A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how I feel Tim Cahill is under appreciated in terms of teams not lining up his signature, but he’s not the only one as I also feel the same way about Kevin Nolan who has recently pledged his allegiance to Championship new boys West Ham United. There appears to have been or be no shocking outcry over his departure from a team looking to build a side capable of challenging for trophies next season and beyond despite him being arguably Newcastle United’s most potent player since his move from Bolton Wanderers in early 2009.
This apparent lack of recognition has come from both sides of the situation because whereas Cahill is worshipped by the Everton faithful, it seems that, judging by the fans’ reactions to the parting of ways between Nolan and Newcastle, it doesn’t apply so much to he who has been such a pivotal player for the black and white’s from Tyneside.
Many Newcastle supporters, from what I have read on message boards including this very site, are happy that he is gone as they feel that the £4million that is believed to have been generated from his sale can be spent on new players.
But will these new players be as effective as Nolan? ‘‘Going forward’’ is the motto and mantra: Really?! Selling your captain, a midfielder who was your top and second top-scorer in the previous and penultimate season’s respectively, a player who has been the heartbeat of the side on and off the pitch and who has only just turned 29 for what is a pittance in today’s extortionate football prices is the way forward for progressing is it? Getting rid of one of your best players? Alan Pardew and the board turned down Nolan’s request for a five-year contract as they feel that he will not be at the top of his game around the period in which it would expire, but come on Alan, how many players ever see out the full contract? I think it was pretty foolish of him and the men at the top to turn down their then captain’s request because, as someone who has contributed more than most to the club’s high’s of the past two season’s, he deserved another deal, which would have had both him and the club come out of it as winners: Nolan would have had a five year contract, give a few more season’s good service (he’s not going to lose his form anytime soon) and whether he serves the club with distinction for the duration of the contract, Newcastle would either get an effective footballer out of it or, if it turned out his talent did suffer, get some money for him, which they may not have done should he have gained something like a two or three year contract. Everyone involved would have been a winner in that scenario. In fact, they may have received around the same fee in a few years time to what they sold him for last month had the Liverpudlian played a part in their future fortunes.
The sale of Andy Carroll was understandable because, despite him being one of their danger men and one who looks to have a bright future ahead of him, a fee of £35million (a record transfer between two British clubs) for a player with only a handful of top-flight games under his belt is good business and is surely enough to build a team around with the purchase of players to cover most areas of the pitch.
With wise investment, even in today’s market, a good assortment of players can be bought, but is it really worth cashing in on Nolan who has essentially been the life and soul of the Magpies since his move from Bolton over two years ago, a player whose form will be hard to replicate? Are fans so fed up, tired with a lack of energy obtained from moaning about many of Mike Ashley’s other policies – and rightly so I feel – that they convince themselves that it was the right decision?
Obviously there are thousands of Newcastle followers and I have not been witness to every football blog or radio phone-in regarding the issue of Nolan’s sale, but I didn’t read and/or hear one comment saying that getting rid of the Liverpool-born midfielder was a bad thing for Newcastle United football club on the pitch; but I did see plenty of opinions stating that it was good for business off the pitch. Who knows, it could be Sunderland fans hijacking the premises, but compare this supposed lack of opposition to his sale to the negative reaction that surrounded Ashley’s other decisions such as the furore invoked by the disgraceful sacking of Chris Hughton last December.
Man, and who are you to judge? Wait to see what happens on the field, not what idiots write on their blog.
not judging; just an opinion
wake up you stupid mug
What a wonderfully well thought out response. You have really stated your case there Dave.
I can see your well intentioned views supporting Nolan, but 5 years he would be 34 and as we have seen with Smith Xisco etc player do see out there contracts, especiaaly if they are passed their best or never made it in the first place. We couldn’t afford a 34 year old sitting on a £50,000 + a week contract
Its not about us not wanting him to stay for another season or 2, its about the long term goals of the club and having a player who’s already slowing down want a 5 year 50k a week contract when he’s realistically got 1 or maybe 2 years at the top left in his legs. We’ve wasted so much wage bill space on long contracts for old players who burn out and stop us developing. Also since Carroll left, Nolan scored 2 goals, he’s not like Cahill who makes the goals, he’s a true poacher sitting off a knock downs, a style we look like we won’t be playing next season based on the signings so far. Im greatful for Nolans contribution but his demands and desire for one big fat final pay cheque to end his career were all he really cared about now.
He was woeful at the end of last season, and the stats that suggest he was quality at any other point last year we’re racked up in only a few games. I.e. he performed well, very well in fact, in about 5 games [all 12 goals were scored in 4/5 games – I cant remember which] and then was a bit ‘absent’ for the remaining 20 odd that he actually played.
As far as his transfer goes, he had just been in for surgery and hadn’t trained since, yet he was demanding an extended contract in the middle of his existing one. [2 years left to run.]
Add all this to the fact he can’t trap a ball or keep up with the pace that 50% of the premiership games produce, and you can see how far of the mark you are and why there was little outcry when he left the club.
FYI most nufc supporters recognise that his goal scoring contributions, and leadership qualities WILL be hard to replace. There is also a general feeling however that his general movement outside the box over 90min’s isn’t as commanding or influential enough to lead a premiership team into the top 6 or 7 places anymore. It’s harsh, but if the club are to believed – and we are going for a game based on high possession and mobility in midfield next season, then Nolan might not be the force he was over the previous two campaigns.
Good article. I have to admit I am slightly worried about Nolan’s departure. He has been our best Captain since the great Alan Shearer. I was against the club’s decision to sell him but I can understand that if he was our Captain and would struggle to make the first team with a fully fit squad then I think he would have been a problem. At the end of the day I think we won’t miss him much but we might at the beginning of next season when our new arrivals might struggle to adapt quickly enough to the EPL. I have to agree with the point made in the article that if Nolan did suffer to reproduce the goods in the future we could sell him then. The problem with that is will another club be able to offer him the wages that he would be picking up with his new contract if we had offered it to him?? I don’t think so and this is why I now feel we have made the right choice. We don’t want another Alan Smith on our hands after a year or two and it makes sense to offload him now as not to have complications in the future. He wasn’t getting any quicker and last season you could see he went missing after an hour or so. Sad to see him leave in the end but that’s football. Good luck to him and I hope he has a fabulous end to his career.
‘Nolan would have had a five year contract, give a few more season’s good service (he’s not going to lose his form anytime soon) and whether he serves the club with distinction for the duration of the contract, Newcastle would either get an effective footballer out of it or, if it turned out his talent did suffer, get some money for him…’
If only it was that easy. If we had given Nolan the 5 year contract he wanted we would have found ourselves in the same situation as we are with Smith (£60k a week and can’t get rid of him) and that Man City are with many of their players (Bellamy, Given, Wright Philips etc). It would have been crazy to have given him a 5 year contract and I believe you will feel the same in 12 months time as he will not be premiership standard by then (assuming he gets you promotion). He will always get a warm welcome on tyneside as he done a fantastic job but there is no outcry because we all realise that the 5 year contract was not feasible and there are serious doubts anyway about his pace.
I hope for your sake that Sam does a better job at your place than he did at ours. I doubt if you’ll like his brand of football and he won’t sort you out financially – that’s already apparent.
Best of luck though – hope you make it back straightaway.
Okay, I was and am a massive Kevin Nolan captain, what he did for my club will never be forgotten and he was so pivotal in the change around in our club. Thank you Kevin.
But lets get serious here for a minute. He is 29 years old and declining very fast, anyone who watches him can see that. He doesn’t cover the pitch at all well, is slow as a wet week and his goals dried up once Andy Carroll departed. Very smart footballer is Kev but Premier League football has past him by. By the time he gets back here he will be nearly 31. By the time he gets off his massive contract he will be 34 years old.
We got a younger, better, quicker player in Yohan Cabaye who will be around way past Kevin Nolan will. All for the same price. Whilst Kevin’s presence will be missed and so to will his leadership we are trying to play a better style and better brand of football, one that Kevin Nolan cannot play.
Good luck to him at the Hammers, he is a top class bloke and I and all the Newcastle fans will never forget what he did for the greatest club in the world. But at the end of the day Kev wanted 5 years at enormous wages that were simply stupid. The right decision has been made by NUFC and hopefully everyone is a winner out of this deal.
Nolan wanted a 5 year deal.
He was already showing signs that he was becoming slower.
We’ve watched Alan Smith slow down to a crawl on 60K a week.
So it was right for the club to let him go.
Good initial signing for WHU. He’ll get them promoted, then he’ll become a liability with his wages as he won’t be good enough for the EPL.
“but come on Alan, how many players ever see out the full contract?”
Alan Smith and Marcelino to mention two, add Xisco to that the way things are looking at the moment and you see why it’s seen as an issue.
You’re clearly not a Newcastle fan, if you were, you’d realise that he was effective playing behind Andy Carroll, since he could ghost in and score goals off his knockdowns, after Carroll was sold he scored 2 (i think, it might have been 1). He’s not going to lose his form anytime soon? it’s already gone. (although for this same reason he could be good playing allardyces ‘style’ of football)
If you take away the goals, you see that his legs have gone and he’s never been a great passer of the ball, he can be a passenger in the game at times.
He wouldnt have been first team the season coming, never mind in 5 years. Cabaye is twice the player of Nolan, and we’ll (supposedly) be playing Ben Arfa off a lone striker, Nolan simply doesnt fit into that formation.
And who sees out their contracts? old players on big wages (e.g. Alan Smith) When Nolan’s 33 and not making the bench at W.Ham but still collecting his (rumoured) 55k a week, both Nolan and Newcastle will be laughing.
His influence and leadership (no-one at the club can match him in that respect) may be a loss, but that remains to be seen. Dissapointed he’s gone? yes, but it makes footballing and financial sense (both for the club and Nolan)
Heh you all, well we @ the Bok loved Kev for all the years he spent with us and it was a shame when he left and a shock too! But, But ive gotta agree with you all too,cos we all saw him as slowing down too – yes he was our leading or near leading goalscorer on many seasons but moving on forces or allows changes to happen look at the mid field we have from USA now
Stuart Holden – he is energy on legs!!god bless yah Kev but long live the club – i hope he does well at the London smurf society – sorry the school of football or whatever they think they should be called! lol. Big Sam is recreating the ‘Bok in west London. Geordies you saw or concerns and you made the right decision.
Big Sam may be recreating the ‘Bok’ in EAST London.
‘Alan Pardew and the board turned down Nolan’s request for a five-year contract as they feel that he will not be at the top of his game around the period in which it would expire, but come on Alan, how many players ever see out the full contract?’
Er Alan Smith, another year on about £60K a week, Xisco, another 2 years on huge wages. Nolan would do exactly the same and sit on a contract until it runs out. At the end of the day Nolan had 2 years + another year offered and he didn’t want it. He walked! Don’t just blame the club.
When I said about players not seeing out their contracts, I was alluding to the fact that if Nolan got a five-year deal then I very much doubt it would have been seen out. I don’t agree with footballers receiving the amount of money they do, but as the game is, I think Nolan deserves a new deal for what he’s done for the club. If he played as well as he has done for the past two years then it would have been good for the club and if he didn’t they could always have sold him in January. Many clubs pay silly money for players and wages when they’re desperate especially halfway through the campaign and they’re in the bottom half of the table. I think many clubs in that situation would have been willing to do that for someone like Nolan.
We’re alluding to the fact that if you offer a player a long contract on high wages and he deteriorates, he’s next to impossible to move on, as no club will come in for a carp player on high wages, and even if they did, said player wouldnt want to move for a lower paycheck at the end of his career (we have proof of this in Smith).
The outsider looking in cant see past the Captain/goals that is Nolan to the full picture of the player. If you’re a hammers fan, you’ll see over the next couple of years what we mean.
I agree with all the other toon fans,,,
We all wanted him to stay, he left because he wanted big money when he’ll most likely be total crap i.e. 2 yrs time.
Poorly researched. Nolan was shite in the first 6 months after we signed him for a start and we were relegated, hardy our heartbeat. Secondly from championship to now he really has been appreciated by Newcastle fans, not least for his 4 oaks against the mackems this year and there has been a lot of worry over the sale. “Message boards” dont paint the picture of all supporters and of course there are gonna be ppl seein the positives. At least he isn’t still in the premier league. Many of our supporters are worried about losin his performances but also his influence…
Do your research
Poorly read. I did mention that I’m sure some Newcastle supporters would rue his sale, but I’ve experienced first hand on this article the way most fans seem to feel about it.
Goals***
The type of contract he wanted was crazy he was already showing signs of slowing down,Newcastle did the right thing I’ve no doubt of that. He is a fine player and would have been useful to Newcastle but possibly only for another 2 years at the most.
WOT A POINTLESS ARTICLE YOUR STILL ON ABOUT NOLAN THATS YESTERDAYS NEWS MATE THEM DAYS R GONE ONWARDS AND UPWARDS