Can Newcastle Win The Premiership In 3 Years?
News on what Mike Ashley has planned for Newcastle United — once the takeover attempt is successfully concluded – is starting to leak out.
That’s most likely on purpose – as Ashley and his team are to attend a board meeting this coming Wednesday to review their plans for Newcastle – with the Newcastle Board and Chairman Freddie Shepherd.
We believe the board and Shepherd in particular – have little option but to accept Ashley’s offer — otherwise there will be a full scale revolt from the Newcastle fans.
Mike Ashley is thinking big — and is willing to splash out ₤270M — over the next 5 years — to make Newcastle a European powerhouse.
His plans for Newcastle are for them to be Premiership Champions within 3 years and challenging for the European Champions league within 5 years.
As a start Ashley will give new manager Sam Allardyce ₤45M to spend in the summer to bring in new players. That’s in addition to any money he can get from outgoing players — and it seems that at least two or three of the current midfield squad will be sold – to make room for the incoming players.
For once Newcastle should concentrate on their defense — which has been weak ever since the Keagan days — and it looks like Big Sam will bring in at least a whole new back four to augment what Newcastle already have.
Steven Taylor, Peter Ramage, Stephen Carr and Celestine Babayaro are what Newcastle currently have left in defense – plus youngsters Peter Huntington and David Edgar — both of which will probably be shipped out on loan to a Championship side for the season.
Earlier Allardyce had not retained defenders Titus Bramble, Craig Moore, Oguchi Onyewu (on loan from Standard Leige), Olivier Bernard and veteran goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek. There is also a chance that both Carr and Babayaro will be moved out – or be kept only as squad players.
There has been talk about Newcastle bringing in Leighton Baines of Wigan for around ₤5M and Ben Haim, the Israeli International on a free — but little else has been in the press — other than Newcastle are after anybody and everybody.
Newcastle’s England Under-21 International Steven Taylor
However, in this day and age when the top four clubs are way ahead of other teams in the Premiership – is it possible for them to be Champions within 3 years?
While it’s a tall order – the answer has to be yes – but it’s going to take some adroit thinking and management by new manager Sam Allardyce.
Certainly Newcastle will be a much more attractive proposition than before – given the huge infusion of cash and the ambitions of Mike Ashley.
It also appears that Ashley will be impatient if significant progress is not made immediately — and it has been leaked if next season is disappointing in any way (we would think Newcastle have to be in the top 5 at least — if not the top 4), then a new manager could well be brought in next summer.
What do you think — is it possible for a team like Newcastle to win the league in a short three years?
Don’t be shy in letting us know your thoughts.
Topics: English Premier League, Features, Newcastle United
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In a word ‘no’. Much as I would love it t happen I just cant see it, top 4 within 3 years is slightly more realistic, but even then a tall order.
May 28th, 2007 @ 14:55it’s not realistic. with an investment of £45 million this summer it is not enough to turn a team that needs to be gutted into a CL qualifier. UEFA cup has to be the target for this year. lets give sam the chance he deserves, cash or no cash.
May 28th, 2007 @ 15:07Sy – it certainly will not be easy – but it will be interesting (and exciting) for us Newcastle fans. Breaking into top 4 is very difficult right now.
May 28th, 2007 @ 15:07I think it’s possible (I mean, with money spent in the right places, ie the defence and the support/training staff) but not very likely.
As Sy says, I think 3 years will see us established in the top 4/5 once again, I just can’t see us winning the league in that time, but you never know.
PS It’s Paul Huntington, not Peter
May 28th, 2007 @ 15:07with united being 21 points ahead of the 4th place team, there seems to be an increasing gap in the top 4 too. I think Newcastle are facing a big problem, and it has nothing to do with funds or the manager. Problem being Newcastle have massive fan support and are a big club but are having problems attracting players to them. with the likes of campbell distin choosing much smaller clubs over them inspite of being assured first team action, newcastle need to build up some goodwill among players. united liverpool chelsea and arsenal players all talk about the great team spirit and brotherhood among players. When’s the last time you heard a toon player say that ? It will take at least a season for sam to prove he can play a brand of attacking and attractive football and one after that to bring in players the calibre of what Newcastle deserve. 3 years is an impossibility. i’d say maybe 4 to make a serious challenge for the top 4. sorry ed.
May 28th, 2007 @ 15:21Why not? Chelsea barged in on the dominance of Man Utd and Arsenal due to their finacial clout.So it can be done if you have the finances.
May 28th, 2007 @ 15:22[...] Newcastle on SoccerLens – one of the best football sites on the web. The article asks the question Can Newcastle Win the Premiership in Three Years – which of course is thought to be Ashley’s first goal for Newcastle. The author seems to [...]
May 28th, 2007 @ 15:25A – good comment – we would hope that Big Sam can build up that spirit – and even if we don’t attract the very top players this year – the positive scenario is that Big Sam can get the best out of the current squad. Not since Bobby Robson has a manager been able to do that.
May 28th, 2007 @ 15:28Since we have some good players – we could still have a very good first season under Allardyce. Just imagine if our current squad actually played at 100% every game
I think talk of winning the Premiership within 3 years is putting an unnecessary amount of pressure on Big Sam. Of course I’d like to see NUFC do as well as possible, but for now, I’d settle for Sam coming into the club, getting the best out of the players we currently have, and actually creating the infrastructure a club this size requires (having more than 1 scout on our books might be a start). So, rather than instant success, I’d prefer NUFC to be run like a professional football club for a change.
May 28th, 2007 @ 15:43Its definately possible, and top 4 is a realistic target for next year, barring Man U and Chelsea no other team were on a different planet, liverpool looked distinctly average and arsenal were a shadow of the side that went a season unbeaten. We have a top manager and hopefully very soon a greatly improved position financially. Very exciting times to support the toon!
May 28th, 2007 @ 15:48Yeah I think everyone has made good points. I think the trouble with Ashley wanting big success straight away is that it simply doesn’t happen that way! They need a stable season (top six) to begin with which I think Sam can do, then start attracting the bigger names and getting the squad confident again. I think it would be daft for Sam to get us into the top six then Ashley get rid of him coz he wanted top four. Anyone in football knows you can’t turn around a team that get 13th into a top four team in one season just coz you got cash..it’s ridiculous! But top four is certainly feasible next season I would imagine
May 28th, 2007 @ 16:09Oh and Premiership in three years will all depend on how Newcastle perform in the next couple of seasons. Don’t see why not though. Chelsea weren’t anything until injected with the green now they’re considered one of the biggest teams in the world! Just hope we don’t go the other way like W Ham and Villa!
May 28th, 2007 @ 16:11You all forget we had a very depleted side this season!!!!!!!! WE COULD HAVE FINISHED HIGHER with a fit squad!!! I’m not sure SAM is the right man, but with his back room staff keeping players fit we should be better off INJURY wise!! I will say with a few good buys, especially in DEFENCE we will finish 4th, possibly 3rd but we need defenders, we need to get rid of BABAYARO AND CARR, bring in some good/great defenders and half if not 3/4 of the job is done!! Owen WILL stay!!!! Oba will stay!!! A few very good players but not all super stars will get us there, and CONFIDENCE FROM THE HYPE OF THE TAKEOVER…..FAT FRED GOOONE ASWELL….wooooohoooooo!!!!!! HOWAY THE LADS!!!!07/08
May 28th, 2007 @ 16:33THANKYOU MR MIKE ASHLEY!!!!
joe – i actually hope Sam can do it – and that’s sensible to get a stable position next season – especially after the last few seasons – the difficulty though is going to be breaking into that top 4 – the top four are way above Newcastle right now – and they’ll not be standing still either
May 28th, 2007 @ 17:14It would actually be good for the league if Newcastle – and say Tottenham and Aston Villa could make an assault on the top 4 – the competitiveness of the Premiership needs it right now.
May 28th, 2007 @ 17:23i personally would love to say “YES” being that i am a toon supporter , but unfortunately the answer is no,, as the top “4″ clubs are head and shoulders above the rest,, top 6 or 5 position next season and for the next 2 seasons after that would be more realistic, then see how we fair from then on,, trouble wit us is we expect great things straight away and more often than not that never happens,,with any team,,
May 28th, 2007 @ 18:31i
May 28th, 2007 @ 18:31You can’t win the Premiership with big money. You need endless bag of money. Endless money buys you top players and mostly deep bench. Look at ManU and Chelsea, When you have SWP, Robben, JCole,Park, A.Smith, Heinze on the bench, you keep the level very high. That’s the difference between those two teams and Aresenal-Liverpool-Tottenham this year.
May 28th, 2007 @ 18:54So I think Newcastle could compete for place number 3-4-5 but not for the trophy. But in Europe, with the right balance, they could compete like Liverpool does.
Unfortunately, a third place is more realistic for now. You need huge amount of money, you need history, you need a very good youth system. If you don’t have the last two, you need more money. Money buys you top players on the field but also on the bench. Look at Chelsea and ManU : Robben, JCole, SWP, Park, A.Smith, Heinze. This way you keep the level so high that you’re able to lose just a few game in a season.
May 28th, 2007 @ 19:11With the right balance, I think NewU can compete on a high level in Europe.
Glenn UNITED – that’s a fair comment – if Sam can do 4 things 1) Cut down on the injuries 2) Get the very best out of our players in terms of skill 3) Demand 100% every game – and 4) Fix the defense by bringing in solid reinforcements – we’ll be a lot lot better next year – that’s a certainty.
May 28th, 2007 @ 19:27No
May 28th, 2007 @ 19:56The thing is so many other clubs are having similar ambitions to break into the top 4.
Tottenham, Aston Villa, Pompey, West Ham
lets also not forget Everton and Blackburn.
May 28th, 2007 @ 20:35dan – you’re absolutely right – i hope it makes the Premiership a lot more competitive – because it will go into a death spiral if there’s only one or two clubs that can compete for the title in the future.
May 28th, 2007 @ 20:37i love the idea but there are many things u have to consider outside our club the continued spending of the big 4 plus the likes of spurs,villa where there is also cash to spend arsenal continued improvement the hardest thing we will find is actually attracting the players up north away from the bright lights of London i know people say Chelsea have done it but they had a geographical advantage of being in the capitol so it will be a harder job for us i also if we improve to that degree the others will fight tooth and nail to stay 1 step ahead. If we just look at facts man u got more than double the points we did last season so we have to improve two fold in 3 seasons a huge ask 4 anyone but i think a more realistic 5 year plan by then contending for a top 4 spot every season and CL football will be amazing effort just look at Chelsea dominating for 2 seasons and back come manu hopefully we can make it a 3 way affair but its great to see we have ambition and u cant blame anyone for having a dream !
May 28th, 2007 @ 21:28Ed – Top 4 is not impossible… in fact not difficult given the fact that Arsenal and Liverpool were only a liitle bit superior than Newcastle last season, manager-wise and players-wise. But top 2 could be difficult, very difficult to break into unless the Ashley-Allardyce team really work hard, off-field and on-field. I think Top 3-4 is very, very realistic even next season, but Top 2 is possible maybe after a couple of seasons… remember we are playing catch-up with Chelsea and Man Utd. If there is managerial crisis at Man Utd or Chelsea, or they tinker with their squads, then Newcastle are on level field… otherwise we have to settle for top 3 for a while and hope to win the Champions League during one of the next 5 seasons. Looking at what Liverpool and Arsenal had achieved at Europe in the last 3 years, it proves that you don’t have to be top in the Premiership to be top in Europe.
May 28th, 2007 @ 21:31I think newcastle could of be top 4 next season if owen, parker, Given and Taylor stay fit and if they add a good positional Centre back like andrade from deportivo, a good attack minded left back to balance solano on the right maybe wayne bridge and play milner, nzogbia, ameobi and emre instead of just playing bigger names for the sake of it like dyer,duff,martins,butt Etc.
PLEASE DONT TRY TO SIGN CROUCH!!!
May 28th, 2007 @ 21:41Please get real. Martin Jol at Spurs has £15m more to spend this summer than us and already has a much better squad. Villa and West Ham are also having money pumped into them as are three of the top four sides. At the end of the day, the person that is going to win us the Prem isn’t going to be Mike Ashley, its going to be Big Sam. And he’s not going to do it in three years. Ashley’s millions only puts on a level playing field with the other teams, it doesn’t give us an advantage. If we were challenging the top four in three years, I’d be delighted. I’m sorry but talking about Premiership titles is not going to help anyone except our rivals and at the end of the day, we will be the ones that will end up disappointed.
May 28th, 2007 @ 22:53One thing I love about Newcastle fans is that despite year after year of bitter disappointment and underachievement they remain some of the most wildly optimistic supporters I’ve ever seen.
Can they win the league in 3 years? No. In 4, or 5? No again. In 6 or 7 or 10? I think the answer is also no.
Don’t compare them to Chelsea. Chelsea was already a team making regular appearances in the top four well before Abramovich bought them. Newcastle struggles, in good seasons, to qualify for the Intertoto. Chelsea had experience and a solid foundation of players, when Abramovich bought into them. I do not see this at Newcastle. Abramovich had about 10 times as much money as Ashley and by logic, ten times the disposable income. Chelsea, being in London, and already having garnered a bit of prestige, already had a very good manager in Ranieri and was able in their first summer with Abramovich to attract some top players. And after one year they were able to bring in one of the world’s most promising managers. I cannot see Newcastle attracting top talent, either in the form of managers or players, keeping in mind that they’ll still be competing against the big 4 in England: Arsenal who will gradually have more money to spend, Liverpool who will have a lot more, Chelsea and Man Utd.
Newcastle are so far behind the top teams in England, even Spurs, at this moment, that it is going to take more than a new owner and a splash of cash (in an amount that will certainly not make clubs like Chelsea, Man Utd, or Liverpool sweat), that all insanely optimistic talk about winning major titles in 3 or 5 years should be immediately scrapped, and the objective should be to create the basis, both in terms of personnel and overall club mentality, to have a team capable of challenging for silverware at some point in the future. In this sense I think Allardyce is a good choice.
May 28th, 2007 @ 23:24I wish, but alas no, we won’t.
May 28th, 2007 @ 23:55NUFC need to develop the squad, and Baines/Ben Haim look to be the first step. Then there are opportunities for Koumas or Davies from WBA (I don’t think the top 6 would go for either). The problem will still be a lack of a natural right back.
With Martins seemingly here for the future, we will need a striker to partner him (Owen will either go or be injured), and also some young or lower league back up (Martins may decide to turn up for the Nations Cup?!).
I’m positive for the future, but title winning… we can only dream!
Arvr, I must take issue with your statistics. Since Chelsea got promoted to The Premier League (or rather old 1st div, as it was) at the start of the 90′s until Abramovich took over, they achieved one 3rd place and 2 4th place finishes. This hardly constitutes regular appearances, in fact it doesn’t hold up to our own record between 93 and Abramovich’s takeover. It’s only the Russian oil gangsters filthy lucre that has got them to the top…at least Wor Ashley has grafted for his money.
May 29th, 2007 @ 00:58They´ve got the money, they´ve got the big names(owen,martins,butt) but what they lack of is BALLS and a good youth system. If they want to be champions within 5 years they should invest half of that budget to build a powerful youth squad in order to recover their money and get some good results, not only for Newcastle but for England too
May 29th, 2007 @ 02:13Having read all of the comments I think that a lot of people here are missing the key points and making some poor ones. Yes, we can talk about, money, depth in the squad and the quality of training and development. In a word, infastructure. Let’s look at the key points to address this, however.
NUFC already have one of the biggest and best stadiums in the country, and plans are well in motion to increase the capacity by a further 8000 or more, with £300m already earmarked for spending on improving not just the club, but Newcastle city centre, which is already a fantastic place.
Then the so called geographical advantage of London? No thanks, with the re-development of Newcastle and surrounding areas in recent years, I would rather live up here (These are exciting times for people of the North East). Maybe London still has more appeal, but give it 10-15 years, things are changing. London is in large parts a horrible dirty place full of crime and hate.
But back to the football, people are hung up on the £45m Sam has to spend on players to improve the squad? What about the £20-25 million he could potentially add to that through the sale of trouble making underacheivers? Not to mention the additional £225m to be spent on players in the next 4 seasons! Bearing in mind that at the end of this transfer window Newcastle United should have a team more than capable of a top 6 finish, that leaves approx £20m per player to build the team in the coming campains!
Like I say, I have read through the comments. Chelsea spent a lot of money? Chelsea wasted a lot of money in my opinion. I think that Sam has the eye for talent and the business accumen required to win the league in 3 years, no problem. Heck, I think even I could do it with that kind of financial backing, a lot of hard work, and of course, a bit of luck along the way!
Comments welcome!
May 29th, 2007 @ 02:15I only needed to read the discussion title and my mind is made up… NO!!
May 29th, 2007 @ 02:28Rafael – what do you mean we don’t have a good youth system? We’ve reached the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup 2 years running and were only beaten this year by Liverpool – who have won it under Steve Heighway the last 2 years . You saw the youngsters in January – about 4-5 were playing for the first team! As for balls we’ve got as many as anybody else I suppose
May 29th, 2007 @ 02:33Ebol – come on – keep the faith – we have as much chance as any other team outside the top 4 – you gotta believe.
May 29th, 2007 @ 02:35Rob – bet we can make the top 5 next year – if it’s only going to be the current top 4 winning then we should pack in them league – it’ll just be like Scotland. And the top 4 get the cream of the TV money being handed out – so they get bigger – it’s going the wrong way – it’ll have to change – at least if we want it to be a competitive league in 5 years time.
May 29th, 2007 @ 02:38lee – i’m with you !
May 29th, 2007 @ 02:38hard to see newcastle competing with the top four in the next few years. They are starting to build a good squad with a lot of talent but alot will depend on wether or not they can hold on to micheal owen ,all this talk of him being able to leave for a minimal price expect big clubs to come calling.
May 29th, 2007 @ 04:35anything is possible. but i very much doubt it. attracting the ‘right’ players would be difficult, even tho they have a great stadium and fans and gd history. however more likely in next 10 years….
May 29th, 2007 @ 04:44i think premiership in 3 seasons is abit optimistic. Chelsea, UTD and Liverpool (arsenal if takeover is complete)will have cash to spend and have far superior squads than Newcastle. Also teams like West ham,villa, Portsmouth and Totenham will be spending big money in that period. I think cl qualifcation is a reasonable posssiblity with Sam at the helm. I can see him taking Newcastle to a level where he wanted Bolton to be. Thats regurlary playing in the cl. Remember other teams are not going to be waiting around to be overtaken by Newcastle in the league.
May 29th, 2007 @ 06:56However any investment similar to the russian at chelsea could have a huge impact. A major honour may not be too far away (carling cup at least!) for newcastle fans!
Ed, another rubbish load of dog crap from you. You never answered my last critc of michael owen. and then this? you think 45 mil is enough to challenge, chelsea spent dame near 100Mil in one year, and still didnt win it.
i just think its a HUGE ask from a club which is average on all levels. man u and chelsea could buy anyone they want too. and whats newcastles attraction??no europe. how are the best players gonna want to come, who would torres,villa,eto,kaka,maluda and such rather go, newcastle or one of the top four? u need to attract class players, something which newcastle cant do.
and please dont say look at Michael Owen, because he would rather be anywhere apart from newcastle.
May 29th, 2007 @ 13:04Is it possible – Yes absolutely with that kind of investment, the existing squad and a good man manager running the team.
Is it likely – not so sure Personally I think 3 years to be top 4 and 5 to get the title. As for how many years after the billionaire takes over you win the Champions League – ask a Chelsea fan.
Is it ambitious – yes absolutely and as long as the ambition is tempered with good analysis of whatever outcomes are acheived, then fantastic. Given the type of takeover going on, I’d much rather see ambition from the potential chairman than an over cautious approach. Right now its what the Newcastle players need to hear too. Be good enough to win the Premiership – or get lost because now we can afford to replace you.
May 29th, 2007 @ 15:09I believe we need to get rid of the troublemakers for a start and also the likes of carr, babayaro, and emre then bring in what I would call solid proffesional team players such as nolan, ben hyiem who I consider to be 2nd level players and establish a team and work etic amongst them in year 1.
May 29th, 2007 @ 16:07year 2 would or should see us established in the top 6 and we then go for skillful exciting players and spent above the going rate to attract them 2 would be enough, this should establish us in the top 4-5.
Year 3 is when we spend big to obtain anther 3-4 top draw players, by this I mean the very best in there positions worldwide.
Year 4 would see us paddling along with the big boy’s and maintaining a large fit squad needed to compete in europe and domestically.
Year 5 could see us as being a major player in europe and atracting or competing for any player in the game and established as a top 6 european team.
Could we win the premiership or the champions league in 5 years is anybody’s guess but liverpool managed it recently and manchester could’nt so my my answer is possibly, and beyond that I would say emphatically yes.
completely unrelated to the topic but i just realised the top banner says “soccerlens: football news you can trust”. wonder what Obafemi Martins and his lawyers will have to say about that give the whole snorting coke post !
May 29th, 2007 @ 16:23The only reason why Chelsea are what they are today is because of having Abramovich as their owner.. before this Chelsea were like Tottenham… always looking to attract top European players who were past their ‘sell by’ date, simply because they didn’t have the money that they have now. The new Newcastle is very much like in this situation.. previously we had (he is still there, but his days are counted) a chairman who needed to be pushed to spend his money on players… and even then it was always at the very last minute. Now, we have an owner who demands success and demands top players to be brought in as soon as possible. So it is a very different Newcastle, to be fair.
May 29th, 2007 @ 17:02man utd, chelsea, liverpool, and aresnal will not allow the likes of newcastle to become a top club, by the sheer spending power and attraction as a European giant. The only other english clud going close is tottenham. Tottenham won the league this year because united, chelsea lpool and arsenal are miles ahead of anyones else in terms of class and might aswell be in an english supeleague. Money won’t buy newcastle a reputation or status like it has to chelsea. Chelsea had a strong enough foundation to build upon in that regard. Many european players and a top class manager who took them to respectable position, and managers before him who won cups. Have newcastle got that? Sam will change the clubs fortunes, but to that extent, i highly doubt it.
May 29th, 2007 @ 17:05dave – i’m a little worried Sam will bring in Joey Barton – who’s hardly a model professional – but certainly a good player. If Sam brings him in the i’d be willing to trust that Sam knows what he’s doing.
May 29th, 2007 @ 17:51kaklegend – that’s what’s wrong with the premiership – some teams are just too powerful right now – and that’s not good for the league long term.
May 29th, 2007 @ 17:52lee – we agree – and it will give Newcastle and the city a lift and a breath of fresh air when Ashley takes over – and he’ll be welcomed as a hero – just like Sam Allardyce.
May 29th, 2007 @ 20:52KACK-Legend. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and put your inaccuracies down to youth (I hope you are young, otherwise you are misguided). Until the Russian’s cash injection, Chelsea were a top 10 club and THAT’S ALL! They were promoted a season or two before Newcastle, but did not set the league alight like we did. They have been made Fashionable. Yes they have a prime location, but only if you are the sort of footballer who is more interested in the make of their watch, car or wife than the badge on their shirt. Quite frankly that is something I would never want for my club.
If the quality of the city counts, how come Juventus have been such a force? Turin is a shit-hole!
My final point on the subject of no foreign player wanting to come to Newcastle. Why did Djorkaeff, Okocha & Hierro choose Bolton? What about McCarthy at Blackburn? Why did Juninho choose Smogtown?…
…then there was Ginola, Asprilla…
…oh and the first Brazillian to ply his trade in the UK? Mirandinha! Where? The Toon!!! We’ve got Mirandinha, he’s not from Argentina, he’s from Brazil, he’s fucking brill!!!
May 30th, 2007 @ 01:58I think that Big sam will do us proud. there’s no doubt we need a solid back four but we also need a consistant forward who will put 110% effort into every game. Martins has got pace but doesnt come back unless he feels like it Michael owen is still a liability. and thirdly bring in a skillful player like andress d’allasandro who’s skill and ability would even make Ronaldo look stupid.
May 30th, 2007 @ 15:21I agree with many of the sentiments in the thread.. I would like to see Newcastle up there, along with the other challengers mentioned. The EPL needs a closer competition. Even though it was close this year but only between two.. The one problem I have though is that , and I know many will disagree with me, I don’t think Big Sam is the man to bring the success and style that Newcastle fans crave.. He’s a 4-5-1 man.. With the kind of money that Ashley is willing to put in, Newcastle should a much better team, capable of playing much better football.
May 30th, 2007 @ 19:10Dont think so. The injection of cash got chelsea the league but didnt get them what they covert the most which is the champions league. Its not all cash but also the ablity to attract players and then those players must perform. Asides from that you need a manager with the experience of winning things sorry newcastle fans big sam is not your man. This then brings me to the top four. For newcastle to win the league in three years time the top four teams must have lost all there players in a plane crash or something because this teams would continue to improve the competition up there is high and within the top four you have two-tiers (manu, chelsea) liverpool and arsenal. Then there is the issue of injuries especially at newcastle they are at another level. Finally, big sam worked with highly experienced players at bolton and that may have covered for his inadequacies has a coach i am sorry to say that the english have a way of hyping there own and i sincerely hope that he turns out to be a good manager .
May 30th, 2007 @ 23:00I think they can win the Championship very soon maybe in th e next 2 years.I think they will be 5th in this season nad i cant wait to see them in Champions League if they win the Premier League,but…They first need to buy some good defenders and i think it should be someone from Olipique Lyon(Cris,Cacapa,Abidal…)or it should be Mexes or Chivy from AS Roma or Roberto Carlos.It’s not a bad choise to buy Antonie vanden Borre or Jelle van Damme from Anderlecht.Good luck Newcastle i love you!!!!!!!!!!!
May 31st, 2007 @ 01:29Oh and if they want a good midfilder they could buy Ze Roberto,Camoranesi,edmilson or someone else
May 31st, 2007 @ 01:37hahaha – Newcastle winning the league?! hahaha. Absolutely not. Not a chance in hell. If it happens, I’ll sell my farm in rural Wales and buy a big shotgun to blow my own head off.
It won’t happen.
You want to know why?
4 reasons. They are – Chelsea, Liverpool, Man U and Arsenal.
Chelsea have the cash (and being based in London) the power to attract top players.
Man U are an institution. An absolute beast of a club that will not finish outside the top 3 in the next 3 seasons.
Arsenal have the best young players coming through. Couple that with being based in London and having the cash to still get top players.
That leaves Liverpool. As a Liverpool fan, its hard to digest but the reds are the only team Newcastle could catch. But. When you add the fact that they, themselves, have a massive budget and arguably one of the best managers around – I don’t think they could even catch them.
So. No it won’t happen.
PS. I don’t even own a farm in rural Wales but I would buy one, then sell it in order to buy the shotgun to blow my head off.
May 31st, 2007 @ 08:20This bet is as sure as the one I made last season that Shef Utd would go straight back down. (Sorry Blades fans)
IF WE BRING in the right players, we can easily win, bring on the champions league and alan shearer as the big sams second. we are the chelsea of the north
May 31st, 2007 @ 15:24i think with good management the answer is yes but the team a very tactical manager not BIG SAM WHO ACHIEVED VERY LITTLE WITH BOLTON, MARTINS MUST NOT BE SOLD,GOOD MIDFIELDERS SHOULD BE BOUGHT TO SUPPORT MARTINS AND OTHERS
May 31st, 2007 @ 16:15aii but its not hard to be chelsea of the north clagger is it????????
May 31st, 2007 @ 22:10p.s. the chances of us winning the premiership are
May 31st, 2007 @ 22:1599999999999999999999999999999999999999999…..-0
well.. i prefer wnewcastle to win cup first then the league.. thats the main priority.. more than 50 years without a cup is embarassing… don’t u tink?
June 5th, 2007 @ 09:38