It is now two years five months and ten days since the Saudia Arabia PIF headed a buyout of Newcastle United.
The Premier League finally giving approval once the TV Piracy issues with beIN Sports and Qatar were settled.
After, the defeat at Man City on Saturday, I have seen countless media having a go at Newcastle United.
How far behind Man City that NUFC are.
Asking questions such as what has happened, the richest club in the world Saudia Arabia PIF Newcastle United reduced to this?
Well, there are a few comments to make in response…
Manchester City have over the course of more than a decade and a half done everything they can to make their club grow ever stronger, on and off the pitch. Trying to get as much money (by whatever means…) into the club to ensure that growth, on and off the pitch, has built up and up, investing in every aspect of the club, including / especially when planning for the future.#
Whilst at Newcastle United, they inherited an owner in 2007, a year earlier than the Man City takeover, who had a very different ‘model’ when it came to running a club. Ashley determined to take year on year as many benefits for himself out of the football club, with nothing at all done to build up Newcastle United for the longer-term.
So when the Saudi Arabia PIF led takeover eventually came along in October 2021, a ‘little’ catching up needing to be done on Manchester City AND indeed catching up on every major Premier League club, as well as those on mainland Europe.
So then we had the FA Cup match yesterday, showing such a gulf between the two ‘richest clubs in the world’ according to the media.
Well yes, Man City haring off with such a head start over so many many years and now the Saudi Arabia PIF ran tortoise trying to play catch up.
Our enemies will then say, well look at how much the Saudi Arabia PIF have already spent, look at all the players Eddie Howe has been able to buy.
Hmmm, well this was the reality yesterday, the Newcastle United matchday squad that the Saudi Arabia PIF riches have gifted Eddie Howe…
Dubravaka, Murphy, Schar, Lascelles, Botman (Krafth 83), Burn (Hall 62), Bruno, Longstaff (Miley 62), Willock (Anderson 62), Gordon (Almiron 62), Isak (Unused subs: Karius, Dummett, Ritchie, Targett)
That 20 man squad at the Etihad yesterday, breaks down into:
Inherited by Eddie Howe from Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce
Dubravaka, Murphy, Schar, Lascelles, Krafth, Longstaff, Miley, Willock, Anderson, Almiron Dummett, Ritchie
Bought by Eddie Howe
Botman, Burn, Bruno, Gordon, Isak, Targett (Loris Karius was a free transfer and Lewis Hall is currently on loan)
In terms of playing catch up on Man City, or at least trying to, it was pretty symbolic of the ‘luck’ Newcastle United have had this season, that all three of Eddie Howe’s big summer 2023 signings were unavailable, namely Barnes, Tonali and Livramento. As well as of course Pope, Joelinton, Trippier Wilson etc…
Even in these last few seasons, since the Saudi Arabia PIF takeover happened, you could easily argue that Manchester City have actually massively extended the distance over Newcastle United.
From the summer 2021 transfer window (which closed only around five weeks before the NUFC takeover), of the 20 players in the Man City squad on Saturday, these have arrived in that time…
Ortega, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Doku, Haaland, Alvarez, Carson, Nunes, Grealish
Then consider all these others who were already at Man City before the summer 2021 window and were in yesterday’s squad as well, whether bought in as senior signings, or recruited for/brought through their academy…
Walker, Dias, Rodri, Foden, Silva, Bobb, Ake, Stones, Gomes, Lewis
I think Newcastle United will get there, so long as they keep to a long-term plan of growth and building the club on and off the pitch, plus of course deliver a brand new 80,000+ stadium, so that the club’s greatest asset, the fans, can play their full part.
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