FIVE-POINTPLAN

1 SELL THE CLUB If the Magpies are ever going to achieve anything beyond mid-table mediocrity – at best – then they need to rid themselves of the restrictive grip of Michael James Wallace Ashley. Unfortunately, any hint of a takeover has been met with belligerence and a refusal to budge on price and terms. 2

REPLACE RAFA BENITEZ This is far, far easier said than done, no matter the identity of the Spaniard’s replacement. It was nothing short of a miracle that one of the few available elite-level coaches in world football took over and wanted to stay. The fear is that Bruce signals a return to the head-coach-andrecruitment-committee model that served Ashley so well under Steve Mcclaren. This is clearly a brilliant plan. 3

RETAIN OR REPLACE SEVERAL KEY PLAYERS With the news of the Spaniard’s departure, a number of players were said to be also considering their futures. Rondon has returned to West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle don’t appear willing to meet the Baggies’ valuation for him. Ayoze Perez moved to Leicester for £30m. Sean Longstaff’s breakthrough has seen him linked with a switch to Manchester United. Isaac Hayden has wanted to return to his London-based family for quite a while. Newcastle may need a major squad rebuild, but with very little to play with financially, unless a takeover is actually imminent, then achieving that could be the club’s toughest task this summer. 4

REPLACE LEE CHARNLEY AS MANAGING DIRECTOR Unfortunately, this isn’t going to happen, as Charnley has met every metric that the owner considers important for his vision for the club: bring the wage bill down; keep the net spend down; focus more on loans and bargains. Charnley is not a football man and he’s not even a businessman. He’s a Mike Ashley man, pure and simple. 5

JUST SELL THE CLUB, FOR GOD’S SAKE Yes, this is the same as point No.1 – but honestly, without this happening, is there any point?