make us a classier team.
We NEED strikers now and of course a top class left back to replace Jose who we all know isn’t going to be around next time we kick off the season. Another big shame imo but what can you do. His head is well and truley turned now.
The_Toon
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:11 PM
Comment #19At the age of 29 all I want is to start games and to start from the bench… Kevin Nolan knew he wasn’t going to start specially that our first transfer target was a center midfield (Yohan) and with the likes of tiote and ben arfa likely to start it was clear that he will not be a starter next season and therefore went for west ham where i’m sure he’ll be starting every game under his former boss Big Sam
JackButler
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:12 PM
Comment #20Anton
most of these insiders are journalists with no story to print so they make up rubbish claiming its has come from an inside source
sephir0
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:13 PM
Comment #21any truth in this then people?
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740388-liverpool-agree-fee-and-terms-for-wigan-winger-charles-nzogbia-agency-claims
so hope to god it aint true, just thinking about it and i can taste sick in my mouth.
The_Toon
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:13 PM
Comment #22*At the age of 29 all Kevin wants is to start games and NOT to start from the bench… Kevin Nolan knew he wasn’t going to start specially that our first transfer target was a center midfield (Yohan) and with the likes of tiote and ben arfa likely to start it was clear that he will not be a starter next season and therefore went for west ham where i’m sure he’ll be starting every game under his former boss Big Sam
geoff777
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:13 PM
Comment #23Sturridge is definitely the striker we should buy.
He’s the only one fit to wear the No9 shirt and become a Geordie legend.
belfastmagpie87
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:13 PM
Comment #24cwarr07 will be the head bullshitter,and @toontastic1892,will be his right hand man.
Barras
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:14 PM
Comment #25Anyone reading the Twitter dispute between Cwarr07 and Craigcoozy pahaahahaha.
belfastmagpie87
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:15 PM
Comment #26@sephir
its not true mate,somebody pretending to be a football agent made that up,and deleted his account after he said it.
JackButler
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:16 PM
Comment #27Don’t think we will go for Zog now, with Fergie on a new five year deal and Marveaux coming in on a five year deal, there seems little point spending around 10mil on another left winger, money would be much better spent on Sturridge and Shaqiri
sephir0
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:17 PM
Comment #28belfastmagpie87
phew thank god for that i was a little concerend for a second there, cheers for the heads up mate. 🙂
Kevsy123
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:17 PM
Comment #29As much as I was sad to see him leave this season, I have to say Alan Pardew has done well by not giving in to the unrealistic demands of the player. (that goes for Joey Barton as well) if Nolan and Barton wanted to stay as much as they say then they would have signed the contracts that were on offer and not turn their noses just because of the contract duration…which both players say was the deciding factor. Players need to realise that there is a structure here and giving long contracts to players going into their 30’s is a thing of the past…and rightly so in my opinion.
toonfan09
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:18 PM
Comment #30to be fair to cwarr he is right marverux stayed at the hilton last night not the marriot
Tonytoon73
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:18 PM
Comment #31Barras i dont have twatter, what’s going on with them 2 m8.
sephir0
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:19 PM
Comment #32Barras
any chance you can pass over what they are arguing about? i’m not on twitter. cheers bud.
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:19 PM
Comment #33Anyone got the u21 score?
JackButler
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:20 PM
Comment #34Anton
england 0-0
spain winning 2-0
Vinicinhos
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:23 PM
Comment #35I would be happy if we try to sign Ilsinho.He plays in Brazil, for Sao Paulo.Played in Shakhtar, won Europa League, plays at RM.He’s a dribbler.And he’s free agent in July and wants to return to Europe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0Idjy3WpIU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0nsbnKQyN4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKuJj73zrlc&feature=related
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:24 PM
Comment #36Cheers jb we must beat these with the quality weve got
Barras
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:24 PM
Comment #37cwarr07 Colin
@
@craigcoozy @msidouglas @BigAls09 Which hotel did you say the club used when JDH was full?
craigcoozy craig
@
@cwarr07 @msidouglas @bigals09 well they only use the one generaly buy he using marriet this weekend
cwarr07 Colin
@
@craigcoozy @msidouglas @bigals09 So that’s where Marveaux was?
craigcoozy
@cwarr07 @msidouglas @bigals09 well i cant say 100% cos i hav no contacts there but charney said he wud take em there for w’end
Cwarr07 colin
@craigcoozy @msidouglas @bigals09 I think you’ll find he was at the Hilton on Friday & Sat, need to get your act together coozy
craigcoozy
@cwarr07 @msidouglas @bigals09 why do i need to get my act together? If there nt stoppin at ma hotel am nt mystic meg?
cwarr07 Colin
@
@craigcoozy @msidouglas @bigals09 Club are using the Hilton for club business, longer stays booked into JDH
craigcoozy craig
@
@cwarr07 @msidouglas @bigals09 hate to disapoint you but ur wrong he wanted ma hotel but he cant, nufc use mine cos it impresses players
Vinicinhos
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:27 PM
Comment #38My Team:
————–Forster—————
Simmo—-Collo—-Saylor—-Fergie
Ilsinho—-Cabaye—Tiote—-Jonas
————-Ben Arfa————–
————–Ba——————-
JackButler
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:28 PM
Comment #39Anton
Sturridge looks very sharp, golf on now so watching Rory, hoping he can pick up his 1st major
Anton
Jun 19, 2011 at 8:30 PM
Comment #40Aye he was unlucky last time like dont think he will blow it again