Chelsea and Tottenham are two of the six Premier League clubs that have built up such a huge advantage over Newcastle United.
This didn’t happen overnight.
Whilst Mike Ashley was holding Newcastle United back for a decade and a half, Chelsea and Tottenham were powering forwards when building revenues.
The Premier League was buoyant, clubs taking advantage of the league’s dominance to drive their revenues in the right direction, especially commercial revenues.
When Mike Ashley finally left Newcastle United in October 2021, the commercial revenue at the club was almost exactly what it was when he had arrived over 14 years earlier.
Considering how thriving the Premier League was during those years, Mike Ashley achieving the near impossible, as he bled the club dry for his own and his retail businesses’ gain.
The one thing we have to be thankful for with Chelsea and Tottenham, is how badly they have operated the football side of things in recent years. Both clubs underperforming despite the huge financial advantages they have over almost every other club, including Newcastle United.
Regrets?
Chelsea
Thomas Tuchel won the Champions League with Chelsea in May 2021 and runners-up in the Premier League.
The 2021/22 season, Tuchel led Chelsea to 3rd in the Premier League as well as losing finalists in both domestic cup competitions and got to the Champions League quarter finals.
The new/current Chelsea owners then came in and on 7 September 2022 Thomas Tuchel was sacked.
Chelsea have then finished 12th, 6th and 4th in the Premier League and are currently 6th.
Chelsea have had five different managers since sacking Tuchel and will undoubtedly shortly be looking for a sixth. The club a total shambles.
Tottenham
Mauricio Pochettino led Tottenham to four in a row top four Premier League finishes, the 2018/19 season was the fourth of four and the manager also led Spurs to their first ever Champions League final.
Less than six months later Pochettino was sacked by Spurs.
Since sacking Pochettino, Spurs have managed one top four finish in six seasons, last season they finished fourth bottom and currently they are third bottom and favourites to be relegated.
Tottenham are now on eight managers (and counting) since sacking Pochettino.
Newcastle United?
Both Chelsea and Tottenham now dream of attracting a manager like Eddie Howe.
The disastrous mistakes they made when not realising they had their perfect managers in Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino respectively.
No manager is a certainty to succeed BUT when you find the right one, the right fit, you need to treasure them and give them every chance to build long-term success.
Newcastle United now have that in Eddie Howe and a temporary bump in the road shouldn’t be sending the Newcastle United owners off in a different direction when deciding who should manage.