If there’s one good thing about Alan Pardew it’s that the Newcastle manager is down to earth.
Alan Pardew – fantastic job done buy Newcastle manager this season
Alan will not get carried away by Newcastle almost certainly qualifying for the Europa League next season.
But we could very well hear the manager soon say that the new target is to qualify for the Champions League, and that’s not beyond Newcastle either, being only one point out of 4th place at the moment.
To show how real Alan is – he was asked by the reporters recently whether he’d like to stay long term at Newcastle – and he calmly uttered he’d stay at the club just as long as Newcastle were winning.
That’s so very true, such is the results oriented business of being a football manager these days.
Alan is also clear that this had not to be a flash in the pan for Newcastle, and they have to do it all over again next season, and the season after that.
Alan is quite prepared to do it all again, and he was asked if he was determined to do it again next season:
“Of course I am, and not just that – we have been down to the bones with about eight big first-team players in the treatment room.”
“But the squad has just come through absolutely brilliantly, and it just sums us up, what we have been about all year, and we must never lose that.”
“It’s important that the players understand that this is a new team, but we have got to do it again next year.”
“It is not just about this year, it’s about doing it every week, and that’s what we as a coaching staff try to drill into our players. Every week, every game, we ave got to be at our best and at the minute, we are.”
This has been an amazing season so far, and most of us are still pinching ourselves, to make sure it’s all real.
But the last thing Newcastle will do is to take their foot off the accelerator, in the last five games of the season.
And Europa League qualification should even take the pressure off the Newcastle players, so they can now go all out to finish 4th top in the league.
And they can even achieve what seemed impossible last August – qualify for a Champions League position – and some of us were hoping we’d just avoid relegation this season.
What a story this can now become for Newcastle United. 😀
Howay The Lads!!
222 comments so far
magpie6699
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Comment #1The waiting for 6th place is killing me! I like things to be definite. Everton have a far easier run in than us and are just behind us in the current form table- the one exception being they play Man U next weekend. When we are sure of 6th I’ll start thinking higher, not before.
Rotonda heights
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Comment #2from a previous thread,
Jimmy
The Ashley model is proving very successful for not only us but a lot of other clubs, ie Lyon and Dortmund. Due to their fantastic scouting system, if they sell one ofr stupid money, they bring in another even better for less money. I’d rather have Ashley a proven billionaire than any of us who think we know and could do better.
kilcline
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Comment #3Today i pray for serious injuries and suspensions to Spurs and Chelsea players.
davybtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #4rotonda spot on teams like dortmund n valencia have proven that this model works, yes u will lose some top players every now n again but like u say its all down to brilliant scouting system they lose there top stars but they hav unkown younger talent coming through who they always turn into the next set of stars
davybtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Comment #5now we hav europa league i honestly think we will take 4th place
~Perchinho the Pheonix~
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Comment #6Can’t see United losing to Everton next weekend. United will be eager to keep the distance between them and City to a minimum of 5 pts so that even if they lose against City, they are still top.
And if the worse case scenario occurs, we play everton last game of the season.
davybtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Comment #7we have europa league confirmed for me we only need 4pts if everton were to win all there games n like u say there at man utd next week so that 4pts jus dosent even come into effect for me
LewSpi
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Comment #8Despite the obvious advantages such as bragging rights over the unwashed, I don’t think I’d like us to get champions league next year. I know we have a good team and we will improve over the summer, but I just don’t think the infrastructure of our club is at the right level yet, Europa league definitely, but not champions league, not just yet.
Also Davy and Rotonda above, whilst I fully support ‘The Ashley model’ and love how it is working for us, there is one huge and fatal flaw which I think people are missing…
It doesn’t work if every club does it.
If every club are disregarding the overpriced ‘stars’ and searching for hidden gems, pretty soon the whole ethos of the market is flipped upside down and lesser known players carry large price tags, it’s simple supply and demand. This will particularly be spurred on by these mythical Financial Fair play rules which will see more clubs adopting our approach.
This system, it has a lifespan, is what I’m trying to say I think, we do however have a huge advantage that we are implementing it 3 or 4 years before other teams, our foundations are pretty much set, which means we will be big players when this time comes around.
JC148
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Comment #9Kilcline, you’re seriously saying, after all the Pray4Muamba stuff, Aaron Ramsey, Ben Arfa etc, that you’re PRAYING for serious injuries? You need your head screwing on mate, there’s things more important than where we finish in the league.
davybtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Comment #10this saturday could b such big day in terms of top 4 arsenal v chelsea is 12.45 kick off hoping for arsenal win, then we play stoke 3.00pm kick off nufc win would put us 4th take 5pts clear of chelsea n 3pts clear of spurs putting real pressure on spurs to get a result away to qpr in 5.30pm kick off
davybtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Comment #11lewspi the thing is though there is always new talent coming through not to mention to growth of lesser leagues around the world meaning a whole new area to try n discover talent, not to mention weve got one of the best scouts in the business in graham carr
i mean jus hav to look at this season weve scouting the french second division heavily to unearth talent from there
clubs like dortmund, lyon n valencia do it year after year
davybtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Comment #12we need the club to b run like this n making profit the major differnce being mike ashly runs a chain of sports n hasnt a limitless pot of cash, man citys owners own n run a country n of a bottomless pit of cash from oil, n if they get bored man city will b in the crap bcoz there spending money the club hasnt got, were as we are only spending the money were making
sweendog
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Comment #13lewspi .. champions league .. come on thats worth 20+ mill .. plus every player wants to play there .. the club could move 2/3 years ahead of schedule with that .. maybe push for champions league every year and then the league title/FA cup as the team should have improved.. still hypothetical but to be in the champions league is a HUGE plus.
beddersmag
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Comment #14Agree with lewspi in that champs league might be bridge too far. Wouldnt mind if dont make it but the cash it would generate is the big plus. However, couldnt win it imo and as a fan id love to see us have a good run in the ueropa. Also, correct me if im wrong but i was told that champs league play off losers do not automatically go into ueropa? So could be out of europe early doors if go down that route. Might be better to go into ueropa where i belive it is a league format and a few games guaranteed? Someone let me know if that is correct?
sweendog
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Comment #15I’m more worried about europa since theres more games and usually further afield .. still its all good for the club if organised right .. it is great to be a Toon fan at the moment 🙂
WLtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Comment #16We have the makings of a class team,its unbelievable what Pardew AND Carr has done.
Ile keep my fingers crossed that they dont have to start all over again in the summer.
KuwaitiMAGPIE
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Comment #17i still think we could beat chelsea at stanford bridge.. they are not as strong as they used to be … and they haven’t faced ben arfa yet
sweendog
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Comment #18I remember the days of Keegan/Robson/Dogleish and champions league nights .. would Love it if we get to play teams like Milan/Barca
Szarka
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:52 AM
Comment #19LewSpy: Are modell in the market isnt going to spred. Big clubs buy big talents, or well known players, dont look for gems. They buy players when they are in the focus. Its costs a lot, but they have the money to spend. Arsenal using the so called buy gems modell, yet nobody started to make it that way.
About CL: Everybody wants CL, because it lifts your pocket. U win even if U just play a few qualifier. EL is another thing, as it only comes surplus after the group stages. but CL pay well. It would be a stupid think not to reach the CL. And without Europe, players wont sign contracts.
jimmymagpie
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Comment #20Thanks for the craic lads – bloo-y good points made this morning, on all sides, and no personal mud slinging, that’s how it should be, after all, we all want the same thing. Believe me, since I saw my first game in 1948, I’ve paid my dues in blood, sweat,tears,time, and finance. I know that i might appear a bit impatient sometimes, but that is only bacause I don’t have the time left that most of you have, and I would love to see my team win just one more FA Cup before my number is called, in fact, any trophy would do.Anyway, must go, thanks once again for the healthy debate. HTL!
LewSpi
Apr 15, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Comment #21Davy you’re right, there are always players coming through, I’m not disputing that, my point is that if it is them players which every club wants, then their price goes up, like i said it is basic economics. You are right however that emerging leagues etc. will provide more targets for clubs to go at, which will certainly help. And with regards to Carr, I really hope he has a youn apprentice going around with him, because we all praise him to the high heavens, but let’s be realistic, the guys 68/69 and won’t be around forever.
Sweendog, I agree if you have a good run in the champions league, the advantages of this are way higher than Europa. But can you see us progressing past the group stages of champions league? I just think a good solid run in the Europa would be potentially more advantageous than potentially a shorter one in the champions league.
Please don’t mistake me for a ‘negger’, I am firmly behind the club in everything that it does, I love how Ashley, Pards and the players have turned us around in 2 seasons, its incredible, I’m simply trying to make some points which I think people may not have thought of. I’m not saying you have to agree with me.
tdt
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Comment #22We’re actually joint 4th with Spurs Ed, not a point behind them.
However I think you’re referring to our goal difference as being like a point less, which is fair enough.
Saturday is another massive day for that 4th spot… hoping for Arse to beat Chelsea, us to crush Stoke, and QPR to rip Spuds a new one.
That would be a productive day’s play!
magpie6699
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Comment #23Isn’t it great to be worrying about which Eurpean Competition we might get in rather than whether we might get sucked into a relegation dogfight or how to keep up mid-table interest. (Unlike most Mackems, finishing above or below them in the table is not the be-all and end-all to a Toon fan! But thanks for the 4 points – shame it wasn’t 6 again this season!)
G
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Comment #24Still can’t believe how far my expectations of this season have been exceeded. I know it’s a bit early to rest on our laurels, however, I expected us to be fighting for 8th, not sitting just outside the top 4 with a real chance of being able to snatch a spot! With another 4 points we are mathematically guaranteed 6th spot. That’s some achievement from the lads.
rich_toonfan
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Comment #25Jimmy.. clubs have to break even over a 3 year period starting 2012-2015….if they dont do this they face fines and then bans from european competition.
Some things are excluded from the finances such as developing youth facilities and supporting the local area with development, but transfers, wages, all of that have to be balanced by money in.
I don’t think clubs will do it as I think UEFA will not ban teams like city, chelsea, man utd, barcelona etc as sponsors would pull out of the tournament and it would cost UEFA too much.
They might punish lesser teams with a lesser fan base but will not punish the top european clubs.
thebionicMAG
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Comment #26Spot on Jimmy. I cant stand it when people get over emotional and way too personal.
You’re right, we are all fans of NUFC and we all want the same thing, the fact we have different opinions should not result in mud slinging.
Pecorino ( will let you figure it out)
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Comment #27lads are we in EUROPE :)))!)!)!)!”O=!”)!()T/T(TS(DT
CL is a step to far WAAYY to soon swuad is paper thin…. next years one or two injuries could mean we coudl ruin our league position..
EUROPE is more than good enough for now and a PERFECT base to build the team for a CL charge….
I AM OVER THE DAMN MOON…
cestriasteve
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Comment #28Szarka, I was just thinking the same thing, also big teams dont take risks ! lets face it at the start of the season we took a few big risks. Proven champions League teams just dont do that. I hope those agents we are currently dealing with for the close season get any ideas and start asking silly money for players because we are currently up there challenging. Also wonder where we would have been with Steven Taylor and Marveaux fit ?
davybtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Comment #29well am very excited about the future of this club its no flook weve made europe this year weve been top7 all season
bills-son
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:08 PM
Comment #30Re earlier posts about Ashley’s business model for NUFC, the abuse Ashley was getting even 3 months ago after the ground re-naming was way, way, overboard.
It is only now that we are serious Champs Lge contenders, with our flair players bang on form and Pards managing the squad brilliantly that fans are truly starting to see the big picture.
Make NO mistake, where we are now has nothing to with luck. It has everything to do with Ashley’s planning, strategy, ambition and determination. The buck ALWAYS stops with guy at the top. ALWAYS.
It wasa Ashley who appointed Pardew, Ashley who screwed LPool for £35M for AC, Ashley who set the transfer policy of finding quality at low prices, Ashley who dictated that we should buy the majority of foreign players from one country so that they could communicate and have the same culture (unlike say Citeh where its like the United Nations), Ashley who has cut the wages to turnover ratio from a bamkruptcy heading 80%+ to just over 50%, and Ashley who has lent the club £140M interest free.
Fans who don’t give Ashley any credit, who say its all luck, all down to Carr, that tht’ll never forgive him for the Keegan affair, or sacking Hughton etc., etc., etc., are biting the hand that is feeding us the best chance of success since Keegans team in the 90?s.
BUT … let’s not forget … Keegans team as exciting as they were … won NOWT.
IMO the owners, management, coaching staff and scouting staff are FAR BETTER than the set up we had under John Hall and Keegan. We have players like Ba, Cisse, HBA, Krul, Colo, STaylor, Santon, Tiote who are a match (if not better in some cases) for Ferdinand, Ginola, Srnicek, Peacock, Batty, Barton and Gillespie … all good players but still won nowt.
I know this team has won nowt yet. BUT, I have far more confidence in out tactical awareness, organisation, meticulous transfer policy and team spirit than I ever did under Hall and Keegan.
I was totally confident before the last 5 matches that we would win. I have NEVER as a Toon fan felt so confident of winning games in my 50 years as a Toon fan. And its a BRILLIANT feeling, absolutely fkn brilliant.
This club is really going places, and I don’t think there are many fans who would disagree with that. There is an excitement that finally … after nearly 50 years of winning nowt … THIS could be the manager, the team and THE OWNER to break that milklstone round our necks.
And all I am saying is this …
Let’s give Ashley some credit eh? Remember, when he first came he wore the shirt, drank in the Strawberry and stood on the terraces with the fans. How nany owners have done that? Nor the Americans at LPool, the Yanks at ManU or the sheiks at Citeh thats for sure. And why did Ashley do that? Because he’s one of us, he’s a FOOTBALL FAN, which the aforementioned owners are not.
Yes he made mistakes early doors, yes he wanted to sell the club … BUT since he decided to keep it after relegation he has been determined to make us successful. AND IT’S WORKING.
Everybody, you, me and even a hard hearted businesman like Ashley likes to be appreciated for doing their best. Apart from the renaming of the ground there isn’t a decision Ashley has made in the last two years that, although controversial and widely criticised at the time, hasn’t turned out to be RIGHT. I am absolutely convinced that if Ashley heard his name chanted in appreciation – yes I KNOW THAT IS ALMOST UNTHINKABLE TO SOME FANS – he would redouble his efforts to bring success and a trophy to our beloved Toon.
He is is still the same guy who wore the shirt, drank in the Strawberry and stood on the terraces. He’s made mistakes, but he’s gone a hell of a long way to saying sorry in his own way. And that way is not to spout off, not to criticise the fans to journalists, not to laud it because we are doing well. No – Ashley’s way is just to let the team do the talking for him. That is the class way to do it.
ALAN PARDEW … manager of the year by a mile.
MIKE ASHLEY … owner of the year by a million miles.
rich_toonfan
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:08 PM
Comment #31@lewspi
i think champs league is better, the games being on a tuesday and wednesday seems to effect teams less than playing thursday.
Also, if we got to the group stages it would allow us to get our name around europe.
I dont think we would win either, there are much better teams than us in both competitions so i would rather lose to barcelona than i would to a lesser side.
davybtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:09 PM
Comment #32i dont think champions league wud b too much of course against real, barca, bayern n milan we cud b shown up but i think we cud hold our own against most of the teams in it
Indian Magpie
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Comment #33http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/105/main/2012/04/15/3037765/cartoon-of-the-day-donkey-carroll-wins-grand-national-derby
Yorkgeordie
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Comment #34I wish people would stop counting their chickens.
We have 59 points, Everton can get 62 and Liverpool can get 61. To say the pressure is off is just plain daft and asking for the southern press to have a field day. We can still finish 8th.
MagpiesFlyHigh
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Comment #35Bill-son
Are you on a retainer with MAs PR machine ?
I reckon CL would be okay for us. We’d get the group stage games and if we parachuted into the Europa then we’d have got some really good experience and given Pardiola a chance to learn European tactics as the style will be different. The longer the learning curve we have the better our chances of success in a year or two.
Wor Shearer
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Comment #36Off topic. Does anyone know who’s going to pick the England squad for the Euros?
davybtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:23 PM
Comment #37magpiesflyhigh good point that like if we finished 3rd in a champions league group we would go into europa league haha its so good to b talking about europe again
european nights at sjp are amazing
davybtoon
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:24 PM
Comment #38wor shearer as it stands stuart pearce will pick the squad n take them to the euros
2_goal_tino
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Comment #39I can’t believe some of the stuff I’m reading. I’m delighted with Europa but CL is the dream. I can’t buy this we don’t have the infrastructure for champions league we are a champions league club in everything but out team. I mean compare us with the likes of APOEL. We won’t win either and I’d personally prefer losing in Madric or Barca than drawing in some cold provincial eastern European city against a team all of us have only ever heard of through Football manager. Furthermore, Europa would be more damaging to our league position given the excessive number of games, the fact it starts in July, games are on Thursdays and because generally more travelling is involved. CL is the pinnacle of world club football- it would be a dream and honour to be in it again. Face it Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs will all spend fiercely to ensure reestablishing the advantage over us. We may not have this opportunity again for a decade or so!
WWJBD
Apr 15, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Comment #40Can’t we just all leave it at this ‘I don’t care about Ashley, he don’t care about me, All we care about is NUFC’?
Seems fairly simple for me. He keeps out of the headlines and we stay off his shrinking back. Don’t see why I should praise him all that much though if my paper boy wiped his backside with my sunday paper every week for a year then started delievering it clean I wouldn’t start chanting his name