News on what Mike Ashley has planned for Newcastle United — once the takeover attempt is successfully concluded – is starting to leak out.
That’s most likely on purpose – as Ashley and his team are to attend a board meeting this coming Wednesday to review their plans for Newcastle – with the Newcastle Board and Chairman Freddie Shepherd.
We believe the board and Shepherd in particular – have little option but to accept Ashley’s offer — otherwise there will be a full scale revolt from the Newcastle fans.
Mike Ashley is thinking big — and is willing to splash out ₤270M — over the next 5 years — to make Newcastle a European powerhouse.
His plans for Newcastle are for them to be Premiership Champions within 3 years and challenging for the European Champions league within 5 years.
As a start Ashley will give new manager Sam Allardyce ₤45M to spend in the summer to bring in new players. That’s in addition to any money he can get from outgoing players — and it seems that at least two or three of the current midfield squad will be sold – to make room for the incoming players.
For once Newcastle should concentrate on their defense — which has been weak ever since the Keagan days — and it looks like Big Sam will bring in at least a whole new back four to augment what Newcastle already have.
Steven Taylor, Peter Ramage, Stephen Carr and Celestine Babayaro are what Newcastle currently have left in defense – plus youngsters Peter Huntington and David Edgar — both of which will probably be shipped out on loan to a Championship side for the season.
Earlier Allardyce had not retained defenders Titus Bramble, Craig Moore, Oguchi Onyewu (on loan from Standard Leige), Olivier Bernard and veteran goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek. There is also a chance that both Carr and Babayaro will be moved out – or be kept only as squad players.
There has been talk about Newcastle bringing in Leighton Baines of Wigan for around ₤5M and Ben Haim, the Israeli International on a free — but little else has been in the press — other than Newcastle are after anybody and everybody.
Newcastle’s England Under-21 International Steven Taylor
However, in this day and age when the top four clubs are way ahead of other teams in the Premiership – is it possible for them to be Champions within 3 years?
While it’s a tall order – the answer has to be yes – but it’s going to take some adroit thinking and management by new manager Sam Allardyce.
Certainly Newcastle will be a much more attractive proposition than before – given the huge infusion of cash and the ambitions of Mike Ashley.
It also appears that Ashley will be impatient if significant progress is not made immediately — and it has been leaked if next season is disappointing in any way (we would think Newcastle have to be in the top 5 at least — if not the top 4), then a new manager could well be brought in next summer.
What do you think — is it possible for a team like Newcastle to win the league in a short three years?
Don’t be shy in letting us know your thoughts.
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