Source: Daily_Mail
Newcastle gripped by fear of relegation, admits managing director Llambias
Newcastle[LNB]managing director Derek Llambias has admitted there is a 'major fear' of relegation at St James' Park. [LNB]The club have endured a miserable season on and off the pitch and are just four points above the bottom three with 13 games to go.[LNB] Sidelined: Manager Joe Kinnear will have to take at least two months off after heart bypass surgery[LNB] Heart surgery will keep Magpies boss Kinnear out until mid-April[LNB]Owner Ashley is the man to steer Newcastle out of trouble, insists Llambias[LNB]NEWCASTLE FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE NET[LNB]Their plight has not been helped by Joe Kinnear's ill health which will sideline the former Wimbledon manager for two months.[LNB]But Llambias revealed that the club made several bids during the January transfer window to strengthen the squad. Newcatle were successful with bids for Wigan's Ryan Taylor and former Rangers winger Peter Lovenkrands and a number of summer transfer targets have already been identified.[LNB]'Relegation is a major fear for us too, but we did try to get the players the manager wanted in the transfer window,' Llambias told The Journal.[LNB] Concern: Derek Llambias (left) and Newcastle owner Mike Ashley[LNB]'We aren't a selling club, we're a buying club. We are out there in the market. We never said no to any requests. We tried to get Michael Johnson (from Man City) in all sorts of different ways.[LNB]'We tried cash and we tried players. We tried for Nedum Onuoha and we tried for Elano, but none of those combinations came off ... we will be going back in the summer for certain individuals.'[LNB]Llambias also admitted the board had made mistakes over the course of the season, but were committed to stabilising the club.[LNB]'We freely admit we have made mistakes and we put our hands up. But now we're in a position where Mike is back on board and we're not selling the club.[LNB]'We inherited a bucket full of holes in it and we have had to repair those holes before anything else.[LNB]'We are trying to get away from dating (payments) so that we don't have huge amounts of money going out. We are trying to pay up front. People like (Fabricio) Coloccini, Xisco and (Jonas) Gutierrez - we own those players - but that wasn't the case before we got here.'[LNB]Llambias also defended the club's structure.[LNB] Boost: Defender Fabricio Coloccini was an important signing for Newcastle[LNB]'This Continental-style of football management was where we wanted to be and where we are now. It's been torn up at Tottenham - but for us, we still think it works.[LNB]'The realistic side of football management is that it's changing. You need to have the control of being more structured and knowing where you are going as far as picking players and picking youth is concerned. We felt that it worked for us.[LNB]'It broke down between two of our main characters. But it's working well with Joe (Kinnear) and, we hope, it will continue to do so. The manager still calls the shots.'[LNB] Heart surgery will keep Magpies boss Kinnear out until mid-April[LNB]Owner Ashley is the man to steer Newcastle out of trouble, insists Llambias[LNB]NEWCASTLE FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE NET[LNB][LNB] [LNB]
