It’s hardly surprising that Alan Pardew has come out today and said Mike Ashley, Newcastle’s Billionaire owner, wants Newcastle in the Champions League.
Mike Ashley – wants Newcastle in Champions League
That would help Newcastle big time in increasing their revenues, which were around £89M in the last financial year, but that was over £10M less than they were when Bobby Robson was managing the club.
But even more important is that it would significantly increase the profile of Newcastle United world-wide, and that would help in multiple ways, including being able to attract and afford more top players at the club.
Even if Newcastle don’t qualify for the Champions League for next season, it’s almost certain that Mike Ashley will support Alan Pardew in the summer transfer window, to improve the squad so that qualification is in reach next season.
This is what Alan Pardew told the local press today:
“Mike Ashley is determined for us to push for the Champions League so we are obviously going to go for that.” “He’s been very good to us.”
Newcastle are in Europe next season in the Europa League, but being in the more lucrative Champions League, and making it through to the group rounds, means a guaranteed £20M for the club.
And according to Managing Director Derek Llambias, that money would be invested directly back into the club, and used to get new players, improve the facilities and bolster the Youth Academy and the Scouting network, since Newcastle are being run essentially as a non-profit company – and any profits are invested directly back into Newcastle.
Alan was asked about the strange rules that would mean if Newcastle finish above Chelsea in 4th place in the league, and Chelsea beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League in Munich on May 19th, then Newcastle would not be entered into the Champions League, but would have to make do with the Europa League.
Chelsea would get England’s 4th place in the Champions League in that specific case.
This is how Alan responded to that:
“That’s the rules.” “So we will get on with it.”
Let’s get 3rd place in the league and take that uncertainty away!
Howay The Lads!!
43 comments so far
Trent Toon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:26 AM
Comment #1WE need to fcuk Wigan over! A good way to keep over confidence high!
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:28 AM
Comment #2Trent…For CL the wigan game is a must win. Chelsea, Man C and Everton are all harder games (in theory), so 3 points please this weekend boys
lewytoon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Comment #3its my birthday today 😀
Trent Toon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:31 AM
Comment #4@CODARM Yeah i know but I mean! We need to keep it up! We need to F@ck over all teams. For some reason I’m getting that weird feeling that we will finish 3rd at the end! I had the same feeling in the 4-4 win at arsenal, the 3-0 win over manchester united and the even at the start of the season on how well we would do! I hope this stays on track!
Trent Toon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:32 AM
Comment #5HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEWY TOON! I heard if demba ba breaks his drought he has a shirt under the jersey that says happy birthday lewytoon!
jayphoto
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Comment #6win our game in hand and we’re actually joint 3rd! I think fixtures might play into our hands well, we’ll play a chelsea team right before an F.A cup final with theyre players less commited with eyes on the champions league final, im hoping we play a man city team after being trounced by man utd with nothing to play for! Wigan next up, i know theyre fighting but we should be beating them, just everton away that might be the real tough one! I honestly think 3 wins will see us 3rd!
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Comment #7Happy Birthday Lewy…hope you have a good one
Trent….It’s certainly ours for the taking
Trent Toon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Comment #8corrections 4-4 draw! but it sure felt like a win 🙂
lewytoon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Comment #9hahaha thanks trent toon 😀 i hope he does 😛 his goal can be his present!
lewytoon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:35 AM
Comment #10thanks ibiza 😀
Munster Mag
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:35 AM
Comment #11Although our confidence is at a season high, so is Wigans, and they will be mega desperate for points. I can see a 2-2 draw….
Trent Toon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Comment #12Munster Mag – A 2-2 draw? I’m feeling more a 1-0 win ben arfa being the man of the moment!
jayphoto
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Comment #13didnt wigan lose theyre last game? Honestly not that impressed with them this season, seen them a few times, they play half decent football but they have many players who shouldnt be premier league quality! Great Goalkeeper tho
NEWEXPATMAGPIE
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Comment #14@3: Happy Birthday! Hope you get an extra present tomorrow!
Like i,v always said: We just need to win all our games! And we could still nick points at Chelsea and Everton!
On present form we could also give Shitty a good game at home!
Eyeball81
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Comment #15So we’d get 10/12m for finishing 3/4 in the league and 20m for the CL? What will we get for the europa? either way we would be quids in….not to mention the ‘lucrative’ channel 5 tv money hahah…but like MA I too want the CL nights back at st james….maybe ashley is a geordie?
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Comment #16I see Jamie Redknapp feels Newcaslte can give Man City a go..
“There’ll be more turns after this latest twist and the Magpies could have a big say where this title goes.”
arcarius
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Comment #17If we make it to the champions league, I hope we can sign 1 or 2 star player, like Ronaldo (quite good), Messi (not that bad), or Iniesta (marginally better than Cabeye)
😆
sweendog
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Comment #18Trent Toon .. agreed .. gonna be tight but we can shade it with arfa winning us the game .. wigans defence is their problem if we keep it tight theres no reason we can’t get the win .. we score first I reckon we’ll win..
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Comment #19arcarius…We need players that can actually challenge for a starting position though
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:43 AM
Comment #20sweendog…there were some good stats the other day that indicated first goal is crucial for both wigan and newcastle results. Our defence is looking really solid and you always have to fancy our attack to get at least a goal…i’m quietly confident for tomorrow
lewytoon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Comment #21thanks NEWEX 😛 🙂
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:46 AM
Comment #22A lot of Pardew articles on SS today…
Statistically Pardew has verbal diarrhoea
Trent Toon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:47 AM
Comment #23CODARM Post 19
AHHAHAHHAHA!!!!! Thats gold!
sweendog
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:48 AM
Comment #24CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon) .. I’m agreed there .. wigan are getting nervous again and we do have pace all over the pitch so they’ll not have any time on the ball ..
a win at wigan and a win/draw from 2 of the other 3 games and we’re in the champions league..
Tsunki
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:49 AM
Comment #25I think we will break Zoggies heart and send his ambition to the second tier. Please.
Londtoon
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Comment #26Think I have jumped on the opposite band wagon headed the opposite direction. Running Newcastle united at the moment as a non profit organisation.. I’m very much respect ashley and Llambias for that as it is the best for the club.
What we need to hope therefore is that Sports Direct does well for many years such that Newcastle doesn’t get seen as a cash cow to be slaughtered and chopped into profitable chunks of meat.
Indian Magpie
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:51 AM
Comment #27My birthday is on 7th August
Tsunki
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:51 AM
Comment #28I am sorry for wigan fans but our front three with Cabs following up will keep them occupied all day. And the back door is shut so forget it. 3-0 Mags.
Tsunki
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Comment #29Indian @27 – just … .. putting …that in my…..outlook calendar……There!
ROSHAN MAGPIE
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Comment #3018 sweendog // Apr 27, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Trent Toon .. agreed .. gonna be tight but we can shade it with arfa winning us the game .. wigans defence is their problem if we keep it tight theres no reason we can’t get the win .. we score first I reckon we’ll win..
Eyeball81
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:53 AM
Comment #31Agreed tsunki, after their banner waving when we went down I hope Villa do get relegated…my only regret would be that shay would go down aswell…or would he leave?
Tsunki
Apr 27, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Comment #32dunno where shay would go but I believe he will go. I want Wigan to go down with Villa ideally that way Zog will know all his choices were rubbish. Should have stayed with the club that persevered with him when he was a young kid. He could have been a star if he had applied himself.
AndyMac
Apr 27, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Comment #33“But even more important is that it would significantly increase the profile of Newcastle United world-wide, and that would help in multiple ways, including being able to………………………..”
advertise SD on a global scale !
Call me an old cynic but Fatman never does owt for nowt 🙂
philippealbert
Apr 27, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Comment #34Yeah, have a good one when it comes Indian
toontillidie
Apr 27, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Comment #35Happy Birthday Lewy have a good one i was one of the people that doubted MA i now retract my doubts well done to all the people associate with the Toon including staff players and fans you have all been great this season keep up the hard work Howay The Lads !!!
Visten
Apr 27, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Comment #36AndyMac@33.
‘Call me an old cynic but Fatman never does owt for nowt ‘
Ha ha classic mate. Ed should have that on his banner.
JDdubai
Apr 27, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Comment #37Am I the only one who is counting the days to each game??? I dont think I have ever been this excited about each Newcastle match!!!
Obviously this is Newcastle so the next fall is always just around the corner but at the moment I can see us winning every match…..
Am trying to change the hotel pub from being the official Man Utd Supporters pub to a Newcastle Supporters bar here, slow going sadly but I shall persevere…….
bills-son
Apr 27, 2012 at 12:44 PM
Comment #38Mike Ashley has been hell bent on making us successful ever since he decided not to sell the club after relegation.
Where we are now is 80% down to Ashley – any fan who thinks otherwise doesn’t understand management and business.
It was Ashley who decided Hughton wasn’t the manager to implement his team and transfer strategy, Ashley who set the transfer policy of buying mostly French players so that they integrated quicker than buying players from all over the world, Ashley who forced LFool to pay £35M for AC, Ashley who backed the decisions to sell Bartton and Nolan and Ashley who sanctioned new deals for Tiote, Krul, Colo and Guti and stumped up £9M for Cisse in the window.
Fans who say its all down to Pardew and Carr – as good as they are – don’t understand that Ashley has set the strategy and they have implemented it.
Without Ashley we wouldn’t be 4th in the Prem, with Europe secured and pushing for a Champs Lge place.
toonincheek
Apr 27, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Comment #39bills-son @37
I’m no Ashley-hater, far from it, but can’t agree.
IMO, most of our success is down to Pardew, tactics and team formation.
Plus the backroom boys, analying other teams.
And Pardew’s scribe for his one-liners!
Carr, of course, getting top players, but still Pardew for getting the best out of them.
Ashley, Yes, for taking a positive stance when we were relegated – and a few other things like the money for AC, buying Cisse.
Rotonda heights
Apr 27, 2012 at 4:32 PM
Comment #40Jayphoto
have you only just realised that!!!