We were sent the news about Andy Carroll texting to Steve Wraith last night quite early on – but even before that – the news about Andy Carroll asking for a transfer seemed very suspicious to us.
Mike Ashley
For one thing when Mike Ashley was said to have turned down the second offer of £35M, Andy Carroll was also said to be in a helicopter on his way to Liverpool – but why would that be if Newcastle hadn’t agreed a fee with Liverpool?
And Sky Sports reporters were stupidly giddy all day yesterday – and that was also a sorry sight indeed. I showed Madeline, my wife, how they were going on and she also thought they were like little kids in the playground. Apologies to little kids in playgrounds everywhere. 😀
We knew Mike Ashley is prone to make huge gaffs, as he did when he fired Chris Hughton out of the blue, but one problem we have with Mike is we just don’t see a lot of them coming.
Bit it’s now very clear to us that Ashley is one ruthless businessman – and believe me I’ve seen this kind before – they are not nice people. Well at least not nice when they are in action in the business world, which Mike was yesterday.
But now be prepared in the summer to lose one or maybe two more top Newcastle players, because once next season begins The Financial Fair Play rules kick in and this kind of dealing will not be possible.
That’s why we think the January window was huge and the summer window will be even bigger – because it’s one last big chance for the teams with money – you all know who they are – to spend beyond their current means..
Steve Wraith, claimed Carroll had contacted him before flying to Liverpool, and made it clear he was being forced out of the club.
Wraith said Carroll texted him:
“I’m gutted to be leaving my home town club, i was told to go. I didn’t want to leave that’s why I signed a 5 year deal. I was pushed out of the door.”
I’ve had a little contact with Steve through this blog, and he’;s a very good guy, and he wouldn’t be making this stuff up.
While I’ve had my doubts about some of the NUST members, Steve was always very personable and straight with his communications.
But it made no sense when Mike Ashley said he was forced into the deal because Carroll asked for a transfer, and subsequently the announcements from Newcastle conveniently neglected to say that Newcastle had agreed a fee with Liverpool – it was all about granting Andy his transfer request and all of that.
So I kind of smelled a rat yesterday – so to speak .
The goings on in the very last day of the window, have left some Newcastle fans feeling sick, including me.
And if you didn’t think football is now big business – you saw the rat race in full swing yesterday – with the selfishness and ruthlessness you should be prepared for if you want to be in executive management.
Watch your back is good advice in that world, and I have a few stories from my own career that would shock people – I can tell you.
The rat race makes real people seem so small – and there must be a better way for people to operate and to treat each other – isn’t there?
Yes £35M is a very good fee for Andy Carroll – but what are Newcastle doing these days? What do we want to become over the next three to five years?
We don’t seem to have any ambition to get into the top five, and we seem to be a club like Southampton (this is by no way a criticism of this great little club), and other smaller clubs who must grow their own players, but then sell their best players to just survive.
So it’s hard for them to build a great side, because they keep selling their best players – just like Newcastle did yesterday.
It was a very sad day for Newcastle United football club, and Mike Ashley convinced us by his actions yesterday, the famous Tyneside club will win nothing with him as the owner.
Nothing.
105 comments so far
daneevz
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:22 AM
Comment #1Its All 1 BIG Fcuk Up!!!
Xavi
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:22 AM
Comment #2i agree Ed.
this sort of thing has been coming for sometime even if carroll did hand in a transfer request. the owner and the board dont have the footballing knowledge to make the right appointments ( or keeping CH) spending the right money for the right players and consistantly ignoring the fans.
we will NEVER WIN ANYTHING WITH MIKE ASHLEY
toon_dog
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:22 AM
Comment #3what i would give to be a fly on the wall of cashleys office.
we will probly never know wt has happened yesterday there is theorys backing both carroll and ashley and theorys making them both the bad guys but like a said we will never know .
the txts going about could of quite easlily been set up to make him look innocent and going of cashleys track record its quite belivable that he pushed him out the door.
but the one way i look at it is 35 mil for an unproven striker DEAL the fact were left with no up front threat is poop but its done now wel have to live with it
Malaysia-RASHID
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Comment #4hahahaha…Next Cashley product is Ryan Donaldson, this lads is also as good as Carroll, he will wear no 9 and being sold.
As for Ranger, he will last like Ameobi, cheap, lazy, score when he in danger to be replace…hahahahaha
another product is Ben Arfa, yven moyo, tiote, and maybe Jose..hahahahaha
all the drama is awesome, first class by Mike…love you mike…well done son.
Hawaiian Geordie
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:29 AM
Comment #5i don’t buy the “pushed out the door” part at all
he was on a 5 year contract, he could stay if really wanted to
scdoty
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:29 AM
Comment #6We are going no where, will be lucky to see any of that transfer money.
I only hope The bull and tiote stay now. (Bull i know you read this so please stay).
Strolla and Best upfront??? There is little competition for places upfront now. so we will see an even more lazy Strolla. HELP.
alex84
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:30 AM
Comment #7well im utterly messed up by yesterday’s events! 35mill that we can’t spend and our very own number 9 forced out, this has been planned for a while now, look at the evidence its plain to see, i can’t look at the pics of Andy Carroll at Liverpool…feel sick.
Stuart
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:33 AM
Comment #8Wish I could just flip a switch and not care about Newcastle anymore, I’ve never been so angry at the club, but of course, I can’t just turn my back on them, what self respecting Geordie could ever do that?
Oh wait…
Can’t believe we’ve done this, I dont care who’s idea it was, if he was going to be sold it should’ve been when we had time to get in a replacement, not with 5 or so hours when every other club has the sense not to sell players as they know they wont have time to replace them.
It’ll be a tough season from now until the summer, and I wouldnt expect much of that £35m spent on transfers then either. Its alot more likely our other big names will follow Carroll through the door to line the fat mans pockets before the Fair Play laws come in.
toon_dog
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:33 AM
Comment #9wherns the pards interview on ?? am sick of watching SSN
Malaysia-RASHID
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Comment #10i am tired to say this…
AC don’t want to stay coz Cashley wanted him to go, than he go..
sammydolan
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Comment #11Of all the people you’d think would leave Carroll, no.9, Geordie through and through leaves, which leaves no hope for people like Jose, Cheik who say yes they love the club but money & potential trophies talk….
As regards to Ashley, where is a severe stroke when you need one…
jarra geordie
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Comment #12I wonder if all this will make players like Joey reconsider his reduced contract and plans to see out the remainder of his footballing days with The Toon.
Another worrying thought is that Tiote only cost 3.5 million pounds and has already attracted plenty of attention from other clubs. Not to mention el Toro ofc…
Solaidback
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:37 AM
Comment #13Oh and we’ve won loads in the past 40 years under other owners too haven’t we…. what complete bo!!ocks Ed…. talk about taking the Anti-Ashley side of this story….. 🙁 🙁
Whitecap
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:38 AM
Comment #14One thing seems for sure, either Andy Carroll or the club is lying about Andy handing in a transfer request. Whatever it is, it needs to be cleared up and quickly.
Stuart
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:39 AM
Comment #15Tiote, Enrique, Barton, HBA
At least 4 players I can see moving on in the summer, why not, in Mikes eyes we’ll get more than we paid for all of them no doubt.
Its not like it’ll effect the team in any way, its not like they’re our best players, its not like we dont have loads of cover for them.
What a day to be a geordie!
Toonaholic
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:39 AM
Comment #16pushed out the door my arse, he looked delighted shaking dalglishes hand, wearing a liverpool jumper, a player he really didnt wonna leave us but got pushed out was scott parker, and u could tell, he looked glum in the press conference when he moved to west ham. caroll, not a care in the world.
i apologise for my bad grammer spelling and punctuation, in a bit of a rush.
North Atlantic Magpie
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:41 AM
Comment #17I’m happy Carroll is gone 🙂
Edd Case
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:41 AM
Comment #18Im already bored of the Carroll transfer.
We need to think positive and remember that we are in theory, only about 4 wins from securing Premiership safety….
Then we can think about the summer transfer window and all that cash we have to buy new players!!!
Oh no, wait, Mike Ashley owns our club…
callie9
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Comment #19Well you can’t have been that suspicious seeing as your article yesterday after he handed the request in slated Carroll and called him a traitor. This site is becoming truly unbareable. Jesus. It’s like Hughton leaving all over again. No doubt you will be mentioning Carroll going in every article like you mention CH. Sort it out man.
davybtoon
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Comment #20theres nothin new goin on here lads we have alwasys been a selling club its only harps, shearer n shola who have stayed
doddsy
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Comment #21stop blaming ashley the text apparintly said that carroll said h didnt want to go why put a transfer request in then. he could have just said no simple as that stop blaming ashley carroll is just sayin all of this because he knows he wont be welomed bak one dayy which he will with open arms in what erver happened
Whitecap
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Comment #22Of course Andy was happy to be at Liverpool. That doesn’t mean to say he would rather have been at Newcastle.
He just signed a new large contract, everyone was very happy to meet him including the great Kenny Dalglish and he was brought in to replace Fernando Torres. This was a Championship player who didn’t score many goals last year. Of course, he’s happy.
How could he play for Newcastle if the owner told him to get out? How could he play for a club he was no longer welcome at?
NorseMag
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Comment #23If it’s so easy pushing players out of this club, what is Xisco still doing here?
Proving how indispensible he is?
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Comment #24Ex aresnal and boro forward alliadier (spelling lol) is available on a free, according to pfa site. We are still allowed to sign frees. We could have done worse than him, although I still would rather have carroll
doddsy
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Comment #25and he (ashley) can do what ever he likess its his club no one elses go try and stand a protest to ur manager get on swith it move on who need carroll he needed us more thn we needed him
Milzzy Rascal
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Comment #26This is my last post on here until Mike Ashley goes. I’m gutted absolutely shot to pieces over this. The last time I felt like this was after Keegan went the 2nd time. Who orchestrated that? Fatty did. What happened after that? We went down. This has crushed my spirit and probably 90% of the bloggers on here. When someone said above they feel sick I feel the same totally nauseaus.
I kind of have the feeling running through me of ‘what’s the point?’ I know people say you don’t support the man you support the shirt and that’s bang on the money but how many times do we have to be let down and hurt by this man?
To do an Ian Holloway it’s like going out with a stunning girl and been ecstatic then getting dumped and being devastated. Then she gives you some hope and you go for a drink and you get excited then she dumps you again and on and on and on.
Mike Ashley regardless of funds has sold us down the river and put us on the roulette table yet again. He’s sold the local lad the number 9, the guy that most fans identify with and for what? To make his wallet fatter? Andy Carroll did not ask for a transfer. Having slept on it I realise that he just wouldn’t. His family is here, his friends are here, his life is here why would he want to leave?
For what it’s worth so long Andy. Thanks for the memories and best of luck.
Why is every song on the radio so depressing today???
Milzzy Rascal signing off until Mike Ashley f***ks off.
davybtoon
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Comment #27am plzed we did the deal think its great money nearly 40mil n wheather it goes on players or pay off 40mill of the debt its great business, look at it this way quicker ashly gets his cash bk the quicker he mite sell the club on
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:46 AM
Comment #28Xisco is at deportivo on loan @ norsemag
Jarra Mag
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:46 AM
Comment #29The period between now and the end of the next transfer window will define Cashley’s ownership. Our survival this season [4 wins please] and who we buy or sell. That will sum up the Cocknee, mafia. If invested properly, the £35m could be the making of us…or the breaking of us under the FCB. Pardew has lost a substantial amount of credibility in this – he didn’t have much to start with, but hey, give the bloke a chance. One thing is for certain – if we get relegated again, I wouldn’t bet on seeing Ashley and entourage at SJP ever again. Northumbria’s finest would virtually ban him from the ground for “safety reasons”. To get relegated once is a misfortune…twice, then that’s just careless – he will have to sell.
DrunkenSteve
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:46 AM
Comment #30Lets be honest it was probs a bit of both AC and MA.
AC’s agent wispering in his ear about £80K/wk at Cesse. AC says to board I want you to get nr that figure.
MA sees his oppertunity and says he will never pay that kind of money, sugests AC hands in trans req. AC being a young man, manipulated by Fat Disgusting Dogs AR$E says ok.
MA does back flips as he now has a fall guy and £35M in his back pocket.
The money will not be reinvested.
It will be interesting to see how much NUFC pay back MA from the interest free loans. I suppose this is the 1 advantage of NUFC releasing their figure so late.
doddsy
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Comment #31course he was welcome why did he travel down liverpool b4 a transfer was even agreed? then hand in a request when 2nd bid got rejected?
ashley if he really wanted to seel he wowuld have an you;s no he would have
NorseMag
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Comment #32Owner wants the cash for you.
BUT
Fans love you.
Players love you (maybe except Saylor)
Manager thinks you’re the future.
Do you feel unwanted?
shearermania
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Comment #33selling Andy for 35 mill is good business and i have no problem with that….what i do have a problem with is that there wasnt a replacement – that is unacceptable…and of course it wasnt planned like some bloggers suggest (the young kids with conspiracy theories) otherwise we wouldnt desperately trying to get the likes of crouch, zoggy in the last minutes.
biggest problem though is the constant lying and misleading information coming out from ashley and his puppets….i wish for once that someone stood up and spoke the truth…..ive come to terms with not being a top club – but would appreciate honesty fro the club i love….
macn0ble (Finland)
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Comment #34Calm down Ed.
Is Carroll better than David Villa or Karim Benzema? We just got 35 million. That is more then most of the teams get in 5 years. We robbed Liverpool! Now we just have to cope until the end of the season and who knows maybe Ranger will fill his boots.
We still have 4 strikers and 3 of them have scored in EPL. We need about 12 points to stay in the league, which should be easy task.
If this blows, cry during the summer, not just yet when we cannot analyse the effect.
jarra geordie
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Comment #35@ Markaccus Number 24 SSn saying Xisco gone back to Deportivo mate. think its just a loan tho
ginkoh
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Comment #36I’m just surprise you made this topic ED. You should know we can’t win anything since last 2 season.
jarra geordie
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:50 AM
Comment #37sorry Norsemag 23
Irish-Toon
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:50 AM
Comment #38If Carool didn’t want to go he could have said no, there are a few others in our history the board have tried to get rid of, namely one A.Shearer. Fat Freddy tried to sell him eoff to Barca or Juve, but Sherarer said stick it
davybtoon
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:51 AM
Comment #39can i publicly apology to STEVEN TAYLOR bcoz he has never once handed in a transfer request even when transfer listed, do u get my point http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/pardew_breaks_silence_on_carroll_sale_1_2999676
doddsy
Feb 1, 2011 at 10:51 AM
Comment #40agree with sheareemania
if it was planed they would have had someone lined up to replace him straight away
players turned us down on ded line day
SWP
bednar
charlton cole
crouch
nzonbia
elmanda