Comments on: Mike Ashley Got the Message http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220 Daily News & Analysis of the English Premier League Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:46:46 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lonnie http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220#comment-22670 Lonnie Tue, 16 Sep 2008 03:32:52 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220#comment-22670 This is what the Premier League has come to...either empty your pockets at the door or the "fans" turn on you. You hear Manchester City and Chelsea being talked about as if they can draw on the total net worth of their ownership group...it's just stupid. Neither set of owners is going to pour money into something that cannot sustain itself in the long run. If Chelsea continue to hemorrage cash how long before Roman pulls up stakes?<br><br>I can't see who would buy the club or want to manage Newcastle. The fans expectations for Newcastle are unreal. They've not let a single competent manager settle into the job there since Robson had a bit of a run. And they are not alone in that mentality. Clubs like Arsenal and now Middlesbrough (who are admittedly copying the Arsenal model) are sensible clubs that spend within their means. Sunderland has spent something close to 50m just to stay in the league....it's really insane!<br><br>No one has learned a thing from the Leeds fiasco of a few years ago I guess. This is what the Premier League has come to…either empty your pockets at the door or the “fans” turn on you. You hear Manchester City and Chelsea being talked about as if they can draw on the total net worth of their ownership group…it's just stupid. Neither set of owners is going to pour money into something that cannot sustain itself in the long run. If Chelsea continue to hemorrage cash how long before Roman pulls up stakes?

I can't see who would buy the club or want to manage Newcastle. The fans expectations for Newcastle are unreal. They've not let a single competent manager settle into the job there since Robson had a bit of a run. And they are not alone in that mentality. Clubs like Arsenal and now Middlesbrough (who are admittedly copying the Arsenal model) are sensible clubs that spend within their means. Sunderland has spent something close to 50m just to stay in the league….it's really insane!

No one has learned a thing from the Leeds fiasco of a few years ago I guess.

]]> By: Michael http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220#comment-22638 Michael Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:17:41 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220#comment-22638 Ace, I would agree with you on your serious comment there (and your humorous one too!). Ashley didn't have to do this, as I said, and I thought he showed some character by stepping up and explaining this decision. It doesn't make me think any more of him as an owner -- I think he's incompetent -- but I do respect him now more than I did. Ace, I would agree with you on your serious comment there (and your humorous one too!). Ashley didn't have to do this, as I said, and I thought he showed some character by stepping up and explaining this decision. It doesn't make me think any more of him as an owner — I think he's incompetent — but I do respect him now more than I did.

]]> By: AceCowboy http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220#comment-22635 AceCowboy Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:18:14 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220#comment-22635 If I were a Newcastle supporter, I'd print out that letter, put it in a blender, pour it into a cup of beer and chug it in the stands. Ashley Style. <br><br>(On the serious, I think it was an extremely well-worded and reasoned letter to the people who have probably made disproportionately ridiculous threats on his person.) If I were a Newcastle supporter, I'd print out that letter, put it in a blender, pour it into a cup of beer and chug it in the stands. Ashley Style.

(On the serious, I think it was an extremely well-worded and reasoned letter to the people who have probably made disproportionately ridiculous threats on his person.)

]]> By: Simon Burke. http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220#comment-22606 Simon Burke. Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:26:05 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220#comment-22606 I dont know, Newcastle has been a shambles of a club long before Ashley and used to pay some shocking fees for players, Luque at nearly 10 million, Owen at 16 when liverpool were only bidding 8-12 mill. Ashley bought the club with his own cash, its not like anyone actually came in and bought them. Up until this I thought he was a fool but the statement I think is something football fans should rad and understand. Not everyone ca nthrow 30 million at a player and to do so on top of the the wage demands would ruin a club. He doesnt say he wanted to turn them into Arsenal overnight but that was the model he was aiming for - Wenger has been there for years doing it and fans want instant success. Newcastle havent won anything in years other than the sack race, a lot so I dont see why their fans think they are entitled to anything that quickly. Ashley is selling so the fans got what they want but he may have left them better off than they were. By the way ask City fans about Keegan's great signings he made for them. I like Keegan but they were shocking and if its true he wanted Henry and other over the hill high price talents then where was the money coming from. Remember its Ashley's money, not yours. Its easy to spend other people's money.<br>The more billionaires that come to the league the harder it will get to turn daft money into success. Pressure and expectations will go up but there will still be 20 teams fighting for one title and 19 people who didnt win it.<br>This is the first time I have looked at Ashley with any sympathy and lets be honest it probably wasnt safe for his family to go to a game. Lovely. I dont know, Newcastle has been a shambles of a club long before Ashley and used to pay some shocking fees for players, Luque at nearly 10 million, Owen at 16 when liverpool were only bidding 8-12 mill. Ashley bought the club with his own cash, its not like anyone actually came in and bought them. Up until this I thought he was a fool but the statement I think is something football fans should rad and understand. Not everyone ca nthrow 30 million at a player and to do so on top of the the wage demands would ruin a club. He doesnt say he wanted to turn them into Arsenal overnight but that was the model he was aiming for – Wenger has been there for years doing it and fans want instant success. Newcastle havent won anything in years other than the sack race, a lot so I dont see why their fans think they are entitled to anything that quickly. Ashley is selling so the fans got what they want but he may have left them better off than they were. By the way ask City fans about Keegan's great signings he made for them. I like Keegan but they were shocking and if its true he wanted Henry and other over the hill high price talents then where was the money coming from. Remember its Ashley's money, not yours. Its easy to spend other people's money.
The more billionaires that come to the league the harder it will get to turn daft money into success. Pressure and expectations will go up but there will still be 20 teams fighting for one title and 19 people who didnt win it.
This is the first time I have looked at Ashley with any sympathy and lets be honest it probably wasnt safe for his family to go to a game. Lovely.

]]> By: The Gaffer http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220#comment-22601 The Gaffer Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:04:38 +0000 http://www.epltalk.com/mike-ashley-got-the-message/3220#comment-22601 My question for Mike Ashley would be why would he bother buying the club in the first place? Why not let somebody else buy it when he showed interest knowing that a different investor may have been able to pour in a lot more money?<br><br>Sure, United are/were a shamble but for Ashley to think that he could have turned the club into an Arsenal is ridiculous. To me, saying that he wanted to turn the club into an Arsenal is an excuse that he didn't want to invest even more massive sums of money.<br><br>Cheers,<br>The Gaffer My question for Mike Ashley would be why would he bother buying the club in the first place? Why not let somebody else buy it when he showed interest knowing that a different investor may have been able to pour in a lot more money?

Sure, United are/were a shamble but for Ashley to think that he could have turned the club into an Arsenal is ridiculous. To me, saying that he wanted to turn the club into an Arsenal is an excuse that he didn't want to invest even more massive sums of money.

Cheers,
The Gaffer

]]>