Newcastle Manager Joe Kinnear painted a bleak picture of life at St James' Park after confirming England striker Michael Owen and combative midfielder Joey Barton are set for six and 10 week stints on the sidelines respectively.
Both men limped out of the Magpies 2-1 defeat at Manchester City tonight, Owen with a cracked ankle and Barton with a damaged foot.
Now Kinnear faces being without the pair at a crucial stage of Newcastle's battle to avoid the drop.
Kinnear said: "It is one thing after another at the moment. The doctor had said six to eight weeks with Michael and 10 for Joey."
It leaves Kinnear without two of his most experienced players at a time when he could badly do with them.
Owner Mike Ashley was on hand to see how bad things have become but as Kinnear went public with the constraint Newcastle's owner is working to, it is easy to see how the problems are beginning to mount.
"The guy has lost £2billion from his businesses," said Kinnear. "I do not know what this club is worth but at the moment we have to get on with it as best we can.
"I tried to sell Geremi yesterday because I thought it would raise £4million but that deal fell through so I had to play him tonight.
"We have been negotiating with someone else on the continent. We thought that deal was done but suddenly the goal posts have moved.
"It is a very difficult situation at the moment. It is not a surprise that a lot of other people did not have the bottle to do this job."
One possible source of funds is goalkeeper Shay Given, who missed tonight's game with a knee injury.
City boss Mark Hughes is keen to have the Republic of Ireland International at Eastlands although Kinnear is desperate not to lose another one of his more experienced players.
However, there may be little alternative given the cash City are likely to offer and Newcastle's dire state of health.
Kinnear continued: "We have Charles N'Zogbia out with a swollen ankle now, Shay pulled out and we thought Mark Viduka was getting somewhere near but he has gone back again.
"Obafemi Martins has been out for a long time and he is seriously missed. We are devastated at the moment.
"You look at sides like Tottenham who spend £16million here and £14million there but we are not in that position at the moment."
Now Kinnear faces being without the pair at a crucial stage of Newcastle's battle to avoid the drop.
Kinnear said: "It is one thing after another at the moment. The doctor had said six to eight weeks with Michael and 10 for Joey."
It leaves Kinnear without two of his most experienced players at a time when he could badly do with them.
Owner Mike Ashley was on hand to see how bad things have become but as Kinnear went public with the constraint Newcastle's owner is working to, it is easy to see how the problems are beginning to mount.
"The guy has lost £2billion from his businesses," said Kinnear. "I do not know what this club is worth but at the moment we have to get on with it as best we can.
"I tried to sell Geremi yesterday because I thought it would raise £4million but that deal fell through so I had to play him tonight.
"We have been negotiating with someone else on the continent. We thought that deal was done but suddenly the goal posts have moved.
"It is a very difficult situation at the moment. It is not a surprise that a lot of other people did not have the bottle to do this job."
One possible source of funds is goalkeeper Shay Given, who missed tonight's game with a knee injury.
City boss Mark Hughes is keen to have the Republic of Ireland International at Eastlands although Kinnear is desperate not to lose another one of his more experienced players.
However, there may be little alternative given the cash City are likely to offer and Newcastle's dire state of health.
Kinnear continued: "We have Charles N'Zogbia out with a swollen ankle now, Shay pulled out and we thought Mark Viduka was getting somewhere near but he has gone back again.
"Obafemi Martins has been out for a long time and he is seriously missed. We are devastated at the moment.
"You look at sides like Tottenham who spend £16million here and £14million there but we are not in that position at the moment."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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