23rd April 2005
"
The rich are getting richer, the strong are getting stronger and the
weak are getting even. Without European football and being unable
to fund and attract top quality players, the future for our lot is
very bleak indeed. "
With the season all but over save the singing (or more likely the
booing) thoughts have turned to the Summer and what promises to be;
namely a mass clear-out of dead wood and the possibility of much needed
new faces being signed. Already reports of a £20-25m transfer kitty
are doing the rounds and while I don't for one minute believe Graeme
Souness (or his replacement!) will get anywhere near that amount,
even if those kind of funds were to be released (they won't), it wouldn't
be enough to turn the club around in my opinion... nowhere near enough!
Oh no, we will need much more than £20-25m to arrest the slide and
to get back to competing for that coveted 4th spot which Freddy Shepherd
& Co. maintain is the bare minimum of what this club should achieve.
A lot more!
The club could well lose up to twelve players in the Summer if reports,
rumours, body language and promised disciplinary action are to be
believed; Shay Given, Robbie Elliott, Celestine Babayaro, Andy O'Brien,
Kieron Dyer, Lee Bowyer, Laurent Robert, Patrick Kluivert and Shola
Ameobi are all up for grabs in one way or another allegedly. While
the-out-on-loan trio of Michael Chopra, Hugo Viana and Craig Bellamy
will not be returning back for pre-season training. Those three are
most definitely on their way out if you like.
Not all twelve will leave of course, but even if a third of them do
which is very likely, they will all need replaced and that will cost
money. Then there are additional players who will need brought in
regardless of who stays and goes because the current squad simply
isn't big enough nor good enough. Again they will all cost money.
Suddenly, even far fetched figures like touched on above don't seem
sufficient enough.
With no European revenue, an increasing wages to turnover ratio now
touching above the recommended 50% guide, the manager whoever that
is, will have to sell to boost what I expect to be a meagre kitty.
And that eventual figure, will just not be enough to bring in the
quality of players in the positions we require strengthening to launch
us from mid-table mediocrity where we now reside to challenging for
that final Champions League spot we crave.
A mere two seasons after finishing 3rd, Newcastle, through grave mismanagement
at Board and team level, indecision and failing to invest at the right
time and with the necessary funds, now find ourselves playing catch
up, big time. We have been overtook by Liverpool and Chelsea and are
now struggling to keep neck and neck with the likes of Spurs, Villa,
Everton, Middlesbrough and a whole host of other clubs who believe
it or not, have all spent more on transfers (net spend) since we clinched
that 3rd place finish.
Since then Newcastle have spent just £19m on transfer fees but have
recouped £19.8m in sales. Effectively the club haven't spent a penny
in the transfer market in two seasons - ZERO! This alarming statistic
is just one of many reasons why we have went from 3rd in the League
to 14th as I write. From Title contenders to relegation material.
In that time the following clubs have all spent more in the transfer
market (net spending) on new players than Newcastle:
| Biggest Net Spenders |
*Total Net Spend (2003-04/2004-05) |
| Chelsea |
£192.23m |
| Manchester
United |
£38.74m |
| Liverpool |
£25.1m |
| Arsenal |
£21.05m |
| Tottenham
Hotspur |
£19.95m |
| Birmingham
City |
£15.05m |
| Aston
Villa |
£7.93m |
| Westbromwich
Albion |
£7.85m |
| Norwich
City |
£4.5m |
| Portsmouth |
£4.5m |
| Crystal
Palace |
£4.150m |
| Middlesbrough |
£2.5m |
| Bolton
Wanderers |
£650,000 |
| Manchester
City |
£200,000 |
What is alarming is that only the top four in the above table can
expect to be able or capable of outspending Newcastle who despite
missing out on Champions League football, had something the rest,
with the exception of Middlesbrough this season, just couldn't count
on - European football.
Tottenham have invested heavily in their squad in the last two seasons
considering their lack of European revenue and smaller gate receipts
and they are now reaping the rewards. However they are a long long
way off even contemplating challenging for a Champions League spot
which just goes to show how tough it will be for Newcastle who now
trail the London side, to bounce back to that level.
While Newcastle have a lot of dead wood to clear, Spurs don't, having
signed young and promising players with a mixture of experience thrown
in to give them a balance. Every new player they sign from here on
in, will strengthen their squad further. Every new signing we make,
will most probably be signed to replace an outgoing player. Therefore
they get stronger, we don't. They are on the up, we are going nowhere.
That applies to the likes of Middlebrough, Aston Villa, Everton, Bolton,
Charlton and those other sides hovering around 10th to 4th place too.
They don't need to sell or clear out dead wood or have the internal
and external problems that we do. Any signings they do make will strengthen
their squads further thus their challenge. Villa are rumoured to have
£20m to spend in the Summer. Everton could well have Champions League
income to boost coffers already full with the return on Wayne Rooney
and recently subsidised further by a refinancing package. Bolton could
well have European football in the shape of the UEFA Cup to look forward
to as well. Already an accomplished outfit, well balanced and organised,
they can only get stronger should they bring in new faces. Middlesbrough
will have got a taste for European football and will want more of
it. Expect good old Steve Gibson to dip his hands into his own pockets
once more in the Summer.
And what of Liverpool? The one club, who like Newcastle, are expected
to at least fight it out every season for a Champions League spot.
Yet having spent over £40m in the Summer, they, like ourselves, still
lag way way behind the top three. And they have spent a net total
of £25.1m more than we have over the past two seasons. Are they guaranteed
a Champions League spot? No they aren't. But they will qualify for
Europe next season and they will have more funds via their Champions
League exploits to further boost their aspirations of at least reclaiming
4th spot. Next season is already looking a forgone conclusion...
Newcastle on the other hand, even if we are to see £20-25m, will struggle
to to truly compete. I'm afraid mid-table mediocrity beckons for a
long time, whether Souness stays or goes. Unless the club seeks outside
investment or significant funds are to be released that is because
that's the type of fix that is needed. Looking at the finances of
the club however and the projected forecasts for the coming years,
there isn't a lot there. Too much damage in such a short space of
time has put the club back years.
The rich are getting richer, the strong are getting stronger and the
weak are getting even. Without European football and being unable
to fund and attract top quality players, the future for our lot is
very bleak indeed.
Perhaps it is time for those running the club to relinquish their
badly managed vice like control. We have a magnificent stadium as
good as any in the world, gates of 53,000 come rain or shine, a loyal
and passionate support and a hot bed of potential talent to tap into.
Is there a club with more potential than Newcastle United? Is there
a club so beset by the stench of underachievement and doom and gloom?
Freddy Shepherd & Co. now need to stop riding the cash cow they have
created from the proceeds of our wallets and do the decent thing by
the club and it's supporters. You've made you're money, now kindly
get off!
*Source: Nufc.com & Soccerbase.com |
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