David Hopkinson's interview on TalkSport as NUFC host the National Radio show

[Zippity]

We're not getting Europe next season.

[Ragatino]

We're not getting Europe next season.

No Europe = Premier League winners 26/27

[Marat18]

No Europe = Premier League winners 26/27

Treble is on the way, lads!

[OwdBillCook]

No Europe = Premier League winners 26/27

Well, that's the ultra-positive take. No Europe, no fixture congestion. Plenty of time for training. Plenty of time for players to integrate properly, to be able to second-guess each other. Gain confidence, learn strategies, eat kebabs together, watch the same TV programs..................

Alternatively, no Europe equals players wanting to leave. And far fewer top-class players wanting to join. Not a problem, maybe, if you're building for the future. Buy in young blood, develop them, get them playing Eddie style. Whatever that now is.

But we're running out of time. And for some reason that I totally cannot comprehend Hopkinson has decided to heap even more pressure on Eddie and the current squad by setting a target for us becoming, apparently, contenders be the top club on the planet. Not 14 years, not 10 years. Not even the economists favourite "5 year plan". No 4 years. Which is absurd. Given that we are (almost certainly) out of Europe next year.

Well, the lower numbers of fixtures suggets Prem winners 26/27 is not impossible.
What I'm actually seeing suggests that it's about as likely as me winning millions on the National Lottery.

Sorry, I'm normally an optimist. But not at the moment. We look like what we are. A mid-table club. We shouldn't be, but that is how we are playing. I thought it would improve as the season went on. But if it hasn't by now, then how the fvck is it going to any time soon?? The wheels have come off. I don't know why. As I've said before, there were good reasons. They are starting to look like poor excuses.

We are at a critical point in my opinion. Eddie has to do something - quickly and decisively. This cannot continue or our upward progress is stalled. Not acceptable on many levels.

[Ragatino]

Treble is on the way, lads!

WOOOP WOOOP hahaha

[Ragatino]

Well, that's the ultra-positive take. No Europe, no fixture congestion. Plenty of time for training. Plenty of time for players to integrate properly, to be able to second-guess each other. Gain confidence, learn strategies, eat kebabs together, watch the same TV programs..................

Alternatively, no Europe equals players wanting to leave. And far fewer top-class players wanting to join. Not a problem, maybe, if you're building for the future. Buy in young blood, develop them, get them playing Eddie style. Whatever that now is.

But we're running out of time. And for some reason that I totally cannot comprehend Hopkinson has decided to heap even more pressure on Eddie and the current squad by setting a target for us becoming, apparently, contenders be the top club on the planet. Not 14 years, not 10 years. Not even the economists favourite "5 year plan". No 4 years. Which is absurd. Given that we are (almost certainly) out of Europe next year.

Well, the lower numbers of fixtures suggets Prem winners 26/27 is not impossible.
What I'm actually seeing suggests that it's about as likely as me winning millions on the National Lottery.

Sorry, I'm normally an optimist. But not at the moment. We look like what we are. A mid-table club. We shouldn't be, but that is how we are playing. I thought it would improve as the season went on. But if it hasn't by now, then how the fvck is it going to any time soon?? The wheels have come off. I don't know why. As I've said before, there were good reasons. They are starting to look like poor excuses.

We are at a critical point in my opinion. Eddie has to do something - quickly and decisively. This cannot continue or our upward progress is stalled. Not acceptable on many levels.

Aye my comment was tongue in cheek.

No Europe would mean some players would want to go, plus attracting top stars more of a challenge.

However, top stars go to the cartel for 2x the wages and never sign anyway.

The focus is on the next gen of worldies, the 19-24 yr olds on 30-40k euro who the club can offer double the wage packet to who will become the top players at NUFC rather than already established stars.

I doubt we'll get the kind but that Dutch fella Kees Smit being a prime example of whom the club is targeting.

This season is a disappoint thus far. I don't care about the FA cup. Just a nice run in the Champions League, claw in as much cash as possible and fight for a Europa league sport.

The Europa or Conference are both competitions NUFC can win and should win. That would make more sense.

Had the progression been compete in the Europa or win the conference, first, then win the cup, Step up to the Europa, then finish 4th/5th a natural rise up through the competitions all this negativity wouldn't be circling.

However, in true NUFC Geordie fashion, the clubs arrived like 5000 Geordies on the piss in Milan. Loud, proud and full of laughter. Only for the snooty, locals and their London counter-parts to look down their snobby beaks at us and mock our cheerful optimistic attitudes and take great pride and pleasure in our progress when things start to stumble.

Divent let it get ya doon lads! It's a black eye on the way to the world title.

The team will suffer setbacks, the lads will get knocked out ... of competitions but it's about how ya respond. Getting back up off the canvas, dust yasel's doon and going again. 'I didn't hear no bell!'