Newcastle - The only way is up
The English weather during this time of the year is reasonably pleasant, and the Olympics have given the whole of England a feel-good factor. But somewhere in North-East England, one man should be particularly wary of what’s in store for him in the future.
The training sessions at the Benton headquarters have been quite good, and all the players seem to be in a cheerful mood. There haven’t been any signs of player disputes or falling outs with the managers. The ever-present exit rumours of Demba Ba have died a slow death. None of the big players from last season are missing. The board at Newcastle have somehow kept themselves off the headlines. Not much there for the fans to protest or occupy the streets. Nothing much either for the press to write about.
The Newcastle players seem to be in a good mood at Darsley Park.
The ever existent team camaraderie that Alan Pardew has instilled in the team has been on full display, both in the training sessions as well as in the pre-season games. The pre-season has turned out to be quite a success for the team who have been travelling around Europe in Germany, Portugal, and the Netherlands. They have been winning games, as well as a trophy in the form of Trofeu Internacional de Futebol do Guadiana tournament, a preseason tournament involving Newcastle, Olympiakos and hosts, SC Braga. All in all, it’s been quite an unusual off-season at Tyneside.
Alan Pardew must be a happy man, as he heads back from training every day, knowing he has a set of players, and a board he trusts. The Newcastle fans have at least witnessed an off-season where some semblance of sanity has been inculcated in to the club. But as a member of the toon army, I would rather like to see Pardew worry more than he has in previous seasons. The gaffer already knows it will be more difficult this time around, as they have a target on their backs now, if they didn’t have one already in the latter part of the season. Pardew knows, or rather should know deep within, that everything hasn’t gone according to plan this off-season. Playing hardball in the transfer market has seen a rather worrying delay in the arrival of new faces at the club. The club have indeed brought three new faces to the club, but only Amalfitano looks to ready to make an impact on the squad next season.
Are storm clouds brewing over the horizon at Newcastle?
The past has always taught the Geordie faithfuls to be ever-apprehensive. Every reason to celebrate brings with it a reason to be cautious. The history of the club has seen the club to “never quite get it together”. Be it the 12 point lead blown at the top by Keegan’s Entertainers, or the euphoria turned tragedy surrounding the signing of a certain Michael Owen. The purchase of the club by Mike Ashley was supposed to push the club to the next level. Alas! Even in this regard, Newcastle and its fans have had to do it the hard way.
The all so quiet off-season may well end up as a productive one in the end, as Pardew has already stated that he expects to bring in 3 players that push for first team honours. The added pressure of an European campaign will certainly push the squad to its limits. Dan Gosling, and Sylvain Marveaux should be like new signings, with both sitting out for major parts of last season.
This summer brought back some rough memories of the past for me. Newcastle fans detest memories of the recent-past where, under Freddy Shepherd, the club spent money on want-aways of bigger clubs, and at best “average players”. Financial trouble rocked Ashley at the beginning of his takeover, when he was astonished at the debt that the club had incurred due to mindless spending. The club spent millions of pounds, but not when it mattered most or on whom it should have. The North-East powerhouse finished in the Champions League spots in consecutive seasons from 2001 to 2003. The club inexplicably only bought 4 players of notice during this period. Of these, Hugo Viana, and Titus Bramble turned out as utter flops. Jonathan Woodgate would spend more time in the medical room than on the pitch. Lee Bowyer, the only signing prior to the 2003-04 campaign, had his ups and down, and was never the player he was for Leeds.
The total spending on new players was £0, in a year they were to challenge for Europe’s most prestigious club event. The hare-brained policy of Freddy Shepherd to buy players late so as to avoid paying their wages during the off-season, and only after securing the Champions League place, had backfired big time. The loss to Partizan Belgrade in the final stage of UCL qualification was the last time Newcastle ever played the tournament. It was a week described by Late Sir Bobby, as his darkest at the club.
Pardew-Ponderous times ahead!
Pardew must really fall out with his board once every week over the high-handedness in transfer dealings, but he deals with it. That’s who he is; he realises this is his biggest shot at the big time for now. Pardew also knows how to handle the media, keep the expectations of the fans at a low, while infusing his team with the will to defy all odds. The Londoner has some things which Late Sir Bobby never quite had at his time in St. James’s: a functional youth and scouting system, developing players like Sammy Ameobi, Travernier, Vuckic, Abeid, Bigirimana, and a dressing room free of egos. Wild childs like Jenas, Bellammy, Dyer, Robert, Bowyer etc, though talented, made for a volatile dressing room.
Pardew, Ashley, and Llambias have to realise that their time is Now! It is now that they should push more than ever to put the club back to relevancy, to the heights their massive following crave for.
We all have endured much pain rooting for our beloved Newcastle in the last decade. The last 3 seasons have brought the faithfuls happiness, smiles to their heart, as well as faces, and helped to wipe away years of despair and misery of years past. The feeling is mutual in my heart as well.
Alan, Mike, and Derek, if this gets through to you somehow, please let it stay this way!