It’s difficult to think of Mike Ashley as a football man – and that’s because he isn’t one – Mike Ashley is a business man through and through – and that’s all he is.
Mike Ashley – Newcastle owner
So when Mike gets a player in like Mathieu Debuchy and pays around £5M from him after almost a year of wrangling with his club Lille over the fee – Ahsley finally go a good deal.
And then when Newcastle get an offer of £12M from Arsenal just 19 months later for Debuchy – of course he takes it .
Another bit of good business for Ashley, because that’s £7M profit on the player and that’s around £350K for each of the 19 months Mathieu played for Newcastle – a fantastic deal.
And we’ll see in the summer if a big club comes in for 21 year-old Ayoze Perez and offers around £10M for the 21 year-old, he will be gone too.
And if that happens that will be a gain of around £8.5M, and that’s a gain of about £700K for each of the 12 months Perez was on Tyneside – even better.
So when Rangers take five fringe/young players from Newcastle in late January, and have only Haris Vuckic playing regularly for them since that time – that’s a Rangers problem – and from their viewpoint – not a good deal.
But Newcastle are saving on the wages of the five players, and the fact that three of the players couldn’t play when the loan started and haven’t played since, is another Rangers’ problem.
And we found out in the last few days that the five were signed on loan without even having medicals at Rangers, so if three of them were crocked when they signed for Rangers on loan – it’s difficult to blame Newcastle for that.
We’re afraid to say that it appears from his actions, that the only way Mike Ashley sees football is the way he sees everything else in life – everything’s business – everything’s a deal.
And Mike likes to make good deals and that’s one reason he’s made himself into a multi-Billionaire over these last 30 years or so.
Whether or not these deals leave Newcastle short of players like we are at the moment because of the January sales – or like we were last year when he sold our best player Yohan Cabaye for £20M half way through the season and didn’t replace him – doesn’t matter to Ashley.
All that counts is the deal.
And that’s also why Mike Ashley will never be successful in football, because football is not like a big business and not like buying and selling shares in the stock market – players actually matter in the game and more than just selling them for big profits.
You actually need good players to make good teams – so you cannot just keep selling them to make big profits.
Otherwise you end up with a mediocre team that cannot make the top ten in the Premier League but two times in eight attempts.
That’s Mike Ashley’s very poor record at Newcastle.
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52 comments so far
Lindisfarne
Mar 25, 2015 at 7:47 AM
Comment #41http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/22628302
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 25, 2015 at 7:54 AM
Comment #42Optimistic,
I don’t think there are too many clubs, improve the quantity and standard of coaching throughout English football and there can be good coaches at every club. A large problem is the old boys mentality that goes with coaching. Many of the more talented British coaches end up in very low profile roles, or not working at professional clubs at all. They have worked to become a coach from younger ages and have studied the game, coaching techniques and many other facets involved in development.
Below is the qualifications of a 29 year old coach, who is a Newcastle fan, but has never had an opportunity to coach/manage professionally in England. He had to go abroad, to the US.
Qualifications
2012 – (ongoing) – MSc. Performance Coaching (UK)
2007 – BSc. (HONS) Applied Sport Science with Coaching (UK)
Professional Certification
2015 – (Ongoing) UEFA Pro Licence (Irish FA)
2013 – Academy Managers’ Licence (English FA)
2012 – Coerver Coaching Youth Diploma (Coerver Ireland)
2011 – Premier Diploma (NSCAA – USA)
2009 – UEFA ‘A’ Coaching Licence (Irish FA)
2009 – National Goalkeeping Diploma (NSCAA – USA)
2008 – National Youth Diploma (NSCAA – USA)
2006 – FA Teaching Certificate (English FA)
2004 – S.A.Q. Level 1 (S.A.Q. Ireland)
Compare that to Steve Stone who has his B license and…….
Ian,
I think the game has moved on technically and physically to be able to operate with very small squads. Again, the idea of limiting squads to a small number and using reserve players to fill in is not in the interests of the league so would never be passed.
It still doesn’t resolve the problem of why the players aren’t good enough, it just allows them more of a platform.
Lindisfarne
Mar 25, 2015 at 7:55 AM
Comment #43It seems to me that there is some headway already being made on developing English youth players. But a lot more that could be done if self interest waa put to one side and proper dialogue took place.
I read yesterday that England U17 won the last major international tounament, but those players would find it difficult to get into a PL club. Only 4 of the players in the previous winning team made it.
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 25, 2015 at 7:56 AM
Comment #44The guy isn’t in the US anymore, he has just taken a new role elsewhere, but another low profile job that will see him overlooked by most English clubs from mid Championship up.
optimistic prime
Mar 25, 2015 at 8:11 AM
Comment #45Lg
It’s the whole job for the boys again.
Although to many clubs isn’t the problem it highlights the lack of good coaching and spreads them thinner on the ground.
Clubs stopping kids playing for boys clubs etc surely is a major mistake.
Maybe the FA setting up half a dozen centre for excellence throughout the country would help, they’d obviously need to make sure they had best coaches in place.
Everyone wants a quick fix which will only make things worse IMO, the only thing that will help is reviewing coaching at grass roots youth and schools.
What are club academies judged on facilities or quality of coaching?
Lindisfarne
Mar 25, 2015 at 8:12 AM
Comment #46Lilongwe Geordie
Not that I don’t think there is a problem, but do you agree the potential Rooney Rule is a red herring and there is a level of educational level of attainment problem with Coaches.
In one of the articles I posted the number of hours of schooling provided at Academies is 9 hours a week. Yet it is mainly ex pro footballers that qualify as Coaches. Should the highest level of coaching badges be restricted to individuals with a certain level of educational qualification? Then these professional footballers may provide better role models and be more seriously considered for elite coaching roles.
I saw Les Ferdinand being interviewed about the lack black coaches, but his eyes looked like he had previously been a pro boxer. Muhammed Ali was eloquent but he did not train another prize fighter.
Lindisfarne
Mar 25, 2015 at 8:23 AM
Comment #47Ian Toon
Generally I would say restrictions do not resolve problems. The constant tug of war between the FA and the Premier League only hinders the situation and this latest proposal does not help that particular issue.
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 25, 2015 at 8:23 AM
Comment #48Lindisfarne,
I think the Rooney rule is a load of nonsense. I couldn’t care less what colour, religion, creed or nationality you are. There shouldn’t be anything other than asking whether a people are good enough and suitably qualified.
I wouldn’t want to limit the level of qualification open to people based on education. You can be incredibly well educated, but that doesn’t mean you have the qualities that are required to teach, inspire, captivate and motivate people into learning. In the same way that just because you are good/incredible at football, you can’t necessarily transfer those skills to others.
There needs to be a sensible balance. I think young, modern coaches are now placing far more emphasis on what they can learn through academic programs, which will no doubt be beneficial. I also think that another help would be completing educational courses.
Still, a balance between ex pros and these modern coaches should be struck at all levels of the game, something that happens very rarely at the moment.
Optimistic,
Central training facilities would help, and it was something the Belgians tried. Each year the top players and coaches would go to these academy facilities and the players would be trained by the coaches, but more than that it was also a knowledge share opportunity for the coaches. This allowed both players and coaches to develop, which when they returned to their clubs was spread further.
Academies are mainly judged on facilities, but coaching does come into it. We have two very highly qualified coaches within our academy.
Lindisfarne
Mar 25, 2015 at 8:30 AM
Comment #49Are you suggesting Javelin throwers would make good Goal Keeping Coaches?!!
Your right a collaborative effort produces progress but English football has a long way to go on that front, if your not in the top 20 clubs.
Lindisfarne
Mar 25, 2015 at 8:31 AM
Comment #50Jail for Ashley
M last comment was directed at you.
Lilongwe Geordie
Mar 25, 2015 at 8:34 AM
Comment #51Lindisfarne,
I’m pleased you added the second comment, as I was re reading my post trying to work out how you had made that leap!! 🙂
toonincheek
Mar 25, 2015 at 9:25 AM
Comment #52Jesper –
if any of our players show the skill and have
the opportunity to join a CL club, we should
not stand in their way. Other clubs follow the
same path, often selling players they would
prefer to keep for a high figure.
ATM CL is not the owners’ ambition, and
for sure I’m not happy about that.
Jail –
I gave my view that it’s not just a matter of
money that leads to our players being sold,
(also age, length of contract, is the player
committed to the club), that doesn’t mean
that I defend MA against all other problems
his ownership and decisions have led to.
We missed Cabaye more than anyone, but
£20 million, at his age? 18 months left on his
contract? He wanted a move to his dream club
– what do you think would have happened to
his commitment, and form, if we had denied
him his dream move.
Tiote could easily have been sold for a good
profit 2 years ago.
If money was the only motive, he would have
been pushed out the door, same as Carroll.
Let’s consider Perez.
He came to us primarily because he wanted to
have a chance of regular 1st team footy and to
prove himself. (surprising in a way, as our idea
was to leave him in the development squad for
a year).
But – if any of the top 4 in PL came after him,
In the summer, would you think it productive
to refuse any offer made and force him to stay?
Seriously – answer requested.
And Yes, of course I want to see US being a
CL team.