Ashworth to Manchester

The media crediting all Newcastle's success to Ashworth, but the early workk without him was better.

Will he go ? Don't care, but I like the idea he knocks them back... that will hurt them.

Your thoughts?

 

As usual, the media are just being lazy with the facts and printing anything that will help to get them views. I'm not taking any notice of this speculation unless/until something official is announced by the club. Move along.

 

Seems a shame if he does go, as presumably he takes all the scouting work that has been done for the Summer with him. Think he has done a good job with us, changing the focus from 'panic-buying' older players in January 2022, to save us from relegation, to a younger squad with players ready to replace some of the older squad members, while also keeping us competitive.

Its very easy to underestimate the size of the task involved in essentially reconstructing the first team squad and building a world-class academy, but the lack of player sales since the takeover is testament to the lack of remaining value in the squad inherited from Ashley.

 

Would like him to stay as he has done well previously.

"Ashworth will be responsible for the club's overarching sporting strategy, football development and recruitment at all age levels"

So basically has he got it right with the signings of players like Kuol, Minteh, Hernes, Heffernan, Murphy etc in the youth teams - and first team signings as well - on the whole they've been good - Isak, Gordon, Barnes, Livarmento etc. even Tonali is a good signing just a **** situation.

He's been here a year and a half so far, so as Jak say's, it's tough to see what more he could have done walking into the **** show that was Newcastle 2 years ago. Would like to see where we are in a few more (3-5) years time.

 

As you say to turn a club around from the position we were in is really a 5-8 year job given the fact you have to move players on who are on long contracts, you have to put infrastructure in place, demonstrate to others (players, academy prospects, sponsors etc) that you mean business over a sustained period of time. It's a large multi year project. Sure you may be able to expedite things somewhat as we did by doing so well last year but as we are seeing it is not a straight line to success and the good times will be balanced out by some bumps in the road. Some get railroaded at the first sign of a bump but if you have the right people in place (financial muscle helps too of course) then you can ride it out and keep making progress. Lose Ashworth and it's an unfortunate bump in the road but I think we seem to have the right people in place with Mandy et al who will make good decisions to manage that problem.

 

Be disappointed if he leaves... Can imagine he'll have much more financial freedom at OT, once the initial **** show has been unravelled, so maybe that's an aspect.

Still, reckon it's just paper talk. Don't reckon he'll go.

 

If he goes he’s a ****

If he stays he’s a legend

 

I can't imagine they would out do us on wages. If it was me (taking out of it my bias) I would just look at it from the perspective of who am I going to be happiest working for and what is the most fun project to work on.

 

And that's the end of today's lesson kids. Don't forget your homework assignment on "Hitler: a ****, or just misunderstood?"

 

Where can I leave the biggest legacy? Surely here...?

 

I think if he goes, Howe will go, as they'll want to bring in another big name to be DoF and then it's hit & miss whether they'll want Howe there.

From more reliable reports, he's irked by the links. He's barely got here and the difficulty you have with Man U is where do you go from there? They're already earning fortunes - they may well then adopt a cuter transfer approach, but they're hardly a model for failure, just a typical cycle of big clubs going through average times. Lucky bastards will still probably end 4th, or 5th and get UCL yet again.

Bottom line is none of us have the faintest idea what he's doing behind the scenes. The owners and board do, we're well set up so if he's doing a good job he'll stay.

 

Depends what his personal motivations are.

Man Unuted is undoubtetly a huge club, with a history for success. Very easy to see why he'd want to be part of that. But equally they seem to be in a mess right now with their owners. He might see that as a positive challenge, or as a big red flag.

And like Fadge days, there will be a far bigger legacy for him here.

Even if he succeeds at Man United it will probably just be a reaction of: "Meh, they were already huge."
If he goes there and fails it would be a massive blow to his credentials.

Stay here and build something successful at NUFC from where we were and he will have legend status for the rest of his life.

So it depends what motivates him most.

I'd love to see him stay, but could also understand it if he gets lured away.

 

Rehash of the story that was put to bed last month isn’t it?

 

Hopefully, yeah.

 

I don't think he'll go and I don't think they're even thinking of sacking Howe tbh.

All noise

But, in the scenario he does go, reckon they'll just hire another businessman who plays football manager.

 

I think you're right. Howe sounds like a man who's beyond secure in his job. Very much "we know who we are, we know how long this could take" etc. I suspect the "we" very much includes Ashworth as well, so "noise" sounds about right as well.

In the unlikely event Ashworth goes, I disagree on the last point. I think it'd be a big leap to a new set-up, removal of Staveley, new DoF with a bigger background (Zorc, Edwards) and subsequent bigger manager.

 

Staveley is a far too popular and important figure for them to drop in my opinion.

I do have concerns about Staveley being able to make big, harsh decisions, but I can't forsee a scenario even if Ashworth walked, that would see the Saudis removing Staveley.

Of course, Amanda does actually own a portion of the club herself after all

 

I think this will be recognised, but we're dealing with pretty serious people with pretty lofty expectations. She does own some, but she's had to give up 4% already with more likely to be given up.

All a moot point. I suspect we'll have all of them for at least another 3 years. Howe won't survive a repeat of this season, but next season we'll have better players and less fixtures so will likely just do better. It's how he does if/when he gets us back to the UCL.

 

They'll be thirsty for a trophy, as we all are. If it becomes apparent thats never going to happen under Howe they'll drop him.

 

Isn't Steveley's plan to continue to sell/reduce her share and step away at some point?