Newsletter

Get your daily update and weekly newsletter by signing up today!

News

Who Said ‘The Europa League Is My First Focus’?

10 years ago
Share

Yesterday against Swansea highlighted yet another own goal in the transfer policy at Newcastle United, as well as the lack of ambition.

Below are quotes ripped from The Guardian in July 2013. Can you guess who they came from?

“The Europa League is my first focus,” “I enjoy playing in Europe; I am used to it.”

It was by Saturday’s match winner  and one time Toon transfer target, Wilfried Bony no less, signed for a fee of around £12m and it displays the one MAJOR stumbling block that the club faces this coming summer.

Above all the mission statements and hyperbole that comes out of the club from whichever man, woman or beast that draws the short straw for the ‘Next Person To Make Himself Look Like An Idiot’ competition, there remains a problem.

IF a player is scouted correctly and IF that player is actually good enough and IF we do happen to pay the going rate in fees and wages and IF they want to play for Alan Pardew, will they want to play for a Newcastle United that isn’t in Europe?

Very doubtful. Wilfried Bony has scored 13 league goals this season and 22 in all competitions. Not bad, imagine the damage that could have been caused if he had been paired with Loic Remy?

Still, you get what you pay for and you reap what you sow. If you aim for 10th position, you won’t attract good players (permanently!).

It’s now a common opinion among fans that Alan Pardew has ran his course as Newcastle Manager. Certainly if the current run of form had been started in August, we would be staring relegation in the face, the run in November/December last year has saved the club from a calamity, even though the much publicized bonus on offer for a top 10 finish is now far from certain.

It has also been put out in the public domain  by the club, that we need 1 or 2 players in the summer. Right, whatever!

If you believe that, you’re crazy. I’ve still got my suspicions that the club will offer Shola Ameobi a new contract to keep the spend down (his goal against Swansea will do this no harm) and that replacements will be sought for Colo, Remy and Ben Arfa.

That’s it as far as I can see. I can’t foresee any major spend other than for Mike Ashley to protect his investment/TV money. If this can be done on a shoestring and keeping an inept and cheap manager at the helm (this season has proven it can) then the owner will be delighted.

In the meantime, watch for Shola waxing lyrical about staying here for another season, more failures to get players over imaginary lines and more woefully clueless/puzzling performances from a side thrown together by a woefully clueless/puzzling regime.

Share

If you would like to feature on The Mag, submit your article to contribute@themag.co.uk

Have your say

© 2024 The Mag. All Rights Reserved. Design & Build by Mediaworks