Demba Ba was great at Newcastle for a season and a half, when he scored 29 goals in 58 appearances for the Magpies., after we signed him as a free agent two years ago from West Ham.
Demba Ba – while at Newcastle United
And usually when players leave Newcastle they don’t do as well elsewhere as they did at Newcastle, and there are multiple examples of that.
Well it seems that with Jose Mourinho coming back to Chelsea, the former Porto, Inter-Milan and real Madrid doesn’t rate the striker, and news in the Mirror today that Ba will be sold to rich Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, who are coached by Guus Hiddink.
You may remember we smashed Anzhi 1-0 over two legs in the Europa League last season. 😀
It seems that Ba turned down a loan move to West Ham and also an approach from West Bron, and he looks to be on his way to Russia, unless he turns down the move.
The 28 year-old former Newcastle striker was hoping to fight for his place at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho, but he may not be given that chance.
At Chelsea Ba scored 6 goals in 22 appearances, but only two goals in 14 appearances in the Premier League.
There’s no information on what fee Anzhi will be paying for Ba, who was signed from Newcastle in January via a £7M release clause in his contract, but his agents will be getting yet another pay-day from their client.
The plans are for Newcastle to bring in a replacement for Ba this summer.
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113 comments so far
Tsunki
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:37 AM
Comment #1Well that was unexpected. Journeyman on a ticking clock makes move to obscure club with more money than sense for a big payday. 🙂
Ben3arfa
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:39 AM
Comment #2Best of luck Demba , I dont get how some fans turned on him , was a great servant
Ben3arfa
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Comment #3http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1491815/mauricio-pochettino-reveals-southampton-leandro-damiao?cc=4716
Southampton are making moves to sign Leandro Daimao , Ever Banega and Victor Wanywama, not to mention theve already signed Dejan Lovren
WHILE WE CANT EVEN LAND AROUNA KONE
Depressing
jimmysmith
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Comment #4Chelsea are going to have a replacement in for Ba before we do.
Good Grief!
Tsunki
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Comment #5I don’t think many fans turned on him did they? I know there were a few knee-jerk one’s who wheeled out the old ‘Traitor’ chestnut, but in the end he was what he was, did a job that was asked. So long, thanks for the goals especially the one against Man U.
Toon-Prodigy
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:42 AM
Comment #6Divn’t worry aboot transfers man.
Joe can pick up the phone to any manager in the world.
He’s the best aroond.
Apparantly 😉
Wow, Demba off where the money is again? No surprise there, I suppose the best league in the world dosn’t have much pull where money is concerned eh..
Tsunki
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Comment #7Toon-Prodigy – I reckon Joe’s number ranks as the most blocked in football. 🙂 And he’s not noted for being approachable either – can anyone recall his legendary answerphone message a few years back?
Jamiemac
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Comment #8Ben3arfa
He started putting himself before the team. Wasn’t happy playing LW in a team that were playing amazing. Pardew ended up buckling to his demands so played him as striker which helped him score but ultimately led to some awful team performances and didn’t allow us to utilise our main poacher Cisse. In my opinion I think this was the catalyst of our problems this season.
Ketsbaia9
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Comment #9Another target slashed out. Maybe we’ll be in for Bony now.
Transfer Sage
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Comment #10I’m ok with demba.
Short career, do what you like. If you just want money its fine, if you just want trophies fine, if you want to play at your local club fine.
Each to their own.
Tsunki
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:47 AM
Comment #11Ketsy – whats your take on the Abeid situation?
jeff
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:47 AM
Comment #12dem baba was never good.prefer cisse to baba.
faustino asprilla newcastle
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:48 AM
Comment #13that is big improvement in his career- move from Chelsea to Anzhi
wolfshead@toon
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:48 AM
Comment #14jamie
are you serious? after demba left we went down the shitter
Tsunki
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:49 AM
Comment #15jamiemac – but that was more Pard’s lack of nuts than Ba’s attitude. I think there was probably a bit of behind the scenes kerfuffle at manager/board level on that one. But you are right, it was the start of the rot for me too.
Transfer Sage
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:50 AM
Comment #16well Ba wasn’t going to play at cheslea under mourinho…so could come back to us or our level for 40/50k a week or get double that at anzhi and play in champs league…easy call if you ask me and the right one.
I’d take Ba over Cisse everytime.
Tommyy
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:51 AM
Comment #17What the hell are we doing? We should have had targets sorted weeks ago after that shambles of a season, but oh no we’re making it up as we go along as per. Tragic.
supershola
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:51 AM
Comment #18So everyone’s back for pre-season training and still no sign of a transfer, still no comments from Alan Pardew and we’ve still got obertan on our books…. turning out to be a great transfer window eh?
While all other teams around us are showing ambition, getting players and bids in early we undermind our manager by getting Joe Kinnear to be his ‘boss’ and sell a player who was arguably our best utility player against Pardews wishes
Joke
Tsunki
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:51 AM
Comment #19wolfshead – I think what jamie means is that when we reshaped our team to fit Ba, when he went we had a disgruntled Cisse and a team shape that didn’t suit our No 9 like it did Ba. And Pardew for whatever reason never found a way to course-correct after that.
Jamiemac
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:54 AM
Comment #20Interesting point TS @10
Leads me on to this question for everyone: Which option would you choose from money, trophies or local club.
1. Rubin Kazan in Russia for £60.000 wage per week. Mid table team, might appear in Europa League every now and again but not expected to win any trophies.
2. Trophies in a mediocre league. Let’s say Porto with a wage of £30,000. Regularly winning domestic trophies and maybe a decent run in Champions League.
3. Local club Newcastle with a £30,000 wage. Comfortably expected to finish mid-table. May scrape Europa every now and then but not expected to win anything.
It’s all well and good in hindsight but out of those 3 I think I would choose Newcastle.
What about everyone else?
Rotonda heights
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:54 AM
Comment #21Sage
From last thread, I don’t think Pardew listens to anyone else he loves himself so much.
Pardew had 3 senior players Colo (Captain,) Ba (top scorer) and Benny (best player) all come out and say they weren’t happy with tactics. Did he alter anything, did he heck.
Jamiemac
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:55 AM
Comment #22Wolfshead
See Tsunki’s point @19.
Black and White with an army lol
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:55 AM
Comment #23the team should be built around Sissoko it’s as simple as that, having Sissoko as our AMC with HBA & Marv on the wings and Cabaye & Anita as our midfielders
this is what AP should be doing
Krull
Debuchy, Colo, MYM, Haidara
Cabaye/Tiote, Anita/Bigi
HBA, Sissoko,Marv/Santon
Cisse/Campbell
now with this kind of lineup i don’t see why they are aiming for 10th but by rights they should be aiming for the top 5 spots
Tsunki
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:55 AM
Comment #24There is still time for a turnaround in proceedings before the window closes and the season starts. unfortunately there is also still ample time for a disastrous pre-season with embarrassing losses to sub-par outfits, infighting in the dressing room, big names leaving under a cloud, Pardew’s only and final statement saying he’s had enough of emptying JFK’s bog-chair and resigning, and our star buys being 500k and under ‘prospects from League 1.
Transfer Sage
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:56 AM
Comment #25rotonda
I’m not saying it will happen just thats how i would run the team…i believe getting people involved makes a happy squad and players feel more valued and likely to stay.
Rotonda heights
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:57 AM
Comment #26Lets be honest, the way we finished last season and with Pardew still here and now JFK over him, it’s not exactly a mecca to attract top players.
KK first time round had the name and charisma as did SBR.
Black and White with an army lol
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:58 AM
Comment #27sorry
Cisse/Campbell/Goofy
Mr Funk
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:58 AM
Comment #28Using transfermarkt and searching for players under the age of 24 with a contract expiring in 2014, there is an interesting list of possible buys for reasonable outlay
My choices would be
Cheick M’Bengue – LB – Competition for Haidara and allows Santon to be moved forward to RW or LW or even to RB.
Nacer Chadli – LW – Natural LW who can score, cross and has a good freekick. Allows Gouffran to move to CF position
Charlie Austin – CF – Good scoring record and worth a chance in my opinion.
What would be your choices using the above criteria on transfermarkt?
Transfer Sage
Jul 5, 2013 at 10:58 AM
Comment #29Jamiemac
Personally i’d like to start at newcastle…then if i was good enough move to a big team like madrid or man utd to win some trophies and to say i played for them and after that spend the last few years earning big money at a club in russia/america/china/UAE etc etc.
but if i had to chose only one i’d probably go for newcastle…but anything can happen in football so even if i wanted to stay anything could cause me to leave from club wanting to sell, manager not picking me etc etc
Tsunki
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:00 AM
Comment #30Sissoko needs to start from deeper than he has been being played. His main strength, in fact his superpower, is the powerful run across field from deep that slices midfields like a broadsword. He can’t do that from central or attacking mid, and if he can’t do that, he is just another midfielder I’m afraid. Watch the first few games he started for us, before he was deployed further up the pitch.
Rotonda heights
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:00 AM
Comment #31sage
Pardew got pally with jonas, saylor and tiote but to the detriment of the rest of the team and squad.
You know it will be his favourites again, less Perch. So more of Jonas not getting past anyone and with a customary awful final ball, Saylor making crazy and daft decisions and costly errrors and Tiote a walking yellow card!
magpie6699
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:00 AM
Comment #32Tommyy – How do you know “we’re making it up as we go along”? Because some drunk journo or some pretend in-the-know says we have or haven’t bid for this one or that one? Perhaps we DO have a list of targets – none (or maybe one ) of which we haven’t bought? I know nothing- and I’m not convinced anybody else does tbh.
cestriasteve
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:00 AM
Comment #33Surely it’s just a matter of replacing Jonas and finding a centre forward we don’t need anymore than that.
From the last Anita article could him or marveaux not play in the Cabaye’s role both looked list at times at the start of last season but started to find the pace at the end.
Black and White with an army lol
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:02 AM
Comment #34Mr Funk
RB i would go for Sebastian Corchai young french lad with loads of pace and is superb for tracking back and defending him and Debuchy challenging for the RB spot
Toon-Prodigy
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:03 AM
Comment #35Lol Tsunki,
I don’t think I recall it nah.
What’s going on man? What was that Kone carry on yesterday? I mean, did they even speak to the lad?
Embarrasing, where is the plan?
Fee accepted, allowed to talk, then this is the funny part. “Pulled out?”
Was there a rejection because he had his heart set on working with Martinez again? I certaintly hope so. But why wasn’t it quoted as such?
It still hasn’t quite sunk in yet that Joe is handling these players we are supposed to be bringing in. Has he even did anything like it before? This is a new job, a new role to Joe. DOF.
Can he use a modern mobile telephone? They were just kicking off ten years ago haha.
lesh
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:04 AM
Comment #36said last night that my reading of this supposed bid for Kone is as follows:
1 – Kinnear’s totally out of his depth in his role and panicked to try to get a striker for today:
2 – He hasn’t been aware of the relationship between Ashley and Whelan:
3 – Being in his eyes, an all powerful director who thinks he’s Mr Knowall, he’s gone wading in with an acceptable bid without researching the situation:
4- Whelan, seeking the potential to making Ashley look a fool, he announces that we’re set to talk to talk to Kone::
5 – Ashley gets wind of what’s going on and tells Kinnear it’s a non-starter:
6 – Kinnear panics and let’s it be known that Kone doesn’t fit in with our policy as he’s too old (that should scupper any move for Bent?):
7 – Kinnear gets a dressing down from Ashley who’s beginning to realise he’s bought a pup in recruiting the clown.
Point 7, I would add is wishful thinking. But Ashley’s got a problem – how does he git rid of the idiot? Maybe it’s a good time for Kinnear’s health to become a concern and for his sake, take a long period of ‘sick’ leave before retiring?
An afterthought, as Mr Kinnear’s now part of Newcastle, I wonder he’d add weight to a renewed bid to be made a European City of Culture?
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:05 AM
Comment #37Yes it is odd why anyone would turn on poor Ba because he is difinitely not all about the money 😉
…it is all football for him isn’t it? I know who wouldn’t pick a club that paid more (because a footballer only earns around £25M doing his career and that is not counting signon fees and so on)!
cestriasteve
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Comment #38Tsunlki remember when he played Sissoko on the right wing, absolutely the wrong place. Didn’t he get dropped after that, Liverpool game I think.
Box to box and should be outstanding player next season
Black and White with an army lol
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Comment #39Tsunki
but did Sissoko have the likes of HBA & Marv along side him? NO, instead he had Jonas, having Sissoko in the AMC role is what we need a power house who can run through defense and has great vision to lay off killer balls through to to Cisse or lay it off to the wings, even better him and Cabaye could even swap positions to keep the opponents guessing
Mr Funk
Jul 5, 2013 at 11:07 AM
Comment #40@ Black and white
Any other choices? – remember has to be under 24 and with a year left on their contract.