TOON MUST SELL QUICK
PREMIER LEAGUE Ashley has to go warns ex owner Chris coach call WILD RIDE FOR JOS James in Pole position
®Êby IAN MURTAGH SIR JOHN HALL admits he fears for the future of Newcastle if Mike Ashley doesn’t sell up soon.
Ashley has so far failed to strike a deal with Amanda Staveley, despite months of talks.
Sir John, who sold up to Ashley 11 years ago, says he is worried for the club he loves if they fail to reach agreement.
He already fears they have left it too late to provide manager Rafa Benitez with the funds he needs to strengthen the squad this month.
“I’m just a fan now and, like everyone else, I want to know what’s happening,” said Sir John.
“Mike Ashley has obviously made up his mind to sell up but, for whatever reason, it’s taking an awful long time for him to do it.
Fight
“The clock is ticking and this stalemate is not doing the club any good at all.”
Despite the Magpies picking up seven points from their last four games, they go into tomorrow’s home game against bottom side Swansea just two points above the relegation zone.
And Sir John, 84, believes that unless new signings come in this month, the fight for survival will go to the wire.
“Rafa Benitez is working with what is essentially a Championship squad,” he said.
“He’s doing his best but there is a worrying lack of quality out there.
“I know Mike doesn’t go to many games these days but he must know the squad is in desperate need of improvement.
“Newcastle have gone down twice in the last decade and managed to bounce back at the first attempt.
“If the worst happened this time, ® I dread to think what the future might hold, because it’s asking a lot to come straight back up again.
“Hopefully a deal can be finalised in the next few weeks but if not, Mike must realise Rafa still needs to make some signings.
“People like myself and him are just caretakers passing through the club. The fans are there for life and it’s up to us to give them what they deserve.”
Sir John took over when the club were in danger of crashing into football’s third tier.
He said: “Everyone knows Newcastle’s potential and, with the right investment, there’s no reason why we can’t be competing with the very best again.” CHRIS WILDER has vowed to turn Jos Luhukay’s first game as Sheffield Wednesday boss into a baptism of fire.
A full house of 32,000 fans will be shoehorned into Bramall Lane tonight for the 142nd Steel City derby.
Luhukay insists the atmosphere won’t faze him as he faced fanatical crowds of 75,000 when in charge at Hertha Berlin. ® But Sheffield United boss Wilder (below) said: “I don’t give a monkey’s about him saying he can take a game like this in his stride. “He is going into this game not having the slightest idea what it’s all about. But I can guarantee he will come out of it knowing exactly what this match means.” ® BURNLEY defender James Tarkowski has opened the door to playing for Poland at the World Cup.
Tarkowski, who was born in Manchester, retains hope of an England call-up but is eligible for Poland through his paternal grandfather.
Should Tarkowski, 25, not be in England boss Gareth Southgate’s plans for the March friendlies against Holland and Italy, it would pave the way for Poland.
“I’ve not ruled anything out,” Tarkowski said.
“Until a call comes (from Poland) I can’t make a decision.
“It’s one of the strongest positions in the English setup. There’s probably eight or nine players out there all vying for those spots.
“Obviously I’m ambitious, I want to play at the highest level and international football is the highest level you can get to.”
Tarkowski’s grandfather was deported to Russia in the Second World War before he joined the Polish Free Army as a tank driver and when the war ended he moved to England.