OPINION
The success of Wolverhampton Wanderers in their return to the Premier League this season has put a fair few mid-table teams in the shade.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have been terrific back in the top flight, scoring wins over West Ham and Burnley and draws with the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City.
They’ve been a lesson in what ambition can do to a football club, and Newcastle United should be the team glancing most enviously towards the Midlands.
In terms of history and fanbase, Newcastle are a far bigger team than Wolves. They also have a more high profile manager. But yet they are scrabbling around in the transfer market and struggling to draw with the Cardiff’s and Crystal Palace’s of the world.
While Nuno was recruiting Joao Moutinho and Rui Patricio this summer, Rafael Benitez was making do with Fabian Schar and Yoshinori Muto. No disrespect to those two players, but neither of them have won a European Championship.
It’s not that Newcastle couldn’t sign players of Moutinho and Patricio’s ilk, it’s that they are simply unwilling to. If the finances were made available Tyneside would surely represent a much more desirable destination than Molineux.
It goes back to that word ambition again. To be exact, Newcastle are devoid of any of it under Mike Ashley’s ownership. It’s a shame, because a look at Wolves shows what can be achieved when resources are poured into a club.
Obviously Wolves have benefitted from the influence of super agent Jorge Mendes, but why is that not the sort of relationship Newcastle could cultivate?
There are too many people ignoring the big picture at St James’ Park. This is a club that could be massive if given the right kind of backing.
It has the stadium, the manager, the fanbase… just not the owner. As always when discussing Newcastle, that is the thing that needs to change.
It must be so frustrating for Benitez to see what Nuno is achieving at Wolves, not because he begrudges the man his success but because he knows that his team could match or even surpass Wolves’ achievement if given the chance.
Wolves are a good team and they have earned their success on the football pitch, but their boundless ambition is another stark reminder of the fact that Newcastle have absolutely none.
