Transfer Window Loan Signings Takeover and random thoughts

[nufcwelsh93]

Since the close of the window i've been doing some thinking, and to be honest had you said at the start of the window that we would bring in 7 players i would laughed.

Looking at the signings we have made albeit loan signings i actually think they are some decent signings. However, i actually put this down to shrewd moves by Rafa more than the hierarchy of the club. Im afraid Rafa will not extend his contract though

The optimist's in me is thinking maybe the reason we are doing loan signings and reducing the wage bill is to lower expenses of the club and perhaps attract more buyers of the club. The thing with buying clubs, most of it is done in secrecy until its pretty much a done deal so im praying there is a deal in the background and we are lowering expenses.

The realist in me thinks its just more money grabbing by jabba the hut

[Cannylad]

I think I'd go with the latter.

[nufcwelsh93]

I think I'd go with the latter.

im afraid you're probably right. one can live in hope though !

[Andy1981_2]

The optimist's in me is thinking maybe the reason we are doing loan signings and reducing the wage bill is to lower expenses of the club and perhaps attract more buyers of the club. The thing with buying clubs, most of it is done in secrecy until its pretty much a done deal so im praying there is a deal in the background and we are lowering expenses.

The realist in me thinks its just more money grabbing by jabba the hut

I think that we've been moving toward making loan signings instead of permanent transfers for a while now (even before the sale of the club was announced). Recently we've seen Rondon, Kenedy, Dubravka, Merino, Slimani, Atsu, Remy, L. De Jong, possibly others I've forgotten, all come on loan to fill crucial positions for us on the pitch. I don't recall us leaning so heavily on the loan market under the previous owners, and we've leaned on it increasingly under Ashley. That's not a criticism - sometimes permanent transfers really backfire, and a loan deal with an option to sign is basically the safest sort of transfer deal to do if you can get it. But what is also fairly obvious is that if you're relying on the loan market, then you're probably not trying to acquire players who are the best in their squad. So it's also indicative of where we're at in terms of ambition.

[TheBigSausage]

Since when has Ashley shown any genuine interest in selling ?
This policy is just a money grab to finance his other ventures.

As people have said , about £90m has been went astray and if he can repeat this in more seasons to come , why on earth would you sell?

£90m disappears yet the £140m loan remains untouched .. Joke. If we do go down he will chuck £80m + at the team to return immediately .. It's a no lose strategy .. Except for the fans .

[Kal]

Since when has Ashley shown any genuine interest in selling ?
This policy is just a money grab to finance his other ventures.
If we do go down he will chuck £80m + at the team to return immediately .. It's a no lose strategy .. Except for the fans .

No lose strategy if there is an immediate return to the prem. Appoint the wrong manager and that is put into doubt, no matter how much money is spent (villa)

His gambling might bite him on the @rse next time.

[Zippity]

His gambling might bite him on the @rse next time.

It might be the only way to get rid of him.

[ghostrider]

Since the close of the window i've been doing some thinking, and to be honest had you said at the start of the window that we would bring in 7 players i would laughed.

Looking at the signings we have made albeit loan signings i actually think they are some decent signings. However, i actually put this down to shrewd moves by Rafa more than the hierarchy of the club.
The optimist's in me is thinking maybe the reason we are doing loan signings and reducing the wage bill is to lower expenses of the club and perhaps attract more buyers of the club. The thing with buying clubs, most of it is done in secrecy until its pretty much a done deal so im praying there is a deal in the background and we are lowering expenses.

This is the problem though. If the signings do well then it is a shrewd move by Rafa but if they fail to do well it will be because Rafa had them forced on him and his first, second, third choices were scuppered.

That's fine if people want to think like this but all it does is gives Rafa every avenue to escape any potential criticism, whilst any of it can be channeled to the obvious perceived villains.
As and added extra, we never seem to see Rafa's first, second, third choice transfer targets, we just get to hear that he was in for a few phantom ones.

Im afraid Rafa will not extend his contract though

Considering it was Rafa that apparently came to Newcastle to put his CV in rather than Newcastle hunting him down, I'd say that him leaving may not be set in stone.
There's a few possibilities to ponder.

1. He's going to see what happens with what he's brought in and if it looks sensible he might sign on for an extended period or walk away if it all goes teets up, knowing that he's backed by the fans in a no lose situation , which I think would be bizarre but there you go.

2.Maybe Ashley has not allowed net spends because he knows he's selling and is keeping the club stable ready for new owner takeover.

3. Maybe Ashley wants Rafa gone because Rafa's demands could be way in excess of what he is willing to sanction.

4. Maybe Ashley will not be dictated to.

Many things more to ponder but none of which we know about until we actually get the real facts, not speculation by all and sundry that masquerade as what we all buy into as potential facts because they may fit a narrative better.

The realist in me thinks its just more money grabbing by jabba the hut

Accounts should show what's what, regardless of whether people say he can manipulate them and what not.
Manipulating sundries is one thing. Millions and millions is another.
And not to mention nobody is going to do something like that when the spotlight is firmly on their (seemingly) every move.

[HughieG]

This is the problem though. If the signings do well then it is a shrewd move by Rafa but if they fail to do well it will be because Rafa had them forced on him and his first, second, third choices were scuppered.

That's fine if people want to think like this but all it does is gives Rafa every avenue to escape any potential criticism, whilst any of it can be channeled to the obvious perceived villains.

Two scenarios:
If Ashley gives Rafa 1mil to buy a defender and Rafa gets one and he turns out to be rubbish, whose fault is it?
If Ashley gives Rafa 1mil to buy a defender and Rafa gets one and he turns out to be fantastic, whose credit is that?

Either way, Ashley is not backing Rafa properly, and Rafa is forced to do the honourable job of putting low-priced defenders into shape and making them perform. It's not so strange that he's not able to do this with all these purchases. I wonder why you can't see that.

[ghostrider]

Two scenarios:
If Ashley gives Rafa 1mil to buy a defender and Rafa gets one and he turns out to be rubbish, whose fault is it?

Rafa's for not identifying the quality/potential.

I'd answer it differently if you actually made your stance more clear, as in, If Rafa asked for 10 million for a defender and Ashley handed him 1 million to just get a defender then wholeheartedly it would be Ashley's fault.

If Ashley gives Rafa 1mil to buy a defender and Rafa gets one and he turns out to be fantastic, whose credit is that?

Massive credit to Rafa for choosing well and identifying the quality as well as bringing it out.
However the same thing applies with Ashley. If Rafa only asked for the 1 million to get a defender then Ashley has to take some credit for handing him what he asked for.

But as you know, Ashley allowed Lascelles to be bought for 3 million. He's now worth a minimum of 10 times that as it stands because he's turned out to be a good defender and seems to get better.
The question is, does Ashley get credit for it or is he simply billed as a skinflint who got lucky?

There's many ways this can be twisted and turned by any and all.

Rafa takes the credit where it's clearly due but in my book Ashley and co have to take credit for not being nuts in paying the sick fees that's being paid out.
That's my stance and you're quite welcome to yours, as are others.

Is Ashley greedy?.....yes. Is he shrewd?.....yes. Is he looking after himself?.....yes. Is he ensuring this club runs efficiently?.....yes. Is he ensuring this club can fight to get into a champions league place or better?....Absolutely not.
Is he hoping Newcastle United can slide into those positions based on a economy type budget?....My guess is, yes. Is it ideal?....of course not, but then we all need a massive reality check before we get swallowed up in this silly money game that's being played on us all.

The sooner fans understand that we are an also-ran club like the rest outside of the elite and that the days of the sleeping giant club being awakened for the slumber by a couple of local businessmen with a fan mentality of putting the club into a fairytale land, the sooner it'll become clear that the so called ambitious triers are seen as no further forward than ourselves.

The days of the Hobbyist owners are done with. The fad is over with and now it's all about the big TV companies handing out the sweeties of addiction then forcing the smaller clubs to gamble all their chip whilst the elite clubs cash in theirs.

Ashley's no idiot but he was once extremely naive in a footballing sense.
Now I believe he sees the downfall of going gungho by watching the other clubs doing it.

The key to doing well without playing massive money merry-go-rounds, elite like is to identify the next best quality and pit those against the next best outside of those elite.
We are one of those, as are many many other and that's who we're really playing against.

Either way, Ashley is not backing Rafa properly, and Rafa is forced to do the honourable job of putting low-priced defenders into shape and making them perform.

He's not forced, he chose the job and knew what he was working with. By all means argue different but that's my stance.
As for low priced. You make your own superstars if your coaching and managing are up to standard and your scouts identify the potential in those low priced individuals.
Off the peg expensive so called superstars do not guarantee you anything, unless you can buy in so many of them as to be able to mix and match without suffering the consequences.
Very few clubs are capable of doing that.

It's not so strange that he's not able to do this with all these purchases. I wonder why you can't see that.

I can see it all. I can see perfectly well that we could be better...but then again that applies to every club and every minute of my football supporting life from Newcastle United's perspective.

I want better. I want more entertainment with better quality.
I'd much rather we built it in the main rather than simply buy expensive chancers in bulk.