I think people over complicate it. Our system seems very simple to me, not very good, but very simple. And its not very good because of the people populating the structure, rather than the structure itself. Essentially we have a **** scouting system, probably because we are paying peanuts which sums up Mr Ashley. He wants to run it on a shoe string so you would think the sensible thing to do would be pay top dollar on your scouting system, to pick up best value. Not Newcastle we get a monkey, pay him peanuts and are then bewildered when it doesn't work out. The actual structure would appears to mirror many others. The coach decides what areas he wants to strengthen and tells his scouts. His scouts then go and find a number of options for the areas in question. He comes back shows the coach, and he tells them which ones he wants to go for. The transfer team then try to sign them. We know they meet the coach in that process from previous comments from players and Rafa/Bruce. So they are fully involved but they are surrounded by a sub standard scouting network, and sub standard transfer team (Charnley). So finding and getting the right players becomes very difficult. I don't think Bruce or Rafa can claim to have no part in the transfers. Certainly Bruce can say that about Joelinton because we know that was done before his arrival. But every arrival since he's had involvement in. Same as all the players signed under Rafa he had involvement in. We didn't sign 3 or 4 spanish players by chance You are very much a coach at Newcastle and not a manager. You aren't finding players etc (well unless it boosts Rafa's rep then it was his 'contacts' ) Rafa was the first manager to be given a fair bit of autonomy on transfers. Nothing has suggested Bruce has any less clout. So they are working to the exact same conditions it would appear.
It's exactly this, and we know it is because Ashley runs SD (or Frasers Group) in exactly the same way, or has for a long time. It's only quite recently that he tried to bring in people with more outside experience. Most resigned when they got inside the business, and none have been replaced. So he's just doing the same things repeatedly - shoestring, hope for the best, deal with the worst. We have a woefully under-experienced "head scout" Nickson, whose role in U-23 scouting wasn't backfilled, working alongside the cheapest, ****test MD in top flight football anywhere. It should never be of any surprise we're permanently stuck hoping to avoid relegation. The coach situation mirrored it; Vieira, van Bronckhorst, Arteta were just three coaches known to be ahead of Bruce. We ended up with Bruce, because Charnley was leading the negotiations. Should it change? If Mike Ashley had the remotest idea how to run a football club, yep. We would have 3 or 4 at board level, including a finance director, chief scout and scouting team, better facilities, etc. And to Pouchy's point about Bruce, it's frustrating to have him at the helm, but he's symptom, not cause. Nothing will change, until we're taken over, then it'll be eye-watering to get the stories, which we will, about the desperate state Ashley's left us in.
Takeover or die is exactly where we're at. If this fizzles out (as usual) then I don't know where that leaves me. It's absurd that the only hope you have from your football club comes from outside that club.
There is no takeover mate, he ain't selling. As for whether the interest is real, who ****ing knows. Its impossible to know unless you are Michael Ashley. So those saying "it clearly is real" - based on what? Some reports through the media it is? Well forgive me if I don't put much credence in those guys. As I've said before also, it doesn't really matter if it is or isn't real anyway, the single most important factor is whether the seller is willing. He says he is but his actions say he isn't. Like I say our fans might as well pray for his demise because its the only way I see him leaving. Its not unthinkable mind, he is seriously out of shape and 55.
I'm no ITK, do business out there (I'm personally heading out for GISEC and possible GITEX this year), and my guy said what he said. I'm still 51% certain it won't happen, because Ashley. The one thing above all that's going to piss me off beyond reconciliation is this - if it all fails, if none of it was particularly true or if it was never destined to happen, and the club/Ashley/Charnley deliberately and knowingly stayed silent, I'm ****ing done with it. I couldn't bring myself to keep supporting or following a team knowing that. If it's bullshit, we're privately owned - Ashley could immediately and without recourse go on TV and say "just to set the record straight, the interest in Newcastle United is fabricated. The people showing interest in buying have nowhere near the resources to take this club on. I remain a willing seller, but I just wanted to make sure everyone stopped plane-watching, guessing and praying." Nothing could or would happen. This is a man with more shady practices than the Krays, so being honest about something that would at least help with things like attendance, performances and results would make a lot of sense. Yet he doesn't do it. And if he doesn't do it, yet knows that he could, I'm ****ing done.
Like I say who knows! Certainly not any of us. Mike is more than capable though of keeping quiet if it suits his overall strategy.
