[Archived] Nickos Thread

[Daje]

Any word on Keegan leaving Nicko?

I didn't even know they dated?

[LeftWinger]

I didn't even know they dated?

Ha Ha - Very Good!

[joey_big_nose]

Have to disagree. They're light weight IMO. Who's going to boss the midfield in those two? Not Vogel it would appear and certainly not BRFCS favourite Tom Huddlestone. Both are tidy on the ball, but work rate, getting stuck in and winning the ball back? I can't see it myself.

As for 4-5-1? This is Blackburn Rovers. 4-4-2 please.

THat isn't what people mean I think. You always want at least two players to cover each position. At present we only have one competent defensive midfielder and that is Vogel. We need one more at least as Mokoena is clearly not up to it, Tugay is retiring and Dunn and Reid are more forwards players. At present we are deputising Emerton in that role.

Vogel is also 31 so no spring chicken. On top of that Huddlestone has outstanding ability at what he does. If he can be accomodated Rovers will benefit. What makes it easier is that we have accomodated a player with very similar attributes (outstanding passer, not too mobile, doesn't tackle well, intelligent, great ball retention) for years in Tugay.

I would be majorly disappointed if we didn't go for him. He would give us something that most clubs would not have access too, a bona fide playmaker. He is one of the outstanding talents in Premiership football, and sure he has not yet lived up to his billing, but Blackburn Rovers trade is finding those players and getting them to that level.

And 4-5-1 (or really 4-2-3-1) is an option we need to pursue. Not exclusively, but we need to have the ability to switch between the two formations to suit our opposition and our players who are available.

[nicko]

Any word on Keegan leaving Nicko?

He never writes, he never phones.

Keegan used to rant and rave and threaten to resign under Douglas Hall and Freddy Sheopherd. They put up with it.

Ashley and Mort are different animals, so he had better be careful.

The trouble is that he wants certain players and the scouts want others. There are major problems here.

And that is probably good news for you next season.

[gumboots]

Only if they somehow don't strike lucky and get in a good manager who can, given the owner's backing, produce the goods.

[den]

He never writes, he never phones.

Keegan used to rant and rave and threaten to resign under Douglas Hall and Freddy Sheopherd. They put up with it.

Ashley and Mort are different animals, so he had better be careful.

The trouble is that he wants certain players and the scouts want others. There are major problems here.

And that is probably good news for you next season.

So we have Keegan, and when you say "scouts" - you really mean denis Wise? - both seeing things very differently.

[nicko]

So we have Keegan, and when you say "scouts" - you really mean denis Wise? - both seeing things very differently.

There are two camps. Keegan in one and Wise/Jimenez/Vetere on the other side.

Keegan swallowed it at first when they didn't sign the people he wanted in January. But he is a very proud man, so he won't take being told who to sign and not to sign for long.

He had that 'I told you so' look on when Modric went to Spurs...and the rant on Monday is just him showing his irritation.

If Keegan meets Ashley there will be trouble. He can play the 'Toon legend' card if he wants but the owner is a hard man.

This could go horribly wrong.

[modes98]

This could go horribly wrong.

Oh dear what a shame.

[Fife Rover]

He never writes, he never phones.

Keegan used to rant and rave and threaten to resign under Douglas Hall and Freddy Sheopherd. They put up with it.

Ashley and Mort are different animals, so he had better be careful.

The trouble is that he wants certain players and the scouts want others. There are major problems here.

And that is probably good news for you next season.

It might not be good news for us if they sack Keegan.

[den]

There are two camps. Keegan in one and Wise/Jimenez/Vetere on the other side.

Keegan swallowed it at first when they didn't sign the people he wanted in January. But he is a very proud man, so he won't take being told who to sign and not to sign for long.

He had that 'I told you so' look on when Modric went to Spurs...and the rant on Monday is just him showing his irritation.

If Keegan meets Ashley there will be trouble. He can play the 'Toon legend' card if he wants but the owner is a hard man.

This could go horribly wrong.

As much as Keegan is adulated on Tyneside, his second coming was a mistake. The second mistake was Wise.

Can't see a future for NUFC as long as either of them are there.

[gazsimm]

It might not be good news for us if they sack Keegan.

Hughes will be crackers to take that job on, why would he want to work with that prick of a chairman!!!

[RibbleValleyRover]

Hughes will be crackers to take that job on, why would he want to work with that prick of a chairman!!!

I agree. Especially the set up they have with Wise and the other guys. I don't think Hughes would accept someone else having such a large role in the buying of players.

[Fife Rover]

By the way; just thought I'd mention it here as there is no other suitable place: Today is VE day!

[gazsimm]

By the way; just thought I'd mention it here as there is no other suitable place: Today is VE day!

i will have an extra pint in the pub tonight then!!

[deryck guyler's spoon]

I agree. Especially the set up they have with Wise and the other guys. I don't think Hughes would accept someone else having such a large role in the buying of players.

I can see it now. Keggy gets the tin tack and the barcodes take their own sweet time in appointing a successor leaving us to deal with weeks of speculation from the redtops about Hughes in addition to Bentley and Santa Cruz.

Great

[gumboots]

Don't you think Mark Hughes has as much pride as Keegan. Here he and his staff tell the chairman who, if possible they'd like to buy and we try to do the deals. At Newcastle there's now a whole raft of people saying who you should have playing for you, none of them with the proven track record of Mark Hughes and team. Don't see that as a step up myself, and I don't think Mark would. Defer to Denis Wise on the players you should buy?!!!!

[EwoodGlory]

I've been trying to work out what Ashley wants from Newcastle, ever since he bought it. He is known as a very good businessman and his past would suggest he wants to see some kind of ROI from the club, unless his is doing it for the love of the game.

The more I think about it, the more I think the money is to be made on the players they bring in.

There is HUGE amounts of money to be made on player transfers, just some rough examples, don't bite my head of with regard to the figures and the idea

Bentley

Cost under £1m, Now worth £10m +

Santa Cruz

Cost £3.8m, Now worth £10m

Samba

Cost £400k, Now worth £5m 'ish?

Others

Berbatov

Cost - £10.9m, Now worth £20m +

Valencia

Cost - £3m, Now worth £8m +

Palacios

Cost - £1m, Now worth £7m +

Modric would of cost Newcastle about £18m, a lot of Europe’s massive clubs have been looking at him, in a year or two, he could be worth £25m+ if he works well in the Premier League.

Im not saying he would completely turn Newcastle into a selling club, but it could make the transfer side self sufficient for the London branch to bring in this kind of player, and then move a few on in the future for profit.

It would then leave the merchandise and match day revenue as profit, I am aware that some of the season ticket sales money, gos towards payments back on the Stadium, but the merchandise side is worth a lot, as well as sponsorship.

Keegan will probably be allowed to bring in 2 or 3 big names this summer, just not the 5-6 he wants.

Just my thoughts, but it's a business model that could work for a 'big' club outside of the top 4.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Don't you think Mark Hughes has as much pride as Keegan. Here he and his staff tell the chairman who, if possible they'd like to buy and we try to do the deals. At Newcastle there's now a whole raft of people saying who you should have playing for you, none of them with the proven track record of Mark Hughes and team. Don't see that as a step up myself, and I don't think Mark would. Defer to Denis Wise on the players you should buy?!!!!

I dont necessarily think that he would go but surely you dont believe that the tabloid rags wouldn't constanly tell us that Mark Hughes was on his way North East if Keegan got sacked?

[gumboots]

They probably still would but having seen what's happened since the last time I think I'd be less worried about it, although spending my summer in France means I'd miss out on most of the specualtion anyway.

[philipl]

The Beeb are reporting there will be a showdown meeting between KK and Ashley tomorrow. Given the way that KK has turned the form around for the Barcodes since we dropped them back into the relegation places, I would say KK has every right to go there with his head held high.

And if he does not fit the Ashley system (they recently appointed a new Deputy Chairman so there are at least 5 Ashley men KK has to live with now), then I doubt Ashley will hesitate in showing KK the door. He has the "good" examples of Thaksin, Mandaric and Abramovic among the new moneyed owners who have unhesitatingly rotated their Managers this season irrespective of football success or otherwise.

Anyone contemplating managing the barcodes has to reflect that both Modric and Woodgate were offered considerably higher wages and the selling clubs better deals by Newcastle yet neither signed up. I'd gues they'd end up with Wise as the boss if KK departs.

[Ronin]

I'd be more worried about him going to Everton than Newcastle, as Moyes' contract runs out next year or he could be head-hunted before then.

[gumboots]

They said today on Sky that Moyes is expected to sign a new contract. Besides which if you read Nicko things are now all wonderful at Everton either.

[Hughesy]

I still believe Hughes only has his eye on one other job at the moment. Man United.

Whilst Everton are a bigger club, its isnt that much of a step up is it. Everton are never going to challenge much higher than us either without massive investment.

[gazsimm]

I'd be more worried about him going to Everton than Newcastle, as Moyes' contract runs out next year or he could be head-hunted before then.

I am more worried about Sparky going to United then anyone else. If United win the double this season, alot of united fans reckon Fergie might retire and go out on a high, with Hughes being the favourite to take over

[Hughesy]

Whilst Hughes is the fans favourite, it still remains to be seen if the clubs owners see him as the best manager to keep them where they are. And it would suprise me if they didnt and went for a much higher profile name.

No offence to Hughes but he hasnt got a massive history of winning titles/ European cups as a manager and he isnt aswell known across the globe as some.