'Things came to a head in 2008 after discovering Ashley’s cronies had bought the Spaniard Xisco for £5.7m despite never having seen him play, and signed the Uruguayan Ignacio González on loan as a “favour” to two South American agents.'
'[Keegan said] “I don’t know of a club that has been run as badly or with such disregard for people.”' (Well OK, I think we do)
Mike Ashley sounds very much like a British version of RD.
I met a colleague of mine from our base in Qatar last week. Told her to have a word with some of her rich Arabic mates.
Well it was worth a try!
I asked this fella I know (journo type) to ask his Saudi mates if they would be interested wjen he popped into their Embassy. I haven't heard back from him yet.......
'Things came to a head in 2008 after discovering Ashley’s cronies had bought the Spaniard Xisco for £5.7m despite never having seen him play, and signed the Uruguayan Ignacio González on loan as a “favour” to two South American agents.'
'[Keegan said] “I don’t know of a club that has been run as badly or with such disregard for people.”' (Well OK, I think we do)
Mike Ashley sounds very much like a British version of RD.
Did Ashley force those players on Keegan and email him telling him who to play and in what formation? Has Mike Ashley been absent at their matches for 4 years? When Newcastle got relegated, did they then struggle in the lower league due to lack of squad depth or did he bring in Benitez and invest heavily in the squad? It's chalk and cheese as a comparison.
That line from Keegan just highlights how fucking oblivious the Premier League world is to its surroundings, and Keegan is no better than the standard Geordie believing they should win trophies because they have a big stadium.
Roland isn't even that bad when you compare him to the likes of Sisu and the Oystons, but Ashley shouldn't even be in the same bracket.
'Things came to a head in 2008 after discovering Ashley’s cronies had bought the Spaniard Xisco for £5.7m despite never having seen him play, and signed the Uruguayan Ignacio González on loan as a “favour” to two South American agents.'
'[Keegan said] “I don’t know of a club that has been run as badly or with such disregard for people.”' (Well OK, I think we do)
Mike Ashley sounds very much like a British version of RD.
Don’t take any regard for anything keegan says if he believes he “doesn’t know of a club that’s been as badly run” as premier league Newcastle with Rafa Benitez as manager.
Worth picking up a copy of WSC this month. He's actually worse than Roland in terms of financial debt.
I'm sure Ashley has his faults, and there's no doubt that with a bit of investment Newcastle would be doing much better than they currently are. But at least whenever Newcastle have been relegated, he's spent money to ensure they get straight back up.
Bought Newcastle for £134m and inherited £77m of debt. By 2017 that debt had doubled to £152m.
Sports Direct has never paid anything towards the naming rights or any of the advertising that swarms the stadium.
Sports Direct controls club's retail operations and the club has made a net loss of £5.5m from this arrangement. Commercial income has halved, matchday income is down by a third.
In the 11 years before Ashley, Newcastle had qualified for Europe nine times and the Champion's League group stages twice. Since Ashley has been owner, the club has been relegated twice and played in the Europa League once.
Newcastle's net spend since the summer of 2017 is £1m. Brighton's is £110m and Huddersfield's is £78m.
Ashley has purchased land behind the Gallowgate for a reduced £6m and planning permission for £70m proeprty development that blocks any expansion of St James' Park.
The club's accounts are overdue and it is also under investigation by HMRC for tax fraud.
I don't see that as merely incompetence, I see it also as blatant disrespect. They were more than happy to go public about calling the meetings so that they could show that they had teeth, but now are keeping their counsel. Presumably because there is sweet FA they can do about him being there, due to their own process is so weak.
Not wanting to preempt what the Trust guys said last night, but one of the clear messages that came from their verbal report was that the EFL are concerned with someone's finances and crookedness when considering whether they are fit and proper, not their capability. Roland has the dosh and no convictions for fraud, so doesn't fail fit and proper test, even though he is clearly not capable of running a football club.
Not wanting to preempt what the Trust guys said last night, but one of the clear messages that came from their verbal report was that the EFL are concerned with someone's finances and crookedness when considering whether they are fit and proper, not their capability. Roland has the dosh and no convictions for fraud, so doesn't fail fit and proper test, even though he is clearly not capable of running a football club.
I think that this is well understood......but the wider point is that they SHOULD care. There are a number of useless owners that have (and continue to) 'run' clubs under their watch...and it is damaging to their 'brand' to just sit back and let it happen.
I met a colleague of mine from our base in Qatar last week. Told her to have a word with some of her rich Arabic mates.
Well it was worth a try!
I asked this fella I know (journo type) to ask his Saudi mates if they would be interested wjen he popped into their Embassy. I haven't heard back from him yet.......
Harvey (Shaun, EFL) met Duchatelet in Brussels and yesterday met the Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust. In the meeting, Harvey shed some light on the hold-up to the proposed takeover of Charlton by an Australian consortium.
He revealed the documents the Australians have yet to submit to the EFL relate to the precise make-up of the consortium and the source of their finances. The EFL have questioned the consortium and are yet to receive a response.
Harvey said that during his meeting with Duchetelet, the Belgian said “miscommunications and protests were not assisting the sale of the club”. Duchetelet also said he “intends to honour the agreement made with the Australians”.
Harvey (Shaun, EFL) met Duchatelet in Brussels and yesterday met the Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust. In the meeting, Harvey shed some light on the hold-up to the proposed takeover of Charlton by an Australian consortium.
He revealed the documents the Australians have yet to submit to the EFL relate to the precise make-up of the consortium and the source of their finances. The EFL have questioned the consortium and are yet to receive a response.
Harvey said that during his meeting with Duchetelet, the Belgian said “miscommunications and protests were not assisting the sale of the club”. Duchetelet also said he “intends to honour the agreement made with the Australians”.
So he'll honour this but not honour paying the staff bonuses that were promised to them
Harvey (Shaun, EFL) met Duchatelet in Brussels and yesterday met the Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust. In the meeting, Harvey shed some light on the hold-up to the proposed takeover of Charlton by an Australian consortium.
He revealed the documents the Australians have yet to submit to the EFL relate to the precise make-up of the consortium and the source of their finances. The EFL have questioned the consortium and are yet to receive a response.
Harvey said that during his meeting with Duchetelet, the Belgian said “miscommunications and protests were not assisting the sale of the club”. Duchetelet also said he “intends to honour the agreement made with the Australians”.
Comments
Needless to say, I had the last laugh.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/sep/25/kevin-keegan-no-im-not-going-to-take-a-compliment-from-mike-ashley
'Things came to a head in 2008 after discovering Ashley’s cronies had bought the Spaniard Xisco for £5.7m despite never having seen him play, and signed the Uruguayan Ignacio González on loan as a “favour” to two South American agents.'
'[Keegan said] “I don’t know of a club that has been run as badly or with such disregard for people.”' (Well OK, I think we do)
Mike Ashley sounds very much like a British version of RD.
That line from Keegan just highlights how fucking oblivious the Premier League world is to its surroundings, and Keegan is no better than the standard Geordie believing they should win trophies because they have a big stadium.
Roland isn't even that bad when you compare him to the likes of Sisu and the Oystons, but Ashley shouldn't even be in the same bracket.
Idiot.
Bought Newcastle for £134m and inherited £77m of debt. By 2017 that debt had doubled to £152m.
Sports Direct has never paid anything towards the naming rights or any of the advertising that swarms the stadium.
Sports Direct controls club's retail operations and the club has made a net loss of £5.5m from this arrangement. Commercial income has halved, matchday income is down by a third.
In the 11 years before Ashley, Newcastle had qualified for Europe nine times and the Champion's League group stages twice. Since Ashley has been owner, the club has been relegated twice and played in the Europa League once.
Newcastle's net spend since the summer of 2017 is £1m. Brighton's is £110m and Huddersfield's is £78m.
Ashley has purchased land behind the Gallowgate for a reduced £6m and planning permission for £70m proeprty development that blocks any expansion of St James' Park.
The club's accounts are overdue and it is also under investigation by HMRC for tax fraud.
What is the fear of saying 'Roland Duchatelet is the owner of Charlton, we met him due to fans requests, and we though 'no biggie'?'
Well, this is interesting. The EFL actually saying something.
Harvey (Shaun, EFL) met Duchatelet in Brussels and yesterday met the Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust. In the meeting, Harvey shed some light on the hold-up to the proposed takeover of Charlton by an Australian consortium.
He revealed the documents the Australians have yet to submit to the EFL relate to the precise make-up of the consortium and the source of their finances. The EFL have questioned the consortium and are yet to receive a response.
Harvey said that during his meeting with Duchetelet, the Belgian said “miscommunications and protests were not assisting the sale of the club”. Duchetelet also said he “intends to honour the agreement made with the Australians”.
but not honour paying the staff bonuses that were promised to them
It does read as if the cloob as written it (bar the staff issue) but all the comments appear to be from Harvey according to the sub-Standard at least.
We await news from the Aussies who seem to have just been thrown under the bus by the EFL.