Mike Ashley Has A Plan.... Apparently
I had never heard Derek Llambias speak before, but once he started he didn't stop as Newcastle managing director and the man in charge of the day-to-day running of the club attempted to relaunch Mike Ashley's regime.
Whatever you think about his answers - and I'm sure there will be some of you who are annoyed by some of them - you cannot accuse him of ducking any questions or any of the key issues.
There was only one question he did not answer in a two hour interview: "If Mike Ashley cares so much about the club why didn't he sack Wise and re-appoint Kevin Keegan?" The excuse? The impending industrial tribunal between the club and Keegan over his dismissal.
The Chronicle has run the first question and answer related articles today, but the Journal has devoted six pages to it on Wednesday with more revelations and plenty of analysis and comment on what has been said.
The key points so far are
- They are sorry for the mistakes they have made and apologise for the lack of communication with fans over the last nine troubled months.
- Denied treating fans with contempt, but admitted they could see why people felt that way
- Have a business plan in place that they believe will mean Newcastle are capable of challenging for a Champions League place again in five years.
- They did not want Keegan to leave
- Club is back on track financially after serious problems caused by excesses of previous regime
- Dennis Wise will remain as part of a continental management structure
- Money will be spent in the summer on transfers, including re-investment of fees for James Milner, Charles N'Zogbia and Shay Given
As for the rest, read tomorrow and Thursday's Journal. There is plenty more to come, trust me! We will also be putting a full list of the questions asked online so you can check that no easy ride was given.
In the meantime please let me know what you think of it all here.
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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.
Those empty seats are going to multiply, we aren’t the mugs he takes us for! That wasn’t a dream you could give away free never mind sell!
hi Luke.
Some of what he said does explain a lot, like the financial situation, but like I also said on Lee's blog, he has not answered the question about what Dennis Wise does exactly.
A Director of Football's role is open to interpretation because it is down to the relationship with him and the manager. What exactly is the structure? This is a potential stumbling block for many a manager because of what happened with Keegan.
Looking forward to the second installment but there is a long way to go for him to earn trust, and actions speak louder than words so will see in the summer, if we survive this league, although it is a start.
These people are running an institution which thousands of us care about sincerely, and their best excuses for the current appalling state of affairs are naivety, uncontrollable events, and (tacitly) an awkward Kevin Keegan...not good enough. Not even close.
The tone of the answers remains guarded (confrontational?). Regardless of the content of the interviews, this would seem to speak of a continuing sense among the management team that they are pushing against the tide.
Forget booting Wise/Ashley/JFK out; why aren't we demanding that someone with experience and understanding of running a football club be brought in?
Frankly I can see a lot of good in the response. I think we, as supporters, don't fully understand the immense turmoil our club was in financially under Shepherd. We were promised so much by Shepherd and still didn't win anything. OK they got us up there challenging temporarily, but in the end it would of turned us into the next Leeds United. I now feel we have owners with a more pragmatic approach, a level head so to speak, and this has to be given a chance. With regards to Keegan, of course they can't comment, it still has to go to court, but I'm sure this will all come out in the wash (I personally think Keegan should never of come back and I'm not the only one with that opinion). I can understand the role of Dennis Wise, and I think so do the majority of level headed supporters, what's so difficult to understand? Let's stop the griping and get behind the board for the sake of our beloved club. Let's work with them instead of fighting against them and help bring our club back from the brink of disaster and forward into a bright new future.
Can we sack Wise, bring in louis Van Gal and give JFK Wise's job (Wise is just not experienced enough!!) when hes out of hospital..
Its about time lines of communication were opened up, its a step in the right direction
I feel that mike and the team can push things forward, although this does not include kinnear, we need a better manager.
people always talk about what wise does, and what i have seen is he has brought in a lot of youth talent to the club. Im sure we must be in the double figures for the amount of 19yr olds brought in, this is a good thing. we need to have young players brought in for two reason's; one because its cheaper and if they can beome great players then we have something to build on. Secondly if they are good but not of a standard for us then we can sell them for profit!
In terms of the type of players brought in Nolan, and taylor these were great signings, players with premier league experience and consistant performers. We need to look at what everton do with the players they bring in from lower division and smaller prem teams, exceptional. Once that base is formed then we can add 2 or 3 top class players in to push to the next level. (we dont have that ability to sign 30mil type players anymore, financially or the appeal) Financial stability is key right now as the bubble is going to go pop!
The position we are in now means that we must take it in steps to get back to challenging for honours, its not going to happen straight away!
I can understand the frustration and anger of many of the bloggers here and in the Chronicle, but what they don't seem to realise is that the job of local press is to report local events, not attack people, like the scurrilous 'redtop gutter press' we've all learned to hate up here. We provided the questions, you handed them on and Llambias gave answers. Not very satisfying for us all, but what else can you do? We've just bought 3 good premiership-proven players who've immediately slotted comfortably into the team and dressing room, and there is a slight air of relief among fans that I know. Okay, what Ashley and co did as 'totally naive' operators of a massive football club caused a lot of grief to us all. He's admitted that and apologised. He's now promised publicly, in writing, that he intends to buy in summer and try to make this club what we all want. That, only time will tell. So what now toon army? We can all only resolve to do what's in our own hearts and minds. Whether to stay angry and boycott matches, not renew season tickets and go on pointless demonstrations or what? Because now that he's made his official statement, the big demo next week is of no value. What can we shout for, the M.D.'s resignation, sell the club, Wise out? That's not going to happenn now. He's resigned himself to staying because of the economic climate, and try again from square one. We've forced this out of him at least and I think he's got no other option but to get stuck into the job proper. So it's up to each supporter to either cancel direct debits, cancel renewals, boycott next season, don't buy pies, beer and programs anymore ( which I have stuck to until now ), or give him until summer and see what he comes up with. Don't worry about renewing on the final date, just wait 'til you see if what he promised about transfers materializes. If it does, then rush to the ticket office, I doubt they'll be sold out anyway. If this is a clever piece of gamesmanship to buy time, then you've got to hand it to the guy that he's a damned good chess player. He has just negated the NUSC protest gathering for the Everton game. Me, I choose to give him his LAST benefit of doubt because I don't think he's got any option financially but to make this business work. It's the only business these days that has a guaranteed good cash-flow, 52,000 paying customers, IF THE SIDE ARE WORTH PAYING TO SEE!
So the only question he ducked was the one regarding the reasoning behind keeping Dennis Wise on board rather than appeasing the fans?
So far it would appear he also ducked the question regarding the 3 year season tickets and what happens to those people who wish to terminate the deal now that the situation is a million miles from that advertised. Obviously there are questions surrounding the people who pay by driect debit; however would the club really pursue them if they cancelled? What happens if you paid upfront?
Hey Luke, the comments on here are pretty well tempered compared to Lee's on the Chron. They pretty much ripped his throat out for not giving Llambias a 'Gestapo style' interrogation with the light in his face in a dark room, and two thugs with dental pliers. Lee must have gone home last night and got bladdered poor sod. Anyway, I think you've both done a great job in opening doors of information for us all regarding our club. Give my regards to your gorgeous Geordie redhead.
Perhaps the people who signed up for the 3 year deal should have thought it through first, if you're only going to support the club through the good times but want to jump ship when we struggle then a 3 year deal isn't the est thing for you.
The clubs finances have been in a mess for years and while Ashley can come in and cover the £100m debt getting the wage bill down and generating fresh cash will take longer.
I'll be there next season whoever is in charge and when it does pick up and the part timers come back I'll see how many of them sing about being the "loyalist football supporters" with a straight face.
"The promise to talk regularly to The Journal and our sister paper, the Evening Chronicle, so that issues can be raised and concerns answered, is absolutely vital if the Ashley regime is going to have any chance of convincing a still sceptical support."
What an over inflated opinion you have of yourselves. After your editors and partner in crime (less so luke) have managed to make such a mess this interview DO YOU SERIOSLY EXPECT US TO BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU PRINT? National press for me thanks. Not two tin pot club PR rags!
Good luck with that Duncan, I hope you are very happy in the future. Bet you come back though!
So they are going to spend money in the summer.
My advice- doin,t by your season ticket until after the transfer window closes.
You know as well as I do that there will be lots of promises concerning star players, with attempts (HA!) made to sign them just before the window closes, if you believe that. Followed by Mike Ashley pocketing another £10M after selling any experienced player he can
So Ashley has got a plan for next season has he, well so have I. If we have another season like this one, it will be my last.
Firstly, well done to the Evening Chronicle/Journal and fan pressure groups for eventually get some reaction from the inert elusive aloof Newcastle Board. Let's be clear, this is minimalist reactive management - we are 'making do' with inept individuals and that includes the tactically incompetent JFK. The response by the Board is simply due to the lack of the club's sale and a realisation that they are responsible, accountable, but clueless. It still feels 'temporary' since KK was forced out even this far on. Inexplicably we still have Wise and a club with no strategic vision, structure or credibility backed up with tangible action to keep fans on board.
I wake up and its there festering in the corner each day waiting to be solved. Errr exactly what business are you in?
So season tickets will be reduced next season? Why not start with a refund for THIS season?
'We were tactically naive' was the call? You still are - that's the problem.
The time is right to install a propoer manager, and all the rest that follows.
I would love it, just love it if we got a mananger for the last 10 games of the season who did what KK did all those years ago. Bring back some real passion and heart.
Act, don't react, and fix it fast. Sell it or sort it.