[Jack Sparrow]

Well besides the price Ashley bought it for, he also invested a further amount in debt clearance and also as investments in the Newcastle academy. I'd reckon though it wouldn't have been much above 280-300 million. Is this guy looking to recoup his transfer money AND walk away with a profit?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[kurtsimonw]

He's done way more good than bad I reckon, by a distance.

Anyways, he seems willing to sell to less to the Newcastle fans. If 300,000 of them pitch in £1000 each they can have the club. But they'd be worse than Ashley since they're the most deluded fans on earth and it'd be a bit awkward to run.

Rumours of David O'Leary going to manage them.. Oh God please be true. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Jack Sparrow]

He's done way more good than bad I reckon, by a distance.

Anyways, he seems willing to sell to less to the Newcastle fans. If 300,000 of them pitch in £1000 each they can have the club. But they'd be worse than Ashley since they're the most deluded fans on earth and it'd be a bit awkward to run.

Rumours of David O'Leary going to manage them.. Oh God please be true. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

It would depend. If Mike Ashley continues, the O'Leary is best, since you typically need a manager who's used to fighting with his back against the wall. Otherwise, if a new owner comes in, and he is willing to spend big money, O Leary is the last person I want in charge.

[Tennie]

The latest rumor in the Italian press (and even they don't think it's accurate) is that Bill Gates is interested in buying Newcastle.

[kurtsimonw]

It would depend. If Mike Ashley continues, the O'Leary is best, since you typically need a manager who's used to fighting with his back against the wall. Otherwise, if a new owner comes in, and he is willing to spend big money, O Leary is the last person I want in charge.

O'Leary needs money to do well, and even then he doesn't do well. Leeds were a decent club, he spent stupid amounts on average players (£10m on Seth Johnson!) and basically destroyed them, he came to Villa and had a good first season. Wasn't promised £100bn to spend so threw strops and nearly ended up getting us relegated. He would be a perfect fit for Newcastle to be honest, willing to spend silly money on players. Getting rid of Robson was a mistake.

The latest rumor in the Italian press (and even they don't think it's accurate) is that Bill Gates is interested in buying Newcastle.

They must be taking the piss now, I think they're being linked with every billionnaire on earth.

[acid911]

The latest rumor in the Italian press (and even they don't think it's accurate) is that Bill Gates is interested in buying Newcastle.

As rumors come and go, I rather like this one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/96.gif) The black and white guys could use some strong backings. Of course, I know it's too good to come true, so yeah.

[Jack Sparrow]

Bill Gates?? Hahahahahahahahahaa (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Nope. Better chance of Paul Allen. Bill Gates...no f@cking way. C'mon Ambani!!!

[kurtsimonw]

That Dubai International bunch have just told SSn they aren't in negotiations, nor do they have plans to be in the future.

[kurtsimonw]

Pavlyuchenko: I struggled on Spurs debut because Villa defenders 'didn't give me time to get to the ball'


Tottenham's new £14m striker Roman Pavlyuchenko admits he struggled on his debut because the Aston Villa defenders 'didn't give me enough time to get to the ball properly'.

The Russian found the pace and intensity of the Premier League clash a struggle as Spurs went down 2-1 at White Hart Lane - leaving them at the foot of the table after their worst start in 34 years.

And Pavlyuchenko is also worried about filling the boots of Dmitry Berbatov following his move from Spartak Moscow.

'Everything was unusual for me. It's a different kind of football, with a different speed,' he told Izvestia daily newspaper.

'I immediately realised that English football is much faster than in Russia. Our opponents didn't give me enough time to get to the ball properly.

'That's why I had practically no chance to score. So I'll have to keep it up and work on it.

'And about 20 minutes before the end, the strength started running out of me. My leg muscles felt unusually cramped up.

'But what I also felt was the amazing atmosphere of the Premier League.

'It's hard to describe. You should feel it. After each good pass or corner, people applaud, they even stand up from their seats to do it. It's really pleasant to play in such surroundings.

The 26 year old international added: 'I'm aware that Tottenham fans want me to be a replacement for Berbatov.

;I failed to score, so I'm not a proper replacement for him - yet. He was a key player and that means that if the Spurs people want me to replace him, they must believe in me so I hope that I'll manage to help the team.

'But I have mixed emotions now.

'We lost and that means the result was bad for us. As for my own performance... It was probably OK for the very first game.

'In London I'm happy about everything - except for Tottenham's position at the bottom of the table."

MoS

Oh dear.. for his sake I hope that it's a mis-translation or something. Do defenders let strikers have the ball in Russia or something? Or does he think we were going to be nice to him because it was his debut? Struggling to cope with pace, cramping up with 20 minutes to go.. not a good start, and like Modric it seems he's really struggling in this league. Maybe he'll come good but I don't see it to be honest, I think the only players that will generally transition well from another league to England are those in the Bendesliga, they tend to cope well over here.

[acid911]

Oh dear.. for his sake I hope that it's a mis-translation or something. Do defenders let strikers have the ball in Russia or something? Or does he think we were going to be nice to him because it was his debut?

I thought he was paying compliment to Villa's defenders. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) Sounded like that, at least to me.

[Zed.D]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) @ Palvlyuchenko's comments.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) @ Bill Gates wanting to buy New Castle.

[dst]

Oh dear.. for his sake I hope that it's a mis-translation or something.

I guess he meant they were much faster than he expected...

[Jack Sparrow]

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley in talks with Kuwaiti billionaire

Billionaire Kuwaiti businessman Nasser Al Kharafi is the latest name linked with a possible takeover bid for Newcastle United.

According to reports on Tyneside, an intermediary working on his behalf that Al Kharafi is interested in taking the club off sports retail tycoon Mike Ashley’s hands and becoming Newcastle’s new owner.

Al Kharafi, 64, has a background in construction and engineering and is said to be the 48th richest man in the world with an estimated fortune of £7 billion.

“Nasser Al Kharafi has the money to buy the club, but the way Mike Ashley is going about things is wrong,” the intermediary said. “He is actually putting off any interested buyers with the price and his refusal to negotiate. If he genuinely wants to sell he is going about it the wrong way.

“At the last estimate Nasser was worth around US$12bn, but he still won’t pay over the odds for the club.

“Mr Ashley seems to think he can ask what he wants because he is dealing with people who are multibillionaires, but that simply isn’t the case.

“As things stand he will be returning to England without a buyer.”

Earlier this week it emerged Ashley, the Sports Direct mogul, had slapped a staggering £481 million price tag on Newcastle just 16 months after he bought the St James’ Park club for £134.4 million.

Ashley has been in Dubai with Newcastle director of football Dennis Wise to sell Newcastle after putting the club up for sale on Sunday following a fierce backlash prompted by the resignation of Kevin Keegan as manager.

There is talk of Keegan making a dramatic return to Newcastle should Al Kharafi buy the club from Ashley who reportedly snubbed talks with an unidentified prospective buyer in Dubai and instead drank cocktails.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cry.gif) Now I know why R7 hasn't been posting. He's been busy...and I just sent him that text message as a joke. God bless his golden heart!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cry.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

[kurtsimonw]

I'll be surprised if it happened, but you never know.

[Jack Sparrow]

It won't happen. MA is what's the correct Anglican expression Mr. Walker? Taking a piss at us fans?

He doesn't want to sell. Just make people believe he wants to. He's hoping to tide over the storm like the Glazers did, and he's counting on being underground for it to help. The trouble is, this is Newcastle, not Man U. The fans are not gonna be content to just sit and watch. They're more proactive.

MA reasons, if he can get things right, Newcastle are such a HUGE money making proposition. There are just no rivals for loyalties. Besides there are a bunch of blokes like me who remember the Toon of yore and still maintain a large soft corner for them. Again this can be capitalised on.