Tyne to Shine – Can Newcastle United be the surprise package in 2014/2015?
As transfer windows go, this has been a successful sweep of the soccer supermarket for Alan Pardew and Newcastle United.
The North East side have by all accounts invested wisely in quality players whilst maintaining a healthy bank balance. Six acquisitions have been brought in, including Ajax Captain Siem De Jong, Montpellier midfielder Remy Cabella, and Dutch wing-back Daryl Janmaat.
Former Ajax captain Siem de Jong is highly regarded across Europe
A club renowned for its fair share of flops and farces (Albert Luque anyone?), this summer has been a breath of fresh air for the loyal Toon Army.
It was just over a year ago that Joe Kinnear began his infamous stint as Director of Football which ended in February, with no permanent senior signings and the loss of the teams’ best player in Yohan Cabaye – how time flies in football.
In seasons past, the loss of star full-back Mathieu Debuchy to Arsenal would have had fans in uproar. With Debuchy leaving for around £12m, the club swiftly moved to sign Daryl Janmaat from Feyenoord for £5m. Janmaat’s outstanding displays at the World Cup have calmed any fears around Tyneside of his capabilities to fill the Frenchman’s boots.
Newcastle were quick to pounce on World Cup star Daryl Janmaat following the departure of Mathieu Debuchy to Arsenal
Making way for the new recruits, nine senior players have left, including Shola Ameobi, Dan Gosling, Sylvain Marveaux and the aforementioned Debuchy.
Such a big turn-around in personnel usually leads to nothing more than a transitional season. It’s happened before, but something feels different this year for the Toon.
Expecting six or seven senior players to slot into a Premier League side is a tough task but it is becoming a common theme throughout this season’s window. Newcastle’s situation is a stark contrast to league rivals Southampton, who have so far offloaded five key players for nearly £100m, but are struggling to spend it on the right players.
The dreadful end to last year’s campaign had heaped huge unnecessary pressure onto Pardew’s shoulders. The long-term boss was essentially powerless to let Cabaye go and the team suffered for his exit. This is all set to change.
Creativity will be at its highest, both De Jong and Cabella are highly influential playmakers who can also score. Forward Emmanuel Riviere is an unknown entity but had a decent goal scoring record at Monaco.
Pardew has got everything spot-on pre-season. A successful and emotional tour to New Zealand has brought a fractured squad together.
Fresh faces bring fresh optimism but it is important that all parties keep their feet on the ground. A 10th placed finish last year is to be improved upon and 7th would be a good target – but Newcastle could go beyond that.
Plenty to Smile About: Alan Pardew has put the last campaign behind him and has enjoyed a successful pre-season, but will that translate into Premier League success?
In contrast, should Pardew find himself in the mire in December, there is a good chance he will be gone. A swift return on his investments is the key to avoid this happening. The days of bleeding players into a new team, a new system and a new city are long gone.
But if Newcastle can build momentum early on, if Lady Luck can shine on St. James Park and if fans can stay realistic (a tough task for the notorious Toon Army) then this should by all accounts be a successful year in the North East… we can only hope.
Will Newcastle be a force to be reckoned with this season?
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