Newcastle United: What are Newcastle’s aims next season?
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00:00 I think that's the main point to talk about, what now is the aim for next season?
00:05 I've had some discussions on social media about this and you do think given the fact that there will be no midweek matches
00:11 they can concentrate fully on the domestic side of things, both league and the two cups
00:17 so you would like to think if they get the summer right, they should be aiming for a pretty good season next season
00:25 whether that be a top 4 or a domestic cup of some description
00:30 As you say with the players potentially leaving, I don't think the Europa Conference League will dictate whether Bruno or Isak stay or go to Europe
00:38 I think there's other factors involved in that which will dictate their futures
00:42 but I think just for the club's progression and of course wanting to play Europe consecutively in every season
00:48 that's where there's a real blow in terms of not qualifying this year
00:52 but I don't think it's going to affect whether Bruno or Isak really stay to be honest
00:56 as I say, they're under contract at Newcastle, Bruno has a £100m release clause active until the end of June
01:04 and then after that his price will probably go up, let's be honest
01:09 Same with Isak, as far as we know he does not have a release clause
01:13 but his price given his age and his scoring ability is probably going to be even higher than Bruno's
01:19 so let's be honest, I don't think many clubs can afford either of them
01:25 so I don't think missing out on Europe will affect their futures too much
01:32 but it will affect maybe some of the morale around the club at least for the summer period
01:38 but if they get the summer right in Newcastle I think they can then go on and have a good season
01:42 but just on that, I think we'll look at that Jordan, you've touched on it there
01:46 what does next season have to be now, what does it have to look like?
01:49 Is it the case when Newcastle have to qualify for the Champions League again
01:53 or at least top five and win something, whether it be an FA Cup or a League Cup, where do you stand on that?
01:59 Well they certainly can't have a season they don't have this season
02:03 because the club's ambitions are public, I think the owner himself has came out
02:10 well yes RMI and the non-executive chairman has come out and said Newcastle will be number one
02:15 and to not have European football for two seasons in a row would be unthinkable really
02:22 so that's the bare minimum, next season they've got to get back at least top six in my opinion
02:28 and they've got a challenge for a trophy I think
02:33 if Newcastle challenge for a trophy this season, look it's easier said than done
02:37 but if they can get themselves in a final and finish around fifth, sixth in the Premier League
02:44 I think many fans would probably accept that maybe, maybe you'd have to go and win a trophy
02:50 and then finish fifth or sixth for that to be accepted
02:53 because if you say Newcastle's last two seasons, fourth and seventh
02:59 that in Newcastle United's recent history is the best finishes they've had
03:04 but the feeling around the club and who the owners are, the ambitions, expectations have naturally rose
03:11 and unfortunately a seventh place finish in many ways is acceptable
03:17 but you're left wanting more and you're left wanting, I think you can get more as well
03:22 because of who's in charge so yeah, they've got to go and challenge for that top four again next season
03:30 at least finish in Europe and I do think a trophy is key because we're three years into this
03:37 well three full seasons now into the new owners, under the new owners
03:42 I think if you had asked me on the night of the takeover, where do I think Newcastle will be in three, three and a half years time
03:50 I would say challenging for a trophy, I don't expect that to change
03:53 I think in many ways it's harsh but I think the pressure probably is on a little bit next season
03:59 for them to go and do something that's exceptional
04:04 it could be qualifying for the Champions League again or it could be winning a trophy
04:08 but to be honest I would take either but probably the trophy
04:14 I was going to add to it, the wait has to end at some point doesn't it
04:19 I know they haven't got Europe this season but they have qualified for Europe for the first time in 20 years last year
04:25 so they've checked that box, they've got back into Europe in some description
04:30 but then you've got that elephant in the room, it's 1969 is the last time they won anything
04:37 major of course, the Intercity's first cup
04:40 and it's got, as I say, that wait has to end eventually
04:45 and for all the times you can qualify for Europe and all the success that can bring
04:49 I made the point on social media the other day, Tottenham Hotspur have qualified for Europe an awful lot over the last few years
04:55 Champions League, Europa League etc but they're all, I hate to use the term 'the big six'
05:01 but they're all seen as that bit of a laughing stock in that only because they haven't won anything
05:06 since 2008 in the League Cup so I think you can qualify for Europe as much as you like
05:11 but I think eventually they have to win something and establish themselves as a winning club
05:16 because a qualified for Europe doesn't necessarily mean you've won something
05:19 it just means you've done something in the League but you've not lifted that piece
05:23 there's a tangible difference in my opinion
05:26 so I think, obviously I don't think the Premier League will be quite within their reach next season
05:31 although you never know
05:33 as I say, no Europe to contend with and if they get the summer right
05:38 and if players are not as injured as they were in the season just gone
05:42 and Tonali comes back etc, you never know
05:46 but you'd think at the moment the likes of Arsenal and Man City would still be a couple of steps ahead
05:51 but I think they can really go and attack the League Cup and the FA Cup
05:54 now of course, they got to both quarter finals last season
05:57 and let's be honest, they were within a key and trip year mistake of probably getting to a
06:02 and this is not to discredit Middlesbrough but they probably would have beaten Middlesbrough over two legs
06:07 in a semi-final
06:10 and that's another final they would have got to
06:14 and of course in the FA Cup, they were doing alright, they got past Blackburn just about on penalties
06:19 and then look at the draw, Hazard of course you end up against much of the city away
06:23 and then you think, oh gosh
06:25 and then you're sort of, your hopes are dashed a little bit to be honest
06:31 but regardless, so they weren't far away this season
06:34 and that's this season with all its issues and problems
06:37 so you think if things are better next season, they should have a right good go at both of those
06:42 and not just get to the quarter finals but get to semi-finals, get to finals
06:46 and let's be honest, I mean, I was listening to another podcast the other day
06:51 with a friend of both ours, Matthew Radebeck
06:54 and he says he thinks they probably have to win something next season
07:00 and so, is there pressure on any how do you think?
07:06 Yeah, I mean, there's so many negative connotations with the word pressure
07:12 but ultimately I think that's the way it is because of what he's achieved so far
07:19 what did Newcastle have to do now to make the next step?
07:22 They finished fourth in Addy House, first full season in charge
07:25 they then finished seventh where they played Champions League football
07:29 so what is the next step?
07:30 and the next step is to win a trophy
07:33 and I think that they've got a challenge for that next year
07:37 I thought you made a really good point there about the winning a trophy
07:40 it's almost that hoodoo where once they win one trophy
07:45 you'd hope that more would follow and it's been a very, very long time
07:50 they need to do that sooner rather than later
07:55 and you're right as well, even throughout the ups and downs of the season
08:00 the struggles, the injuries, they weren't far away
08:04 you mentioned the league cup, the FA cup, quarter finals
08:07 even in the Champions League, they were half an hour away from a last-16 tie in the Champions League
08:12 so there is positives there because I don't want to be that guy who says
08:17 well, actually, maybe not having European football is a blessing in disguise
08:21 I don't believe that at all because, well, it can be
08:24 but to be a progressive football club you need to be qualified for Europe
08:28 but maybe if you just take a step back and don't have them extra games
08:33 then you conserve energy
08:38 if you think on the first season that Eddie Howe's team was that high intensity, high press
08:44 you'd expect that to return next season and if they can hit the best levels
08:48 then they should realistically be challenging for the top four again
08:52 and as you say, they haven't been far away in the cup competition
08:55 so I think Eddie Howe has set such a high bar
08:59 certainly when you look back at that Champions League season anyways
09:02 when they qualify for the top four, well, look what Eddie Howe can do with a full squad
09:06 look at all that, the way they play, etc
09:10 that will probably return next season where those expectations will probably rise again
09:14 where you say, well, Eddie Howe's done that with a full squad with less games
09:18 so can he do it again? I think that's the challenge for him
09:21 and if they get that right, then there's no reason why they shouldn't be
09:24 challenging for a trophy and even top four again next year
09:27 Well, that's the thing, the only caveat to that is because they're missing Europe for a year
09:32 they then don't have that getting used to playing midweek again
09:35 which they didn't cope too well with this year
09:39 which, well, I mean, their performances obviously didn't drop massively
09:43 but the injuries, they were the big impact
09:46 and of course they don't have that this year, so as much as they might go and have a really good season
09:49 they then get back into Europe next year
09:52 other than missing that bit of preparation, a bit of being used to
09:56 having those midweek games, but then the caveat to that
10:00 is that they might have a bigger and more deep squad by then
10:03 which will be more ready to cope with the extra games on top
10:09 but yeah, I think you can look at it all different types of ways
10:12 there's lots of different angles about the whole European
10:15 not having it and then what that might mean for next season
10:18 but I think we are all in some sort of agreement that next season has to be better
10:23 but that this season they weren't far away and that if they get this summer right
10:27 next season can and will be better
10:30 because as I say, this season for all the issues
10:34 you know, two cup quarter finals not far away in Europe
10:39 and let's be honest, they blew their own European hopes in the league
10:43 because it was in their hands a few weeks ago
10:46 so with all that being said, they should be on course for a good season
10:52 this season, final question before we move on to the next topic Jordan
10:55 if next season doesn't go that way, what happens to Eddie Howe?
11:01 It's a tough question that one
11:05 Is he given more time or not?
11:07 I think, I'm going to say I think he will be
11:14 because I think the man that me had had, the ownership really value him
11:21 the same as a special coach which for Newcastle so far he has been
11:29 I don't know, you put us on the spot here
11:34 I say it from both sides because we're talking about the ambitions and the ownership
11:42 and they want Newcastle to be number one and to have another poor season
11:46 you would naturally think probably results in the head coach being relieved of his duties
11:49 but I just think they've invested so much in Eddie Howe
11:53 he's been given a lot of control ever since he stepped through the door at Newcastle
11:58 he was appointed as a head coach but has been in charge of the transfers
12:02 that was even when Dallas Roof came in
12:04 they put a lot of faith in him and I do think getting rid of Eddie Howe
12:11 would be a last resort for them, things would have to go really, really bad
12:15 for that to happen in my opinion so I think yeah, I'm going to sit on the fence on that one
12:21 I think there will be an interest to see how things play out shall we say
12:25 I think the fan base will certainly be split if that was to have a poor season again next year
12:33 so I'm enjoying the fan base in my opinion being split because you've got an ownership group
12:40 as I say, you've got so much ambition, want to be the best
12:43 but then you've also got the ownership group who have got a lot of faith and love for Eddie Howe
12:48 so it's a pretty impossible position to be in if things do indeed go the wrong way
12:54 but look, I totally doesn't because saying they've shown, Eddie Howe has shown that
12:59 with a full season, no injuries, lack less games, he can be a real force in the Premier League
13:07 and if that continues next year then the conversation of Eddie Howe's future
13:11 just won't come into it, he'll be here for a very long time
13:14 Of course, yes, as I say I thought I had to ask because it's a valid question
13:19 because of course he would have been at the club for three and a half or so years by then
13:23 and questions would naturally be asked by the fans, the ownership if they weren't in a good situation
13:31 but let's give them the backing perhaps and give them the chance to right the wrongs of this season
13:37 even though they weren't, let's be honest, that many compared to where they've been in recent years
13:43 under previous ownership and previous managers
13:46 but yeah, there's a long old season ahead and we'll be previewing it in the coming weeks
13:53 but for now let's just hope everything goes well