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Neville: Newcastle need a model change

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Image for Neville: Newcastle need a model change

Gary Neville has suggested that Newcastle United need to change their recruitment model of they are to successfully compete at a higher level in the Premier League.

The Sky pundit has argued that the geography of the city means that it is hard to attract the right kind of player, and that an alternative strategy must be implemented if they are to realise their potential.

Neville also shared that the Magpies’ current ownership was also another hurdle to the club’s ambitions.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ coverage (Friday April 12th, 19:20) of the Toon Army’s clash with Leicester City, as quoted in the Chronicle, he said: “I don’t dispute the size of the club, the fanbase is amazing and the stadium is incredible. When I go up there I absolutely love it. But there are big problems.

“Obviously the ownership is one of them but attracting players up to the North East of the calibre you need [is difficult].

“It’s not just the North East, it’s Yorkshire and parts of the North West. Players prefer to play in London and the South West, unfortunately.

“There’s going to have to be a model change for Newcastle, a distinct model change, for them to be successful and to challenge the top six or top four and trying to be one of the biggest clubs in the country.

“They’re going to have to do something different because players won’t go up there and live up there for six, seven years in masses.”

OPINION

Geography is a factor that has affected northern clubs for a long time now, but one that ultimately gets very little attention. From a purely practical point of view, if you have a young lad coming over from the continent for example, it makes a lot more sense for him to want to live in a London or a Manchester than it does for him to move to the north east. As such, the Magpies have to be more cunning with their recruitment policy. They have done it before, and the year that they had the likes of Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba, and Papiss Demba Cisse, they looked like the real deal, but the key is being able to replace those players when they do eventually move on. That is the tricky part, for obvious reasons, but a decent scouting network and an owner willing to pay the big bucks when it is required of him is always a good start. At the moment, the Magpies don’t really have either, and until they find a solution, they are destined to struggle.

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