The Straight Tweet On Newcastle’s French Connection
Want to know what Mike Ashley is up to, dismantling Chris Hughton’s champions and smuggling a glut of young talent across the Channel? Just stick with the fundamentals and follow the money.
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When you stop to think, it’s really quite surprising that Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias don’t have Twitter accounts. After all, they’re free. And don’t the Newcastle supremos love the concept of gratis?
Just look at their transfer activity for 2011-12.
With £35 million collecting interest since January’s sale of Andy Carroll, £1.8 million reaped from Swansea for Wayne Routledge and somewhere upwards of £1.5 million for former captain Kevin Nolan — reunited with Sam Allardyce at West Ham — the club has almost £40 million to play with in the market. Except that Mikey doesn’t play like that.
See if you can detect the pattern:
French midfielder Sylvain Marveaux arrived in mid-June on a free transfer from Rennes, with West Ham’s Demba Ba, on a free as well, beating him to the punch by twenty-four hours. Another French midfielder on a free transfer, Lens B’s Mehdi Abeid, was lined up in May and confirmed on 1 July. Admittedly, Ashley and Llambias parted with €5 million the week before Marveaux and Ba joined, snagging Lille’s — what’s the term, again?….. Oh yes, French midfielder — Yohan Cabaye.
Did I mention that Ba is French-born, although of Senegalese descent? Not that I had to, I’m sure you knew. It would seem that now is the time for an enterprising restaurateur to open an exclusive French bistro on Tyneside! Not too exclusive, though, as Ashley is not one to pay out high wages to his players.
Else, why were Nolan and Routledge, a proven leader and an up-and-coming homegrown youngster with Premier League experience, sold? Why is Jose Enrique looking for a new club and claiming on Twitter that the St. James Park hierarchy is lying when they say that they’ve made him an improved offer on his existing contract? Most importantly, why has Joey Barton, the man whose service transformed Andy Carroll from a £1.5 million rabble-rouser into a £35 million golden child (with a little help from Fernando Torres and Roman Abramovich) only been offered a new contract on reduced wages and finally been allowed to leave on, and this is generous for Ashley, a free transfer?
The simple answer is because Ashley has turned Newcastle into a retail warehouse for players, to complement his sportswear business, and constant complaining from the merchandise might finally push the supporters, who pay what little overhead remains, over the edge. Then again, the new policy of fining the one-hundred-and-forty-character dissenters has provided another lucrative revenue stream, as well.
Some Toon fans may look at the incoming players and say that I’m being too harsh; that there is quality there. I won’t argue that Ba did yeoman work in a lost cause at Upton Park or that Cabaye was not a significant part of Lille’s Ligue 1 championship run. Marveaux is also a good player and no doubt Abeid has potential. Along with a recovered Hatem Ben Arfa, now permanently Tyneside on the cheap (and certainly for somewhat less than the €5 million fee that was agreed to make the loan permanent pre-injury – after all, Ashley is not one to pay a premium for damaged goods), the cultural commonality at the core of the club should prove enough for Toon to stay comfortably mid-table throughout the season, although one wonders if the Toon chairman sent a thank you note and bouquet to Nigel de Jong for shattering Marseille’s bargaining position when he did the same to the French winger’s leg.
All talent aside, if you’re a conscript in the Toon Army — and the Lord and Lady help you if you are — you should be wise enough to know that competitiveness was merely a secondary motive in Ashley’s grand design. Unquestionably, he craves talent, but on the cheap to maximise profits upon resale. No, the fact is that Big Mike bought French for a reason and the reason’s name is His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani.
Hamad bin Jassim, as his friends and those who suffer from respiratory ailments call him, is a Qatari royal, Prime Minister of his country and the key man in the Qatari Investment Authority. That entity, of course, is the Qatari government’s business arm, which has just purchased a majority stake in Paris Saint-Germain.
Since the takeover, the Parisian club has named former Inter and AC Milan coach Leonardo as Sporting Director and authorised him to splash the cash to sign Salvatore Sirigu, Mohamed Sissoko, Blaise Matuidi, Jeremy Menez, Milan Bisevac and Kevin Gameiro for a combined €44 million.
And don’t worry, I’m not forgetting that they nearly doubled that figure when they went back to Palermo to sign Sirigu’s more well-known teammate, Javier Pastore, for €43 million.
Nor are they done, if the frantically churning rumour mill is any indication. The latest tidbit hurtling through cyberspace is that Carlos Tevez may be headed for the Parc des Princes.
Such a drastic sea change at the wealthiest club in France is not going to go unchallenged. For the last few decades, Ligue 1 may have been a developmental league for the Prem, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A, but that is surely going to change quickly. Already, Lille are thanking their lucky stars that they were able to hold onto rising young hero Eden Hazard, because clubs are going to be desperate to stay competitive. Marseille and Lyon have the resources to do so, but others, such as Lille, are going to be sorely tempted to push the financial envelope.
Ligue 1 is suddenly poised to become one of the big boys and Mike Ashley has stockpiled an array of young French talent; just the kind who may be willing to overlook the harsh French tax structure to return home to a strong club; one capable of winning the Champions League.
Again, for you hopeless Tyneside romantics who don’t think that Ashley will sell his new assets as soon as their value matures, just look on your match day programme for the names Carroll, Nolan, Barton and Enrique. Chances are that by 1 September, none of them will be there.
Routledge is 26, not quite an ‘up-and-coming youngster’. Also many (i.e. I) would argue his Premier League experience has proved only one thing – he’s not quite up to it.
Interesting thoughts on the policy, could well be that he’s buying them all to simply cash in next year. But if he dismantles the club too much they won’t be in the Prem next year! At the moment I think they’ll be solidly bottom half, unless 75% of the new players turn out to be hits, which is optimistic.
So Pastore went to PSG did he? Rumours they want Berba, too, and I could see it happening if we buy Sneijder. IF.
Okay, I don’t want to know how you can be completely familiar with Routledge and oblivious to Pastore.
Ha, because I’ve seen Routledge not do much for about 8 years in England, whereas Pastore is relatively new on my radar – plus most of the stuff I know about him is what I’ve read, not seen. Anyway, Pastore was on his way to Chelsea or PSV last week, apparently!
Oh, you said you DIDN’T want to know…
And I thought I was cynical ?
I’d take that as a compliment if it wouldn’t mean that you’d misjudged me.
You only have to look at the last 4 or 5 transfer windows to know that Cashley is only interested in raking in as much money as he can get.
I dont think many supporters expect multi million pound mega deals at our club anymore,we have seen enough of them,they dont gaurentee anything really,what they do expect is to see a fair amount of any transfer funds generated to be spent on replacements,not free transfers who the board are hingieng
their bets on.
How can any Nufc supporter believe a word what Ashley or Lambias say.
When 4 nufc players come out and criticise the heirarchy of lack of ambition,lies and greed,then i know who,s side im on.
Go now Fatman,or its a case of deja vuex for you mate if we are relegated.
Actually, the consensus is that footballers tend to hit their prime — ergo, the time that they can be considered veterans — between the ages of 27 and 29. So, Routledge is on the young side and did improve his credentials, admittedly in the second tier, when he helped the club regain Premier League status.
On N-U-T-Z.net, I read a comment that said he wasn’t homegrown, either. Don’t know how being English doesn’t make you homegrown, but starter or not, he had value to a club which is suddenly stocked with foreign players, especially at far lower wages than Nolan or Barton.
So, that’s my perspective on that. Also don’t forget that I’m 47, so 26 is much younger to me than it might be to many of you.
I think ‘prime’ and ‘veterans’ are different – a veteran is probably more like 33+, experienced but lost his pace kinda guy.
I’d say a winger like Routledge can actually hit his prime a lot earlier, too, when he’s probably slightly quicker and fearless.
And anyway, 26 is starting to sound a lot younger to me too these days! But… he’s still crap.
Okay, let’s say he’s crap, which is a bit harsh for someone Norwich just paid almost 2 mill for, but let’s say he is. Does that blow this whole theory of Ashley looking to turn over players like so much merchandise out of the water or does selling Carroll and Nolan, while refusing to re-up Enrique and Barton suggest that maybe you’re splitting hairs?
Also, I think that by 33, you’re an ageing veteran. Still, you’re only bolstering my argument that he is young, anyway.
Having seen Routledge at first hand, I can say with absolute certainty he is not useless. The problem is in his head, in the Championship, he’s accomplished and plays with confidence and belief. He played numerous through balls and his crossing was superb. In the Premier League, even while not under pressure his passing was average at best and his crossing was loopy and often over hit. Essentially, he tries too hard to prove himself. There’s many players like this out there. A friend of our family is an Academy coach at Newcastle, he says of Shola that he can beat three men and hammer it into the top corner from 25 yards at will in training. They all think he’s a superb player, but stick him in front of a big crowd and he goes to pieces. This explains why he has been given so many chances by virtually every coach we’ve had in years. Just shows how important the ability to handle pressure is at the top of the game.
On your players as merchandise theory, you’re absolutely right. My brother has been saying the same thing for years. Buy low, add value, sell high – he’s applying his cheap trainer sales principles to a football club. Success or entertainment or anything else in fact is secondary to making money on transfers it would seem at the moment. That said, Cabaye is an exceptional player and Marveaux looks exciting (if fit). Time will tell how we do, but I wholly expect that any player who plays well is essentially for sale at a hefty mark up next summer.
Also, the club recently stated that they had already spent the £35m from the Carroll sale on the contracts and fees for Ba, Cabaye, Marveaux et al. Which makes the rather foolhardy assumption that the players will see out their long contracts at the club. Will be interesting to see if the shortfall when they leave is put back into transfers with any fees received?! The thing is, if Carroll hadn’t been sold, people wouldn’t have expected a great deal of investment in the club’s playing staff. Most fans would be happy with the odd signing, and the developing of younger players that love the club and want to stay and achieve. That Carroll has been sold only underlines the fact that money is being taken from the club on a regular basis – where is the money from the Given sale? Milner, N’Zogbia, Nolan, Duff and more all raised fees too. Also, we should be including the savings we made by not paying these players their full contracts in the transfer kitty, according to the rules laid out by management, which equates to yet more in the bank. Perhaps we’ll sign another 5 or 6 quality players before September and all will be forgiven?
I’m a pessimist, but this transfer window is turning out worse than I expected. Ashley knows that we mugs will keep turning up to the matches and buying the merchandise. I just hope we stay in the premiership, because Ashley is gambling with the club’s future.
What a complete load of drivel… so you theory is that Ashley is buying young, cheap French players in the hope that the French League gets stronger due to some Qatari Royal buying PSG & then wanting to bring all the French player back home yeah?
So this Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani only want French players doe he, he’s not interested in players like Messi, Xavi, Tevez, Ronaldo etc etc some f the best, if not the best players in the world yeah… lol
So Ashley has spent £x millions on buying some French players, hoping that they shine in the PL enough for them to be seen by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani & then he’ll want to buy them… Roflmfao…..
Get a grip you fool, don’t you think that someone with such welath is going to want just to buy back only French players…. sad!!!
There are nineteen other teams in the league, who will be playing catch-up with PSG. As well, there’s this little thing called 6+5 that’s in the works at UEFA. Clubs are going to want established players, yes, and if they’re French, develop further in the English League than they would have at home, and then return, capable of competing with the Pastores and any other foreign superstars, all the better.
I actually thought this complete load of drivel through, mate.
This is the best comment ever.