The four players who left Newcastle last year have not done particularly well at their new clubs.
Demba Ba – may not want to leave Newcastle
Joey Barton is struggling to stay in the Premier League with QPR, Kevin Nolan is struggling with West Ham to nail down an automatic promotion place, and the Hammers are now 4 points behind second placed Reading, who are in sizzling form and beat them 4-2 at Upton Park last Saturday.
And we saw yesterday that Andy Carroll and Jose Enrique are having their own difficulties at “top club” Liverpool, and the Reds have lost six of their last seven league games – and Newcastle smashed them 2-0 on Sunday afternoon and were the better side.
And on talkSport yesterday, Alan Pardew has made the point that the grass is not always greener for our players at other “big” clubs:
“At the moment everyone wants to play for Newcastle,” “We’ve got players who are genuinely happy.” “There’s a lesson to be learnt with Jose Enrique and Andy Carroll, sometimes the grass isn’t always greener.”
“When things are well and there’s a nice environment why would you want to leave?” “There’s investment in the squad, hopefully my players will look at that during the summer and use that as an example.”
“Mike Ashley has proved that he’s a difficult seller and I know that.” “There are no nasty songs about him going round the ground anymore, I think the fans appreciate he’s got the club in good shape, our wage bill is half of Liverpool’s.”
“We’re in really good shape and it’s not like we really need to bring in a load of cash.”
Newcastle fans will again need to endure stories of some of our top players possibly leaving the club in the summer.
Mike Ashley keeps telling Alan Pardew regularly that he is a difficult seller, and that means he will want ridiculous money before he will sell any of his top players.
That reminds me – who do Liverpool want in the summer?
And Newcastle do not need the money as they once did, when for example when we sold Andy Carroll, and that’s especially true if Newcastle qualify for the Europa League next season, with all the extra money the club will earn.
If we finish in 6th place this May, that’s six places better than we finished in the league last year, and with a place worth around £800K, Newcastle could make an extra £4.8M in position placement money this season.
And with the experiences of Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton and Jose Enrique serving as a possible warning, maybe our top stars like Demba Ba will just not want to leave Newcastle.
That would be a big boost for Newcastle in the summer.
Comments welcome.
30 comments so far
UpTheRoad
Apr 3, 2012 at 12:21 AM
Comment #1In the beginning was the Perch, the Perch was with God and the perch was God. In the old testament, Cisse recieved messages from God telling him to lead the geordies into the promised land, Europe. Demba Ba was sent before Jesus to prepare the way. Perchinho sent his son, Hatem to deliver miracles unto thee St James Park faithful. He then annointed Cheick of Tiote to be the head of his church and a man who was a sinner to write letters to other poor churches such as Anfield. That man was Coloccini. Go now and spread the word.
Tsunki
Apr 3, 2012 at 12:39 AM
Comment #2They should put up a motivational poster in the dressing room with a nice caption like ‘Ambition – not all it’s cracked up to be’ with a picture of Jose in Reina’s shirt.
Liverpool is proof positive that wasting good money on good players and paying high wages does not a good team make. You can’t actually buy that, you have to instil the right mentality.
Those players with ‘ambition’ have found that they really meant ‘greed’ and that it rarely leads to the success they hoped for. and if justice is continued to be served, it will continue that way. We have moved on – so long, and thanks for the championship season.
Baro
Apr 3, 2012 at 12:43 AM
Comment #3A dream lineup right here….
Krul
Santon—-Staylor—-Colo—-Pieters
———Tiote——–Cabaye——–
—————Kagawa————–
Ben Arfa————————Ba
—————-Papisto—————
but we still can do this…..
Krul
Santon—-Staylor—-Colo—-Pieters
———Tiote——–Cabaye——–
—————Vuckic—————
Ben Arfa————————Ba
—————-Papisto—————
MacToon
Apr 3, 2012 at 12:52 AM
Comment #4“There are no nasty songs about him going round the ground anymore”
Come on keep it real, anyone who stood and showed their disaproval were shown the door. The singing section disbanded and if they continued their vocal support in their new seats they were again more than likely shown the door.
£35 million reinvested in the team? WHERE? keep it real please. OV, very childish and bullying the blog, chasing good posters like Geoff777 away. It’s no good.
We’ve had a fantastic season but you “fans” who are claiming you knew it all don’t even realise you can be the fickle fans you so often whine about.
OV, any of you actually live in Newcastle?
St James’ Park, always has been always will be! #reclaimthename
GeordieToon89
Apr 3, 2012 at 12:52 AM
Comment #5Just checked and Tiote is 1 booking away from a ban!
BringBackTav
Apr 3, 2012 at 1:04 AM
Comment #6@GeordieToon89- Do you know when does the card count reset?
RonVanDam
Apr 3, 2012 at 1:10 AM
Comment #7Well first of all, i would like to thank Carroll for getting us 35m so we could buy players and pay wages for to improve our squad and to get our training facility in order and training ground fixed with underground heating. Just from 1 sale we were able to do so much
shearerno9
Apr 3, 2012 at 1:14 AM
Comment #8I honestly think that during the summer it will be a case of players thinking its going well here and anything seems possible with the right players in place….
I expect 2-4 players to leave, possibly best, lovenkrands, guthrie (id like him to stay) and simpson. I can see these players being replaced with genuine quality though. I have a feeling ba might go to psg but i dont think he will move elsewhere in the prem – hopefully anyways.
Its feeling quite good to be a newcastle fan again, no more back page stories for non footballing reasons and players are genuinely enjoying their footy here, long may it continue… humble pie is now being served in the ground as a half time snack 😉
out of toon
Apr 3, 2012 at 1:20 AM
Comment #9Can anyone explain the confusion surrounding european qualification at the end of this season – as i’ve been led to believe the top four are shuttled to the champs league, fifth and sixth go to europa league and there is a third spot for europa league for the finalist’s of the FA Cup or seventh in the league (depending who has already qualified etc).
On Sunday, the commentators mentioned otherwise. They stated that the top four go to champions league and that fifth is the only league spot guaranteed to qualify for europa league. The second spot to qualify for europa will be either the finalists from the FA Cup or sixth in the league (depending who has already qualified for europe). If this is the case, it seems we need fifth spot. Not a problem with our recent form, but i just want some clarification. Can anyone help?
MacToon
Apr 3, 2012 at 1:20 AM
Comment #10Come on then RonVanDam, which players did we buy with the £35 million? If we payed wages from the £35 million then what did the ticket sale money, tv revenue money, corporate and merchandise money get spent on? Virgin Money got spent where?
Believe the spin if you like but Ashley’s sold and profited on over £80 million in player sales in 4 years.
This blog has stagnated, alot of people have disappeared and the blog has become poorer because of it.
6th, equal 5th is fantastic but it’s not the WHOLE picture!
MacToon
Apr 3, 2012 at 1:22 AM
Comment #11out of toon, if Liverpool beat Everton in the FA cup semi final we will be in Europe basically.
Trent Toon
Apr 3, 2012 at 1:42 AM
Comment #12@ UPTHEROAD
Brilliant Mate!!! HAHAHA
ImightBe Wrong
Apr 3, 2012 at 1:48 AM
Comment #13Are Cardiff in europe next season?
JP...from The Rock
Apr 3, 2012 at 2:00 AM
Comment #14Alan Pardew is right again and it should serve as a warning if it ever crosses one of our players minds-the grass ain’t always greener.
Pardew was also right about the fact that he thought we would have enough defensive cover in Willo and Perchy to see us through the end of the season. Obviously we tried to get more cover in but if there wasn’t proper quality that could convince Pardew and co that they could do a job here why waste the money. I am really pleased that Perchy has shone, grown in confidence and improves with each match. In the summer we will sign defenders as Pardew has already mentioned and I can’t wait to see what magic tricks the club has under it’s sleeve.
The Futures Bright the futures Black n White HWTL!
jimmyxavi
Apr 3, 2012 at 2:37 AM
Comment #15MacToon.. I’ve been a member of this blog for a long time now, I only ever post occasionally due to being scared off, not by the people you mention but by people like you!
Typical fickle fan that can’t just appreciate the fact that we are in a better shape financially than we have been in the last 20 years. They renamed the stadium not a nice move but the media, fans and players still call it St James’s Park, I’ve heard comments that suggest it makes us a laughing stock. This isn’t the case because other clubs, media and players are concentrating on the football we are playing and how we are developing a business model that not only offers financial stability but allows us to challenge the top 5 teams.
You ask where 35m can go, where the revenue is being spent? I’ll name just a few, Wages, not just players but all the staff NUFC employ, facilities(maintenance and development – The fact that the training ground now has under soil heating means the players can train in adverse weather conditions,helping keep form), travel to games, bills(those things you pay every month on your house but multiplied by a very large number)
You stated in a post that Ashley is making a profit. He is a business man, Newcastle United is an organisation. Do you work, if so would you give up your wage and pay your employer to let you work? No you wouldn’t.
Also do you think the players we had under Hougton’s reign would challenge for a Champions League place? Do you think Houghton would have lead the club to do this? I don’t, Carroll and Enrique’s club certainly aren’t.
I am proud to support Newcastle United, I am proud that internationals from France, Ivory Coast, Holland, Italy and Senegal want to play for us. I am Proud of the club as a whole and any other supporter should be..
To call yourself a supporter of Newcastle United you should support the whole club, if you don’t you are a follower of Newcastle, one that takes a mere interest.
gonufc
Apr 3, 2012 at 2:40 AM
Comment #16Heard Perch’s twitter comments on talksport earlier- embarrassing. He said he didn’t dive and there was contact then said “If i didn’t go down he might not have sent reina off”- that’s disgraceful and a seriously disheartening look at the attitudes of players.
I know everybody says there needs to be more punishment afterwards, which is of course needed, but what happened to people having any kind of personal integrity or pride?
And he was my man of the match.
jimmyxavi
Apr 3, 2012 at 2:44 AM
Comment #17Gonufc
Perch doesn’t have twitter! Ryan Taylor confirmed this earlier – It was a hoax account!
jimmyxavi
Apr 3, 2012 at 2:47 AM
Comment #18Ryan Taylor ? @TaylorR1984
“@StephNUFC: @taylorr1984 Perch doesn’t have twitter, right?” Perchino definately doesn’t have twitter guys.
MacToon
Apr 3, 2012 at 2:57 AM
Comment #19jimmyxavi, interesting comments and most I can understand and comprehend. I feel it’s a shame you cannot post for the likes of me, I say it as it is and as a Geordie, a patron of SJP for decades and from generations of Geordies. I too have been on this blog a long time.
Quote me where I have slagged a player off other than Smith, show me where I haven’t supported any manager we’ve had past or present.
I support this team 100% , I want this squad stengthened and able to compete with Europe’s finest. I’m not blind, I can see the benefits of having such an owner but I also see a bigger picture, St James’ Park is a huge part of our history cast aside by some without a second thought, that makes me sad.
I do not automatically believe what I am told
There are facts and figures that show the £35 million has not gone back into the squad. It is false when people say it has.
6th going on 5th is great.
Insinuate I am a “follower” and live in blissful ignorance like so many, I care less and less.
jimmyxavi
Apr 3, 2012 at 3:15 AM
Comment #20Mactoon
You mention that the facts and figures show that 35m has not gone into the squad.
I have some facts, solid lawful facts – It’s called the Newcastle United Limited accounts – You can view the breakdown of these accounts via the link http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2012/03/08/newcastle-united-reveal-annual-accounts-for-2010-11-72703-30490016/ or the official site http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20120308/newcastle-united-accounts_2281670_2640896
You stated ‘squad’ the club made 36.6m from sale of players year ending June 30th 2011. They spent 30.4m on players including relevant fees.
These are the facts.
I agree the name change has disregarded history but times change, clubs change – Arsenal moved from Highbury to The Emirates, Man City from Maine Road to City of Manchester stadium. The history can be maintained by us as the fans. I call it St James’s Park, all my mates call it St James’s Park.
the_besty_show
Apr 3, 2012 at 3:20 AM
Comment #21I think its about time we started giving ashley a little credit. Everything he does is unanimously scrutinised by all yet he stuck to his own guns and the club is in oustanding shape right now and we have had three very good seasons in a row.
Almost every decision he has made i have disagreed with like everyone else but there all starting to look like masterstrokes now, with the exception of the stadium name, which will bother different people different amounts (i personally think a names a name would rather have a financially secure club, but dont disagree with people who dont like it). Anything that goes wrong he gets blamed for but gets no credit when its going well, we cant be that narrow minded.
Also is it just me that rates simpson, he also gets zero credit yet he very seldom gets dominated, we are usually much weaker down the left, personally i have him starting every game.
MacToon
Apr 3, 2012 at 3:38 AM
Comment #22OK jimmyxavi, a little tale for you just from tonight and just to show what a shallow fan I am.
Attending a Fan’s meet at the Irish Club tonight, most of the meet became devoted to the case of NUWFC (Newcastle United Women’s FC) and more importantly their lack of funding and any kind of assistance from the club.
The women’s team obviously wish to be assosiated with Newcastle United and wear the black and white shirt. This must come with the new sponsor on the shirt, Virgin Money.They cannot therefor seek shirt sponsors unless they ditch the black and white. The club refuse to help, sponsor or support the team, they are about to be promoted to the womens premier league and with that comes strict criteria regarding stadium standards etc.
They now desperately need help for the upcoming season and finding it very difficult to find the money to meet the criteria. Their final game of the season is 15th April @ Coach Lane and would love as much support as possible, they are currently 11 points ahead in the league.
So one story, another, how about Ashley doesn’t want the olympics here because there’s no money in it for him, nothing to do with how good for the area it’ll be! We can thank SJH for signing the papers, one of the last things he did when owner.
There’s a bigger picture, 6th going on 5th is fantastic but not the be all, end all…………. post or not, I don’t care.
cupiddstunt
Apr 3, 2012 at 4:00 AM
Comment #23Jimmyxavi @ # 15
Well said there, mactoon to my memory is a bit of a negger and like so many that post on this blog regardless of how the team perform these posters look for the points they can complain about.
Like his comment about MA making £80 mil profit, which just goes to show how thick he is if he thinks MA makes any money on the club.
As for his comment about the “good posters like geoff777” Geoff the self proclaimed genius ( general acceptance that any iq over 140 is considered genius) spits the dummy out for not getting his own way, and to me as a cop out for not being able to reasonably counter argue his case for slagging AP.
He couldn’t win his case so left, on the other hand maybe the positive attitude was making him smile a little and it hurt his face so he left.
I personally think the blog is better for the reduction in negative posts.
Marcelinho_Bramble
Apr 3, 2012 at 4:02 AM
Comment #24Nolan – struggling in a West Ham team
Carroll – from a football player to a olympics diving team
Enrique- i still think he is that good
Barton- struggling in a club who is relegation battler !!!!
chris_g
Apr 3, 2012 at 4:09 AM
Comment #25“Can anyone explain the confusion surrounding european qualification at the end of this season…”
Try this article mate:
http://www.leazesterrace.com/the-complicated-road-to-europe/
redondo77
Apr 3, 2012 at 5:55 AM
Comment #26Liverpool bought AC for 35m scored 8 goals in all competition, played 35 games.
Papis was bought for 10m scored 7 in 7 games. Amazing!!
Even if we finished top 4, our players still won’t be picked for England squad. It’s a joke.
I take back everything bad I said to Perch, he has played incredibly well as utility player. I still have my doubt on Willo, he is definitely not comfortable on the ball.
This season we showed a lot of people that hard work and unity and also good quality players (not big name stars) can do well in this league, hopefully can also do well in Europe.
HBA is the new Ginola or may be the new Beardsley. I believe we will sign new players in the summer easily especially when we are in Europe and pay cash full at front. I hope we will sign Douglas, Honda (I doubt Kagawa will be sold by Dortmund), Pasquato, and Chissoko/ De Ceglie. As Sammy, Vuckic, Streete, Tav, Ferguson will be upgraded.
We will sell Ranger, Gosling, probably Best.
rettort
Apr 3, 2012 at 9:27 AM
Comment #27While some may criticise Perch , I look at Carroll had the ref seen that differently nufc would have been down to ten men for the majority of the game . Maybe Perch did make a meal of it but at least there was intent on a head but from the Liverpool goal keeper, sorry mate don’t know your name, krul had no such intent. So I see it as rough justice perhaps the wrong person got punished , but the team that had the striker that tried to make it easier by diving in the beginning lost a man for violent conduct and rightly so whether perch went down or not he had to go
MacToon
Apr 3, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Comment #28” Since the end of the financial year the club has spent a further £25m in cash on players and wages”
On players AND wages? why include wages? Wages now are roughly 60% of turnover, wages have always been calculated as % of turnover so why add it now to the figures of player’s bought/sold? Oh I see to make it look like more money has been spent from the Carroll money, very clever! Very misleading.
Cupidstunt, call me names big guy, neggar, stupid, you are such a hero. Have a read of this clever man:
“Although the overall profit of £32.6 million is a notable performance, it is evident that this is largely
due to the sale of Carroll. Excluding the £36.7 million profit on player sales, the club would have made
a loss of £4.1 million. Newcastle’s reliance on player sales is nothing new, as they have made £86 million
profits from this activity in the last four years, including £10.8 million in 2008 (mainly Kieron Dyer),
£23.4 million in 2009 (James Milner, Shay Given, Charles N’Zogbia and Emre) and £15.4 million in
2010 (Sebastien Bassong, Obafemi Martins and Damien Duff).”
Taken from the swissramble website and many facts and figures are there. You can also view the most recent accounts and see it all for yourself.
It’s easy to throw figures around and for people to believe what they are told, try thinking for yourselves.
cupiddstunt
Apr 3, 2012 at 1:27 PM
Comment #29Mactoon @ # 28
You are right it is easy to throw figures around just as you have done and it’s funny you have only listed the outs so only listed the sales i.e. profit a balance sheet has both ins and outs.
The club has been making a loss for years and I don’t know about you but in my eyes when a club makes 30 mil a year loss for let’s say three years then it has to make 30 mil a year profit for three years just to be at break even.
So couple that to the fact that MA has given the club interest free loans to clear its debt means he is losing 6 to 7 mil a year just on the lost interest.
Right add together the 6 to 7 mil a year lost profit and the club losses he has absorbed since taking over the club and please can you tell me again where MA is making a profit.
Your posts call you the names I am only putting them into text.
MacToon
Apr 3, 2012 at 3:58 PM
Comment #30You are a bit thick? No? You understand the word “profit” ? As in “as they have made £86 million
profits……”?
Have a look for yourself, all the info is there for you to see, believe the chronicle who have to publish “pro” club information for the fear that they too will get banned from SJP and not be able to attend press conferences etc. If they dare print anything but what the club want. Or trust in Toonsy and his copied/pasted blog for your information!
http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/
“mactoon to my memory is a bit of a negger”
That shows your level, I’d have thought someone who uses a Kenny Everett nick to have a little more savy but obviously not in your case.