Who thought this was a good idea?
Reports are mixed over how much it would actually take to activate the release clause in Demba Ba’s contract, but by all accounts it seems to be below £10m.
I don’t know what to think of Newcastle’s ownership anymore. One week shrewd, one week naive – but always with the vivid background of self-interest.
A quick question for Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias. On the basis that top quality goalscorers are at a premium in this country, wouldn’t allowing such a low release clause in Ba’s contract make you incredibly vulnerable. If Ba was a success, which he has been in the North East, was it not inevitable that clubs would start sniffing around the focal point of the team in January?
In a world where a club is willing to pay £35m for Andy Carroll, sub-£10m transfers represent a drop in the ocean. It’s unlikely – given his ACN involvement – that Ba will be anywhere else but St James’ Park on February 1st, but it’s not wholly unrealistic, and if he did depart it would spectacularly derail Newcastle’s season.
I don’t want to always be cynical about the Cockney Mafia, but you suspect that they had one eye on Net Player Sale Revenue when they signed this contract – allow a player a release clause if you must, but at least afford yourself a semblance of security with its value.
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How about a quick mention for ‘Arry’s role in this whole debacle? If it wasn’t for his desperate need to be mates with all the members of the press none of this would even be out in the open. A manager of integrity and dignity right there. Talk about Cockney mafia – ‘Arry’s the one whose gonna be had for tax evasion ala Al Capone!
“If he did depart it would spectacularly derail Newcastle’s season” – Wonder how many said that for Carroll last season…
With his past injury hisstory it would have been rather stupid to give a long contract. Newcastle could have been stuck paying out high wages to someone who was long term inured. There had to be a trade off so this was obviuosly why this clause was inserted. Hopefully Newcastle can rectify this with the players agreement.