Sabotage Times, We can't Concentrate so Why Should You?Sabotage Times, We can't Concentrate so Why Should You?

Newcastle: Diabolical Transfer Window Underlines Our Hideous Lack Of Ambition

by Jonathan Anderson
1 February 2014 9 Comments

The sale of our best player midway through the season is just another in a series of serious slaps to the faces of the Newcastle faithful...

Screen Shot 2014-01-30 at 09.59.40

Newcastle: Cabaye Sale’s The Last Straw As Ashley Sucks Life Out Of Our Club

It’s been another one of those weeks on Tyneside. The sort of infuriating, agonising and depressing weeks that has now become commonplace under Mike Ashley’s stewardship.

This week Newcastle once again cashed in their chips on one of their star players and banked a fortune. Like James Milner, Shay Given, Andy Carroll and Demba Ba before him, Yohan Cabaye was flogged off for huge profits as Mr Ashley cemented Newcastle’s position as the Premier League’s number one selling club.

If anyone was under any doubt regarding the current regime’s ambition for Newcastle United, let’s be crystal clear here - there is NONE. Newcastle United have no interest in winning trophies, Newcastle United have no interest in competing for European places at the top of the league, Newcastle United have no interest in keeping their best players and building a team around them.

Newcastle’s only interest is securing a place in the top ten of the Premier League and skimming all the financial rewards that come with this finish.

The club have openly admitted to having no interest in the cup competitions; they are deemed an unnecessary distraction from the primary objective of securing a top ten place. By the same token, Newcastle are also wary of doing too well and ending up in the Europa League again. The competition bears little financial reward, and as we all saw last season, it can do heavy damage to the league campaign.

This season Newcastle are pretty much having the perfect season as far as the owner is concerned. The club are currently sitting comfortably in eighth place, no danger of relegation, no Europa League, out of both pesky cup competitions nice and early, and now have £20m banked for Cabaye.  Hell, in his eyes the team are so comfortable he probably doesn’t even need to spend any of the money on replacing him.

Under Ashley, Newcastle United has become a glorified version of one of the owner’s tacky shops. Rather than supplying the masses with Reebok Classics and trackie bottoms however, we supply Champions League teams with quality players. “In the market for a new centre forward Mr Chelsea? How about a lovely Demba Ba?” “In need of a classy midfield playmaker Monsieur Saint-Germain?? I’ve got just the thing!”

Europe is scoured for the best unearthed gems that the continent has to offer. They are then acquired for the cheapest possible fee (ideally with only 6/12 months left on their contracts) and are then allowed to flourish in the Premier League.  It’s at this point where the lines get a little blurred. Many seem to foolishly think that the objective here is to create a competitive team at Newcastle – it is not. It’s to create a half-decent side and then sell on the best players on for huge profits.

More…

Man United Miss Out On Cabaye As Newcastle Agree Fee With PSG
Newcastle: Keeping Delusional Gobs***e Big Sam Would’ve Been Disastrous

There seems to be a general acceptance amongst a few fans that the sale of Cabaye can be tolerated as long as the club get a good price, and that an acceptable replacement be signed with the money. As I’ve not been living in the caves of Tora Bora for the last seven years like others seemingly have, I’m a little more cynical.

There’s has been talk of Lyon midfielder Clement Grenier being signed as Cabaye’s replacement, but given the fact that I have no faith in JFK and Co. to actually seal the deal and get him “over the line”, I’ll believe it when I see it.

Newcastle are notorious for failing with late bids, so much so in fact, that I myself am highly dubious as to whether they actually make genuine attempts at signings (Ruiz/N’Zogbia/Carroll), or just create smokescreens designed to make to club look more active than they actually are as the window closes. Whatever happens between now and the close of the window, I do expect a sub-standard, cheaper replacement to be signed at some point (probably not until the summer). I’m pretty sure that he will cost about a fifth of the money received for Cabaye; the rest of the money will get tucked away nicely in Mike’s back pocket.

What I am 100% certain about, is that if in a couple of years’ time this replacement actually turns out to be any good, he will then be sold for huge profits and the whole process will start again.

Once again we as fans won’t like it, there’ll be uproar on Twitter, we’ll b**** and we’ll moan, we’ll sing anti-Ashley songs, we might even hold a demonstration outside St. James’… But nothing will change.

Being a Newcastle fan under the current regime is something akin to being stuck in an endless labyrinth of tedium. I have gotten to the point with Ashley’s Newcastle now where I am really wondering what the point is anymore. Year after year we go nowhere, we achieve nothing – but significantly, that’s the club’s target. And that is what’s so f***ing galling.

We’re stuck in a self-created hamster wheel of mediocrity and I have now reached a point where I am sick to the back teeth of it. There are times when I really feel chucking my season ticket into the Tyne and start going to watch Gateshead instead. It’s a feeling that is becoming more and more common these days.

Of course I talk a good game but this probably won’t happen. I’ll do what I always do, what most of us always do, get the hump for a few days, have a moan, then filter back through the turnstiles in time for the next match. The really annoying thing is, Mike knows this is what we will do, his business is based around our faithfulness and it is this devotion that continues to line his pockets.

All this now brings us nicely to today’s derby. Many Newcastle fans might not like to hear it, but I give full credit to Sunderland. Whilst they may be having a poor league campaign, they have shown exactly what can be achieved in a cup competition if you actually make a fist of it. Their approach has been the exact opposite to that of Newcastle.

Sunderland are one win away from winning a trophy, and whilst it will be agony to potentially watch them win it – they’ll deserve all the plaudits they get if they actually do it. As an extremely jealous Geordie, I only wish that one day I can say the same about my team.

Derbies are notoriously hard to call, but I do believe that Newcastle, even without Remy and Cabaye, should still have enough quality to beat the old enemy. It’s been an incredibly frustrating week on Tyneside, but if this frustration is vented in the correct way, by creating a rocking and intimidating atmosphere, then a first derby victory since 2011 is there for the taking.

If on the other hand, this frustration is vented the wrong way and Newcastle get off to a bad start on Saturday, then the atmosphere in the stadium could very quickly turn toxic. If that happens then trouble could well be on the cards for Pardew’s men, especially when you take into account Sunderland’s newly acquired high confidence.

Confidence they have acquired thanks to their excellent cup run – now isn’t it a good job that we don’t have that distraction?

Follow Jonny on Twitter, @Jonnyanderson11

If you like it, Pass it on

image descriptionCOMMENTS

Graham 12:01 pm, 30-Jan-2014

Hold on... lets just look at the players you say have been sold more huge profits..... James Milner - for £11m would you not snap the fingers of anyone who wanted him? Shay Given - been at NUFC for 10 years and wanted to win something - also past his best with Krul emerging as no. 1. £8m good business Andy carroll - £35m??? see James Milner but fantastic business. Demba Ba - £7m buyout clause and wanted to go..... no more needs to be said Cabaye - £20m and wanted out how is this not good business? Do you want him to cause trouble in the team by going in the huff for the next 5 months? I could go on but really can't be bothered with anymore reply to what is a very lazy article.

G Man 12:42 pm, 30-Jan-2014

I feel exactly the same about the whole thing..I have had a season ticket for ever but enough is enough. No ambition from the owner all the way down and no player worth his salt would touch us...Graham dont harp on about good business as none of the money will benefit the average Newcastle fan..no replacements will arrive and the undiscolsed fees will be used to provide Sports direct with the best free adverts money can't buy...

Ralph 1:00 pm, 30-Jan-2014

Great article and spot on. I'm a season ticket holder and I'm sick of Ashley running OUR Club like one of his awful shops and not giving a sh*t about success on the pitch. Sorry Graham, but like G Man says, you're totally wrong, good business is one thing but when it's all that matters to the owner you do start wondering what the point is!

mijmo 1:10 pm, 30-Jan-2014

got to agree with Graham. Ba & Cabaye wanted out so how anyone can see this as Ashley lining his back pocket is beyond me! I've followed the lads for nigh on 40 years now and the only way I can rationalise the the hysteria coming from the likes jonny is the wider socio/political problems the country is going through.

Mickyj 2:13 pm, 30-Jan-2014

Graham & Mijmo - Think you're both missing the point. They may have all wanted to go, but why?? Because the club has no ambition!!! If Newcastle actually tried to be competitive and achieve something then they may not all want to leave!!

mikey 3:39 pm, 30-Jan-2014

Graham, the argument that it is 'good business' is a nonsense line i've never understood fans making. Its only good business i the money is put back in the club. It NOT. Its put into Ashley's pocket. Secondly fuck good business i want to see good football and good footballers playing with some ambition, not a production line for increasing the value of players.

CJM 4:08 pm, 30-Jan-2014

Totally Agree, there is no ambition and nothing for the players to look forward to. The CUPS were an absolute joke, we should have tried in them but yet we get beat from Cardiff at home?? Cabaye clearly left because he wanted cups and glory, as does any decent player. Newcastle just can't offer players that. Ashley out... we can;t blame Pardew, he has no say in the matter it's all Kinnear and Ashley.

Gaz D 5:30 pm, 30-Jan-2014

Have to say I agree with both arguments above there is a lot of sense spoken by graham and G man. The harsh reality we now find ourselves in is nufc is ran like a business and that's all Ashley knows and proven to be very successful but that's where it ends for me, as a fan I would love to see the same ambition put into building a team that could challenge the top 6 but the harsh reality is where building balance sheets these days. Therefore some of the players mentioned who have departed in recent years have gone for substantial profits which in theory is good business Andy Carroll for eg, is a no brainer and the likes of cabaye and demba Ba who let's not forget made it public they wanted away so why not and try to cash in for the best price. Once again tho this problem lies with Ashley for not sharing the same footballing ambition as the players who want to better themselves and compete with the best of Europe and maybe win a trophy or 2 is that really a bad thing to ask. As a newcastle fan the question you need to ask yourself is are you prepared to let our club be dictated by a greedy monster who clearly only wants to line his own pockets and promote his trashy stores for free through newcastle united or make a stand.... Al answer that question for each and every1 of you,we will pick ourselves up after a little rant put up with his utter s..t and turn up in our thousands home and away each week because that's what nufc fans is all about LOYALTY and that greedy prick knows that... Rant owa there f..k all we can do about it

JP...from The Rock 12:16 pm, 1-Feb-2014

Very good article and very good comments made also. Sadly we have no ambition, or the slightest of ambition but Ashley is prepared to wait and prolong our chances to success. We should have and could have had a great replacement for Cabaye this week for example but what does Ashley do, not pay over the odds and 'wait' till the summer. All this waiting does my head in and lacks the proper ambition for us to be ever be successful as now our remaining players get disillusioned with it all and will probably want out. Do you guys actually think we will get at least 4-5 players in the summer to take us to the next level? 1- Strolla needs replacing – finally 2- Demba Ba needs replacing 3- Cabaye needs replacing 4- Gutierrez needs replacing 5- Coloccini needs replacing Not to mention players wanting to leave now and contract extensions needed for HBA all in a WC year when players are less reluctant to leave by their tournament involvement. This club is run on a ridiculously 'tight' budget and we will get nowhere like this! It makes me sick!

Leave a comment

Football image description SABOTAGE

1