Newcastle have lost two of our very best players this year – Yohan Cabaye and his best friend Mathieu Debuchy have both left Newcastle in pursuit of Champions League football – presumably because they couldn’t see Newcastle being a top four club in England any time soon.
Alan Pardew – we will push for Champions League
Newcastle United have been in the Champions League before under top former managers Kevin Keegan and Bobby Robson, but it’s now much more difficult to get a top four place in the Premier League, and the first thing you need to do before you can get there is to have some real ambition to try to achieve it.
And this summer, Newcastle do seem to have been more ambitious, having already signed six good players this summer, and with more on the way before the end of August – hopefully.
Maybe the penny has finally dropped with owner Mike Ashley – that Newcastle can become a much more valuable club (we’re talking money here – what else?) if we can make it into the top four in England or even the top six in England.
Alan Pardew has been somewhat ambitious for Newcastle in his interview today with BBC Radio Newcastle:
“If you don’t make the Champions League, then the big teams come for your players – look at Southampton.¨ “We are pushing every year to try and build to hopefully get to a stage where we make it without losing our players.¨
“We have pitched in and signed players that we think give us a chance to push for Champions League.¨ “We have already shown we are much better covered offensively than we were after Yohan Cabaye’s departure.¨
“We have options, more options to come in and it is going to strengthen my hand to tactically change the team.”
And on the positive side of things if we can say get three more players in this summer – a center-back, a central midfield play-maker and an experienced striker – we could even be a force to be reckoned with next season in the Premier League.
Go for it Lee!!
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144 comments so far
Sazzer
Jul 25, 2014 at 5:53 PM
Comment #1“If you don’t win Champions League, the big teams come for your players. Look at Athletico Madrid.”
ilovetoon8788
Jul 25, 2014 at 5:58 PM
Comment #2Raylor might be in the starting line up against Wellington Phoenix today.
After 2 loooooong years…. good luck to the lad.
Ian Toon
Jul 25, 2014 at 5:58 PM
Comment #3From Previous-
Didier Drogba has signed for Chelsea. Pardew has a great relationship with Jose Mourinho which could help in bringing Lukaku to the toon. It’s rumoured that £18m is what Chelsea will sell for plus a sell-on clause.
Lukaku does fit the Pardew blueprint perfectly and he’s certainly an up- grade on Shola. It could just happen and what a transformation to the team he would make.
ilovetoon8788
Jul 25, 2014 at 5:59 PM
Comment #4Wellington phoenix has shocked west ham the other day winning 2-1. we might be in for a tough game tonight.
Sazzer
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:00 PM
Comment #5“It is important for defenders like Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini that they can believe we are going to score.
“You can’t just defend and hope for one goal – you have got to be able to threaten the goal.
“We are already showing that we have many more offensive options because we really lacked them towards the end of last season”
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:02 PM
Comment #6An interesting take on our situation!
http://cominghomenewcastle.sbnation.com/2014/7/25/5912705/newcastle-united-nufc-squad-analysis-premier-league-home-grown-player-rule
GT…I totally agree on that assessment. Still believe it would be easier to achieve without the dumpass!
Ian Toon
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:04 PM
Comment #7Talk of Champions League. Well signing Lukaku would be a serious sign of intent.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:04 PM
Comment #8ilovetoon8788…it’s tomorrow morning mate
paul6257
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:05 PM
Comment #9“We have pitched in and signed players that we think give us a chance to push for Champions League.¨ “We have already shown we are much better covered offensively than we were after Yohan Cabaye’s departure.¨
We have lost to Oldham and beaten a second rate Australian team!
Sazzer
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:05 PM
Comment #10“We have options, more options to come in and it is going to strengthen my hand to tactically change the team.”
I like the more options is coming in part unless it means more players is coming back from vacation just like new signings.
spitfire_
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:07 PM
Comment #11What about our leaky defence, alan? How you expect to compete with top 4 with Saylor and Williamson? Explain that sh!t.
ochytoon
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:08 PM
Comment #12Ambition? Bring in a few more Alan and we’ll talk.
croftus5678
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:11 PM
Comment #135.30am tomoz morn guys so early night for us tonight 🙂
ilovetoon8788
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:11 PM
Comment #14@jesperfuglsang – captain of the lemon crew // Jul 25, 2014 at
im from singapore mate. its today for me. =)
Ibizatoon
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:17 PM
Comment #15You best get looking for that penny Alan. Ashley will want it back.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:19 PM
Comment #16ilovetoon8788…point taken 🙂
croftus5678
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:20 PM
Comment #17@11 spit
tbf m8 we had almost no attack play last season only defending for a hell of a lot of the game so defence wise it should be a hell of a lot easier this year even with the same players.
janmaat is a better defensive than deb’s and still as good going forward and is also better in the air so that makes things a bit better with reguards to defending but i do agree saylor shouldnt be touching 1st team but i still think williamson/colo/mbiwa can do the job at cb to a fairly good standard aslong as we take the pressure off the by attacking.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:21 PM
Comment #18Lets just hope this time around coach dumpass will be measured and found too light weigh!
WLtoon
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:25 PM
Comment #19Champions Lge.?
Give it a rest ffs.
We have brought in 6 players for the money we got from Cabaye and Debuchy,yet people are suddenly saying we are more ambitious,and eevn touting us for the CL.
How fickle are footie fans eh.
Its embarrassing sometimes.
IF Cashley dips into the sky money to bring in a decent striker and a CB then ile maybe think we could be looking to be more ambitious,but until that happens my thoughts hav,nt changed.
SPEND SOME REAL MONEY MIKE.
toonluvva
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:27 PM
Comment #20Ed says something interesting in his article. The Toon was in the Champions League under 2 decent managers; Kevin Keegan & Sir Bobby Robson.
Can anyone really see P45due getting us into the Champions League because I can’t.
jimiley
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:28 PM
Comment #21The manager is clearly delusional and not fit for the post. He needs psychiatric help. More chance of relegation than top 4. Sacked before the season ends.
Rotonda heights
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:34 PM
Comment #22wow, STs must be down more than I thought. So as well as ”always playing on the front foot” we are now going for CL.
croftus5678
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:37 PM
Comment #23with current team/squad i say 8th-6th considering what others teams are like and what they expect from there money spent ect !
we have improved over last season at our strongest point with deb’s/cabaye/remy in the team imo and thats when we was flying high so to speak so in my mind 8th would be my personal minimum but if we didnt reach 6th/7th + i’d feel a little gutted inside.
Big Pappa Cissé
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:39 PM
Comment #24—————————Krul——————————–
–Janmaat——–Collo———M’biwa——–Haidara–
—————————-Tiote——————————
——-Sissoko——————————–Grenier——-
—————————De Jong—————————-
———Aubameyang——————–Cabella———-
Bench: Elliot, Willo, Colback, Anita, HBA, Rivierre, Gouff
Amazing to think we could have that team and a really strong bench for another £20 million .
Blackley and Brownlie
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:40 PM
Comment #25Seen Terry Mac this afternoon at the Vallum on the military road.
Kebabacus
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:42 PM
Comment #26If it’s true we were after Andy, surely we can now use that money to bid for a Lukaku or a Benteke?
http://www.theequaliser.com/2014/07/25/andy-carroll-the-premier-leagues-chocolate-teapot
Blackley and Brownlie
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:44 PM
Comment #27We’ve not even done half a modest job in the transfer market. We’ve given ourselves a good base to attract ambitious players but no more than that. Champions League Pardew? You’re having a laugh!
croftus5678
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:45 PM
Comment #28i’d go
————————krull————————-
—————-colo———-mbiwa————–
janmaat———————————-hairdry
———–colb———————-tiote———
———————sissoko———————-
————siem—————-cab————–
———————-river————————-
solid all round imo.
SUFC_rule
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:47 PM
Comment #29Newcastle Champions League? Hahaha good one. They’ll be lucky not to get regelated
ochytoon
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:51 PM
Comment #30@SUFC_rule
Isn’t it SAFC? Would have thought you lot could at least get the acronym of your own club right.
Either that or you support Southend United….
Belfast
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:51 PM
Comment #31Yeah Percy, we’ve opened the transfer war chest and we’re targeting champions league.
Now wake up and have your cornflakes.
croftus5678
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:51 PM
Comment #32you guys do realise that you was pisin and moaning all last season that we never bought anyone in and that pards said top10 so we had no ambition right ?
and now we have signed players and pards is aiming for top 6 and erm……i guess theres no doing right in some fans eyes eh ?
Blackley and Brownlie
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:55 PM
Comment #33Croftus has bought Percy’s line!
ochytoon
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:55 PM
Comment #34croftus5678
Replacing the players who have left over the last 6 months is hardly a big statement of ambition. However, should we bring in a top striker and a centre back then I’ll listen to the top 6 spiel
Mister Tuff
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:56 PM
Comment #35Champions League – considering the main opposition – City, Chelsea, Arsenal,Liverpool – with the players we have signed (so far) I cannot see us displacing any of the above teams. With a few more signings CB and a couple of strikers (quality) -we certainly could threaten. However – really cannot see Mr Tubbs spending the requisite amount of cash to get our team up to CL standard.
If there are no more signings -we’ve no chance. However I think we’ll get a striker but as for a CB -who knows. Without sorting out the leaky defence we have little chance of CL.
croftus5678
Jul 25, 2014 at 6:58 PM
Comment #36@33 blackley
aye same as we all bought percy’s line that we was aiming for 10th lol but i’m not going to shoot him down for aiming higher and trying to get 6th wether he can or not atleast he’s trying this time and know we are not just trying to survive in the prem !
Big Pappa Cissé
Jul 25, 2014 at 7:01 PM
Comment #37For all the people wanting M’biwa sold :
http://t.co/ubIqkHWvt3
DokToon
Jul 25, 2014 at 7:02 PM
Comment #38as mark said,
sunderland unathletic football club
DokToon
Jul 25, 2014 at 7:03 PM
Comment #39wait til colback scores a brace in the stadium o sh!te….
Big Pappa Cissé
Jul 25, 2014 at 7:03 PM
Comment #40If we brought in a top quality striker then we might have a chance to get European football .
We would need another top Quality Centre back to pair M’biwa, Left back on Janmaat’s level and a new manager to get Champions League IMO .