HOWE OR NEVER ...TOON HAVE TO SHOP OR DROP!

John Richardson

THEY have talked the talk, now can Newcastle’s controversial new owners walk the walk and keep the club in the Premier League?

Once the January transfer window opens we will quickly find out – because without any semblance of doubt the fate of the Toon’s season will be decided on which players arrive at St James’ Park.

Former Newcastle player Jermaine Jenas said: “They have to find the right players, the right motives with the right character.”

Easier said than done when you are slap-bang in the middle of the season – and one not helped by squads being stretched to the limit through Covid issues.

Safe to say the appointment of former Celtic director of football Nicky Hammond as a transfer advisor on a short-term contract has seen eyebrows raised among the Premier League fraternity.

Former Arsenal star Paul Merson was scathing, speaking in his role as a Sky Sports pundit. he said: “It doesn’t make sense. It’s stupidity at the highest level. I don’t think they know what they are doing anyway at Newcastle.”

The mega-rich Saudi owners have boasted that their aim is to eventually compete with Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea for Premier League titles.

They have more pressing matters right now – avoiding the drop into the Championship. And the change of manager, Eddie Howe for Steve Bruce, has yet to alter the landscape.

The players, as they have proved in recent games, are not up to the task.

Defensively they would shame an Under-10s side.

So for the Saudi Public Investment Fund it’s now or never.

Co-owner Amanda Staveley will be leading the transfer negotiations which will either make or break the Geordies’ season.

One issue that needs to be nailed straight away is the rumour circulating among influential people with Newcastle connections that despite untold riches there is not a huge transfer budget available for Howe (right).

Vulnerable

Much of the goodwill which has grown after previous owner Mike Ashley’s departure and the Saudis’ arrival will quickly dissipate if a pile of cash is not thrown around in the coming weeks.

Only by paying over the odds and smashing the wage ceiling will Newcastle snatch the players who will make a difference.

Ones whose contracts end in the summer will be the most vulnerable to a Toon move.

Players like West Brom’s England keeper Sam Johnstone, Burnley defender James Tarkowski, Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard and Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette – although the Frenchman is back in favour having taken over the

Emirates captaincy.

Howe insists on his players having drive and ambition. He has no time for those who waste their talent – so anyone seeking a big payday for minimum return can forget it.

Newcastle have been in much worse positions than this at the beginning of a new regime.

When Sir John Hall was able to persuade Kevin Keegan to end his Spanish exile and become the club’s new manager in February 1992 the Magpies were staring the third tier in the face.

They survived and within four years they were challenging for the Premier League title. So can history repeat itself for the new owners at

St James’ Park?

Hall warned: “Running a football club is not easy – you can’t just walk in and change it overnight. It’s more than likely that you will make mistakes. The difficulty will be in attracting top players because they want to be associated with success.”

Success right now is simply avoiding the dreaded drop – next month’s transfer business will go a long way to deciding that.