Only At Newcastle United...
Testing, testing. 1-2-3. Ah yes that's better, after a few technical problems - namely a Bank Holiday Weekend and a few days off in the sunshine in Manchester - I'm back and ready to give my insight into the events of the last few days.
So where to start? Well I guess Kevin Keegan and his not so shocking (unless you want to cause mischief) statement that the Premier League has become too predictable.
As you will know (unless you're finding your way on to this site for the first time) I have long advocated such a view and it is far from controversial to suggest that the same four teams - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United - will once again be the favourites for all of the major honours again next season.
I suppose the controversy - if you can call it that - comes from the fact a manager of a so-called big club like Newcastle United should dare to share such an opinion. Is it defeatist? Should a manager with the ambitions of a club like Newcastle not believe he has the ability to break that Champions League monopoly?
Well I agree with Kevin. Newcastle are highly unlikely to break into the Champions League in the next three years. Look at the money, time and energy invested by Tottenham, Everton and Aston Villa to achieve that precise aim over the last few years and they have still not achieved it.
However, what they can do is close that gap considerably and start to exert some pressure on them, while competing in the cups as Carling Cup winners Tottenham have done. Kevin was being realistic, tempering ambitions ahead of the summer so that he is not putting himself or the players under undue pressure. I call that sensible.
Privately he may well still believe that Newcastle can break into the top four inside three years, but why come out with such bold predictions in public when, if you fail, you will only be criticised for supposedly under-achieving?
According to some reports on Thursday morning - ie The Sun and the Daily Mail, two papers who said Keegan was on the brink of the sack a few weeks ago (ahem) - Keegan has been summoned to London for a meeting with owner Mike Ashley to explain himself because the billionaire is furious etc etc.
Either that or he has been summoned to a meeting with Ashley to finally find out just how much money he is going to have to spend in the summer - something Keegan also said he wanted to find out during his anti-Big Four rant in the immediate aftermath of a 2-0 home defeat by Chelsea. Hence why chief scout (forget the fancy title because that is all he is) Dennis Wise will also be present.
I'm sure Ashley would like to talk to Keegan about what he said, as it's hardly what fans want to hear just before season ticket renewals land on doormats, however I doubt it amounts to a crisis or a disaster.
But if I were KK - and clearly I'm not - I'd stand my ground and suggest that, if Ashley wants to break the Big Four's stranglehold, he might want to put his hand in his pocket to finance a spending spree which will bring the necessary quality of player to St James's Park next season. That, after all, is what Roman Abramovich did to get Chelsea where they are today.
To put Keegan's comments into some sort of context, he wants to get as much money as possible out of the owner and his comments - although a typically emotional outburst from the man - were probably designed, to a certain extent, to put pressure on Ashley and chairman Chris Mort to come up with the goods.
They say they are ambitious, I guess Keegan wants them to prove it because, although the club's debt has been cleared by Ashley - no small matter when it was more than £100m - he has yet to flex his muscle in the transfer market.
Only in the world of Newcastle United could the club be in a "crisis" following the team's first defeat in eight games...
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Luke Edwards - is Chief Sports Writer of The Journal and uses his blog to give a unique and entertaining insight into events at Newcastle United and Sunderland.
It IS indeed London press being the proverbial story makers instead of Story writers.
We can do without their sort and they should be barred from St James Park. Let them write what they want, cos apart from The Journal, The Chronicle and the Sunday Sun, I don’t read any other papers,. . Well maybe those classy magazines that kids shuffle into their pockets and smuggle out of the newsagents, but we all do that don’t we?
Kevin can’t come out with his immortal line ‘Watch out Sir Alex, were after your title’ because he’s get laughed out of town by anyone, he knows that and 99.9% of Newcastle fans know that, so his comment are justified and accurate, if Mike Ashley thinks we can break into the top 4 next season, then he’s going to have to spend £200m to do it.
It’s simply not feasible, Top eight is, even fifth is a possibility, if some teams have a bad season and we have a good one, again quite feasible, but might not happen, so it’s only right Kevin calms the waters on the Tyne, before any hysteria breaks out.
There’s a common opinion that to break into the top 4 (Or for arguments sake say top 6) you have to go out and beat the teams in the top 6- NOT TRUE!
Lets look at the league next season- Teams to come up- West Brom, Stoke and lets say Hull (Cos it would be funny wouldn’t it?) You can’t tell me that Newcastle United with a strengthened squad, couldn’t beat them home and away amassing 18 points, that’s not a bad total after six games, remember we gave 4 points away to the ‘Save Derby County’ premiership fund.
Add games like Bolton, Boro’ Aston Villa, all at home where we should be rising above them and beating them, certainly at home and you come out with a reasonable tally, BEFORE you’ve even met the so called ‘Big Four’
I can’t speak for ALL Newcastle fans, but I would hope they would all agree, that it’s irrelevant what you do against the ‘Big Four’ ESPECIALLY away, as it’s what you do to the ‘little teams’ that gets you high up in the table, anything you get from the ‘Big Four’ EVEN at St James Park is a bonus and anything you get from them AWAY, is an excuse for a party in my book.
Even the ‘Big Four’ don’t expect to win at their rivals grounds, so we just have to concentrate on beating the rest and we are virtually assured of top 7 at least.
All in all, the Board can’t sack Kevin Keegan for his comments, Cue 52,000 fans swamping St James’ Park with sticks, stones and effigies and chasing the directors to Central Station and onto the nearest London bound train.
Remember, just for staying up, you get £30m minimum, so if Kevin wants the whole £30m, then I don’t think that’s too unreasonable, but I still think he should get a few quid extra, in todays climate, a few quid means about £15-20m by the way as it would look pretty stingy on the boards part to just spend the £30m you were guaranteed to get anyway.
If Mike Ashley REALLY thinks we can jump to the Top 4 straight away then fine, but he’s going to have to prove it with a lot of money- but save a few quid for a straight jacket while he’s on.
Consolidation has never been a word Kevin Keegan has ever used, but if we were to finish 5-8th next season, playing entertaining and not Spoiling football (Copyright Sam Allardyce) that would be determined as a success in my book.
Whatever happens- I Trust Kevin Keegan.
Paul.
Well said Luke! Do you get a cup for achieving fifth in the Premier League? that’s the top of the ‘other league’ within the Premier League, perhaps they should make one, a nice big shiny silver one, in the shape of cabbage!
The conspiratorial plot stewing like renegade coffee bean in the Cafetiere with a summer of Chinese whispers to look forward to, and the high pong of the press following the almighty gorgonzola’s pungent pontifications! Is this Ashley’s version of fun and excitement? Is it Ashleys raison d’etat to keep us strung up in perpetuity as the sweet and sour lame ducks of football, as his boyhood heroes the ‘mighty spuds’ regain their position amongst the ‘unattainable heights’ of the elite group? Something surreptitious to ponder, or perhaps not!
As the club announced its millionth supporter through the turnstiles, I wonder how many games it would take Chelsea to achieve the figure, but that doesn’t matter to an elite club, as this is the age of the brain, the dollar and a Knightsbridge nightclub..
The fist whiff of disharmony and the London media pounce, so isn’t it strange for kev to come out with such a disconsolate denunciation of his lot in life? Indeed the ‘pocket Odysseus’ utterances were upsetting for fans, but most seem to take an illogical view that Keegan's seemingly off-the-cuff downcast remarks should be taken literally! The politician that is ‘wor Kev’ is merely asking Ashley to ‘splash the cash’ via the medium of mime, dance, and Sky Sports, as he doesn’t have his phone number!
You would think that Kev would leave a note pinned to the windscreen wiper on Ashley’s Ford Capri Ghia though!
Note From Luke
My congratulations for brightening up my afternoon and easing my sunburn - I'm at the cricket in Manchester you see. Although I've long supported the Premier League is too boring argument, the Big Four will not be untouchable forever. What will happen to Arsenal when Wenger leaves? The same is true of Manchester United and Ferguson. As for Chelsea, Abramovich will not fund them forever. At the moment Newcastle are well behind them, but Sir Bobby broke the monopoly and steady improvement over the next three years should put the Magpies back in contention for a Champions League place.
Luke - I must say that the knee jerk reaction of some fans to demonise MA before the meeting with KK is wrong. Its verging on paranoia. MA is a hugely successful businessman. This means he is either extremely clever or extremely lucky. At board level I consider both an improvement to clueless.
Coupled with the fact that KK is nobodies yes man I'm actually confident that things will get sorted.
The ideal outcome ?
MA commits to give KK an appropriate pot of gold. KK walks away happy and doesn't tell anyone how much he's got.
Win win.
Note From Luke
Precisely Dave. I've spoken to a senior figure at SJP today and the meeting is to discuss nothing more than transfer budgets and potential targets! You heard it here first!
I've noticed that since Kevin's first comments on Monday afternoon, nobody has mentioned the point that without a decent transfer kitty, not only will we be unable to compete with the top four, but we'll also lose ground on the likes of Spurs, Villa, Man City & Everton who are chancing their arm to try and get into the top bracket.
I'll use Spurs as the example. They've spent the last few years buying up as much young talent as they can, and during the past year or so have taken that to the next level by adding the likes of Berbatov, Woodgate, now Modric and this morning I saw them linked with Samuel Eto'o for around £20-25m.
The first key to our long term growth is to re-establish ourselves as UEFA Cup regulars.
Personally, this is the extent of what I'm hoping for under Keegan during his three year contract. Now, I may be the optimistic Geordie, and I'm sure the supporters of any other clubs will immediately jump to that conclusion. But if you take a look at our form since Keegan sorted out the mess he inherited, a full season of that would see us looking in pretty good shape to do this even with the current squad. Add a few clever, well-priced signings to the squad and things would look even better.
Although world stars and marquee names would be nice, we could take our squad to the next level without spending the earth. We just have to be clever about how we do it, such as avoiding injury prone players and those with attitude problems and sticking with good solid performers.
The bottom line is that if we want to get into the top 6 next year, we'll need to spend something to keep up with the rest of the chasing pack.
It doesn't have to be £100m (although it would be nice!), but we do need to spend.
Note From Luke
Lots of money will need to be spent. Spurs have spent almost £100m on players and all they have to show for it is a Carling Cup!
Hi Luke --I was away for a couple of days break and almost had it ruined completely by the poison written in the national press over wor Kevs comments--Is every one in the national papers totally stupid ? or are they just trying to create further mayhem towards the Geordie nation ? What on earth was wrong with Kevs comments ? of course its not going to be easy to break into the top 4-and yes we would need major additions to the squad before we could even think about it. Kev was totally honest and sensible with his comments-any one who disagrees -ask them to name which 4 teams will finish in the top 4 next season- bet your bottom dollar the majority will name the same 4 teams and we and Kev know who they will be. We are all grateful to Mike Ashley for what he has done in clearing the club debts-but if he wants to go up a couple of ladders -hey only big money is going to do that-at least we have a manager who will not waste big money and sign proven players who want to play for the club. Things may not be that bad -Ameobi wherever he goes must go at a fee which benefits us -likewise London bound Charlie- must not be allowed to go on the cheap -we know the kid has talent -but if he goes then we must get a good fee. I must admit though I thought the circus days were over at Newcastle -seems like I was wrong. Hope there is no hidden agenda here and Kev is not going to be stitched up -if he is then world war three will erupt -we would not take it lying down-We trust Kev and always will-which is more than we can say for a few of the other you know who. If any thing happens to Kev then a lot of season tickets will not be renewed-Please take note Messrs Mort and Ashley Kevin Keegan walks on water as far as we are concerned-his return has ensured our safety and we know that he will never let us down. The last few premiership games have proved he can deliver just give him a fair crack of the whip. There is no point having a manager if he is not being supported -we always will and the rest of the hiarachy need to as well. The alternative does not bear thinking about.
While I agree with the honesty shown by KK, and sympathise with his frustrations, I dont really see the point of his rant. We all realise that it is unlikely Newcastle will break the stranglehold of the 'big 4' this year or even next. The problem is though that Newcastle (along with Spurs, Villa etc)try and fish in a pool where the players are after Champs league football. Keegans comments, I feel, will make it increasingly difficult to attract top quality players to SJP, and even retain the likes of Owen, Martins etc. Ashley has to appear prudent, if Mort announces that we have £50m to spend it just inflates the price of everyone we go after. Dare I suggest that Keegan has made a major mistake?
maybe, just maybe mike ashley wants newcastle to follow the arsenal example and procure young players who have the potential to improve. this would be a good thing.if that is wises job fine ,but he has no future as a toon manager. like you i believe the london press is,as always, making more than is necessary about todays meeting.
Note From Luke
They normally do!
Holidays again Luke? You've got a better job than a poliss on a bike ( get interpretation from local lad Lee Ryder ). Sadly for a brief moment, because of the local press' hysteria, radio newcastle etc. and tyne-tees t.v., my circuit board fried. I related a dream I had to the chron about a conspiracy touched on by the mercurial Commulus, hope it didn't start any trends of paranoia in the ranks. I haven't heard it from anyone else, I really came up with the dark thought personally and plagiarism is something I haven't been accused of since writing ' Home Newcastle ' by Linda's farm fans. I'm on tablets anyway. Right, reality, with a reasonable bit of expenditure and Kev's magic, we can win all of our home games against those outside of the top four, even some against the top 4. Didn't we beat Man.U. 5 nowt, Liverpool 3 nowt, Arsenal....something, and always Chelsea. Huw man, they're just human and KK CAN build a great side from nothing, he's been doing it all his managerial life. Us, Fulham, City...okay he didn't finish the job at these places because of various reasons wrongfully attributed by national press as bottling it, but he CAN do it again with the right backing. I remember going to every home game expecting to win and being surprised if we drew or lost under Keegan. This buzz has returned and the fans are happy again, even after Chelsea we were happy in the knowledge that it won't be long til we're beating them again. I'm disappointed that I briefly lost my cool and faith in wor Napoleon's strategy, who's comments were deliberately planned to draw MA out. What a genius! He knows that he's unsackable now and the fire in his belly has lit the whole of Geordieland up. If he was sacked, there would be NO season tickets bought next term, or the sound of ratcheting turnstiles. All in all, Mike Ashley and Wor Kev are a match made in heaven if Ash's motives for buying the club are genuine. Kev simply could go no further with NUFC last time because of unseen boardroom interferences which forced him out of the club he loved like his own child. So big Mike, play the game like you promised, and Keegan will deliver. Most importantly, the real power behind this club, the fans will deliver, and everyone will be happy. I trust Keegan too Paul.
Note From Luke
Not a holiday, but a little jaunt to follow Durham. Who were bowled out for 90 runs in their second innings and were pretty dreadful throughout the game with the bat!
Just waiting to find out whether Keegan and Ashley have kissed and made up so the club can finally get round to signing some players.
Only at Newcastle...true! But I really wish it wasnt true but alas, even people need to supply the bread on the table...
Who ever who said Newcastle have never won a trophy award these days are insane, at least in the media point of view that is...Newcastle have been winning awards all over the world if you ask me...Trophies which, of course, never needed but still, a trophy's a trophy...
Newcastle have won the previous few trophy awards from 1969 till now...Official results from news media:
1. Best fiction ever to be made using the same name...
2. Best comedy ever seen in premier league history (Still reigning champions)
3. Most related stories
4. Best 'scapegoat' ever to be found, defending champions, finishing higher than Jews were to Nazis...
The problem is the media always need something to write about so why not Newcastle? After all, since KK been coming back they been ranting about why KK is not suitable, why KK will be sacked next season, how KK will lose his pants on the ground when training...etc,etc...
To be quite honest, Ashley is quite innocent in this little rant. All he asked was for KK to meet him personally next morning and then...BOOM! EXTRA!EXTRA! Newcastle sacking manager...
They talked about Ashley's losing in the stock market, him winning 1.3M in gambling, him being bankrupted, and him wanting to sell Newcastle United, him appointing Wise as director and now? Him sacking KK and placing Wise as manager...Where the hell they get this stuff anyway? You'd think journalist and reporters crowd around St. James park just to see the real truth then warping it into news fit to laugh.
Honestly, next maybe they'll be saying the toon fans beats up Alan Smith after Everton win with Smith scoring...against his own team...
Roman Abramovich bankrolled as massive spending spree where they signed players such as;
Hernan Crespo £16.8m
Joe Cole £6m (bargain!)
Damien Duff £17m
Juan Seba Veron £15m was it?
Glen Johnson £6m
Wayne Bridge £7m
and a few others...
that got them 2nd I believe, why Ashley just cant go "Right, I want top 4, lets spend £100-£150m over the Summer and January Window and try and push Liverpool, (a club thats ready to fall back easily) out the big four."
The big question is, who do we need, who do we want, who could we even get?
Id sign a back up left back, back up right back, 1 centre back of high quality, a holding midfielder, a couple of wingers, a creative midfielder, and now the Duke is out, 2 strikers...
I dont like to name names of players anymore, as its always changing, but we need some real, consistent, quality players.
Holidays again Luke? You've got a better job than a poliss on a bike ( get interpretation from local lad Lee Ryder ). Sadly for a brief moment, because of the local press' hysteria, radio newcastle etc. and tyne-tees t.v., my circuit board fried. I related a dream I had to the chron about a conspiracy touched on by the mercurial Commulus, hope it didn't start any trends of paranoia in the ranks. I haven't heard it from anyone else, I really came up with the dark thought personally and plagiarism is something I haven't been accused of since writing ' Home Newcastle ' by Linda's farm fans. I'm on tablets anyway. Right, reality, with a reasonable bit of expenditure and Kev's magic, we can easily win all of our home games against those outside of the top four, even some against the top 4. Didn't we beat Man.U. 5 nowt, Liverpool 3 nowt, Arsenal....something, and always Chelsea. Huw man, they're just human and KK CAN build a great side from nothing, he's been doing it all his managerial life. Us, Fulham, City...okay he didn't finish the job at these places because of various reasons wrongfully attributed by national press as bottling it, but he CAN do it again with the right backing. I remember going to every home game expecting to win and being surprised if we drew or lost under Keegan. This buzz has returned and the fans are happy again, even after Chelsea we were happy in the knowledge that it won't be long til we're beating them again. I'm disappointed that I briefly lost my cool and faith in wor Napoleon, who's comments were deliberately planned to draw MA out. What a genius! He knows that he's unsackable now and the fire in his belly has lit the whole of Geordieland up. If he was sacked, there would be NO season tickets bought next term, or the sound of ratcheting turnstiles. All in all, Mike Ashley and Wor Kev are a match made in heaven if Ash's motives for buying the club are genuine. Kev simply could go no further with NUFC last time because of unseen boardroom interferences which forced him out of the club he loved like his own child. So big Mike, play the game like you promised, and Keegan will deliver. Most importantly, the real power behind this club, the fans will deliver, and everyone will be happy. I trust Keegan too Paul.
Aaaaah N'Zogbia is homesick, what a shame, probably earning in excess of 10 grand a week he is missing home. At 21 I was earning £3.65 I was in Aden and did not dare tell the Sargent Major I was homesick. Lee you say you can understand the situation, my God send him to Afganestan with the squaddies and tell them he is bloody homesick. Spoiled brat.
Keegan was so relaxed about the " London meeting " that maybe, maybe the whole thing was leaked to the press on purpose knowing how they'd perceive it. Mike Ashley has a very mischievous smile on his face equalled only by the Mona Lisa, and being a ' young ' lad, and loaded probably loves a practical joke of national proportions. KK never displayed a hint of anxiety to us all, and the desired result, if so, was huge. I noticed that the meeting was in an office in FLEET STREET where Chris Mort reportedly works, sometimes. Well, was the joke on all those mugs who buy their papers? Headlines like GROVEL, HE'LL WALK AGAIN or CANING would've been impossible to resist for every footie fan in the U.K. It was certainly a sales success for Fleet Street. So, mission accomplished for KK either way and probably a huge war chest which shall remain undisclosed. These people have caused me and countless others to suffer bipolar, does Ash have mates in the pharmaceutical industry? Anyway, the recent stutters of Liverpool and Arsenal prove that the big 4 can be breached, especially if you have the most mercurially talented manager and the most passionate fans. I only hope that we get similarly disposed players in, in the mold of Ginola , Asprilla etc., people lik Gattuso, Moutinho, Berbatov and Crouch....yes Crouch. He's a great target man who can hold the ball up, score spectacular multi-angled goals with his feet and head. Imagine how KK would develop him with regular first team appearances. Gattuso would love it here, instantly sainted, he'd become Gazza, Batty, Butt, Roy Keane rolled into one wow. Him and Moutiho would rule midfield for a thousand years. Berbatov, the Geordie-lover, is for me a clone of Magique-Ginola. Now those guys in a Keegan team playing his brand of football would scare the big 4 to death. I'm happy again today, AAAaaahhh.
for mcgee read ashley did he take sheppards comments literally about geordies,, now ashley is looking like a joker and the lack of ambition shown by all at st james' is bring tears to my eyes as he wants to make a profit from people who will never earn as much as he makes in one week.
so get ready toonarmy- the jokes on us at ashleys expense and i cant wait to laugh at ourselves
we need someone in the beardsley mold, and i believe the 3 amigo's can find him.
Ronnie Lambert states 4 players newcastle need. but i think we can't get another viana. KK must be wise,
Ruud van nistelrooy would be good striker although he is old he still has an eye for goal. Can't be worse than sick note viduka who lasts 60 minutes of quality football.
Back to beardsley we need someone with tricks and with pace look at villa. all their attacks have pace.