Loyalty Bullshit/Is it really all Ashleys fault

Now first things first I am not an Ashley supporter. I would much rather we had a sane, regular sized man in charge of the club. I also do not support several of the decisions he has made during his time at the club. However when I look at this situation with some players wanting out I personally can't place the blame solely on him.

This is because of all the apparent bullshit we've been given from the players about loyalty.

Carroll- most people I've spoken to haven't bought his story about being forced out. Saw money and a team near the top of the league in Liverpool and went after telling us all several times he wanted to play for us

Nolan- I support the decision not to have him on the wage bill for 5 more years. I would have been happy to have him for the further 2 years he was offered but he saw what he wanted at west ham and jumped ship.

Enrique- doesn't want to be here in my eyes. We have a reasonable wage cap and if he won't except that then he's gona go. Money money money

Barton- I'm certain we haven't heard everything from this story yet so I won't make a definate decision. However with every new thing I hear it seems more and more like he's gt himself to blame if he wants to stay.

So 4 incidents of 1st team players leaving. All 4 can be blamed on Ashley but should they. 4 is in my mind too many examples to pin the blame solely on Ashley or on the players.

Maybe rather than sharpening our axes we should stop believing everything the players say. I'm not suggesting for a moment we believe everything Ashley, Llambias and Pardew say but let's be honest. When you think of footballers you don't think of the the smartest nicest people in the world.

Feel free to disagree, its just a passing thought but by putting that **** on twitter Barton had it coming in my mind


Sorry for spelling, on my phone

 

Rep for you mate, this is exactly what I've been saying!
I think we should all reserve judgement until the end of the transfer period.
If we don't replace the players with decent replacements then I don't think any of this will stand unnoticed.

 

I agree little Geordie, some fans are being stupid. The days of going from championship to champions league in a couple of seasons have gone. Money talks, without Ashley we would be in the same state as Leeds or Portsmouth. He has made some terrible decisions, but so has everyone else.We have to slowly build year on year, we are not going to get champions league players at SJP for years if ever.

 

It probably isn't entirely Ashley's fault, but the fact that he's lied to the fans so many times in the past, and treated a number of employees rather unfairly, makes me think the majority of the blame falls solely on him.

I don't think much blame at all should go to Pardew - As his involvement is really unknown. Obviously he's Ashley's mate, but he may well genuinely believe the things he tells the press, which would make him a fool caught in the middle, rather than an outright liar.

 

And the fact Barton, Nolan and Carroll all have the same agent (Willy McKay - Dodgey bloke extrodinare) doesn't have any baring on this what so ever

 

Best most logical article on the situation IMO, we just need to get on with it and move on. The one thing we can get on to Ashley for though is not bringing in replacements, time will tell!!!

 

Exactly, it's ridiculous that the players who go on and on about the club only selling and not buying, are the same ones doing nothing to stay at the club..so the fact they're now being sold is their own self-fulfilling prophecy. Anybody believing they wanted to stay and are being pushed out the door are kidding themselves.

Does the club want to save some money? Sure. But those players never had the interests of the club at heart -- they've only been looking out for themselves.

 

I would agree that while footballers are not the most loyal breed in general, you really have to decide who it is that is telling the truth.
Joey Barton & Jose Enrique have both expressed concerns about the ambition of the club on-line yet only Barton is being 'punished'. Why is that?

Are these players simply saying these things to engineer moves away or is there a genuine feeling within the dressing room that the management and board are out of touch with the ambitions of the players and fans?. I would suggest it's the latter.

Andy Carroll & Kevin Nolan were our top scorers last season yet deemed not worthy of the better deals they asked for. Just because Nolan asked for a 5-year deal it doesn't mean we would have to keep him for that period - Carroll proved that by moving on shortly after signing a 5-year deal.

 

That's completely irrelevant to the subject. No one's complaining that we aren't in the CL, or bringing in CL quality players. The problem is that we're continually selling our best players, and, if we even get a replacement, it's a completely unproven player from a weaker league. Obviously if they turn out like Tiote, then that's fine, but if they turn out like Xisco, or Ignacio Gonzales, or Cacapa, we're in a lot of trouble.

We do have to slowly build year by year - But we have to actually be building towards something, not just moving sideways.

The squad was too thin last year, and it's even thinner now. We have just three CBs, and S. Taylor is often injured. What's going to happen if Williamson and Coloccini get suspended at the same time, like they did last season? Kadar has never played in the Premiership, and barely played in the Championship, it'd be dangerous to rely on him. I'm not going to mention the problems at LB, as they've been discussed to death.

There are lots of problems at the club, both on field and off, that haven't been addressed, and many, many, valid reasons for fans to complain.

I'm not completely anti-Ashley - I do think the club is 'safer' with him, than it would be with Freddy Shepherd, or someone like that. That being said, he's shown a significant lack of respect towards the fans, and hasn't made any effort at all to try and build a relationship with them.

 

The one departure which is completely Ashley's fault (and despicable) is Hughton, otherwise the ones you've listed roughly reflect my views.

 

is that true?

why hasnt anyone said anything about that, if that is true im a bit stunned to be honest!

 

It's not true.

 

Nolan and Carroll have the same agent (Carroll switched just before leaving), but I'm pretty sure it's not McKay. Quick google says Mark Curtis.

 

yep had a butch and found this:

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/willie-mckay/details/berater_242.html

 

yep no baring what so ever, cos its not true, so by reason of deduction, that leaves us with ashley, so yep its his fault

 

Ashley is obviously a bit of an autocrat so his management style leaves alot to be desired.

However, to obsolve Barton from blame is extremely naive. Employment is not a democracy however much you may like it to be. I like most of you I expect have had issues with employers that have led to arguments. One thing that always occurs to me is that even if you appear to win your argument within the confines of employment law you know that your career under that boss is effectively at an end. That is the case even if it stays in house. If you go to the media or twitter with your complaints you know your career with that organisation is screwed beyond redemption. Barton is not a fool and will have known this.

Barton will also have known that his rants to the media will have ultimately led him to the position he is now in. He had warnings to stop but just kept going. How anybody can claim he is not responsible is beyond me. It should also be remembered that Barton's issues with the management only really came to the fore after he had failed to get the contract he wanted. Funny how he didn't feel the need to warn the fans about the evil of the owners whilst he was still negotiating or waiting for the offer!

What concerns me more than the career prospects of a manipulative, spoilt, partially reformed thug is the damage this incident has done to the image of the club, both in the media and to players we may be trying to recruit. Sorry but I hold Barton as the chief culprit in this and the focus of my blame. The sooner he is gone the better.