Less financial strength than.....Southampton

Ok, so wtf is this all about? Alan Pardew quoted as saying "You look at a club like Southampton, and they’re in a much stronger financial position than us in terms of purchasing players". How the feck did that happen? Southampton suddenly build a 52000 seater stadium? Suddenly debt free? Dubai-backed, perhaps?

Pardew is talking about having a stronger side than that which finished 5th, but that actually FINISHING 5th will be difficult/impossible because of the money spent by Spurs, Arsenal, Swansea and, of course, Southampton. I'm just looking for help in understanding how we have managed to get less financial clout than the Saints?!

 

I'm afraid the only cure for your problem is a lead pellet in the left ear.

 

It sounds to me like a sly dig at his former employers.

If you're looking for genuine reasons that we cannot compete with Southampton in financial terms, it's all to do with who's holding the purse-strings.

I'll give you one guess...

 

Or a not-so-sly dig at his current employers.

 

Indeed!

 

Debt free yes, and not Dubai backed but German backed (the Liebherr family). A lot of money has been spent on transfer fees in the last two years, there's no denying that. To be fair the big transfer fees haven't been matched by overinflated wages, which is good, but means that convincing expensive players to join is the hard bit.

 

Bear in mind that a lot of SOuthampton's squad players are still on League 1 wages

 

Amazed they've managed it really, to keep the wages low. We walk away from so many deals based on agent fees and wages that I felt there were no talented footballers left that would take a realistic wage and signing-on fees. As I can see from some of the quality in your team that's not true.

 

That is true, it's probably the thing that I've been most impressed in by Cortese (executive chairman), and it's a tough choice. Being down in League 1 along with the takeover helped us to start again with wage levels and so on, and Pards had a little bit of spending power (for that level) to bring in some players who have made it all the way up to the Prem. No.1 being Sir Rickie of course. Anyway, don't want to ramble too much, see you in err...December.

 

They are one of the most well backed clubs in the league. Owned by the Liebherr family who have a net worth of more than 3 billion. And their owners are quite happy to spend. Pards is bang on the money.

 

At least someone does their research before slating the club, the managment team, the owner, the players etc etc

 

To be honest I can see exactly where this season is heading with the majority of our fans. They are stuck in last season. It was hugely disappointing but can happen to a club like ours, we're not top drawer. There is another thread bemoaning pre season results. I question sanity in this regard because pre season results are well known to mean dick all. But then you look at it realistically and realise its the hangover of a bad season, its popular to moan.

You watch, we'll get mauled off Man City and people will be "I don't mind getting beat but that was embarrassing, Pardew hasn't got a clue, he played Jonas blah blah blah" Me I'm a realist and I expect us to get mauled, barely get a kick and look a bag of ****e. I'd also play Jonas because he is tailor made for it. Its just the reality of playing a club who are far stronger. I'd love to think we'll move forward but I think we're stuck in last season, Pards will last 5 games before they make his position untenable and we'll be back to square one.

 

I agree - there is certainly still a sour taste remaining from last season. Really with the transfer window we've had up until getting Remy in, what have we had to wash that taste away? Reading anything into a friendly is a waste of time and energy, Man City will most likely hump us and Pardew won't get much leeway.

Must say though, I don't think Pardew should get too much leeway. He made a lot of poor decisions last season, though there were a sprinkling of good - such as the way we went about the Benfica game. At the end of the day, if the team looks disjointed and disinterested, and formations, players selected etc look ineffective... Well, no manager at any club would get away with it with the fans.

I'd also say that though we have less financial strength than most other Premier League clubs due to the financially prudent model we are employing... Who cares if we still bring in players like HBA, Cisse, Cabaye, Sissoko, Debuchy, Santon, Gouffran, Mbiwa, Remy... If we can sign another striker and perhaps a left winger before the window shuts we are going to be looking very good on paper due to clever spending, with a squad worth more than most even if it cost less.

 

His position was untenable when Liverpool fcked us over, yet he kept his job after that and beyond. The fans cannot guide the fatman to sacking any more than they could prevent him getting rid of Hughton. We work to a Jan-Dec financial model and so Pardew may already be 'sacked', he just won't know it til the end of the year.

 

How come the newcastle utd fiscal year is different to that of most UK businesses, and how come you know it is despite a lot of financial reports in newspapers reporting a year end on 30th March. And why would it make much difference when in the year he sacked Pardew.

I'm sure there is an explanation but it does have an air of a classic Chronicle comments conspiracy theory a la the 'embezzling' of £35m - a personal favourite of mine.

 

Merry Christmas Alan, by the way you were sacked in July.

Good luck for the future, hope you find a new job soon.

Mike.

 

You can't get away from it, we were poor from Ashley through Pardew and his coaches down the players last season. Excuses about extra games etc don't wash. We were crap. Pardew was crap. The only shining light was our European campaign where we overachieved and played well throughout. We were organised, had great planning and the players looked focused. Basically everything we were in the league the year before!

We are very demanding as a support for me. We have quickly forgotten we were in the fizzy pop not long ago and after coming 5th, believed we'd just continue on that trend. I think Pardew got caught up in that too. Reality is the PL is unforgiving and we are just an also ran fighting with 12-13 similar clubs with small margins between 8th-20th.

To me I want managers to have time. Pardew was great to one and all when we finished 5th. Manager of the year, Hughton's wrongful exit somewhat forgotten. Roll forward 12months and he is the devil and a pile of ****e, completely clueless. Disease of the modern world for me, instant success, now, now, now syndrome.

Don't get me wrong I'm in neither camp. I am still undecided on him and I always am when a manager isn't even 3 years in. I just think we are looking for something which doesn't exist, a manager who never has a bad season. So we'll just continue the hire and fire policy in some weird vain attempt it might exist. This season should finally give some clarity on Pardew, he has had a ridiculously good season, followed by a really bad one. Its up to him which way he goes regardless of the fans. I just think our job at the start of every season is to clear our head and at least start with a clean slate. Forget the good season, forget the bad one, he is here so get behind him. That is just how I see it though, each to their own and all that.

 

Oh, it's the man with all the red bars again.

 

I think his days are numbered.

 

Pardew the bell end should just keep his mouth shut and be grateful he still has a job, complete waste of space

Pardew out !!!!!!