As Newcastle United fans, it is never easy.
We aren’t allowed nice things, we know that – so why should we be allowed anything like a smooth ride after the torment of those ridiculous Mike Ashley years?
Riding high and sinking low has been the theme of Newcastle United for the entirety of my lifetime.
It has been apparent for some time that the odds are stacked against the Club (or any other upstart football “project” (yuck)).
Let’s not forget there were multiple transfer windows where we were not able to sign first team contenders. We saw last season that Eddie Howe’s selection had more than a whiff of staleness, particularly regarding the energy needed to kill games off after taking the lead. Something had to give and boy has something been given.
Trippier, Gordon, Tonali, Howe (not forgetting nearly all the coaching staff), Bruno – that is one hell of a clean broom that has been brushed through the club. Social media Newcastle United fans, particularly younger ones, will argue that this is the death knell and we should just give up now. But for someone older – definitely not wiser – it was clear for all to see that change was needed.
David Hopkinson has made it clear this week in interviews that this approach could not, and will not, work. The Club was living beyond its means because of the rules set out by UEFA and the Premier League, and we cannot simply expect things to change; we must act now to make sure we are able to compete.
We have seen at Manchester United the problem of trying to mesh existing pros with new recruits – by the time Michael Carrick took over, he had the players of Amorim, Mourinho, Solskjaer, Ten Hag and even van Gaal to try and build a starting eleven out of. While he was able to provide a good finish last year, time will tell whether he can deliver in the long term.
With a new young coach, a team of new hungry kids eager for success, as well as the guiding hand of the likes of Burn, I’m feeling increasingly optimistic about the team’s chances again. We are moving away from the psycho-drama of the big pros – will they, won’t they stay – and a reliance on them week in, week out. This club has been screaming out for a fresh start, and like it or loathe it, we’re getting it big time.
I won’t profess to be the most knowledgeable about the kids being signed up, but what we’re purchasing is not just a fresh start, it’s hope for the future. Hope that we can play fast-flowing football, score a few more goals, and win a few more games again – without the dread of what is to come in the last 15 minutes of a game.
It may not work immediately, and if something isn’t clicking, we’ve got fresh ideas and players to try something different. Ultimately, that should be relished.