Season 2011-12 Fan Articles
The Ultimate Futility
By Thomas Lennon :: 12/05/2012
19 Comments (»Last)
Newcastle have performed exceptionally this season because they have unearthed two or three top class players that have made a big difference ? much like we have recently with Jelavic.
Newcastle might make a Champions League spot with this team and so the theory goes there will be massively expanded funds and the team will progress. This was also our dream.
Except that might not be that case, according to newly appointed Manager of the Season, Alan Pardew:
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew says he may be unable to keep his best players if the Magpies receive big-money offers.United could qualify for next season's Champions League if they beat Everton in their final Premier League game on Sunday. But Pardew told BBC Newcastle: "It's impossible to restrict Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester City from coming in for one of our players.
"We have players who are not on the salaries these top clubs can offer."
Yohan Cabaye, signed from Lille for a fee reported to be £4.3m last summer, is just one of the players to have flourished after coming in to replace the likes of Andy Carroll, Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan, who left Newcastle in the previous year.
Striker Demba Ba has scored 17 goals in 39 appearances this season after arriving on a free transfer from West Ham.
The 26-year-old Senegal international was linked with a move away Tyneside in January with reports that a buy-out clause in his contract would force Newcastle to accept an offer as low as £5m.
"Demba's release clause has been widely publicised, there is some truth to it, and some untruth," said Pardew. "There is a clause there. There is a situation with his contract and we are in talks with him and his agent.
"It is not a foregone conclusion that he will stay, but the Newcastle public have played their part singing his name. He must love that."
Pardew insisted that Newcastle's predicament was the same as that faced by Arsenal, who were unable to keep Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas from signing for Manchester City and Barcelona respectively last summer.
"Forget about Everton and Aston Villa, we have put ourselves in a similar position to Arsenal," he added.
"The one security I have is that [owner]Mike Ashley is a difficult seller. He is not going to let someone go for £7m, he is going to want top, top money.
"But if Yohan Cabaye gets a call from Manchester United and they tell him he is going to be the next Paul Scholes I am not going to be able to stop him. "It is going to cost Manchester United a shedload of money, but until we have Champions League football, and we might have that by this weekend, we can not compete with that."
As well as bracing himself for possible bids for his stars, Pardew, who was named Premier League manager of the season on Friday, revealed he is also making plans to add to his squad.
"I am contemplating bringing in someone because we don't have a dominant header of the ball. On the scouting front we are looking at a centre-half who can come and score us eight goals next season," he added.
"If we didn't have Demba Ba we wouldn't have Papiss Cisse and we are trying to bring another player to the club who is close to Yohan Cabaye. That is another little connection and a bit of a clue for you."
He says he will not be able to stand in the way of the bigger clubs coming in for his players. He clearly infers that Newcastle cannot offer wages to keep them even if they make the CL.
Ultimately then there is no point in a club outside of the top earners even thinking of winning CL (or Premier League) as a route to becoming a top club as the big clubs will simply buy their top players at the end of a good season.
Newcastle currently have a similar turnover to Everton but they also have a decent stadium. Even in that position, they cannot realistically hope to win the big prizes other than as a 'lucky' one-off before their players will look for a move.
What on earth is the incentive for supporters of mid-league clubs such as ourselves? What new owner will want to spend £1 billion putting us up there?
All we have to go on (and all I can tell my children) is that winning isn't everything ? but it sure is when it comes to attracting the numbers of fans needed to get us back up there amongst the elite.
I really can't see a way forward for us: the organisation of the game would have to change, the elitist model (which has a lot going for it and has made the Prem the competition it is) has to change... but nothing will happen until interest and income drops overall.
Reader Comments (19)
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2 Posted 12/05/2012 at 15:04:21
3 Posted 12/05/2012 at 15:33:34
4 Posted 12/05/2012 at 15:51:01
In all the ways that used to be important NUFC are a big club but it's disheartening that this is modern day english football.
Villa, Sunderland, us and maybe the chumps at Anfield are in the same boat, in fact I'd argue there's only the 2 manc clubs and Chelsea at the races these days.
Trouble is it's such a gravytrain for all involved managers, players, agents, officials etc there's no real impetus to do anything about it.
5 Posted 12/05/2012 at 16:18:49
The bottom line is players come and go and yes we have our favourites but there are only about 3 players in the world you couldn't replace.
I have always said we never knock back sizeable bids. Turning down the Arsenal Jagielka for example was a big mistake. That could have brought 3 players in. Bily should have been sold ages before he was etc
6 Posted 12/05/2012 at 16:16:15
Pardew is saying he won't be able to hold on to his players UNLESS their is CL football at St. James'.
"...but until we have Champions League football, and we might have that by this weekend, we can not compete with that."
NEXT!
7 Posted 12/05/2012 at 17:05:55
8 Posted 12/05/2012 at 17:58:46
Ashley has tried selling the club (publicly stating what was wanted for it) and after their relegation introduced a new structure relating to pay and rations.
It's just a different strategy. Arsenal have £115m in cash reserves, but are reluctant to spend big on fees and wages - their choice. I agree with Taggart that City have distorted the market somewhat, but they had before them (Veron, Ferdinand).
Every player is available for the right price, and if their desire is to go .That's ultimately why Fabregas and Ronaldo went to Spain.
The EPL is now the money league for players. Spain has got rid of their "Entertainer Tax" loophole meaning players don't get the tax-free status they used to enjoy. Italy is screwed financially as well. I mean, impressive as Man City are, Yaya Toure probably never heard of them till his agent whispered £200,000 per week.
9 Posted 12/05/2012 at 20:08:51
Newcastle need to sell one of their stars for big money. This is not the first time since their financials were released a couple of months ago that they have been talking about player sales. They are simply managing their fans' expectations.
God knows what names Moyes would be called if he made similarly "honest" comments about some of our lads the way Pardew has about Tiote and Cabaye recently.
10 Posted 12/05/2012 at 21:42:14
I'd have far more respect for him, can't stand the subterfuge and pretence - it's the main reason BK survives.
11 Posted 12/05/2012 at 21:49:01
I didn't get it.
12 Posted 12/05/2012 at 23:12:47
He knows full well they will be talking about a title tilt next year if they finish fourth.
He's trying to cast them as plucky underdogs fighting the big boys in the same fashion Moyes does.
His clubs business model is to sign potential, develop it and sell it on for big money until they pay back Ashley what they owe.
13 Posted 13/05/2012 at 00:11:13
We are all bit part players in the game of a few elite rich clubs. It may be possible without money to join this elite, but it has NEVER been achieved to date.
14 Posted 13/05/2012 at 00:30:17
Now sacking a manager to gain sucess may seem controversial to a few people on TW; it seems to work for a few teams.
And for all the bollocks that goes with Ashley, he seems to know how to make a few quid... Christ, we get emails off SportsDirect everyday, and I have only ever bought a pair of shorts off them! All we get off Everton are emails for an old kit for a fiver that no-one wants anymore!!
15 Posted 13/05/2012 at 00:39:56
16 Posted 13/05/2012 at 00:42:33
Why can't I buy the new kit yet? When the new Nike Arsenal one was all over the papers today?
17 Posted 13/05/2012 at 01:39:54
I bet City fans were thinking the same a few seasons ago.
18 Posted 13/05/2012 at 13:58:54
"Manchester City have broken the Sky4 monopoly".
Well...technically I suppose.
I mean yes, they're named Manchester City, but the reality is some Sheik with unlimited money is the one who has ACTUALLY broken the Sky4 monopoly
For me, there were two REALLY big pots of money competing for the title, plus a couple of smaller (but still substantial) pots competing for third and fourth.
Now a pot of cash bigger than all the other pots of cash is on the scene and not surprisingly, that pot is guaranteed CL and will finish 2nd at worst.
That is how I see the PL.
Trophies aren't GUARANTEED of course neither is CL but....they ALMOST are.
As for the rest of the league (ie: our bit) - simply there to provide opposition, the occasional upset and to stop the season being 7 weeks long.
19 Posted 13/05/2012 at 17:06:10
It's a sport, something not until too long ago is run by money, that's the problem ? nothing else.
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1 Posted 12/05/2012 at 14:51:47
To get there, you have to stay competitive, make sure you are playing in Europe every year possible, and be ready to take the opportunity when it arrives. Arsenal have just about been hanging on to one of the Champions League places for years now, and you have to credit Wenger for it ? he does it every year now, selling his best players. Spurs have thrown the dollar at it and have eventually got the reward.
IMO, it's best you play consistent in the Europa League to get used to playing twice a week because the jump straight Into the Champions League is massive, look at City's problems this season. Plus, if you are playing in the Europa, you are more attractive to players in Europe. But you do need a bigger squad to handle the games, which I didn't think we did.
Moyes spent years getting us to the stage I was hoping we would get to, consistent Uefa Cup qualification and kick on from there... but wasn't backed enough to keep us there and then the wheels came off.
It can be done but it is difficult. You need to take advantage of one of the top 4 teams imploding as Chelsea and Liverpool have done. This year it was Spurs and Newcastle scrapping for Chelsea's implosion.
However, as the article rightly said, the Champions League places are nearly over-subscribed so why invest in football in this country? France seems the new frontier...