Source: Telegraph
Newcastle face player revolt as Mike Ashley draws out efforts to sell St James' Park
The pressure on owner Mike Ashley to sell the club and pave the way for Alan Shearer to take over as manager intensified with as many as eight frontline Newcastle players understood to be ready to submit transfer requests.
They are unhappy at the impasse created by Ashley's decision to sell the Tyneside club that is hampering that club's preparations for life in the Championship and have privately set a two-week deadline before deciding their futures.
Defenders Habib Beye and Steven Taylor are reported to have made their disquiet known while centre-half Sebastien Bassong is expected to formally request a when he reports for training next week.
Five other senior professionals are said to have become restless due to protracted nature of Ashley's efforts to sell his club following relegation with the new season just a month away, sparking disillusion in the first-team squad.
As Shearer waits in the wings caretaker manager Chris Hughton oversees a pre-season training camp in Ireland, Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias has claimed that "more than two" bids for the club had met Ashley's £100-million asking price.
"At the moment, we are in the hands of lawyers, and it is all ongoing," Llambias said. "We are giving interested parties all the help that they need."
Shearer is apparently the first-choice of two of the consortia interested in taking over Newcastle although he remains unclear what the future holds.
Meanwhile, former Newcastle and England winger Chris Waddle has insisted his old club need to act fast to fill to vacancy in the manager's office.
"They need to start the process of getting a manager now," Waddle said. "I don't know Alan Shearer that well – he came into the England squad after my time – but I think he is the man for the job.
"I have met him a couple of times and I know Alan is a straight talker. He is what Newcastle need at the moment.
"The Championship is now starting to be like an extension of the Premier League – the top six to eight clubs for certain – and his experience of top-flight football will help that.
"There is a big question mark over Newcastle, and it needs answers soon."
Despite the turmoil, Waddle is confident Newcastle will follow former Premier League clubs such as Leeds into League One.
"I don't think they will get relegated like Leeds did, it is too big an operation with too many fans for that," Waddle added. "Will they be a Premier League club or will they be a Championship club in 12 months? Who knows?
"They can't afford to get caught cold in the Championship. They need some players who know the division. They need a goalscorer. At the moment there isn't one. Michael Owen and Mark Viduka have gone.
"It just needs to be sorted as quickly as possible. To rebuild you need between £20-30 million to spend on players But the longer it goes on the less chance you have of getting them.
"Look at Wolves last season and Birmingham – they had a goalscorer. You need somebody who is going to get 20-plus goals and some more who will contribute 15-plus.
"The agony for the fans can't go on much longer. If they don't come out of the traps quickly they will get caught cold. Realistically, they need to start strongly. That way if they are near the top of the table they will get the fans behind them. I still think there will be crowds of 40,000-plus next season."
