Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle is hopeful that the challenges the Magpies’ players faced in the Championship will hold them in good stead next campaign when they play in the Premier League.
The 27 year old feels that every team in the Championship put in extra effort to beat Newcastle, and he thinks the squad’s determination and togetherness to beat highly motivated opponents may help them to fight against better teams next season. He is quoted by the Chronicle as saying:
“This season, we’ve known that every team – home and away – were going to be up for it more than in any other game when they played against us. Whenever Newcastle fans were going to an away ground, the home team was always up for it.”
“We had to overcome that, and it just shows how good a team we’ve had that we were able to do it. It shows how switched on we’ve been to be up against it, and still come out with the Championship. We have to carry that attitude and togetherness into the Premier League.”
Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez could decide however to make significant changes to the squad’s makeup during the close season which will need to be handled carefully in order to maintain the team spirit which has developed over the course of the Championship campaign.
Despite scoring 23 goals in all competitions, even Gayle’s position in the team could come under pressure with the Magpies reportedly seeking to strengthen the forward line in the summer.
