Ashley speaks

[Mifune]

I agree, Hanley for example signed a 5 year deal and helped us gain promotion so he's perfectly entitled to remain and fight for his place but also from Ashleys perspective if we sign 3 more players Rafa wants then that's around 5 players collecting wages that cant even be registered so he is entitled as well to say enough - sort this mess out first.

We did make some strange moves last season. Hanley being one of them seen as we had Lascelles, Mbemba and Clark who could all play CB, and Dummett as perfectly decent 4th choice CB if needed. Not sure that a 4th CB was required but hindsight is an exact science.

Rafa is a world class manager but he has always been very hit and miss with transfers. Even at Liverpool he made some strange decisions such as pretty much forcing Alonso out of the club because he wanted Barry.

[Remember Colo]

I'd hardly call football club ownership a minimal cost

It is the way he's running it

I'm sure from a money-making perspective he'd prefer to have spent several hundred million pounds on something more profitable and less dramatic.

[ALF]

I'd hardly call football club ownership a minimal cost

It is the way he's running it

You say that but if Colback is on £70k a week then it's definitely not minimal cost!

[Deleted User]

We did make some strange moves last season. Hanley being one of them seen as we had Lascelles, Mbemba and Clark who could all play CB, and Dummett as perfectly decent 4th choice CB if needed. Not sure that a 4th CB was required but hindsight is an exact science.

Rafa is a world class manager but he has always been very hit and miss with transfers. Even at Liverpool he made some strange decisions such as pretty much forcing Alonso out of the club because he wanted Barry.

The day he took the job a few of my Liverpool supporting friends said to me "he'll get you results but you'll hate his transfer dealings because he's not that good overall the transfer market" for whatever their opinions with.

[Holystone...]

This from Liverpool fans who should be eternally grateful he bought Torres and Alonso in their pomp .

[bodacious benny]

Yeah Rafa is no stranger to a dodgy transfer that's for sure, but he can snare gems when given the funds.

[Double Agent Bruce a.k.a DAB]

Tbh hardly you can find a top manager who didn't make mistakes on the market. Every transfer is a gamble because the many unknows. Is the player will settle in the new club/country or whatever, can he stay injury free etc... If Rafa can manage at Newcastle what he did at Liverpool, I will be pleased. Not talking about winning cups, I'm not used with that. Just to keep the performances high, using the most of the players in the best possible way. Then I'm not give a s*** about the transfers.

The problem as always is the owner.

[bodacious benny]

Tbh hardly you can find a top manager who didn't make mistakes on the market. Every transfer is a gamble because the many unknows. Is the player will settle in the new club/country or whatever, can he stay injury free etc... If Rafa can manage at Newcastle what he did at Liverpool, I will be pleased. Not talking about winning cups, I'm not used with that. Just to keep the performances high, using the most of the players in the best possible way. Then I'm not give a s*** about the transfers.

The problem as always is the owner.

Yeah, the likes of Wenger, Ferguson, Mourinho etc. have all signed some complete donkey's over the years. Eric Djemba-Djemba springs to mind as a particular highlight

[Heisen]

I don't like how you either have to be 'Camp Ashley' or 'Camp Rafa'. Can there not be a middle ground where we think Ashley is a cronut for going back on his promises but also be frustrated with Rafa for his poor tactics and alienation of useful squad members to prove a point?

[overseasTOON]

I don't like how you either have to be 'Camp Ashley' or 'Camp Rafa'. Can there not be a middle ground where we think Ashley is a cronut for going back on his promises but also be frustrated with Rafa for his poor tactics and alienation of useful squad members to prove a point?

Camp AsRa?

[Holystone...]

Anyone who thinks Ashley can help us press on is dreaming. Rafa cannot buy who he wishes and he's got a good right to be frustrated about things. Ashley is passing on TV money. That's all.
We need someone fresh to pump funds in . I've not seen a transfer or funds to convince me we aren't going to struggle .

[Double Agent Bruce a.k.a DAB]

Anyone who thinks Ashley can help us press on is dreaming. Rafa cannot buy who he wishes and he's got a good right to be frustrated about things. Ashley is passing on TV money. That's all.
We need someone fresh to pump funds in . I've not seen a transfer or funds to convince me we aren't going to struggle .

No we don't! See the poll.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8911&hilit=chinese

[TBC]

Anyone who thinks Ashley can help us press on is dreaming. Rafa cannot buy who he wishes and he's got a good right to be frustrated about things. Ashley is passing on TV money. That's all.
We need someone fresh to pump funds in . I've not seen a transfer or funds to convince me we aren't going to struggle .

No we don't! See the poll.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8911&hilit=chinese

[overseasTOON]

When Lejuene and Dummet are back; they'll be like new signings.

[ALF]

Anyone who thinks Ashley can help us press on is dreaming. Rafa cannot buy who he wishes and he's got a good right to be frustrated about things. Ashley is passing on TV money. That's all.
We need someone fresh to pump funds in . I've not seen a transfer or funds to convince me we aren't going to struggle .

7 of our starting 11 on Sunday were Rafa signings as were all 3 of our subs. He wanted all of those players. We were s****.

[bodacious benny]

When Lejuene and Dummet are back; they'll be like new signings.

Hopefully after the international break.

[Remember Colo]

Anyone who thinks Ashley can help us press on is dreaming. Rafa cannot buy who he wishes and he's got a good right to be frustrated about things. Ashley is passing on TV money. That's all.
We need someone fresh to pump funds in . I've not seen a transfer or funds to convince me we aren't going to struggle .

Sure, but considering we've been chasing players who wanted to leave England to go back to Spain, didn't want to leave Italy, would join a backlog of keepers, etc., there's more to managing the transfer market effectively than just an influx of cash (although of course that's a huge part of it).

[Double Agent Bruce a.k.a DAB]

Anyone who thinks Ashley can help us press on is dreaming. Rafa cannot buy who he wishes and he's got a good right to be frustrated about things. Ashley is passing on TV money. That's all.
We need someone fresh to pump funds in . I've not seen a transfer or funds to convince me we aren't going to struggle .

7 of our starting 11 on Sunday were Rafa signings as were all 3 of our subs. He wanted all of those players. We were s****.

And how many of those was his first choice? Remember this, we didn't want to pay 18-19 for Lacazette and be bought Riviere. So "his choice" means s*** if they are his third or fourth.

[bodacious benny]

Lacazette defo would have rejected us

[Oval85]

Lacazette defo would have rejected us

Would have become either Pardewed, McClarenized or Carvered anyway...