We all know we had our Newcastle United dreams shattered when the Premier League clubs immediately voted to change the financial rules after the takeover.
Every issue we’ve faced stems from that.
Looking forward, the lack of progress on a new stadium hinders our progression.
Talking about our recruitment challenges: take Brighton as an example. All things being equal they will always hold an advantage over us, they are in the South of England. Players prefer to live in the South.
At the moment, they have another advantage. Their transfer policy has been in place over the last 10 years. They have a record of buying young players and have been willing to sell them at the right time for huge profit. Overseas players clearly see them as a “stepping stone” and recognise this is club policy. But longer term, their ground capacity holds them back from progressing further.
Their aspirations are to qualify for Europe, Champions League would be out of this world for them.
Sunderland’s aspiration last season was to stay in the Premier League, which they easily achieved. And fair play to them they approached the season in a way that surprised everyone, they bought loads of players including a so called “old” player Xhaka!
But what is their club’s and fans expectations for the coming season? What happens when they’re playing on extra fronts? What happens when some bigger clubs start circling. Sunderland are also in the North!
Newcastle United had higher aspirations and rightly so, but have been brought back to earth, for the reasons stated.
Until we can get a new stadium and more revenue, we now have to accept that to get talented younger players from outside UK, we have to be seen as a stepping stone. Our Managers have to be “coaches” and accept that. Every club is hunting for the “next big player” but competition is incredibly fierce, so we have to be able to offer players something…a foot in the door, a route to somewhere bigger.
That doesn’t mean accepting mediocrity. It’s simply recognising our current position while building towards where we want to be. We have the fans, the potential and, hopefully in time, the revenue to become regular Champions League contenders.
People ask why Sandro Tonali would consider leaving for Spurs but the answer is obvious. If I had to bet on who finishes higher next season, I wouldn’t be putting my house on Newcastle United.
This reflects where we are at the moment but this should be our foundation stone of where we want to go. We have bigger revenue and potential to qualify for the Champions League than many of our mid-table rivals but we will have to be patient.
For me, keeping Bruno Guimaraes for this coming 2026/27 season is crucial. He’d help settle the new midfield and provide leadership. If he does leave, we need an experienced replacement—even someone in their late 20s or early 30s—to play the role Xhaka has for Sunderland.
Eddie Howe also has to deliver.
There can be no excuses this season. At times towards the end of last season, with European qualification still on the line, the team looked totally flat and Eddie often looked bewildered on the touchline and seemed to have no answers.
During the course of last season we were told our poor form was down to:
Alexander Isak leaving
Poor recruitment and injuries
Champions League with small squad
Post-Champions League fall out
Star players no longer working hard enough, not committed, out of form.
This season, Eddie Howe faces many of the same challenges that managers like Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner have dealt with. Now he has to show he deserves the praise he’s received by matching or surpassing what they’ve achieved.
For me, the minimum expectation has to be qualification for Europe.
After all, I’ve repeatedly read on The Mag and elsewhere that Iraola and Glasner weren’t good enough for Newcastle United.
It’s going to be an interesting season.