Does the board think the squad can stay up?

[The Great Mass Debater 1,090]

I missed the West Ham game, I simply forgot. I read through a bit of the match thread to get a feel for the game, seems we were a bit better but again never close to scoring and could have conceded a great number more.

My question is, after reading that Dean Smith thought the performance was encouraging, does the board think the current squad is good enough to stay up?

We've now lost 6 successive PL games without scoring. Only 3 players have scored PL goals this season and with 8 goals from 20 games we are well on the way to being the lowest scoring PL team in history.

Defensively we still seem weak and the midfield is neither robust or creative - hard to say what it is in fact.

So why arent we looking to do any business in January?

We could at least consider recalling Hernandez and/or Hugill as Pukki aside I think they're better than what we've got. We're probably trying to move Cantwell on but obviously we're not in control here. We could be considering loans and the cancellation of either Williams or Gilmour - the latter of whom, halfway through the season it is fair to say has contributed absolutely nothing, with no reason to think the second half of his season would be different.

So what are the board thinking?

 

Is it 'the squad IS still good enough to stay up and hopefully Smith can turn it around'?

Is it 'the squad isnt good enough, but its a lost cause and would require major surgery to put right not just some window signings'?

Is it 'the squad isnt good enough and we'd like to strengthen but we just dont have the funds'?

Is it 'the squad isnt good enough, but we knew that and the accusations are correct, we're not bothered about staying in the Premier League'?

 

Newcastle are doing what any team in our position with the resources to change their fortunes should be. They've waited for this window and they are acting to do something about their predicament.

We dont seem to be trying to do anything about our predicament. So why is that? If we had funds you'd think the club would be trying to bring anyone in to try and save the season, which mathematically is not a lost cause - even a punt on some League One players who might show more than what we have - Pilkington was a signing from League One and he scored some vital goals for us. Elliott Bennett also an important player for us.

Why are we not trying to change the personnel who are clearly not good enough? There must be players on frees we could be looking at, cuz quite frankly I cant think of many players who could be doing much worse than the current crop as we are well on the way to becoming the worst side in PL history. Even if we are skint there are things we could be doing. Yet the inactivity is p*ss boiling. So what are the board thinking?

[Grando 260]

Does the board actually have any proper idea about football? We're headed by a pair of octogenarians. They probably have about as much footballing nous as my nan. And she's been dead for 30 years, bless her.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Grando

[Uncle Fred 526]

They don’t care they really don’t 

Delia gets her kudos from being the owner and name in the limelight that is all she is interested in 

we need owners of real ambition 

[Mello Yello 2,289]

Does the board think?.....

More apt..... 

[nutty nigel 7,533]

Perhaps the board are forgetful..

[Mello Yello 2,289]

Perhaps the board are frugal?..

[yellowrider120 762]

This is a very good post and gets to the heart of the matter. No-one from the Board EVER makes any kind of comment apart from at the AGM and whenever a manager is sent packing. The Board constitutes just five persons and their length of time in post is (Tom Smith apart) quite staggering.  

The Cook + husband + Michael Foulger have all been in place (as far as I understand) since 28th November 1996! One Stefan Phillips was appointed on 2nd July 2009. Smith Junior is a real new boy with a mere six years service in a few days time having been anointed on 20th January 2016. So, out of a five 'man' board, three have been in place for over 25 years! ANY business needs refreshing at the very highest level over time and by any stretch of the imagination, that 'refreshing' is long, long overdue. In my humble opinion, the board is very much a Cook controlled 'closed shop'. The last (very brief) dalliance with 'new blood' on the Board ended after about 12 months in 2008 after 'disagreements' when The Turners joined and then left pretty damn quick. Yes that was when the 'credit crunch' / recession was sweeping the world and (to be fair) it is always possible that the nature of their business exposed them to financial restraints that precipitated their departure but the stories of 'disagreements' were rife at the time. To my knowledge, no new director has joined the main Board since. The Cosy Club in London Street is not the only such appropriately named institution in the city I might suggest!    

[Europe_93 11]

I think it is option 2 and the board think we are doomed, or it would be so expensive to alter the course of our season it puts the club in jeopardy.  I think the players know that, and it is contributing to the rut we are in.

It's clear we lack premiership quality leadership on the pitch, without that all our players with potential (Sargent, Tzolis, Idah....) don't have the right enviroment to grow and develop as players, and we are absolutely rudderless.  When we lost 10 in a row last time, this was clear - it is what Webber has failed to address in my view.  We need to probably spend on player wages instead of transfer fees to get in some experience.  Our policy says we don't want to do that, we want to buy players we can resell.  I'd argue we can't afford not to, we have devalued all our assets.  

Until the hierarchy have a rethink, we are hardly worth watching.  I have taken my boys to 3 away games (I live near Bristol), Man City, Chelsea & Palace currently currently 15-0 and out of sight by half time in each of them.  I have followed the club for 40+ years but I have to question what is the point of spending what is typically £150 to £200 each time I go, to be stuffed before half time....  loyalty is all, but it ain't gonna be 20+ games for me this season.

It's down to Delia and Webber to signal their intent, and the silence is deafening.   If they can't act in a crisis, what value are they to the club?

[Mello Yello 2,289]

Our Current Club Chairman.....

[Crafty Canary 495]

Time to bring back the effigies? 🙂🙂🙂

[nutty nigel 7,533]

3 minutes ago, Crafty Canary said:

Time to bring back the effigies? 🙂🙂🙂

And Tangie's crayons...

Just wish Lapps was here to see it 💛💚

[Mello Yello 2,289]

14 minutes ago, Mello Yello said:

Our Current Club Chairman.....

Wonder why we haven't got one?....

[komakino 272]

The board's heart is not in the top tier, not least because it exposes them on all levels. 

The question should really be 'Do they want to be in the EPL?' and for me, the answer is no. 

 

[Danke bitte 965]

Out of the 4 choices you mention @The Great Mass Debater it’s point 2. If we can see it so can they and it’s why Smith repeatedly says “the players gave it 100%” blah. He’s not going to admit he’s been asked to magic a rabbit out of a hat. 

But the club is hardly going to turn around and admit it bodged it, until we have another soul searching interview with Webber like we did before. 

[Nora's Ghost 157]

1 hour ago, Uncle Fred said:

They don’t care they really don’t 

Delia gets her kudos from being the owner and name in the limelight that is all she is interested in 

we need owners of real ambition 

Expect a Playboy Magazine centre spread should the football club go t*ts up.

[TIL 1010 4,740]

47 minutes ago, Mello Yello said:

Our Current Club Chairman.....

Is that the current CEO i can see standing behind him ?

[Mengo 822]

1 minute ago, TIL 1010 said:

Is that the current CEO i can see standing behind him ?

Well spotted . What's his name again

[Newtopia 517]

I believe they thought it could, but they probably thought a lot of things had to go well.  I also suspect they leave that decision to Webber and Farke (Smith).

[TIL 1010 4,740]

4 minutes ago, Mengo said:

Well spotted . What's his name again

If you look even closer you can just spot the new Supporter Services Manager who replaced the one that left about 3 months ago.

[Dr Greenthumb 749]

1 hour ago, nutty nigel said:

Perhaps the board are forgetful..

Probably still think its 1999

[Mengo 822]

Sorry. What was the question again. 

Ah well I think my Genius cuddly Stu can answer that one. He knows so so much about ⚽️ football. He has the latest Wyscout. App. He told me it's a fantastic tool

 I jokingly  said to him that's what the posters are saying you are Stu . A tool .

Love big D. 

[The Great Mass Debater 1,090]

Are there really no players from League One that might at least give us something? Half of those Charlton players looked like they'd put up more of a fight than our current squad.

For far too long its been men against boys, yet boys are the only players we tend to look at.

Just some battle-hardened pro's with some mental strength might give us a boost. Id argue a capable League One striker who has already scored a few goals this season might offer us a bit more than Idah and Sargent currently.

Lets face it, Sargent, Tzolis and Idah arent coming good this season, Placheta still isnt first team level. Id loan them out if possible, free up some wages, bring back Onel and try to get some rough diamonds from League One. At least that would be dong something, and if we still go down then those League One players would still be useful in the championship probably.

Pilkington was a key player for us when we bought him, so he shows its not impossible.

Anyone know League One well enough to make any realistic suggestions? Ask your favourite Ipswich fan perhaps?

[The Great Mass Debater 1,090]

2 years ago Ivan Toney scored 24 goals for Peterbrough from 32 games. Theres one recent example. 

Top goalscorers with low transfermarkt values (though that's as accurate as a plumber's estimate)

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ross-stewart/profil/spieler/447995

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cole-stockton/profil/spieler/213398

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/michael-smith/profil/spieler/96173

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/macauley-bonne/profil/spieler/296577

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scott-twine/profil/spieler/433818 - Twine is also second in the list for assists

 

Any of these signing would at least be a stab at trying to stop the rot. Yet we seem comfortable sleep-walking towards the inevitable

 

This article is interesting:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55236440

 

Edited January 13, 2022 by The Great Mass Debater

[essex canary 496]

1 hour ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

Are there really no players from League One that might at least give us something? Half of those Charlton players looked like they'd put up more of a fight than our current squad.

For far too long its been men against boys, yet boys are the only players we tend to look at.

Just some battle-hardened pro's with some mental strength might give us a boost. Id argue a capable League One striker who has already scored a few goals this season might offer us a bit more than Idah and Sargent currently.

Lets face it, Sargent, Tzolis and Idah arent coming good this season, Placheta still isnt first team level. Id loan them out if possible, free up some wages, bring back Onel and try to get some rough diamonds from League One. At least that would be dong something, and if we still go down then those League One players would still be useful in the championship probably.

Pilkington was a key player for us when we bought him, so he shows its not impossible.

Anyone know League One well enough to make any realistic suggestions? Ask your favourite Ipswich fan perhaps?

If we want a Grant Holt type, the Cambridge slayer of Newcastle may well be worth a look.

[Robert N. LiM 4,342]

2 hours ago, Danke bitte said:

Out of the 4 choices you mention @The Great Mass Debater it’s point 2. If we can see it so can they and it’s why Smith repeatedly says “the players gave it 100%” blah. He’s not going to admit he’s been asked to magic a rabbit out of a hat. 

But the club is hardly going to turn around and admit it bodged it, until we have another soul searching interview with Webber like we did before. 

Yeah, I'd say somewhere between 2 & 3. Squad isn't good enough, but we can't risk the finances required to make a difference. 

There's every chance that Newcastle will spend £100 million but still go down. They can afford that, of course.

[PurpleCanary 5,558]

4 hours ago, yellowrider120 said:

This is a very good post and gets to the heart of the matter. No-one from the Board EVER makes any kind of comment apart from at the AGM and whenever a manager is sent packing. The Board constitutes just five persons and their length of time in post is (Tom Smith apart) quite staggering.  

The Cook + husband + Michael Foulger have all been in place (as far as I understand) since 28th November 1996! One Stefan Phillips was appointed on 2nd July 2009. Smith Junior is a real new boy with a mere six years service in a few days time having been anointed on 20th January 2016. So, out of a five 'man' board, three have been in place for over 25 years! ANY business needs refreshing at the very highest level over time and by any stretch of the imagination, that 'refreshing' is long, long overdue. In my humble opinion, the board is very much a Cook controlled 'closed shop'. The last (very brief) dalliance with 'new blood' on the Board ended after about 12 months in 2008 after 'disagreements' when The Turners joined and then left pretty damn quick. Yes that was when the 'credit crunch' / recession was sweeping the world and (to be fair) it is always possible that the nature of their business exposed them to financial restraints that precipitated their departure but the stories of 'disagreements' were rife at the time. To my knowledge, no new director has joined the main Board since. The Cosy Club in London Street is not the only such appropriately named institution in the city I might suggest!    

Since the Turners there have been, just from memory, new blood in the boardroom in the form of Bowkett, McNally, Fry and Balls, with Bowkett and Balls acting as chairman. Which is not to say there is no need now for some new directors.

.

[Mello Yello 2,289]

Only so many seats on a Cessna Citation.....

[shefcanary 2,402]

12 hours ago, PurpleCanary said:

Since the Turners there have been, just from memory, new blood in the boardroom in the form of Bowkett, McNally, Fry and Balls, with Bowkett and Balls acting as chairman. Which is not to say there is no need now for some new directors.

.

If, as I am sure you are aware Purps, you look at what the standard good corporate governance best practise is for the make up of boards: c.12 on the board; three terms of 4 years, annual resignation and re-election.  So although the last happens at the Carra (merely lip service), in good governance terms you would expect to see a board with 9 - 11 new people joining at the next AGM.  Even Smith & Jones, despite having controlling share ownership, should not really continue to be on the Board (although I am sure technically they would be free to appoint their own people in their stead to manage their interest - puppet directors who only answer to their call).  

The current situation is a complete fudge, and really you would hope at some point someone within the minority 47% of shareholders would start to question this.  Time for the Supporters Trust to raise corporate governance as an issue? 

[essex canary 496]

13 hours ago, PurpleCanary said:

Since the Turners there have been, just from memory, new blood in the boardroom in the form of Bowkett, McNally, Fry and Balls, with Bowkett and Balls acting as chairman. Which is not to say there is no need now for some new directors.

.

The Crouch Report has recommendations about the independence and tenure of Directors. Hopefully the Club will need to satisfy these in future.