Reality Bites

Its now time to be realistic and look to the future for NUFC. If Newcastle do survive they still need to re-structure and go back to basics. A spirited performance for 60 mins yesterday proved there are players capable of fighting in the Premiership, but a lack of leadership saw things fall apart, and a frankly disgraceful sub performance from Michael Owen summed up our season.
The clearout must begin with Owen, Smith, Geremi, Butt, Ameobi, Viduka, Cacapa and Duff all needing to be shipped out alongside Gonzalez and Xisco to free up space for some of the talented youngsters. While we may not find any money coming in for these players it will at least open opportunity and save in the region of £350k per week in wages. With bonuses etc that equates to £20m across the season in savings.

What would that leave?
GK - Harper, Krul, Foster
Def - Beye, Enrique, Collocini, Taylor, Bassong, Edgar, Tozer, Kadar
Mid - Nolan, Barton, Taylor, Gutierrez, Guthrie, Lovendkrands, Lua Lua, Inman, Vukic
For - Martins, Carrol, Ranger, Baheng, Danquah, Spear

This side would need a decent striker to support Martins and another central midfielder as well as a left winger but isn't too bad a base to try to survive in the Premieship next season and build. If we go down though we will lose Martins, Guttierrez and Collocini (as well as potentially Bassong), but in the Championship it should still leave a solid squad to build on.

It may be that paraniod leadership this season has restricted our ability to move forward in a squad with players such as Tozer, Lua Lua and Ranger who have not been given a chance while poor players with more experience have been given a go.

This is still a 25 man squad, although with only 15 or 16 who would genuinly be seen as first teamers, so there would have to be investment. This should be bringing in good Championship players such as Eagles or Paterson from Burnley, or young fringe players from the top 4. It has to be sensible and anough to either get us mid-table (or heaven forbid promotion) next season with a realistic financial structure.

Newcastle are in trouble and the current regime needs to be focussing on winning games, but the management must start to think beyond this and plan the business model for the future. The first point being to clear out the dead wood and not just keep giving them new contracts (such as Nicky Butt).