Milner demands to leave Newcastle

Batman wrote:Geremi RM?

Only if Jonas magically disappears.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article4622041.ece

£10m would be absolutely mental.

I love how we're being vilified for going public, as if keeping quiet would help us in any way. The PFA are a joke, no wonder 99% of players chose to have agents.

I don't really understand why, if what the PFA are saying is true and Milner put in his transfer request seven days ago, we have chosen to go public with it now - and I'm not sure that going public does help us much.

Even if Milner did put in his request seven days ago, I still think his timing has been poor, and whilst I sympathise with him wanting a new contract, I don't think putting in a transfer request is the best way to go about things. Whatever, it sounds as though he may not be that interested in moving clubs after all - and that his motivation for handing in a transfer request is a hope that doing so will lead to an improved contract.

By going public with his transfer request, just a few days from the close of the transfer window, we are essentially causing a bit of unrest within the squad, and leaving little time in which to sort anything satisfactorily. If we want to sell him, then we would have been better opening negotiations on the quiet with the likes of Villa, Liverpool, Boro; and if we don't really want to sell him, and if going public is just a sort of ploy aimed at putting him in his place, then I think it is in very bad taste, and like I say, it won't do much for squad harmony or for Milner's happiness.

One possibility is that we have found a replacement for him during the last seven days, and now we are desperate to sell him to make ends meet. But I don't think that is so likely.

And added to this, whatever the reasons behind Keegan's praise of Milner last night, still I do believe that Keegan genuinely likes Milner and would prefer to keep him as part of his squad - so I can't see him being enthralled with things being made public.

It seems to me as though the only real result of making things public is going to be either a weaker squad with a player possibly even sold on the cheap; or else we will be left with an unhappy player, whose good early season form may tail off a bit. If his request had just been made today, and we'd reacted to that publicly, then that would be one thing, and our response would have been fair enough - if not wise even then - but to make public today a transfer request handed in a week ago, when the transfer request may not have been a genuine one, and when the player concerned just came away from a good game last night - this seems absolutely stupid.

What are you talking about Bash? Who gives a $h!t about Milners happiness? He is demanding more money despite playing like Cr@p for us, he is trying to hold us to ransom and has chosen the worst time in the world to do it. I would stick the fucker in the reserves if we don't get a good enough price.

Him handing in a transfer request doesn't do much for squad harmony, imagine if you are Beye, Oba, Given, Jonas, Owen, or Colo and you're training next to an upstart that apparently thinks he's too good for you. It's bloody insulting.

The club have done exactly what i would have done so i can't fault them. The question about why we have waited is a puzzle, and i can only assume Keegan has been trying to persuade him to stay and Milner has resisted.Or maybe we just chose to accept the request today, afterall today was Ahsley and Keegans "superduper showdown square-off", or "meeting" if it was anything club.

I do agree that he's been inconsiderate in handing in a transfer request at such a late stage, and he's been very foolish if he's gone so far as to hand in a transfer request in the hope that it will win him a pay rise.

I don't agree that he's played like Cr@p for us. I think he is a limited player, with various significant flaws, and he hasn't really improved in his time with us. He probably wouldn't be in my starting eleven - but I think he's a decent squad player to have. And I think he is a genuine trier, a trier in the only proper sense of the word - he doesn't hide on the football pitch - despite his limitations, he at least looks for the ball and attempts to attack with it. I respect him as a footballer even if I don't think he's all that great.

I don't know how much money he is on, but the club hasn't been very fair with its wages in the past - going back to when Bernard wanted parity with some of the first team squad but didn't get it, and looking more recently, to Taylor's longwinded transfer saga, which should have been sorted much more quickly. We pay big name players, the Smith's, Barton's, Duff's too much money, and the likes of Milner - young, less prestigious players who have been about for a while - don't get paid similar sums.

So I don't really have a problem with Milner wanting a bit of parity - but if that is what he wants, then he has gone about getting it in a very poor way.

But regardless of what Milner wants or deserves, like I say, I don't see how going public with this helps us in any way. If we are frustrated with Milner, then fair enough, we've aired our frustration. But I think, especially at this stage and whatever the situation actually is, it would have been wiser to have kept things quiet - to have opened negotiations with those clubs who have shown interest in Milner, or to have continued talking and reasoning with him regarding his contract. At this late stage, the big risk is that we don't have time to sell Milner and replace him, and so we end up with an unhappy player and a squad whose good early season form gets interrupted a little due to this, and due to all the media stirring that will undoubtedly now take place.

I don't know how much he was on, but 30k was rumoured when he signed his new contract. IMO if he's on 15k+ then he has no business asking for a raise.

I think it is fair for him to expect some sort of parity with the rest of the first team squad. Duff, Barton and Smith are all worse players - and they are all probably behind him in the pecking order for most of the midfield positions - yet they all get paid £60,000 a week plus. I'm not saying that Milner should get anything like that - it really only highlights how stupid we have been with wages in the past - but if he is on something like £20-25,000 a week, I can understand him wanting a bit more. I think Taylor fully deserved the new contract that he signed recently, and it apparently puts him on £35,000 a week - Milner may look at that and feel as though he deserves a similar amount, and given that they're both the same age and have both played a similar number of games for our first team, it would be hard to argue with that logic.

But the board see the wages Duff, Barton, and Smith are on as a problem, so him using their wages to compare is hopeless.

For me Milner is a 20k a week squad player, while Taylor i see as a first team player for now and years to come. And even if he does want more there is no need to put a transfer request in because of it, if he was as professional as people say he is he would get his head down and prove he deserves more.

Milner straight swap for Pennant?

You can have Insua on loan as a treat.

Dickwing wrote:Milner straight swap for Pennant?

You can have Insua on loan as a treat.

Deal, just to annoy Villa.

Ace! Then Rafa can swap him for Barry

And Villa fans (based on me checking "Villa Talk") are even higher on him than 10 hours ago, and even then, they thought he is a Next Big Thing. They also don't see a problem with paying 10mln for him to Newcastle, oh well...

stinger wrote:And Villa fans (based on me checking "Villa Talk") are even higher on him than 10 hours ago, and even then, they thought he is a Next Big Thing. They also don't see a problem with paying 10mln for him to Newcastle, oh well...

I've been reading that aswell. Milner is a great GREAT FANTASTIC player according to 99% of them(no exaggeration). Anyone would think they were signing Van Basten.

A Footballer With Decency? What Next?

Posted 27/08/08 14:35
[url=mailto://Your friend's email address?subject=Football365.com - A Footballer With Decency? What Next? - The Football365 Blog - Football365 News&body=I found this story on World Cup 365, thought you'd be interested: http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,13320_4056624,00.html]Email[/url]PrintSave




It's been ridiculously simple to point accusatory fingers at the phenomenally easy target that is Gordon Taylor OBE in recent years as his PFA demands rights for downtrodden footballers, defends thugs like Joey Barton and spends vast sums on paintings by LS Lowry while raking in massive amounts of cash.



But when you read that James Milner - one of the few English Premier League footballers seemingly unmoved by money and fame - is represented by the PFA rather than an agent motivated by cash you realise that perhaps there is a role for a footballers' union, if only more players were more interested in professional football than unprofessional conduct.



There is a stark contrast between Milner and Anton Ferdinand - now on his way to Sunderland after apparently demanding wages of £50,000 a week from West Ham. There was no official transfer request forthcoming from Ferdinand so he will presumably qualify for a laughingly-named loyalty bonus from the Hammers.



Meanwhile, Milner has decided that his future lies elsewhere from Newcastle - with Martin O'Neill a confirmed admirer - and has handed in an official transfer request, presumably advised by the PFA that this was the correct way of making his unrest known. Never mind the loyalty bonus, Milner wants out of Newcastle so he went to his paymasters and said as much. No leaks to newspapers, no outrageous wage demands, just a simple 'I want to leave' note given to the club and not to The Sun.



Milner wants to join Aston Villa now, just as he wanted to join Aston Villa two years ago but was denied when Glenn Roeder had a change of heart. He was reportedly devastated but did not sulk, with Roeder and later Sam Allardyce and Kevin Keegan articulating nothing but praise for his work ethic.



Milner is a likeable, unassuming footballer who now wants to move on, having seen his career stall somewhat at Newcastle. Anyone with a record number of England Under-21 caps has stagnated - signifying early promise without development to the very top echelons of the game. He has watched himself be overtaken by the likes of Aaron Lennon, David Bentley and Theo Walcott and presumably sees a move as the only way to kickstart his career again.



Waiting at Villa is a manager with a history of handling young, English players and making them international class, UEFA Cup football and a renewed push for a top-six place. All this at a well-run club with a stable owner/manager relationship. None of that can be matched at Newcastle, however much fans claim to be a 'bigger' club in terms of support.



Milner does not want to move for the sake of money (he's from Yorkshire, he wouldn't spend it anyway) but for the sake of his career. The manner in which he has conducted himself should be an example for any young footballers who are eyeing a new pair of £50,000 ear-rings and wondering if Sunderland are now paying even bigger wages than West Ham.



In an age when we find it difficult to find young English footballers we actually like, Milner makes a refreshing change. But not half as refreshing as the realisation that the PFA might actually be useful occasionally.



Sarah Winterburn

Newcastle fans shouldnt be pillorying Milner- if only Berbatov had gone about his request to leave us in similar fashion.

No sulking, no leaked stories to the papers (it was Newcastle who went public with his request), no outrageous wage demands in order to get a loyalty bonus.

Fair f**king play to Milner - he should be applauded

Kimbo wrote:

stinger wrote:And Villa fans (based on me checking "Villa Talk") are even higher on him than 10 hours ago, and even then, they thought he is a Next Big Thing. They also don't see a problem with paying 10mln for him to Newcastle, oh well...

I've been reading that aswell. Milner is a great GREAT FANTASTIC player according to 99% of them(no exaggeration). Anyone would think they were signing Van Basten.

Most people on villatalk are morons. Home to the most reactionary, fickle, clueless Villa fans out there. Go there after we've lost and it's doom, gloom, death and sack the manager, go after we win and WOO we're going to finish in the top 4 guaranteed. Even if the loss is against Man Utd and the win against Bolton.

Plus it's a really pettily moderated forum, where you're pretty much not allowed to address other posters directly if you disagree with them.

I read it from time to time for entertainment value, but not insight.

but besides the critique of the forum, the reason Milner is popular amongst Villa fans is because he played for us for a season and did well, and people think he will fit in nicely to the team. It's not that unreasonable, eh? I think 10m is twice what we should pay, but so it goes. The figure may just be paper talk anyway

debaser wrote:

Kimbo wrote:

stinger wrote:And Villa fans (based on me checking "Villa Talk") are even higher on him than 10 hours ago, and even then, they thought he is a Next Big Thing. They also don't see a problem with paying 10mln for him to Newcastle, oh well...

I've been reading that aswell. Milner is a great GREAT FANTASTIC player according to 99% of them(no exaggeration). Anyone would think they were signing Van Basten.

Most people on villatalk are morons. Home to the most reactionary, fickle, clueless Villa fans out there. Go there after we've lost and it's doom, gloom, death and sack the manager, go after we win and WOO we're going to finish in the top 4 guaranteed. Even if the loss is against Man Utd and the win against Bolton.

Plus it's a really pettily moderated forum, where you're pretty much not allowed to address other posters directly if you disagree with them.

I read it from time to time for entertainment value, but not insight.

but besides the critique of the forum, the reason Milner is popular amongst Villa fans is because he played for us for a season and did well, and people think he will fit in nicely to the team. It's not that unreasonable, eh? I think 10m is twice what we should pay, but so it goes. The figure may just be paper talk anyway

1) But they are really thinking he is a next Big Star, better than Lennon, better than SWP and better than most of other wingers available for 9-10 mln pounds. it's unreasonable.
2) Any Villa forum worth checking then, if not "Villa Talk"?

1) Indeed. As I say, most of them are morons. It's just bluster - if we were on the verge of signing SWP, they'd be all saying thank christ we're not signing Milner, SWP is the best thing ever.

For the sake of argument though, I'm not sure how good SWP is now, after 2/3(?) yrs of stop-start at Chelsea. And considering his reliance on pace, and him being nearly 27, he's arguably less value at that price, considering his sell-on potential will probably drop considerably when he hits 30. Milner only 22, this is positive. Lennon - I don't think Spurs would sell anyway.

2) http://www.heroesandvillains.info/discuss/viewforum.php?f=2 is a little bit better, although quieter than villatalk. But I find most forums devoted to one club as a bit annoying. They become too obsessive, going over the same tiny things again and again. And you can see how mass opinion on these forums sways and converges, as dissenters to the party line get shouted down. One week Agbonlahor will be the scapegoat, the next week the saviour...that sorta thing.

debaser wrote:
2) http://www.heroesandvillains.info/discuss/viewforum.php?f=2 is a little bit better, although quieter than villatalk. But I find most forums devoted to one club as a bit annoying. They become too obsessive, going over the same tiny things again and again. And you can see how mass opinion on these forums sways and converges, as dissenters to the party line get shouted down. One week Agbonlahor will be the scapegoat, the next week the saviour...that sorta thing.

Yeah, you're right. And thanks for the link.

The Football365 article is pretty poor I think. The praise for O'Neill is excessive, and it is far from clear that Milner actually wants to leave Newcastle at all - the PFA's comments yesterday, along with one or two articles from a few months ago, imply that Milner wants to stay at Newcastle and has only handed in a transfer request as a ploy to win a new contract with the club.

Whatever, from a Newcastle fan's perspective, the issue against Milner is that, if Milner does want to leave the club, he has put in his transfer request too late in the day and has given us little time in which to sort anything; whereas if he just wants a new contract, then he's gone about getting one in a poor way (and he may even have been advised in this by the PFA - I don't think the club should have made Milner's request public - it strikes me that the motives for doing so aren't good ones - but still, the PFA don't seem to have advised Milner well at all).

If Milner does want to leave the club, then he can get lost - he certainly won't find a better manager to work under; his transfer request is a little disrespectful to Keegan and to his teammates; and the timing of it has been atrocious. But if he really wants to stay at the club (and I'm inclined to believe that he does), then I think he is a good squad player to have; he's started the season really well; and I have some sympathy with him wanting a new contract - which is something I'd be more than happy for the club to give.

Otto's Olympic Dream wrote:Newcastle fans shouldnt be pillorying Milner- if only Berbatov had gone about his request to leave us in similar fashion.

No sulking, no leaked stories to the papers (it was Newcastle who went public with his request), no outrageous wage demands in order to get a loyalty bonus.

Fair f**king play to Milner - he should be applauded

So if next summer, about a week and a half before the window closes, Modric(after having a poor season) says "give me a pay rise or i'll hand in a transfer request", i trust you will say "Fair f**king play to Modric"?

It's disgusting, and typical, that people are trying to paint Newcastle as the bad guys in this.

Kimbo wrote:

Otto's Olympic Dream wrote:Newcastle fans shouldnt be pillorying Milner- if only Berbatov had gone about his request to leave us in similar fashion.

No sulking, no leaked stories to the papers (it was Newcastle who went public with his request), no outrageous wage demands in order to get a loyalty bonus.

Fair f**king play to Milner - he should be applauded

So if next summer, about a week and a half before the window closes, Modric(after having a poor season) says "give me a pay rise or i'll hand in a transfer request", i trust you will say "Fair f**king play to Modric"?

It's disgusting, and typical, that people are trying to paint Newcastle as the bad guys in this.

Well let's see - James Milner, represented by the PFA and not an actual agent, has no history of sulking or making outrageous demands, wanted to move to Villa back in 2006 but Newcastle scuppered the deal,

bearing all that in mind, I just don't believe for a second he's gone demanding a wage rise from you. That is the angle no doubt Geordies will take as well as the Newcastle hierarchy, rather than to admit here is a player who's career has been stagnating for awhile now and wants to move. Simple as that.

As for the scenario you've painted abotu Modric- I'd be very annoyed, just like I am about Berbatov and his sulking and his agent's leaked stories to the press for months now.

If Berbatov had just gone into Ramos' office and handed in a transfer request, then fair play. But he drew it out. So he's a silly c*nt

The PFA have made it clear that this is over a pay rise, their comments damage Milner far more than the clubs.

Kimbo wrote:The PFA have made it clear that this is over a pay rise, their comments damage Milner far more than the clubs.

Presumably because he's getting paid pittance in comparison to everyone else? Seems a strange move by the PFA, unless they felt Milner deserved more than he was being paid.

whatever the case, I wish all these unsettled players would just move or be allowed to move so we didnt have to hear endlessly about it.

Why we're saying we're going to allow Berbatov to rot in the reserves is beyond me - fair play players should honour their contracts, but this has been a problem now for years, and nothing is going to sort it out other than getting rid. I'd take 25 mill that Man U are offering for him over seeing him and his value fall in the reserves.

It's a sordid game says I

The idea that Milner wants a pay rise isn't an angle that Newcastle fans are taking on the affair - like Kimbo says, the PFA explicitly said yesterday that Milner put in his transfer request because he wants a new contract with the club. And there were suggestions earlier in the summer that he wanted a new contract with us too.

I actually think that the fact he's put in a transfer request so late suggests that he doesn't want to leave the club, and that the request has been made for other reasons. Clubs have shown interest in Milner all summer, so why - with the season underway; with Milner starting games for the first team, playing well and being praised by the manager; with days of the transfer window left - would he have waited until now to hand in a request if he genuinely wanted to move clubs?

Otto's Olympic Dream wrote:

Kimbo wrote:The PFA have made it clear that this is over a pay rise, their comments damage Milner far more than the clubs.

Presumably because he's getting paid pittance in comparison to everyone else? Seems a strange move by the PFA, unless they felt Milner deserved more than he was being paid.

whatever the case, I wish all these unsettled players would just move or be allowed to move so we didnt have to hear endlessly about it.

Why we're saying we're going to allow Berbatov to rot in the reserves is beyond me - fair play players should honour their contracts, but this has been a problem now for years, and nothing is going to sort it out other than getting rid. I'd take 25 mill that Man U are offering for him over seeing him and his value fall in the reserves.

It's a sordid game says I

Maybe if Milner performed for us he would deserve a pay rise? Nah, bend over and give him a new contract anyway.

Kimbo wrote:

Otto's Olympic Dream wrote:

Kimbo wrote:The PFA have made it clear that this is over a pay rise, their comments damage Milner far more than the clubs.

Presumably because he's getting paid pittance in comparison to everyone else? Seems a strange move by the PFA, unless they felt Milner deserved more than he was being paid.

whatever the case, I wish all these unsettled players would just move or be allowed to move so we didnt have to hear endlessly about it.

Why we're saying we're going to allow Berbatov to rot in the reserves is beyond me - fair play players should honour their contracts, but this has been a problem now for years, and nothing is going to sort it out other than getting rid. I'd take 25 mill that Man U are offering for him over seeing him and his value fall in the reserves.

It's a sordid game says I

Maybe if Milner performed for us he would deserve a pay rise? Nah, bend over and give him a new contract anyway.

Never said that Kimbo, if it is about money and he's not been performing then I agree- get rid

stinger wrote:And Villa fans (based on me checking "Villa Talk") are even higher on him than 10 hours ago, and even then, they thought he is a Next Big Thing. They also don't see a problem with paying 10mln for him to Newcastle, oh well...

The press reckon Everton have joined them with a £10m bid. Happy?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article4629531.ece

Kimbo wrote:

stinger wrote:And Villa fans (based on me checking "Villa Talk") are even higher on him than 10 hours ago, and even then, they thought he is a Next Big Thing. They also don't see a problem with paying 10mln for him to Newcastle, oh well...

The press reckon Everton have joined them with a £10m bid. Happy?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article4629531.ece

$h!t, no!!!
I hope that it's just agent of Milner doing his job, trying to push Villa deal...

stinger wrote:

Kimbo wrote:

stinger wrote:And Villa fans (based on me checking "Villa Talk") are even higher on him than 10 hours ago, and even then, they thought he is a Next Big Thing. They also don't see a problem with paying 10mln for him to Newcastle, oh well...

The press reckon Everton have joined them with a £10m bid. Happy?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article4629531.ece

$h!t, no!!!
I hope that it's just agent of Milner doing his job, trying to push Villa deal...

Or Moyes is panicking and the Moutinho money is burning a hole in his pocket.

I don't think this is agent talk, for a starter he doesn't have one(PFA and all that), and Villa allegedly have a bid on the table already.