What does 2010 hold for Newcastle United?
It would be nice to sit here and write that everything will be fine in 2010 but I fear that the same concerns that have haunted us for the last couple of years may hinder the progress of Newcastle United again in the next 12 months.
Sure Newcastle are in an excellent position as we kick off the new year with a comfortable lead at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship.
But I or any Toon supporter do not see what the plan is going forward nor do I see the current regime willing to let the Geordie faithful know what the plan is - if there is one.
Last year managing director Derek Llambias said at a supporter's panel meeting that within five years, Newcastle would be challenging "for everything", that sadly is unlikely to be the case.
Getting the balance right between being positive and negative is a difficult thing to do with Newcastle United.
But whatever you get in football you have to earn including respect and sadly the current board appear to have gone backwards especially since the end of the 2007/08 season.
That's why beyond promotion people who fear we would be instantly fighting at the wrong end of the Premier League are rightly justified in thinking that way.
Oh it's negative, very negative but the Premier League now is a different world to the one we were promoted into back in 1993.
Back then most teams were on a level playing field making it easier to break into the top four - or in the case of Kevin Keegan's the team the top three at the first time of asking.
You could never see a Hull or a Burnley doing that these days and for Newcastle it will be a pretty similar situation.
We are a million miles behind the likes of Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa and moneybags Manchester City while Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea are living in a different universe.
But getting back to forward planning.
Take the Richard Money situation earlier this year, the Academy director leaves in October and only in December does it begin to filter through that he might be about to replaced in some shape or form.
Muddling through seems to be the only strategy of the current structure and if the excellent form of the first team and the work of Chris Hughton is rewarded with promotion, major investment needs to pumped in to Newcastle by either the current board or somebody else that is given the chance to do so.
I caught the end of Manchester City's 3-0 breeze against Wolves the other night after we'd failed to beat struggling Derby County.
City destroyed Wolves and at one point put together 30 plus passes - I'd hate to see the same happen to Newcastle at the top level again just like it did on too many occasions at St James' Park.
Older/Newer
« Oh by the way have you heard of us - Sporting Chance? | Plymouth Argyle 0 Newcastle United 0 »
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: What does 2010 hold for Newcastle United?.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.blogonthetyne.co.uk/cgi-bin/mt421/mt-tb.cgi/178530
4 Comments
Leave a comment
Profile
Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
In association with
Follow my RSS feed
Follow me on
It's a good thing that I don't have any holyday spirit, because you'd kill it easily, Lee mate.
And that is not because you are being pessimistic, but because you are being realistic.
I hate to be a wet blanket, but we are stalling, even in this division, and apart from that Peterboro home game and a few others, you can't say that we won any of the matches easily. We need some sort of boost - a new signing, a couple od smart people vith vision and ability on board, or indeed a whole new set of people in the board room (if indeed there exists a NUFC board room as such)...
This past year has been a bad one in every way I can think of - so I hope for a better New Year - I have no choice when it comes to Newcastle United!
All the best to you personally and professionally too, Lee!
Greetings from Belgrade!
My greatest of many concerns about the toon is that we do win promotion and Ashley decides he wants to see again, spends thewhokesummer trying to sell the club, so no player is bought or sold, then Ashely realises that no one will buy for his stupid inflated price by which point the season has started and we don't have the players or structure in place and we struggle all season get relegated and the circle starts again! :(
They just need a playmaker/goalscorer and outside right who's lethal in the box. Basically Messi and Ronaldo. They'd be a decent team then.
Happy New Year from sunny Australia.
As a Geordie in exile I began saving up some money for a trip back to SJP as soon as the news broke that Keegan had been appointed manager again. Even on the opposite side of the world, the feel-good factor reached here. The same goes for the misery-factor that Ashley caused too following Keegans departure. Since then I've seen not a single reason to spend my hard-earned savings on the long trip home. Sadly, there is absolutely no chance of that happening while Ashley remains.
Everyone has an opinion on managers and Hughton is doing a workman-like job at the moment, but what I wouldn't give for a new regime to come in and give Keegan some cash and support to get on with his "unfinished business". I would just love it !!