City’s Abu Dhabi owners set precedent with Mancini and

MANCHESTER CITY created the precedent – the question is: Will Newcastle United follow it?

The story’s an old one. An oil-backed state throws petro-dollars at a football club that bolsters its playing squad with highly-priced purchases, bringing about a huge upswing in results and performances.

Back in the day, Mark Hughes felt cold steel on his neck – cast aside in the pursuit of excellence as Roberto Mancini turned the brief into reality.

And, while Eddie Howe has credit in the bank at St James’ Park, will it be enough to stop him from going the same way?

The question has to be asked because while the rocket-like propulsion from the lower reaches of the Premier League was as startling as a firework flying into the sky, it’s now heading back down to earth.

So far, Howe (left) has exceeded expectations.

Safety secured? Tick. Consolidation? Tick. Champions League football? Wow.

Apart from Aston Villa’s Unai Emery – more of him later – no one has come close to matching the speed of Howe’s ascent.

Blow

However, whether that will be sufficient for his superiors to stomach is a moot point – the evidence suggests they won’t. Owners with the resources available to the Saudi Arabian state aren’t used to being told, “No” or failing.

Their motto seems to be, “If at first you don’t succeed, chuck as much cash at it until you do”. Usually, it works – it did with City – Mancini set the ball rolling.

But that was then and this is now, and while the Italian arrived at the Etihad with the tag of winner already imprinted upon him, where do Newcastle United look for someone capable of having the same effect?

Or do they stick with Howe and hope for the best?

If a mid-table finish last season had been followed by Champions League qualification this time, this article wouldn’t be written. But it hasn’t worked like that. It’s happened the other way around.

And questions are now being asked and will be asked of where the Toon go from here.

The club have been blighted by injuries – Sven Botman’s

There’s talk of off-loading players to stay within the financial regulations. It’s not a club without issues