Newcastle United fans preparing for the 2026/27 Premier League season.
Less than three weeks to go now until Liverpool travel to St James’ Park.
An ‘interesting’ summer so far…
So many talking points.
An ideal time to get a snapshot of views from Newcastle United fans on their thoughts.
So we sent out questions to a number of regular/irregular contributors to The Mag, varying to a degree the questions that different fans received to answer.
Next up answering some questions is Wor Lass:
Bruno Guimaraes wanting to leave Newcastle United after four and a half years, has that changed your opinion of him as a person?
No. I am disappointed that he’s decided to move on but then I’m disappointed that the club don’t appear to have made great efforts to entice him to stay. Mind, our club tells us nothing. He’s still the great player who captained us to success. I have no issue with the badge kissing because I’m 100% certain that he meant it at the time. I think he and his family genuinely fell in love with our city and will miss it big time. But hey, life moves on. He’s a professional footballer – professional being a polite alternative to mercenary. I wish him well.
Three words to describe how you currently feel as a Newcastle United fan?
Frustrated, frustrated, frustrated!
Three words to describe this summer 2026 NUFC transfer window so far?
Not top six.
Do you think Newcastle United would have had more or less chance of having a successful 2026/27 season if Eddie Howe had stayed?
Almost impossible to answer.
Although I have always been a big Eddie fan and I wanted him to stay and “put the record straight”, this buying strategy is probably not what he wanted (as evidenced by his resignation). He did seem a little “rabbit in the headlights” towards the end of last season and I don’t think selling his most trusted and top performers to be replaced by promising youngsters was the escape route he was craving. Given that that’s what we’ve got then I think a younger, fresher personality might well be the better option.
Hand on heart, what position do you currently believe Newcastle United are most likely to finish in the 2026/27 Premier League season?
Another difficult one because we haven’t even seen the new man’s stamp in a friendly and we, hopefully, will still be buying after the sale of Bruno. Assuming we buy a quality midfield replacement for Bruno and don’t sell anyone else then I think we can improve on last year’s 12th place and maybe just scrape a place in Europe – so 8th.
If Eddie Howe had stayed would your 2026/27 prediction have been different (up or down…)?
Probably the same as he would have had all the same personnel and the usual problems to cope with. He would have had the advantage of PL experience but Jaissle will have the element of surprise and freshness. I’m sorry Eddie has gone but life moves on and we need to give the new man due respect and support. He’s clearly no mug but will need to be given the time to settle in and implement his style of play.
Do you see a potential lack of leadership on the pitch next season if Bruno Guimaraes follows Kieran Trippier out of the club?
Yes, at the moment but I’m hoping we can take a leaf from Reggie Le Cheese’s book and bring in a Xakha-type of signing. Don’t ask me who, though! John Stones would have been a decent shout but I imagine his wages would be a bit prohibitive.
The opening six league games are Liverpool home, Spurs away, Bournemouth home, Leeds away, Hull home and Coventry away. How many points would Newcastle need to take for you to be happy and what would you predict will be the reality?
I’d be ecstatic with maximum points, I’d be happy with 10 (three home wins and one draw away) but I’d have to make do with the more likely 7 – two home wins and a draw somewhere. It could easily be less! As I’ve said a couple of times already, it’s impossible to predict this kind of thing with so much change and uncertainty.
What do you see as the biggest priorities in the remainder of the transfer market this summer?
First and foremost, we need a replacement for Bruno. Someone with experience and leadership. A character who can lift the other lads and be a bit of a minder. Sunderland got that one spot on last year.
Next, for me, has to be full back cover. I’m assuming/hoping that Hall is still with us and Tino is fit soon but we badly need cover at RB at least. Are our own youngsters ready to step up? I guess that’s going to be one of Jaissle’s first questions. Finally, I think we also need another CB. Both Botman and Schar need cover – Schar’s legs are not getting any younger and Botman, unfortunately, is battling Tino for first to the physios’ table. Again, we have youngsters in the background but are they good enough and are they ready? With a new man who has fresh formations in his locker, as well as the odd World Cup boost, maybe we can get more out of the forward players than we have done. They’ve all shown they can do it before so here’s hoping ….
Sandro Tonali leaving, your thoughts?
Similar to Bruno, really. I was disappointed to see him go so readily. He was treated impeccably by the club and the fans. I think that all took him by surprise and I do think he really appreciated it – hence the voluntary contract extension. However, he’s a young, ambitious, professional sportsman who wants security for his family and silverware for his mantlepiece. Let’s be honest, at £100 mill I don’t think the club was trying too hard to persuade him to stay. I’ll always look back on that midfield three of Sandro, Joey and Bruno in its pomp as a golden year where we should have been able to spend big and kick on but couldn’t because of the machinations of UEFA, the PL and the Septic six.
By say Christmas and with all players fit, what do you predict will be the Newcastle United first choice eleven for the 2026/27 season and please put ‘new signing’ in any position where you think that will turn out to be the case.
I hate this sort of question even more than trying to predict scorelines. I’m not a formations type of person, really.
I expect new signings to arrive and maybe one or two young ‘uns to be promoted that could change everything completely. I’ve no clue as to how Matthias Jaissle might integrate Big Nick, if he does, whether he’d play Elanga on the wing or down the middle, whether he’d put Harvey on the left, play BDB or what he might do with either Ramsey or Little Joe. Will Murph still be with us, will Joey be in Saudi and what about Miley?
Pass!
What would represent success now in the 2026/27 season for Newcastle United?
I suppose survival would be the bare minimum but surely we’re confident enough to look up the table a bit. I’ll say what should be the expectation for a club of our size and budget and that’s a place in Europe. Difficult with all the changes going on but look at what we’ve spent over the last two summer windows.
Predict the top six in the Premier League (in order) and which three clubs will be relegated in 2026/27.
Arsenal (now they’ve found out how to do it)
Man City
Spurs (they’re relentlessly adding to a strong squad)
Man Utd
Chelsea
Liverpool (not convinced about Iraola)
Not sure about the third relegated…
Ipswich
Hull
Which eight current Newcastle United players (in order) are going to be most important for the 2026/27 season?
Impossible to predict for all the reasons given in earlier questions but I think scoring goals and preventing them will be the making and breaking of our season:
Hornicek, Thiaw, BDB, Hall, Tino, Wissa, Barnes, Bamba
NUFC CEO David Hopkinson said the intention is that by 2030 the club will be competing to win all competitions. What do you make of what he said?
He’s a mouthpiece that isn’t used too often but when it is he just says what the owners tell him to. 2030 is complete pie in the sky now and everyone knows it. I’m deeply disappointed with the owners, not that they haven’t done what they set out to do but because a) they don’t communicate with the fan base and, more importantly, b) because they seem to have keeled over so miserably in the face of UEFA/PL/Cartel obstructions and shoddy practices. Why haven’t they got the gonads to stand up and take them on over the clear restriction of trade they’re forcing on to us. Surely, clubs like Villa and Forest would back that?
How would you rate your optimism for next season at Newcastle United from 0-100?
Edging up towards the 50% mark. I think the new manager could be an inspired choice and I really like the look of Bamba and Hornicek. Give us a quality replacement for Bruno and I might go a bit higher.
How important (or not) is a huge new stadium for Newcastle United?
In the short term, not very. However, a commitment from the owners would settle a lot of nerves and give people the belief that if they (the owners) are digging in for the long haul then we can hunker down with them. In the long term, it’s vital if we’re to continue to regard ourselves as a “big” club. Spurs have shown the way and we need to follow. Unfortunately, I think all those loyal fans hanging on for the rivers of season tickets issuing from the new edifice will be disappointed. As others have said, the main target clientele will be the prawn sarnie brigade.
When the takeover happened on 7 October 2021, if somebody at that point had told you then what would happen by August 2026, would you have taken it?
Definitely. Getting rid of the corpulent barrow boy was so necessary for the future of the club that I would have taken anything at that time. Looking back, we’ve been to Wembley, got silverware and had exciting European campaigns.
What thoughts do you have on the 2026 World Cup finals overall?
I enjoyed them a lot more than I thought I would. The highlight was the game at the Azteca – it was so tense and topsy turvy that even Mrs Lass enjoyed it. The hydration breaks were a complete capitulation to the TV advertising pot. I’m so glad that Infantino seems to be getting a bit of a once-over now and sincerely hope it leads to his downfall. It’s incredibly ironic to hear UEFA and FA officials criticising him for corrupt practices!
Claimed back in October 2021 that Newcastle United was simply a ‘Sportswashing’ project for Saudi Arabia, has that proved to be the reality?
Load of rubbish!
Who would you have liked to see replace Eddie Howe, Matthias Jaissle or somebody else?
No idea, really. Maybe Glasner but he’s surprisingly gone to Forest. I don’t really get that one. I like the sound of Jaissle. Much as I loved Eddie, I’m slightly excited at the prospect of seeing some new players and some different formations. If Eddie’s not getting the chance to rehabilitate his reputation with the fan base then we might as well have a bright, young, new kid on the block. I just wish the owners would remove their digit from their collective orifice and give the fans some concrete proof of their continuing commitment to ”the project”. One worker with a spade in the ground at Woolsington would be a start.