After the tumultuous events of the past few months it is easy for the Newcastle United faithful to give in to grief and despair.
It may therefore be useful to draw solace from a rational review of the past five years or so at St James’ Park.
When it was first mooted that the PIF would buy the club, the news was met with outrage from the Premier League cartel and from sections of the media.
Once the takeover was finally announced the media greeted it with stories that the Saudis would spend billions to take over world football. The eyes of agents lit up as they contemplated the coming bonanza. They immediately started inflating their fees and commissions.
I believe that in light of these things, the powers in Riyadh decided that when the purchase took place, they would not rock the boat. They were seeking allies in football to aid their bid to host the World Cup. They would not court more adverse publicity by acting as disrupters.
Instead of bringing in teams of lawyers to challenge PSR as a restraint of trade, in my opinion they accepted the obstacles placed in Newcastle’s way by UEFA and the vested interests in the Premier League. The club has set a salary scale and a transfer budget from the beginning of the takeover and tried to stay within it.
The owners are not mugs. The Reuben family are very successful businessmen and control assets in excess of £27billion. The PIF manages hundreds of billions. They have employed the best persons available to run Newcastle United. The management has been professional and done due diligence before making decisions. This is in stark contrast to the Cockney Spiv and his mates, and their bargain basement, barrow boy approach. The vast majority of the decisions have proved to be good ones. However, I would criticise the time taken to come to them and the tendency to keep things under wraps until everything has been signed off. This creates a void into which tabloid journalists and Mackem partisans can pour their poison.
Bearing in mind the financial parameters the owners have chosen to work within, most of what has gone on at Newcastle has been predictable. We have missed out on transfers because the club refused to pay inflated fees and wages. Players who were signed for their potential, and developed by the club into elite performers, found themselves playing against inferior opponents at cartel clubs who were earning double their wages. Professional footballers are only one bad tackle away from the end of their careers and will always look to secure the future for their families.
What wasn’t predictable was that Eddie Howe would perform miracles with his team on the pitch.
Nobody expected two Champions League campaigns and a trophy from the squad he had to work with. The football performance raced ahead of the rest of the project and created sky high expectations. Our club sometimes seems jinxed. In the cruellest blow since the takeover, Eddie fell dangerously ill last May. He was in ICU with suspected sepsis. This turned out to be pneumonia and responded to treatment. We should not underestimate the effect this episode may have had on Eddie and his family. Particularly when the worst pandemic in over a century had just run its course. Such an experience would cause anyone to review their priorities and work life balance.
On returning to St. James’ Park, Howe was faced with dealing with the aftermath of the rat’s betrayal without the assistance of a CEO or DOF. He had to prepare an under strength squad for a Champions League campaign. Again he came up trumps! Last 16 of the Champions League, semi final and fifth round in the two domestic cups. Only losing to eventual winners Manchester City in the English trophies. A great season in comparison with almost all Newcastle’s performances in my lifetime. Fatigue finally overcame the squad and the second half in the Camp Nou proved 45 minutes too far for them. They never recovered any momentum for the remainder of the league campaign and Eddie Howe had to endure his team being booed by some sections of the crowd and others calling for him to be replaced.
I believe that, having set the bar so high, Eddie Howe decided he could not meet the fans expectations for next season with the depleted squad at his disposal. Rather that risk tarnishing his legacy he took the sensible decision for his family and his sanity. Thank you Eddie for all that you achieved.
The club has now appointed Matthias Jaissle as his successor. A young manager with an impressive record of wins at Salzburg and Al-Ahli. It will be another two weeks before we can judge if the club has done enough to strengthen the squad available to him. The waiting will be uncomfortable.
As many fans writing on The Mag have pointed out, the crucial test of the owners’ ambition is whether stadium capacity is increased. That is the key to building revenues and releasing the PSR SCR straight jacket. I believe the PIF sees the potential of the Newcastle fan base and is committed to the long term plan. However, I also believe Elvis works down a chip shop, so I may be wrong. Sean Dyche may be in charge by Christmas and we may have to endure relegation to the Championship.
Supporting Newcastle United has never been easy but hope springs eternal.