Week 2 of Relegation
By: j |
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Week two of relegation purgatory started with of-course Mike Ashley’s rather public announcement that he was targeting a quick-sale of the club for £100m. Unfortunately prior to the rather obvious strategic use of the media, banking groups considered to orchestrate the sale, Seymour Pierce and NM Rothschild hadn’t informed the owner that his asking price is roughly £10-20m over the best valuation and in the summer of 2009 investment opportunities of faltering sports teams with massive payrolls are not very attractive. That warm piece of information aside the real problem that is looming large for Newcastle is the £40m working-capital facility from Barclays Bank that Newcastle uses to manage operations is under review by the financial institution. While Mike Ashley has requested the facility be extended, Newcastle will need to satisfy some very difficult financial tests to have it extended including having a positive transfer cash flow. All this spells out further problems for the Magpies as not only is a move to retain Alan Shearer as manager delayed but plans for the upcoming campaign are well on the back-burner.
The first step in solving this problem is for the present owner to sit down and listen to a financial management team as they go through a possible acquisition. His announcement of yearning for a “quick sale” and the public knowledge has done little to assist the sale and I presume he is aware hitting the “panic button” will not garner you top price but instead attract more vultures to pick the last traces of flesh. Secondly internal financing is necessary, albeit a difficult one to digest for Mike Ashley, as they go through the crucial third step; selling off unwanted players to reduce salary concerns by roughly fifty per-cent. The most challenging decision will be the need for strategic sales in order to raise funds with notable players such as Oba Martins and Sébastien Bassong possibly involved. This final point will depend on the second point and should be avoided if possible.
Once this abbreviated action plan is instituted, the more typical plan, including hiring of Alan Shearer can turn towards more traditional Football related matters.
After considerable thought this will serve as my final post on the this blog. If you care to apply for this blog please contact Daryl with The Offside (click here) after reviewing the guidelines at www.theoffside.com/bloggers.
Category: Team News
Day 6 of Relegation
By: j | 2 Comments
Day six of the Newcastle’s new world of relegation starts a great deal more sobering. I have tempered my venom quite a bit, typed, edited and re-typed but still my anger spills over so please excuse me. While mulling over a list of players salaries amassing £887k per week, the club eliminated 120 administrative positions today.
I apologize if this insults Football fans but there isn’t a single player anywhere that can ease the sorrow of a family when a member loses their job. I care little of the little darlings who make more than the average annual salary of their fans each week, regardless of their ability on the pitch when men and women lose their jobs. I’ve never felt comfortable how the upper tiers of modern Football have escalated salaries to the extent that there is no commonalty with their many fans and this cuts like a razor through the community. The economic downturn in the area has been a painful one but this strikes hard and should any player, one single player debate why he shouldn’t take a massive pay cut, I suggest they visit the families who will have difficulty putting food before their loved ones.
As management considers the salary list, including players they want to keep on the squad, they need to remember the families who know face a more challenging financial future. This isn’t the responsibility of a Football team but a corporate citizen and respecting the many lives they impact. That being said, any player who isn’t willing to accept a notable cut in wages to help people get back to work will never be respected in my books of account.
Category: Team NewsDay 5 of Relegation
By: j | Add Comments
Day 5 of the post-relegation nightmare opens with the Newcastle needing to begin trimming the fat from the bloated payroll whilst trying raise much needed funds. That is easier said then done and will require a stern series of hatchet man decisions and likely a number of concessions that the club will need to make. Reviewing the present salary budget, with asterisks marking free-agents, the following list represents a stunning £887k per-week salary budget:
Michael Owen, £115k*
Mark Viduka, £80k*
Oba Martin, £72k
Joey Barton, £65k
Fabricio Coloccini, £60k
Geremi, £60k*
Alan Smith, £60k
Habib Beye, £50k
Nicky Butt, £50k
Damien Duff, £50*
José Enrique, £50k
Jonás Gutiérrez, £50k
Xisco, £40k
Ignacio González, £40k
Kevin Nolan £40k
With owner Mike Ashley’s fortune plummeting the liklihood of a further capital investment seems to be a trying decision. While it is entirely possible that he may choose to make a limited investment, partially financed by his recent £4.7m sale JJB Sports shares, the bigger problem is off-loading many of these and it is entirely possibly the a number of fine performers (i.e. Kevin Nolan, Nicky Butt and Damien Duff) will be victims of the fire-sale needs. This equally assumes that other clubs are willing to accept over-paid players into their squad and undoubtedly Newcastle will need to make a series of concessions. Naturally standing out in the group is Oba Martins who was by far the most dependable striker during the campaign and the club will consider whether it can retain him outright in the promotion fight, need to sell off to bring in funds or loan out. However with so little transfer revenue derived sales, it is entirely possible the Nigerian international has played his final match at St James Park.
This leaves a problematic mix because even assuming they can cleanup wage expenses and that is a very big assumption, they still haven’t raised sufficient funds and made need to sell talented younger players such as Sébastien Bassong to finance purchases.
Within the early stages of Newcastle adjusting to the Championship, I will be looking regularly at the steps needed to right the ship and move back to the Premier League. Please feel free to add your comments on the salary list.
Category: Team NewsDay 4 of Relegation
By: j | 3 Comments
It is only four days since Newcastle went down the dark and lonely streets of relegation to the Championship. While much of the public sat oblivious to repercussions during the campaign and for that matter sat on their hands in protest during a number of engagements at St James’ Park, only now is the impact being discussed openly.
The club is victim of massive mismanagement and gross under capitalization. However Newcastle’s tumble to the Championship is not a simple open and shout case where rebound promotion is guaranteed and far beyond recent situations such as Charlton Athletic and Leeds as it within an entirely different world economic climate. Far beyond the first moment back on the pitch, Newcastle needs to desperately trim what is one highest salaries budgets in the Premier to Championship revenue streams. This will require putting more than a dozen players on the auction block in an effort to sever upwards of £40m from annual budget while targeting £30m plus in transfer revenue. Unfortunately given the worlds financial situation, it is a “buyers market” and whomever is leading Newcastle must deal with highly treacherous terrain. Regardless if there is a well financed “white knight” waiting in the horizon to make an offer on the club, one of the first steps is cleansing the roster and getting it in-line with the new cash flow.
Category: Team NewsNewcastle relegated to the Championship
By: j | 6 Comments
The pain of the 2008 / 2009 campaign for Newcastle supporters ended with the hellish drop the Championship following their 1-0 loss to Aston Villa. Decided with a unfortunate own goal by Damien Duff, the Magpies lacked the fire and venom need to succeed and will look back on the sad date in history with the knowledge that a draw would have saved them.
To review the match is a pointless stroll in the dark of night. Newcastle had few noteworthy opportunities to score and for the most part seemed not to understand the repercussions of lost. However the dye is now cast and Newcastle must now face a very difficult and murky road back up to the Premier League.
The challenges that they will face is a lengthy one, starting with plunging cash flows and asset value, coupled with salaries that need a mass overhaul. The solutions are not-so-simple as Newcastle has the mark as the first major club derailed by the worlds financial meltdown. In the coming days there will be much speculation on the value of “Newcastle, the Championship side” and while there will be public glaze in the positive from management, the financial issues the club will now face places them on the shakiest of ground. Despite well intended commentary from management regarding player changes and fire and brimstone speeches, the day-to-day grind of Football management, will now have to marry between the Premier League budget and a Championship revenue stream, while being significantly under-capitalized. This adds up to a series of difficult choices as Newcastle must now balance its budget within significantly tighter constraints and equally plan the quickest route possible to the Premier League or suffer the same fate as Charlton Athletic and Leeds.
Now more than ever Newcastle, the Toon Army must grow together and support the club with passion. The task is not an easy one but it must start with an undying support.
Category: Team Newsanother miracle needed from number 9
By: j | 4 Comments
Newcastle, long since past the crossroads, has its back against the wall it the ultimate of last gasp opportunities. A point behind Hull City, Newcastle travels to face Aston Villa with no room for error in the final match of the campaign as they try to avoid relegation. Defeat will end any chance of Alan Shearer’s side being cast into the Championship, possibly the first great victim of the economic woes that have befallen many. Despite the brave front, since the fall of 2008 Newcastle has been unable to effectively maneuver in the transfer market and quickly spiraled downward.
While the great hero Allan Shearer rode in to save the day, Newcastle needs one more great miracle from the number 9. Newcastle is far from a full side as Sébastien Bassong and Habib Beye are not available although Oba Martins, who awaits a date with the scalpel after the campaign, is likely to gut it once more.
However this is not the time or the place to discuss tactics or player availability. Newcastle is fighting for its life and now must rise up for a performance beyond their recent play with fire, venom and the spirit to defend the crest like Allan Shearer did he did every time he went forward for them.
Category: Team NewsNewcastle loses in another of Howard Webb’s poor calls
By: j | Add Comments
Newcastle’s hopes to avoid relegation took a dastardly turn as they fell 1-0 to Fulham at St James’ Park. The loss, in conjunction with Hull City’s draw to Aston Villa casts the Magpies into the relegation zone a point behind Phil Brown’s side. With this in-mind the Magpies are now forced to venture into next weeks encounter at Villa Park needing points and hopeful that Manchester United do not slip up in the final week of the campaign.
While the match was decided with Diomansy Kamara’s winning strike and Fulham ‘keeper Mark Schwarzer consistently thwarted the many Magpie efforts as if to give his former side Middlesbrough another chance to avoid the drop it will be remembered in a long line of Howard Webb’s dreadful calls. Additionally beyond the run of play, in-which Newcastle was not shy of intent or work-rate was the shockingly quiet grounds. In complete contrast to Monday evenings congregation, St James’ Park was far from “cauldron” and should Newcastle be dropped, those who attended need to ask why they sat on their hands and kept their voices quiet. With the clubs Premier League life on a razors edge, the lack of support was simply shameful.
As the match commenced, Newcastle showed strong initiative and at the quarter-hour came close and Kevin Nolan played Oba Martins through only to see his close range shop from the six-yard box careen off the post. Disaster struck for Newcastle six minutes prior the break as Danny Murphy played in Erik Nevland, who then squared to Kamara for a professional finish, although he certainly appeared in an offside position. Opportunities flourished as Newcastle came pouring back but still the match went to break with Fulham maintaining its lead via a brilliant defensive effort. However five minutes after the break the match the match appeared to be level as Mark Viduka powerfully headed-in a corner before referee Howard Webb pulled the goal back citing Kevin Nolan for a foul on Mark Schwarzer . The call was simply dreadful and further questions the referee’s ability to operate at this level and in this case it very well might play a part in Newcastle’s drop. On the hour Sébastien Bassong was shown a straight red for upending Kamara and Newcastle was forced to play a man down. Still they went forward but as the skies grew dark in a torrential downpour late attempts by Oba Martins and Nicky Butt were denied by Mark Schwarzer and the elusive goal could not be found.
There are many questions related to this match which naturally include Howard Webb’s refereeing decisions but more than all, where was the home support when needed the most? Newcastle’s future now resides in success at Villa Park next Sunday.
As we approach the final weekend, I would like to thank everyone who joined me during this year. It has been a joy and a distinct honour to provide insight into Newcastle. However at this stage I may not to be returning for next year and just wanted to make sure I have the opportunity to thank all readers before the final match.
Over the past year I have authored sixteen blogs on the site; Genoa, FC Porto, Fenerbahçe, Leeds, Manchester City, Monterrey, Newcastle, Paris Saint-Germain, PSV, Rangers, Russia, VfL Wolfsburg as well as World Cup blogs on Austria, Romania, Russia and Wales. Many have asked me how I could handle such a daunting task and in-truth it was easy given the great stories of these magnificent clubs and their supporters, all wrapped in this beautiful game.
Spending much of my adult life in this extraordinary sport I have had the pleasure to travel far and wide and with it, been blessed with the true lesson of the beautiful game. Locked within this simple round ball, with its curious bounces, twists and turns is a magic that breaks down boundaries and makes us a better people. Possibly it these graying temples that implores me to say this but for each of you who pass by this article, I thank you for stopping-by and pray for your happiness and the many blessings that this sport provides.
If you care to reach me via email please click here with the subject title “re Newcastle blogger” and the message will be forwarded in due course.
Category: Team NewsNewcastle v Fulham match preview
By: j | Add Comments
With Monday evenings triumphant victory over Middlesbrough at St James’ Park, Newcastle has edged itself out of the relegation zone, albeit with the narrowest of margins. Saturday afternoons affair with Fulham is very possibly the ultimate decider if Newcastle is to survive the relegation or be cast into the purgatory of the lower division.
While the media feeding frenzy in overdrive discussing over all things Newcastle, the task at hand is on the pitch. Issues concerning Michael Owen’s contract, Mark Viduka’s and a number of important issues, the “here and now” is the only thing important. Newcastle must show greater confidence defending than it against ‘Boro or Roy Hodgson’s side will slice and dice them apart. Despite being victorious against Middlesbrough, Newcastle rarely looked confident defending and each touch by Gareth Southgate’s in the final third exposed their weakness.
For the match Newcastle are without the services of José Enrique as well as Joey Barton who remains suspended by the club. Oba Martins and Alan Smith are highly questionable, further complicated Alan Shearer’s choices.
As it was on Monday the advantage of St. James’ voracious support could hold the balance of power. Saturday afternoon the flags will wave and every voice must rise in support of the Magpies.
Category: Team NewsNewcastle edges closer to safety
By: j | Add Comments
With their hopes and dreams packaged neatly in the hands of the incomparable number 9, Mr Alan Shearer rode into the storm and once again, the magic in the thirty-eight year-old heart shone through. Now six weeks into accepting the role to lead Newcastle away from the purgatory of relegation, Mr. Shearer’s side responded with a knock-down, drag-out 3-1 victory over Middlesbrough.
The die was cast before the match; lose and relegation is in the cards. Amongst the stars of Monday evening, tactics would be cast aside as each man would need to summon from his heart the spirit of relentless champion with the congregation of St James’ singing out in praise. Like a war horse ready for battle, Newcastle came out storming down the pitch ready to attack, attack, attack. Surging forward, Newcastle bristled the ‘Boro net early but at three minutes the visitors took the lead as Tuncay Şanlı’s effort was sent in via an unfortunate Habib Beye own-goal. Yet something had changed from prior matches because this time instead of the pall of defeat a deafening roar went up from the congregation as voices rang out in unison, attack, attack, attack. And so Newcastle did, channeling the courage of the legend and propelled large in-part by the work Mark Viduka damning injury and time. Six minutes later the match was knotted up as Danny Guthrie’s corner was headed in by Steven Taylor fearlessly surging into the box.
As the match waned on past the hour mark still deadlocked Mr Shearer didn’t hesitate with his next move. Three points was Newcastle’s tonight but it would not come to the faint of heart. Be bold and attack and after bringing in Peter Lövenkrands for Jonás Gutiérrez, he called upon Oba Martins for Michael Owen with twenty minutes remaining. Controversial to some, yet faith in the legend’s decision never waned as the Nigerian striker pushed aside the pain of an injury that waits the surgeon’s scalpel at seasons end and raced onto the pitch. Only a minute later he someone managed to stroke the ball into the net whilst falling via Mark Viduka’s provision and yes, Newcastle had the lead. The congregation at St James’ rang out in praise and the ground shook as Oba pushed aside his normal celebration and made a straight line towards Mr. Shearer. If there was concern of giving back the lead Peter Lövenkrands sealed it with four minutes remaining as he sent Kevin Nolan’s cross in.
The victory squeezes Newcastle out of the drop zone but the narrowest of margins and as the sun rose the next day the realization is that there is considerable work still to be done. Tough tests against Fulham and Aston Villa await and once again Newcastle will need to summon the strength that resides in the crest. It is neither given or easy work but through the heart and soul of what teems through the club now, it can be done.
Category: Team NewsOne last chance for Newcastle
By: j | 1 Comment
On Monday evening St James’ Park is the backdrop for Newcastle and Middlesbrough fight for Premier League survival. With both clubs locked in the final three points below Hull City a victory could provide them the needed spur in the “great escape”. To call the campaign “difficult” for both side is a terrible understatement to say the least. Few would have expected Newcastle’s fortune to have fallen so fast and the same should be said of ‘Boro, led by the superb young manager Gareth Southgate. However as these things often go, fortunes have turned and both clubs are faced with very dark days without a victory.
For Newcastle, the hazy lazy days of August brought a fine start to the campaign but as the clubs financial underpinnings began to shake the spiral down accelerated. The loss of James Milner to Aston Villa heralded the on-going problems and soon Kevin Keegan handed his resignation. A whirlwind of discontent followed, a near mutiny by supporters but all the while the simple fact that the club lacked the financial capabilities to make the needed moves sat at the root of the problem. While Joe Kinnear did a fine job resurrecting a bit of “fight” to the side, the sad truth was financial misfortune limited moves during the January transfer effectively, effectively forcing them to simply reshuffle the deck for the last half of the campaign. Time, this dreaded foe that awaits us all, played a nasty turn on Mr Kinnear and as heart grew weak it was time to adjourn his managerial role. Stumbling through the caretaker leadership of Chris Hughton, Newcastle made one last-ditch effort with hopes pinned on number 9 riding-in from the horizon to save the day.
It has been a rough ride for Mr. Shearer as he has learned that Newcastle’s cupboard is bare and as much as it pains me to say it, the grit and determination that teems through is claret with is a rare breed in today’s game. Now with three match-days remaining in the campaign, somehow the Magpies must dig within their hearts, play above themselves or should I say, summon up how number 9 did for over three-hundred times for Newcastle, lest they face relegation.
There are naturally ups and downs of this installment of the Tyne-Tees derby with players lost to injury and suspension but make no mistake, this is a battle that will be won on the measure of heart and soul. It is a battle where injuries must be shook off and every blade of grass is fought for and no ball left unchallenged as you fight for the honour of the crest. Sing out with pride today Toon Army, every voice must be heard.
Category: Team News
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