After another never ending summer that’s left us as Newcastle United fans battered and bruised, it’s time to jump aboard the black and white rollercoaster again.
I can’t recall a season where the white knuckled ride from August to May has been anything other than frantic, and my season ticket is as old as my ‘wrist worn’ silk scarf circa 1981.
Newcastle United don’t do uneventful close seasons of late, the words ‘upheaval’ and ‘crisis’ following us around like a bad smell, sending Sky Sports and Talksport into meltdowns.
As we all know, the southern driven media know what’s best for us and I find it very easy to ignore the ramblings of ex pros and their insistence of measuring our aspirations in this financially unfair world.
After all, the seemingly endless stream of established first teamers queueing at the exit door searching for pastures new is not a good look. But is having a redundant passport for a few months the real reason they want to leave Tyneside?
When you think back to when the decision was made on the ‘Newcastle United 2.0’ it does make you wonder how many of our’ blue chip’ players were privy to the planned new direction and decided to log off and just go through the motions.
The body language on and off the pitch by certain individuals who chose to move on was obvious in hindsight, and also sad to see from away ends such as Selhurst Park and Craven Cottage…and even St James’ Park !!!
Anyway, it’s water under the Tyne Bridge now, just bafflingly annoying for some, yet totally understandable for others.
However, the trend seems to be continuing somewhat as we attempt to attract experience to the squad. The likes of Premier League cast-offs such as Hojbjerg and Palhinha didn’t seem too keen on babysitting duties. I would have thought a return to the Premier League and regular football would have been a fine move as they headed into their career twilights.
But what is the Newcastle United project that is being sold here ?
It’s a project that struggled to impress in negotiations with the players we lost and is showing its limitations with experienced targets. The new direction focussing on youth however, has proved more fruitful, what they see in the project is obviously an environment to hone their skills in a top League and who knows where it could lead to (a transfer into a blue or red shirt of a cartel club they probably hope).
Without doubt this is a serious gamble from Ross Wilson, the potential of these youngsters possess is not in doubt, but is buying half a dozen scratch cards any less risky?
Let’s just hope that Nico Gonzalez shows more bottle and belief than previously mentioned ex-Premier League players have shown, and swaps Blue Moon for Blaydon Races.
To say this is gonna be a Newcastle United season like no other is probably the biggest understatement ever, many in the media even have us as relegation dark horses.
Even I must admit there is a sober suspicion deep down inside me that things could unravel if this monumental gamble backfires. But at the same time, this is Newcastle United and we all go into the breach today at St James’ Park with our emotions bursting out of our bodies.
Just for a day let’s stick PSR/SCR where the sun don’t shine, win every duel all over the pitch and let’s celebrate a hero, because believe me, if Kevin Keegan had said no all of those years ago, we wouldn’t even be talking about the current Premier League and UEFA rules that are in place to prevent competition.
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