So, reading the mailbox section of football365, I see a discussion begin over Newcastle's ownership. Firstly someone knee-jerked over the Cabaye sale, lack of replacement, and then heavy derby loss, and then someone said that it's not as bad as it seems. Then this reply was sent in:
Defending Ashley is your right to do, and I should respect that. I say should be I struggle to on the basis of your arguments.
Firstly how do you define stability? Whilst there isn't an inbox large enough to take my email on Shepherd/Hall failings, we weren't relegated under them, we didn't yo-yo from mid-table, to fifth, to skirting relegation, back to mid-table under them either. As for having the second longest serving manager in the league - so what? Pardew's cup and derby record are abysmal, and frankly under this owner these are all we're striving for (more on that below), so he ultimately fails on our only meaningful measure.
Our much lauded scouting system is great, if the intention is buy cheap sell high. Don't get me wrong, I'm as happy as any fan to see us build up someone like Cabaye, but I'd rather we kept these players at their peak. Buy cheap, don't sell? I'd take that. I don't buy the argument we need player sales to keep ourselves afloat - no one else in the league is following this strategy. Maybe because they get paid for their commercial agreements? Something Sports Direct, and MA aren't currently doing.
Therein lies the crux of the matter. The club is about making money, not sport. We don't want Europa league, cup runs or glory. All that's required is an 8th - 12th placed finish. How's that for ambition? This is not an angry backlash to (another) season of failing in the cups etc. but a fact stated by the club in their farcical fan forums. It was stated by the club: we do not prioritise the cups, we do not want Europa League football. There's little joy as a fan if you're not even really competing. As said by many before, you can't parade a balance sheet around the city.
As to indirectly referring as savvy to Ashley? This is a man who renamed a stadium the Sports Direct Arena, appointed Joe Kinnear and Dennis Wise, wrongly hired and then ruthlessly dispatched two club legends in Shearer and Keegan, bought Xisco and Nacho Gonzales (who? Exactly.), put the club up for sale on two separate occasions and accepted sponsorship deals with Wonga. One of the 20 richest clubs in the world was relegated under his tenure. He's good at flogging cheap sportswear but he knows [Poor language removed] all about football clubs.
It's rumoured 4,000 fans cancelled their season ticket renewals after Saturday, and Joe Kinnear goes. There's something to be said for fan power and maybe now is the time to stand. No one's asking for Sheikh Mansour but the Fat Controller needs to go and the only way it happens is refusing to defend his disgraceful conduct with our football club. Mike Ashley out.
Now obviously, there are many different details, such as the stability part, we hve been pretty stable, but the point about lack of investement, derby losses, cup losses etc etc makes me think that we are not too dissimilar. Now obviously we are a much better team, much better support (quality not quantity) etc etc, but maybe it is the same for every club? I've heard RS spout about lack of investment recently as well, which seems absurd. So, thoughts?