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‘A 1% chance that Mike Ashley will sell Newcastle United if someone pays his outrageous price’

5 years ago
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There are now under five weeks of the Premier League season to go for Newcastle United.

So we have asked a number of regular/irregular Mag contributors about the state of Newcastle United.

What has/hasn’t happened this season and maybe more importantly, what is likely to happen moving forward.

Next up answering questions is Jamie Smith:

Robbie Earle recently said that it should be a ‘Big Seven’ in the Premier League, with Newcastle part of the seven. Discuss.

The support base means the club would always be attractive to TV, sell tickets and merchandise etc, but in the days when Bournemouth are a PL fixture it’s all relative. The big six are there because of the money that has been put in and the only chance of anyone joining them is if there’s significant investment on that scale. I’d say Everton or Wolverhampton look more likely than NUFC in coming years to break the monopoly.

How would you sum up how you feel as a Newcastle fan at this moment in time?

It feels a bit pointless doesn’t it?

I didn’t expect much in the way of progress this season as it was clearly going to see Rafa farted round as he sees out his contract. The prospect of a takeover took the attention a bit but the reality is we’re still stagnant as a club.

As it stands now, do you think:

Mike Ashley will still own Newcastle United when next season kicks off?

Course he will.

There is an omnipotent 1% chance that Ashley will sell if someone pays his outrageous price, in the summer I’d say that goes as high as 5% given the fact that league status is assured and there is a clean slate for the new season.

However, the events of the past couple of years have got me convinced that Ashley’s unwillingness to sell is only part of the problem and there is a distinct lack of suitable buyer.

Rafa Benitez will sign a new contract?

No. I do believe they want to keep him but if he signs on, based on the word of a liar, then he wants his head looking at.

I’m done assessing the likelihood of him taking over club x or y, I thought Leicester would be the most likely, but I’m sure there will be more than enough suitable options for him to say “enough is enough”.

Salomon Rondon will be bought by Newcastle?

I think we know he won’t. You’d maybe understand the logic if a more likely goalscoring option was sourced who fits the bill of younger with better value in future, but it’s just the first step towards starting the new season with Joselu alone up front.

The 11 Newcastle players you would most like to see still at the club next season (including players currently on loan), list them in order of importance.

Dubravka, Longstaff, Almiron, Rondon, Schar, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett, Shelvey, Perez

This is based partially on quality and positional cover, as I wouldn’t be particularly bothered if some of the last few left. Almost put Mo Diame in, just for being lovely to my little lad when meeting him after his first game.

Which three positions (in order) do you think need improved via the transfer market?

Number 10. I’m in serious danger of being boring about this, but I have this fantasy where we sign Hatem Ben Arfa but he’s the bloke who scored those goals against Bolton and Blackburn every single week.

Striker because Rondon is not going to happen and even if he was signed we’d need another option.

Also need a central midfielder.

I didn’t include Hayden in my players to keep because he’s off for sure (and good luck to him) so this needs attention given the poor form of other options and the relative inexperience of Longstaff.

Do you think Newcastle are still in danger of relegation?

Yes, if all games in hand were played tomorrow and went against us we’d be fourth bottom by 4 points. Realistically, one more win should make sure and I think we’ll get it.

With the players/resources available to him, which position in the table would/should Rafa Benitez have been fairly expected to achieve?

Even with all the nonsense he’s had to put up with, it should have been expected for survival.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the height of our ambition. I can’t bring myself to bother about whether we’re 12th or 17th, it’s not relevant. In years to come no one will even be able to recall the finishing position.

If Newcastle stay up, will it be due more to the failings of others or Newcastle having deserved it?

Fulham and Huddersfield have been so far behind it would be ridiculous to ignore it, the quickest two teams have ever been relegated. Might have been a different story with a stronger field.

Is racism a major problem for English football these days?

No, it’s a major problem for British society. People with wealth and power use their control of the media to consistently spark fear of difference among the populace to prevent an uprising.

The current Brexit situation has emboldened right-wing attitudes under the guise of free speech. It sounds harsh but every football crowd has its share of simpletons attracted by the prospect of the mob mentality and some of them get their despicable actions on camera or on Twitter, which blows up because it’s big news in the current climate.

It’s something that’s always been there and can only be addressed by a top down re-education. Even then you’ll always have people who choose hate and divisiveness.

After 12 years under Mike Ashley of never getting past the fourth round of the FA Cup, and seeing Watford, Brighton and Wolves in the sem-finals this season, are Newcastle fans now too accepting of this situation?

It’s just a symptom of the overall situation to be fair. The performance against Watford was awful, but so were other showings against West Ham, Fulham etc. I think it still pi..es people off but to be fair it seems it was all just leading up to be cannon fodder for Man City in the final.

Is Rafa Benitez totally innocent when it comes to the ongoing failing to compete in the cups?

No, I don’t think so. The introduction of Rondon against Watford might have made a difference, although devil’s advocate is that we probably wouldn’t have beaten Man City had we gone guns blazing in that game.

Do you see any loan players (Gayle, Aarons, Lazaar, Saivet, Murphy, Colback) having a part to play at Newcastle United next season?

If Rafa goes, the new yes man may have a “clean slate for all” approach, which is worrying.

If he stays, maybe a route back for Murphy but no one else.

Follow Jamie on Twitter @Mr_Dolf

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