So, we were waiting for the Newcastle board to make a statement and now they’ve gone and made it. It took them long enough, but to be fair it is pretty lengthy and says what we all expected. Work to bring in a striker was conducted but it just proved to be unsuccessful, but other than that, like most fans, they’re satisfied with the business they did manage to carry out.
Here’s the statement by Newcastle United Managing Director Derek Llambias from the Official Newcastle website in full:
“Now that the transfer window has closed, we have had some time to reflect on the business we have conducted over the summer.
Our aim was to secure young players who represented value for money and could add real strength to the squad. The majority of our transfer dealings were completed in the early part of the window and we feel we have signed some players of exceptional quality. Yohan Cabaye, Sylvain Marveaux, Mehdi Abeid, Demba Ba and Gabriel Obertan were all brought in early and we have seen these players settle quickly into the squad and perform well on the pitch.
Earlier this week we were delighted to sign Davide Santon from Inter Milan to fill our left-back position after the departure of Jose Enrique. Davide is an excellent young prospect and we’re sure he’ll be another superb addition to the squad. We also welcomed young goalkeeper Rob Elliot from Charlton Athletic who will help us retain healthy competition for that position after loaning out Fraser Forster to Celtic.
Of course we had also hoped to secure a further striker in the window, in addition to Demba Ba. Work to bring a striker into the club began early in the summer. Negotiations were complex and protracted and unfortunately it was disappointing that ultimately we could not secure our priority target.
Whilst we did turn our attention to alternative prospects in the latter stages of the window, we have a very clear transfer policy and will not make knee-jerk decisions at the last-minute which are not in the best interests of the club. We understand that supporters will feel frustrated that we did not sign another striker during the window, but it was not for lack of trying that we did not bring our final target in.”
The most interesting parts of the statement are the last two paragraphs. Llambias says negotiations were “complex and protracted”, but what else did he expect? One thing I do agree with him is the fact that there’s no point in making “knee-jerk reactions”, but surely that’s what the last-minute bid for Bryan Luiz was? Anyway, what do you think of this Newcastle explanation of sorts?
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2 DAYS!! AND THATS ALL THEY CAN COME UP WITH!!
9 MONTHS TO SORT OUT A STRIKER AND THEY SAY THAT THEY DIDNT WANT TO MAKE A KNEE JERK DECISION!!!
WHAT A LOAD OF CROCK!!!!
well i see he had the balls to face the fans NOT full of crap and pardew is just a mug not a puppet im telling you all now the crowds will get lower and lower with these people in charge
knee-jerk reactions?
200+ days to find 1 or even 2 great strikers. Even without a scouting team you can do that. In 200+ days you can go by yourself and see all the good young strikers in Europe, it is not that difficult to do.
Just say – we didn’t want to spend the money the team were asking. We came after their best players and wanted to pay “nothing” and feel like we got another bargain, but no one wanted to sell that cheap.
How do you rate players? always 30% less then what the team is asking for him? Then we will never get a decent striker. Paying that extra 2-4 millions can mean 3-4 places higher in the league, that is the money back for you (800K for each place). Plus, more sales in merchandise , more attendance and in general – keeping your COSTUMERS – the fans – happy.
PS – if the rumors are true and your are taking that sign that is behind you, again, not gonna make your costumers happy AT ALL!!!
surely if they try and buy a striker in january they would have to pay even more as jan usually has more inflated prices.
we have too many strikers that arnt quite up to the task and should get rid of them and that will better fund a top striker into the club, wages for strikers are much higher than other positions.
they made bad choices with their first 2 strikers as neither wanted to come and that wasted so much time, if they had centered on the player that wanted to come and was a good target like maiga was they would have got him given more time.
The statement is a crock of lies and spin as expected…. 8 Months to find a replacement for our number 9 shirt and this tool says we dont want to make knee jerk reactions Ppppppfffft!
As for the NEWCASTLE UNITED sign on the East stand … please take a look at this recent pic … I have never seen the stadium shot from this angle… I think they have already done the dirty.
http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20110902/newcastle-united-statement_2281670_2439966
Great window for Newcastle, just issued the statement so AP will not have to answer any questions about it. He can just say “Refer yourself to the statement form the front office.”
How would have you felt if NUFC had signed Premier experienced striker Demba Ba yesterday, rather than early in the window?
Too bad about Liam, but they could tell Gosling to revive his career as a defenseman & be OK till they find or grow better (Tav is not that far away.) .
The squad knows what is going on & not complaining about it. So take your clue from them.
Howay the Lads!
Which are you mate? Employee of Nufc or mackem?? Same crap from you on every blog!
Let’s have a reality check here, we have replaced what we have sold with untested but cheaper bodies, that’s it!
Mr ashley is systematically getting back the cash he feels he was ripped off when he didn’t do the homework when buying the club and he will make a profit where and when he can until he gets it all back then sell and walk away. HIS mistake HE should have the stones to admit it and move on but no every fan is now paying for HIS mistake
Do yourself a favour mate and shut up your fooling nobody
“The squad knows what is going on & not complaining about it. So take your clue from them”.
Mate if they were to complain they would be fined, made to train with the bairns and then shipped out ala Barton. Ha’way man, think before you type silly statements!
Dondatta, spot on,
I have heard from a very good source that harper kicked off too and is now not welcome at the club, hence elliott coming in
So much for happy squad not complaining that’s all the “senior players” moved on once he’s gone
Great window?? So u wud b happy to replace ur star striker with demba ba? What happens if his time bomb of a knee explodes? Oh I forgot we still had shola and lovenkrands!!! Il just make sure I’ve read this right and its not a sarcastic piece….. No, ur being serious!!! You’re part of the problem. I could go on but u probably wouldn’t understand!!!
Well said, we have shipped out goals and replaced them with players known for their injuries. The fact that they have neglected to fill the number 9 shirt is a slap in the face for every NUFC supporter. Yes they got Ba but they didn’t give him the #9.
When NUFC signed the new guys, they had to explain just what the plan they are trying to put in place. THe agents are no fools and would not sell their international quality talent into a career dead-end. It does not pay for either agent or player. No one twisted the incoming lads arms. Their eyes are open.
Granted, some of the players signed have injury problems. But that is true for those here before this window. Smith, Guthrie, Carroll, Barton etc… missed many matches while crocked. So, I’d say, that is not an issue, just a reality of the game.
Once again, read the chapter of “Soccernomics” about Olypmic Lyon & you will see what NUFC is doping a variation on.
Mate, I can’t be bothered to get into it with you and that’s what will eventually get rid of your hero
Apathy! Not protests, not dissenting players, not moving the singing section lads then sending them letters telling them to sit down and shut up or be kicked out
Just thousands of fans not bothering anymore, the signs were there at the fulham game 42000, it will be less next game and will probably get worse
It happened before years ago and if this tactic continues it will happen again and that lack of income will get rid of him as cash is his king and the only way to hurt him
Sensible running of a business is one thing, reckless gambling is something else
Oh and by the way clubs sell players not agents
apathy is definitely the right word
Listen mike! I know ur a mega rich businessman bit u don’t have to gatecrash the fans blogs to try and further brainwash us! Isn’t ruining our beloved football club enough for you? Beeguy!?? Tsscchhh!!!
Pieman, ha ha class
lol
Think you’re a bit off on this one beeguy
as ashley has proved to be such a tightwad i wonder if his back pocket will be affected if the gates keep going down 46,000 for arsenal and 42,000 for fulham the time was right for a class forward to arrive at the club
What a crock of crap,we had an eternity to sort out a deal for a new striker the problem is NUFC is owned and managed by cockney wide boys-straight out of fools and horses with more experience in selling old Granadas than football players, making an offer then walking away and popping back later to see if its still there may work in the dodgy car world but not in the real world.Yes the players bought look to be quality-especially for nowt but this is a fact you mugs-you can not win matches without scoring.Best tries but isn’t PL quality-Sholas about 5yrs past it our team is toothless and unbalanced.Worst of all you have the audacity to speak to us as if we are all retarded.-WRONG-a lot of us have had enough-the empty seats will show this,I have supported NUFC for 40+ yrs and still have my ticket but I won’t be using it.had enough of being insulted and treat like crap.
It doesn’t make any difference whether I accept it or not.
so true
Disgusting statement that shows complete disdain and disregard for the customers.
Boycott will happen and will gather pace rapidly. Wait and see.
In the meantime Gateshead FC will keep me amused until the cancer that is Ashley and Dispicable Derek has been removed from Newcastle United..
Time for a boycott, time for King Tubby and his upsetters to move on-ASHLEY OUT!!!.
Oh stop with the F***in’ constant moanin’…Puffs!
Grow a set, it’s football not a friggen soap opera, howay, man up or ship out to a glory hunter team. Or haddaway to ‘Heed, Darlo or somewhere.
Boo Hoo.
Howay the lads
So, we’ve signed some cracking players on decent wages for little money, lost some cracking players on big wages for good money overall and have taken 7 points from 9 and are still in the league cup.
Yes, we’d all have liked to have signed a new number 9, but some people REALLY need to wake up and smell the roses – we are NOT now owned by Sheppard/Hall so won’t be buying big money players to appease the “fans” (and I use that word loosely for some of the muppetts who I see posting on these sites!).
We now have a club that is financially secure, will not be going bankrupt in the near future and will more than likely have a good season and finish in the top half of the table which for me is GREAT news.
And for those of you complaining about the Newcastle United sign – seriously?????? It’s a SIGN!!!
We all know Ashley’s transfer policy. Buy young players and sell at a profit. Of course agents want their players to come to Newcastle! They know they will be sold on and will get a cut of the fees! We are no longer a club trying to compete, just a staging area for potential talent, buy low – sell high. No wonder the sign says ‘sportsdirect.com@stjamespark’. The club is just another department in his retail chain now! He’ll be selling players mail order next! Until the fat twat sells up, and why would he if he is making cash every transfer window, we have to expect to just be a feeder club for those with ambition! :0(
Or,
Players will come here & fight to make their mark.
Better a test bed than a dinosaurs graveyard (which is what we were becoming).
Get a friggen brain, then put it in gear & use the damn thing.
FCOL!
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