Would it be wrong to expect more than just survival next season?

[EthiGeordie]

  Whomever say yes needs to check up on the head.....

[Dr Venkman]

fucks sake, its starting already. we just need to stay up man.

[Consortium of one]

How many other clubs are going have a 15M transfer kitty though?  Some clubs will have to sell, others will have to sell to buy.  Supposedly we get to play with 15M.  The key will be to buy wisely, to stay away from the likes of Jimmy Bullard, etc.  A creative MC and a good striker should be the priorities.  Then a RFB. Butt will be gone and maybe we can sell Smudger to lop more dead weight off the wage bill.  I hope we play some of the kids for the rest of the season.  Be nice to see one or two (Vuckic?) who could be in the rotation next year

[nufc4eva]

A couple of the right type of players can change the dynamics of a team so I won't lose hope yet. However realistically we need to just survive next season and hopefully grow as a team as the season goes on. We need a couple of midfielders, right back and a goalscorer minimum. However getting the right type of players for centre midfield and up front could make a massive difference

[nufc4eva]

I would take boateng if we can get him and maybe ohara

[Wallace]

It is in Ashley's interest to keep us in the Premier League and surely he will have learnt his lesson and realised that there has to be investment in the team.  I don't think the likes of Birmingham, Wolves and Stoke spent too much when first promoted and I think we have a stronger base to start from than those teams as well as the infrastructure is already in place.  We also have some credibility as a PL team compared to say the likes of Burnley and Hull so we should find it easier to attract players than most newly promoted teams

 

There are decent players out there for reasonable prices so let's hope that Hughton can spot a player and identify the priority positions to be filled.  To be fair, he didn't do too bad in January as virtually all of those signings have made a contribution - the exception of course being Best but being kind maybe his signing pushed Carroll and Lovenkrands into their goal scoring form with the increased competition for places.

 

It is all down to spending whatever money is available wisely and being promoted so early means they have plenty of time to plan for next season.

 

 

[afar]

It's good to be realistic and not expect more than what can be achieved, but we have got to be careful at the same time to not lower our expectations too low to drag ourselves down to a level that we can comfortably better.

 

There is nothing at all to be frightened of in the bottom half of the PL. We weren't frightened at all by them only last year, we went down through our own self distruction, not because our squad was not strong enough to stay up. Brum and Stoke over the last couple of seasons are prime examples of clubs that can bridge the gap between top on the CCC and mid table in the Prem. Neither of those sides nor any around them have players we  should be intimidated by.

 

Some wise investment, good management, a commited and collective group of players and we should be fine.

[alpal78]

CHRIS HUGHTON will be given £15million to make Newcastle a Premier League force again.

With owner Mike Ashley running a tight ship on Tyneside, gone are the days when millions were wasted on fees and wages.

 

Hughton will instead look to add shrewd summer buys to the core of his promotion-winning squad in a bid to keep Toon in the top flight.

 

Back in 2005, a whopping £30m was spent by then boss Graeme Souness, including £16m on £100,000-per-week striker Michael Owen.

 

But a Toon source told SunSport: "The days of big spending at Newcastle are over.

 

"Mike has formulated a rigid business plan and will stick to it no matter what.

 

"He is looking at making sure Chris can compete with the bottom nine in the Premier League and will give him the funds to do so.

 

"Cost-cutting measures over the past year have ensured the club will go back up on a sound financial footing.

 

"Players will come in - but they won't be paying over the odds for anyone. This is the new Newcastle."

 

Ashley has been delighted with Hughton but there will be no parades through Newcastle even if the title is won in the next five games.

 

 

 

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2922491/Hughtons-15m-Toon-kitty.html#ixzz0kPMnIPXO

 

There's Mike Ashley's ambitions for next season. Can't say it's any big surprise tbh.

 

Come on, put your prejudice aside will ya?! Of all papers, you're quoting "a Toon source" as your reference?

 

The season is not even over yet, I doubt Ashley and Hughton has even talked about next season, until then all figures low or high are just speculation and people are just using those numbers to justify their position

[JH]

Our aim is 17th, anything more is a bonus. Like promotion this season, we just absolutely have to stay up no matter what. The real work comes in 11/12.

 

If the rags are to be believed, Ashley is thinking with his head for once. Plan properly and build bridges slowly. There's no reason why he shouldn't fund to compete with the bottom nine - I think even that is a bit ambitious. We're not going to shoot back into the top half and there's no reason we should try and do so.

[hakka]

We used to have the 5th highest wage bill in England a year ago. I wonder if we will even be in the top half of the premier for wages by this time next year?

 

 

 

Well Owen had the salary of a few players, so with him gone I suspect it dropped plenty on it's own.

 

[Nexumaster]

Hope for survival and then anything extra is a bonus. Lets build things season by season.

[Howaythelads]

Our aim is 17th, anything more is a bonus. Like promotion this season, we just absolutely have to stay up no matter what. The real work comes in 11/12.

 

If the rags are to be believed, Ashley is thinking with his head for once. Plan properly and build bridges slowly. There's no reason why he shouldn't fund to compete with the bottom nine - I think even that is a bit ambitious. We're not going to shoot back into the top half and there's no reason we should try and do so.

 

If you aim for 17th there is a bloody good chance of finishing below that.

[Happy Face]

The journal pointed out what promoted teams spend and where they've finished the last few years.  In summary...

 

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6880/bubblee.jpg

 

So in Summary it doesn't matter one iota if you spend £6m or £40m, you're goint to be doing very well to get into the top half.  There are FAR more variables at stake.

 

That said, in 3 years only 3 teams have spent less than £14m after promotion.

 

Neither survived.