If Rafa stays

[ex_pat_magpie]

I think he will stay if he gets anywhere close to his requirements, and that's not just money for players, as Rafa is more shrewd than that and he's looking at the big picture and the long term, unlike Ashley who is a short term money grabber.

Rafa as a man is head and shoulders above Ashley and he has more of a point to prove here than Ashley. That's why I think he will even outstay the greedy, selfish, lying, money grabbing useless owner.

[Zippity]

I think it's precisely because he's looking at the bigger picture that he won't stay.

Ashley isn't interested in genuinely moving the club forward because that would take investment in the infrastructure and facilities as well as the playing squad and he's proved that he's not willing to do that.

[ghostrider]

It depends what the bigger picture really is, or can be for us.
It depends on what people are expecting or are willing to accept.

[Zippity]

It depends what the bigger picture really is, or can be for us.
It depends on what people are expecting or are willing to accept.

I think people are realistic tbh, Ghost.

All we want is for the investment in the training facilities and Academy to be brought up to Premier League standard-which they aren't according to current and ex-players and, most importantly, the manager. It's the sort of investment that will pay for itself both in terms of how it affects the players on the pitch and in helping to produce and develop homegrown talent (i.e. rather than have to buy players). That and decent-not earth-shattering-investment in the first team.

I think that's reasonable to expect.

[ghostrider]

I think people are realistic tbh, Ghost.

All we want is for the investment in the training facilities and Academy to be brought up to Premier League standard-which they aren't according to current and ex-players and, most importantly, the manager. It's the sort of investment that will pay for itself both in terms of how it affects the players on the pitch and in helping to produce and develop homegrown talent (i.e. rather than have to buy players). That and decent-not earth-shattering-investment in the first team.

I think that's reasonable to expect.

Agreed, that all sounds very reasonable in how you put it across, zippity, but is it exactly that?

For instance, you say to bring the training facilities up to scratch. Fair enough in that...but how bad is it in terms of serving a purpose?
Basically speaking, would a state of the art training facility place us any higher than we are?

Not that I don't agree that it probably could do with bringing into line with premier league standards if it's that bad. I don't know how bad it is to be fair and I don't know which players are saying it's as bad.

I mean, how much is molly coddling players going to enhance their desire to be better or to win?
Here's an example. Take a boxer who trains the old fashioned way against one who's being graded by every digital set up along with every gadget imaginable to get them prepared. Who fights better? Who has more desire? Who has more character? Who has more will to win?

I can't give you a right or wrong answer to them just as I can't in terms of state of the art training, but I will hazard a guess that our facilities will be plenty good enough to do the job they're designed to do, even if they can be upgraded at some expense.

I look at it like this.... If players come to this club I assume they see the facilities before they sign. We've had plenty of decent quality players sign for us under this very same set up, so how bad is it?


As for the reasonable spend on investment. What is deemed a decent spend that would be pacifying for many fans?
You see, you may have a ballpark figure that you'd be happy with, but many will not be happy with that same figure and likely never be happy with any figure whilst Ashley owns the club...and this is the crux of the problem, in my opinion...not facilities and such like.

There's a lot more to acceptance and expectation than meets the eye where Newcastle United is concerned, from inside and out, in my honest opinion.

In your opinion what would you expect us to spend and where do you realistically think we could end up with a spend? Let's assume Rafa is signed on and Ashley still owns the club.

[waalsendmick]

A state of the art academy and training facilities is what ALL other premier league clubs have invested large amounts of TV and sponsorship money to achieve.


We simply must do the same to compete...

A muddy field and a few bibs and cones would serve a purpose, but it would not be acceptable.

The money the club makes should be reflected in its facilities

[waalsendmick]

As for spend....

A net spend would be nice for starters...

Rafa has made this club tens / hundreds of millions by going up and staying up (twice) and as of yet, he has spent nothing.

[ghostrider]

A state of the art academy and training facilities is what ALL other premier league clubs have invested large amounts of TV and sponsorship money to achieve.


We simply must do the same to compete...

A muddy field and a few bibs and cones would serve a purpose, but it would not be acceptable.

The money the club makes should be reflected in its facilities

If we only have a muddy field and a few cones then I'm all for massive change. Is that what we have or does anyone actually know the true extent of our training facilities, because looking from the outside in it appears they don't seem to be too shabby in terms of serving a very fair and comfortable purpose.

I could be very wrong and would like to see who's actually had a tour of the entirety, because it comes down to more than just a playing field and a few cones.

[ghostrider]

As for spend....

A net spend would be nice for starters...

Rafa has made this club tens / hundreds of millions by going up and staying up (twice) and as of yet, he has spent nothing.

A net spend is not the be all and end all if clever juggling can be done.
You only have to look at the bigger clubs that appear to spend big and then realise that their net spend is very little.

It's all about making average players better and decent players top class. It comes down to shrewd scouting, negotiating and honing which means that all parties at the club have a role to play, not just one person.

[waalsendmick]

I did not say we only had a muddy field with a few bibs n cones. I said... that would serve a purpose...


As a premier league club... we NEED to be doing far far more than serving a purpose and too many people (within the game who know far far more than you or i) have commented on our facilities NOT being fit for purpose.