Can you figure out the policy of a football club that is hell bent on geting rid of the most experienced backbone of the team, seemingly to reduce wages bills, that then embarks on a replacement drive that has Demba Ba (wanting reportedly 65k per week) in their sights and an untried unknown french Ligue 1 player who will be on similar money to those they are getting rid of? Is it just total madness? Over to you Agent Ashley?
Great sentiments Syd, then again, you will need to have that discussion with your counterparts as well because ANY Sunderland thread will be immedaitely hijacked by the b&w brethren, for purposes not in favour of the lads? They dish it out regualrly but never like it coming back at them. Anyway, this is a relevant football thread surely? Okay I'll broaden it out. Should ANY club be run thus?
The question is 'where do you draw the line'? I think on the whole, Sunderland fans on here are far more tollerant of Newcastle fans commenting on here as they are of Sunderland fans on their board. However, that is no excuse for the threats of violence and mindless abuse which we witnessed last night... I can well understand what a difficult job it is for you and the Sunderland mods.
The worrying thing is Cest, I was halfway through your post before I realised it was Them (and not us) who you were writing about. Getting rid of Bent and Jordan, then hearing, right or wrong, that we had to reduce our wage bill.
I reckon we compromise. Fair enough talk Newcastle but don't rise to wind ups because we've asked for it with this thread. I seem to have missed this last night? Could someone PM me explaining the situation regarding the threats of violence and abuse?
When you look at it in football terms, I agree with whats happened so far, we have sold a 29 year old player who has turned down a 2 year contract extension, which would take him to 32/33 years old on a decent wage £40k p/w raising to £50k p/w if we finished top 10. because he wanted a 5 year deal on £65k p/w. Off the field is where he will be missed. We have signed a 24 year old french international on a 5 year deal worth around £40k p/w, he was the captain of his former team and has just won a league and cup double. Also we are on the verge of signing a striker for free who scored 7 goals in 12 games, a player Sunderland fans only 1 week ago were keen to sign themselves. So far seems like good business to me
I think the majority of it was done on the Badgersarsehole thread which is now on the next page down.
Nolan's goals will be very much missed though as Bents was with us. Key players are those that alter games. Nolan and Barton are key to Noocarsels success recently though, surely? As for Ba. He looks canny one minute and not so the next but for 65k pr week and an attitude that will disrupt rather than team build (as with Barton and Nolan) I'd sooner leave well alone. I have not been excited at all by the links we had with him in the last few weeks. Also, the 24 year old former captian etc I say one thing. Marcelino? Came with an even better reputation but the less said the better? Nolan and Barton are players you build a team around and FMA seems happy to get rid of them. Bartons interview on Talk Sport seemed at first to be a loyal one until the undercurrents of a come and get me ploy. He will be off well before August and if Colocinni and Enrique follow, you have some real issues to contend with. There is an old adage in football that you dont break up the spine of your team but you can flesh a good one out. Are there not some deadwood to cull before the first team stalwarts? We are similarly under pressure to release wages from the club but in McCartney, Nos, Ferdinand and Gordon, none of their departures will have the rmotest influence on the squad or team for next year. Gyan going would if not replaced though.
This thread might of held some water if your figures about wages with the incoming players were true, but the fact is, it's pure speculation. From a financial point of view, we are being ran very well, can't fault it. When the transfer window shuts, that's when you can try and dissect how you think our club is being run. As mentioned above, is could quite easily be aimed at your club.
Do you think Demba Ba would be coming for less than Nolan or Barton wants? Really? I have already said that Henderson (I didnt want himto go mind), Ferdinand, Malbranque, Gordon, Nosworthy, Killgallon and McCartney are the players we need to shift to release wages. None of them will have the same negative effect on our team/squad next year. Losing Barton, Nolan (already gone), Enrique and maybe Colocinni would have a devastating effect on yours. Thats a fact.
It.s not just NE1, take a look at Villa, recruiting a manager from their closest rivals (bad move). Then it looks like they are going to sell most of their star players, leaving a sad lonely figure feeling unwanted and unloved. Surely their players departing will have a bigger impact on what is a decent team, more than chicken wings leaving. But if his compatriates follow for the golden path paved with glory and big money, then they will have problems. I can't understand why Ashley would let this happen, (no matter what the mags say, he will be a massive loss, and hard to replace) But on the other hand, when you see some off the players they are linked with (forget Ba) it seems like he reckons he has a cunning plan. If it works, Nolan will be forgotten, if it doesn't, well all hell will break out. It's a risky gamble he's taking, could go either way. Good buisness? i don't think so.
Nolan's goals may well be missed, but as has been pointed out in other threads he only scored 2 goals after Carroll left. Other than the goals he offered very little. i believe with Ben Arfa fit again and Cabaye and Tiote that looks a more mobile midfield, and if we add a couple decent strikers that replaces the goals we lost from Nolan. The only reason Nolan finished top scored was the lack of Quality we had up front, we played a style of football last season that was conducive of Nolan style and to accommodate him, with better (more technical) players being bought we will no longer need to play this way
It's all ifs and buts at this moment in time though. Say ba is offered what Nolan was getting over 2 year, that's still 4 mil in clear profit, and the man has proven that he can score in this league in the poorest team in the division. A very worth while risk in my opinion. As for cabaye, he is apparently on peanuts compared to some of our players but still more than he was making in France. You have lost alot of your better players through loanees returning to parent clubs and the links with the likes of Gibson and brown would hardly fill me with confidence. It is clear that we are building a team around pace for next season and a move from a 442 formation. We expect to lose Barton now, also Enrique, as long as it happens sooner rather than later it's nothing we can't cover.
Ba's a funny one, because he's undoubtedly a good player, but how bad are his knees? Did pretty well at WHU, but 12 games isn't a full season of 40-50, depending on cup runs. Could be a brilliant signing; could be another Jonathan Woodgate, who's just off the retained list for Spurs after 65 games in 3 1/2 years.
All very well but my pointis still being missed. Barton, Colocinni, Nolan, Smith and Harper were by all reports, the 5 main players who got the team together at the end of the relegation season and got the club abck to the EPL. They were also (Smith less somaybe) all extremely influencial in your club avoiding the drop this season. Those kinds of players are very special becasue they are the backbone to add the Cabayes and Demba Ba's too not replace. You may well have a more fluid midfield but does that mean they will be effective or will they all just run around much quicker but in no particular direction. All of the 5 mentioned are natural born leaders as well and that showed in the games we played you amongst others. Who will be the leaders next season? We are just as vulnerable but luckily, we have players to shed we can easily do without? I dont want Gyan to go but if he did we'd be in similar postions as he is a character as well. In Brown, O Shea, Crouch, Larsson and Vaughan we are looking for characters and experienced players, mainly British/Irish players it has to be said, which is a good thing imo. Add a couple of gambles in Gibson, Won and N'Gog and I am comfortable with that for our squad.
I get your point but alot of it is speculative. Any team would suffer if they lost 5 of their key players. But who is to say Nolan won't have a stinker next season then us selling him would look like very good business. Like I said, it's all ifs and buts. It's odds on that Taylor will pick up the captains arm band. The club is evolving. I could turn round and put the argument forward that if we were starting next season with pretty much the same starting 11 as last year that we may suffer from second season syndrome. We just don't know, it's all opinions. Next season we will need to worry about collo because he will find himself in a similar situation as Nolan. Can see him leaving then, but that's football.
its a fair point, but remember these players were also the backbone of the team that took us down in the 1st place, and of the 5 you listed, i think only Smith and Nolan will leave, Barton has stated (today) he will only leave if he gets CL football and he will see out his contract. Harper isn't likely to be in much demand, Colo there has been no talk at all of him leaving, Jose by the sounds of things either wants to sit out his contract or is waiting see who we actually buy before making his mind up.
I watched this interview and got the distinct impression that he was advertising himself for one of the top sides to make an approach.
