The month of June as like every year sees the reopening of the summer transfer window. A time where clubs look to review current playing squads, readdress weak areas and rebuild. Every club will be working tirelessly to ensure their playing squad is equipped, prepared and ready for the forthcoming season.
Steve McClaren, Graham Carr, Bob Moncur along with managing director Lee Charnley have been assigned the task of addressing last seasons morale sapping failures. Prior to the final fixture of the season, Mike Ashley gave an unprecedented interview to Sky Sports. Mike Ashley announced to the audience around the world, Newcastle United were preparing for a very busy summer. A month has passed since this landmark interview and there is still no sign of an incoming transfer. Fans have taken to message boards and social media attacking the club and showing disgust for the lack of inactivity. Whilst on the outside it may appear quiet and calm, the reality is far different. In this article I will attempt to enlighten and help fans fully comprehend a time I refer to as ‘silly season’.
Modern day transfers are highly complexed and challenging deals involving multiple parties and individuals. Ever growing resources and funds within football sees more and more individuals wanting a ‘piece of the pie’. In a normal fans mind a transfer involves agreeing a monetary transfer fee, agreeing personal terms, medical and signing of a contract. It sounds so easy doesn’t it?
Each and every day media outlets fill pages with “exclusives” and “transfer rumours , while fans look on hoping these rumblings come to fruition. Many don’t however which creates mass hysteria and pessimism from sections of a clubs fanbase. A rumour can be published by acquiring information from many sources. Club insiders, friends and family of individuals close to a deal. Whilst most deals don’t happen as the media report this doesn’t necessarily mean there was no element of truth. Agents are becoming more and more influential with transfer deals. Whilst a player may be happy and settled, agents are paid for the transfers of their clients and their motives are not necessarily in their clients best interests. Agents will falsely claim interest in their client from large clubs in order to create interest. Spoon feeding journalists information, such as their client is unhappy or looking to move, creates unrest amongst fans, managers and team mates looking to hold onto their prized assets, marquee names and teammates. Journalists will print this kind of rumour as it’s in their best interest. Transfer stories fill columns and sell papers, their sole objective. If you were a journalist, ask yourself would you refuse to publish this information? Without stories or exclusives, sports journalism becomes a dying art. Fans want to be ahead of the game and in the know but must be prepared for the perils and pitfalls in doing so.
Over recent months Graham Carr, with the aid of personal checks and his large contacts book, will have drawn together a list of potential targets which, in his mind, will address the problems Newcastle United endured last season. Players will be scouted comprehensively, not only for technical ability but also character and temperament. Multiple targets and options for each position will be scrutinized and examined. Having only one clear target is neither practical or sensible. Clubs understandably are reluctant to sell their prized assets so exploring other options should be applauded. Newcastle can submit a formal bid to acquire a player but it doesn’t mean the players club have to act in an efficient or professional way. Clubs will play ‘hard ball’ hoping news will travel of the formal bid creating interest from other parties. Gathering interest then creates a bidding war, between opposing clubs where they hope to achieve the maximum fee possible.
As previously mentioned deals can have obstacles which club cannot overcome. Large transfer fees commanded by clubs nowadays allow little room for error. Bad judgements can see Newcastle squander millions – a risk the club are not prepared to take. Newcastle speak openly of wanting to get the best they can “pound for pound” an attitude most cannot disagree with given the facts available. Negotiating is part and parcel of football, why wouldn’t you want the best deal available? Upon purchasing a house or property would you as the buying party pay the asking price immediately or would you attempt to negotiate a better deal? Exactly the same principles apply in terms of transfers. If Newcastle are being held up in negotiating a deal they will move onto other targets. Newcastle will do this for a number of reasons. Firstly one cannot wait around indefinitely for answers and decisions. Newcastle have commitments and obligations to the current season. Moving onto other potential targets emphasises to clubs they are not prepared to wait forever for a deal. Scenarios like this can see Newcastle return to the primary target as rather than losing out on a deal selling clubs relinquish such a hard line stance. Things like this are never thought of nor digressed within the public domain.
June is predominantly holiday time for the vast majority of board members and players. After a long, hard season players are deserving for a rest. Players and board members are only mere mortals like ourselves, they require relaxation and recuperation time. A time to spend with family and friends away from the prying eyes before the season commences again. Certain players will be representing their respective countries at international competitions and events around the world. Scenarios mentioned bring further logistical problems to transfer deals. Telecommunications are at an all time high, however players use this relaxation period as a way of deciding their next career path. A time to study options available and decide the best career path, not only for themselves but their family. Clubs can try and apply pressure, wanting deals completed swiftly but given the enormity of many deals consideration for the player must be taken into account. We as fans demand the club seek the correct type of player and transfer so why can’t the player be afforded time to make the correct decision for himself?
Transfers will take place right up to the closing of the market. Fans look on either happy a deal has been completed or questioning why their club hasn’t made a move and secured their services. Andre Ayew, recently completed on paper a free transfer from French club Marseille to Swansea City. A Ghanaian international who boasted a wealth of Champions League experience was seen as a coup. Newcastle were mooted as having a keen interest but a deal didn’t transpire, leading to questions being raised by fans. Delving into the deal things become a whole lot clearer. Despite not paying a monetary transfer fee, Swansea as reported in French media have paid Ayew a whopping £6million signing on fee. A sum paid purely for signing with the club. £50,000-per-week salary over a three year duration and the term free transfer is not as it appears. Should Ayew remain for the duration of the contract the final total will exceed £15 million. A truly mouth watering sum of money to a relative unknown in world standings. Newcastle may have approached the player but the greed and disregard for anything else is a factor a club would use as reason to abandon a previous plan. Fans aren’t particularly interested in money, they want the best team possible. Consideration has to be given to money on these sort of deals. What does it say about the player and his agenda? Does he really want to play and represent the club to his full capacity or is money his only priority? Players like this I see as mercenaries. Newcastle United have seen far too many of this type of deal.
With every passing deal impatience grows amongst fan bases. Fans become restless and agitated. Players targeted are scrutinized and assessed. Every fan is unique, mindsets and players required are individualistic and relative in the way one perceives the game. With the introduction of the internet and social media transfer windows have evolved spectacularly. YouTube and media sites allow at the click of a button, highlights from players spanning the globe. Fans can use these as reference to emphasize the decisions they are making. Players are judged quickly from short clips, making an already difficult task far greater. Foreign imports at one stage in time were enigma’s. Ordinary fans had little to no knowledge of these foreign acquisitions. Kevin Keegan, in his reign went to Belgium and purchased Philippe Albert , how many had heard of the player? The joy is the unknown, waiting in anticipation and excitement to see him wear your clubs colors. Nowadays with relative ease a players life story can be drafted up, key moments and highlights assessed and the excitement and buzz is gone. Gaming services try to the best of their abilities attempt to give the end user a realistic simulation of the real world. Football Manager and FIFA bought by millions of fans across the world offers fans the chance to see to a certain extent into the real world. Fans have used these formats as a medium to form a discussion. Simulation will never reflect reality. Simulation has no scope for change.
Fans see what is happening around the world and discuss frankly and openly. One of the biggest discussions I have seen whilst researching this article is fans asking for better communication from the club. Giving every club is attempting to better themselves why would they disclose sensitive information into the public domain? Remaining secretive allows Newcastle to advance with deals under the radar, evade opposition and provide players fans will be happy to welcome aboard. Newcastle have provided interviews with newly appointed manager Steve McClaren, Lee Charnley and Mike Ashley all offering fans insights. By wanting better communication what else are you looking for given what’s already been stated? Lee Charnley recently announced a fans forum meeting was to be held this coming July. The correct scene for the club to relay information and assurances to fans.
Season Ticket renewals letters are now being sent to fans who wish to renew for the forthcoming season. A lack of transfer activity has seen many decline this offer. Each fan has the right to make a decision for themselves. We as fans should not judge another fans decision on attending fixtures. Social media has brought around letters being written to the club and angry messages vented towards the clubs official pages. Whilst everyone has the right to express their opinions I find the notion disgusting. Given there is 2 weeks till pre season commences and 7 weeks till the Premier League season kicks off once more is it necessary to react hastily? If board members had to reply to each letter personally there’d be little time for anything else. Poorly constructed letters might appease the individual but all it is doing is creating unnecessary tension and friction in what’s already a volatile fanbase . Every fan wants the best for their club so petulance should be avoided. Newcastle’s fanbase is fractured due to fighting between people who should be coming together for a common goal wanting the best for Newcastle United. National media outlets already have ill informed judgements over the fanbase. Defining ourselves as both fickle and deluded, why would we give them any more reason to highlight their claims.
Newcastle United in my belief have formulated a plan, whether we agree with the decisions or not isn’t the subject for debate. Rumours and rumblings will surface, however treat them as such until further notification is giving. Silly season has a long way to go yet. Sit back and enjoy the ride. Who knows you may even enjoy it!
