Moat to become chairman – Shearer to become manager? Hmm.

Posted on August 28th, 2009 | 18 Comments |

An unlikely story
An unlikely story
That’s what The Daily Star claims anyway.

Basically what they’re saying is that Moat can’t get the money together to buy the club but Ashley plans to take the club off the market and appoint him as chairman. Moat will then apparently appoint Shearer as manager and take charge of the day-to-day running of the club with Ashley taking a back seat.

The Star then goes on to say that Shearer plans to bring £6m rated Michael Chopra back to the Toon as his first signing.

And all this will happen within the next 48 hours.

The Star’s short article contains no direct quotes from anyone, not even from unnamed ‘sources’ or ‘insiders’, so the temptation is to treat the story with as much scorn as the one about Naughty Noirin’s views on how to save Big Brother (not that I’ve read it of course).

But maybe it would make sense. Ashley’s name is mud amongst fans and he does seem to struggle when it comes to running a football club, so it’s not quite beyond the realms of possibility that something like this could happen. It would give the club a new ‘front’ and allow Ashley to fade into the background and avoid all the publicity he so despises.

There is of course the question of money. Presumably this would still mean Ashley has to put up the money to hire Shearer and buy some players in what’s left of the transfer window. Or could it be that Moat will be buying into the club in some way, perhaps as a prelude to assuming full ownership at some point in the future?

Pure speculation anyway – certainly by me and probably by The Star too. In fact I’m so embarrassed by writing an article based around a report in The Star that I almost hit delete instead of publish, but then again it is Friday after all.

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

Related Posts:

Posted on by Hugh de Payen in category: Alan Shearer and Hugh de Payen and Mike Ashley and NUFC gossip and speculation and NUFC sale saga , with tags: , , , , ,
Comment on this post

18 Responses

  1. What a load of rubbish this is, there is basically no truth in this article at all, i know this as fact cos i have just spoken to michael chopra 5 mins ago and he said even though he loves the club Newcastle, he is more than happy to stay at cardiff city as he feel he is playing his best football to date there and he enjoys playing under dave jones. so fact this is more waffle going round just trying to sell papers.

  2. Much as I like Chops, it would be ludicrous to pay 6 million pund for him after letting him go for pennies. I like him, because he always seemed like a nice kid and loved the club and obviously knows where The Championship goals are. But do you pay £6m for a fella who is still unproven in the top flight and to play in the second tier? H’way!!!

    So what that does for the rest of the article……

    And Hugh, with your journalistic piggy-backing you should be ashamed. Very ashamed. ;)

  3. This is not as far fetched as it may seem, and something i belive has been on the cards for a while.
    The Facts – Moat cant affoard to buy the club let alone run it as an ongoing business.
    Mike Ashley – I believe doesnt really want to sell the club, but is too pig headed to admit his short comings and mistakes. I dont believe he bought it to make money, as no football club in the world makes any money! not sure of his motives though ‘Mid Life Crisis?’
    Therefore by bringing in Moat (who i belive would buy into the club) MA would gain some financial support and reduce his losses but also take the heat off himslef by appointing mort as chariman, who inturn whould appoint Alan Shearer to get the fans back on side.

  4. Am I the only one who views the appointment of AS as manager with trepidation? When JFK was appointed he said that he had nothing to loose (he lost his health) but in footballing terms he was spot on. AS however lost a lot. His lack of experience was glaringly obvious.
    He failed to motivate, he ended up in a slanging match(ok as a player I still ejoy watching Keen get his red card) but not as boss. His must keep list has been ignored and his rejects are doing OK.
    How do his rejects react if he is appointed? We all need to feel wanted before we can be motivated.
    I wish he’d do what Clark is doing and learn the basic skills out of the limelight instead of warming his backside with the BBC.

  7. I am truly ashamed BBM. I may never work as a blogger again once this story gets round. I’ll be forever known as “that chump who quotes The Daily Star”.

  8. Talking about “unlikely” in your label on the photo.

    How “unlikely” and unlucky is his expression that photo? Imagine a photo shoot getting that.

    “Smile please Alan…..perfect…..yeah that’s a good ‘un”

  11. That picture of Shearer is so good, I’ve had to use it as my avatar. :-)

    As for the story. Like all good rumours there is always an element of truth. Something that makes sense, so the rumour is more believable. This certainly makes sense. Moat is desperate to be part of the club. Ashley can’t sell. We want Lambiarse to go. So, Moat in as Chairman, covers points 1 and 3. Ashley to stay as owner covers point 2.

  12. Brad – you are miles away. Ashley is DESPERATE to sell. If Ashley does not sell then Shearer WILL NOT be anywhere near the club whether Moat is chairman or not.
    If you want to listen to any stories which appear in the media then try the Guardian and the Telegraph, both of whom have close links to certain top level people at NUFC and tend to know whats going on before anyone else.

  13. To be fair Daniel, none of the papers have done a particularly good job of getting inside information on this takeover saga.

  15. Daniel,
    It is all opinions and hersay and no one apart from the people involved know what is going on! The Guardian and Telegraph? they know no more than you or I and why would they. (Inside knowledge bollocks!)
    However i still believe there is mileage in it.
    With regards to Shearer not being anywhere near the club, then that sounds good to me. No experience, and looked way out of his depth tactically last season. He is not the answer.
    The club need an experienced / non egotistical / proven manager the likes of Alan Curbishley etc.

  16. Hugh de Payen says:
    August 28, 2009 at 11:04 am

    “I’ll be forever known as “that chump who quotes The Daily Star”.

    Hugh, it’s no different from the Times or the Grauniad when it comes to football. Just look at Louise Taylor and her malignant piffle.

  17. Evening the Chronicle are getting on the band wagon.

    Reporting that the American buyers who Sheard is involved with flew ino London last night for talks with Seymour Pierce.

    They don’t know who they are but know their here.

    Lee Ryder must be Derek Acorah in disguise