Football: Welcome Back Newcastle, We Missed You

When you think of the Champions League you conjure up the magic of Europe’s elite sides such as Barcelona and Real Madrid and if you think about Serie A you associate the Italian league with tight defences and tactical managers throwing their arms around on the touchline.

The moment you utter the words “Premier League”, the image that comes to mind is a passionate crowd in a big stadium cheering on Manchester United or another title winner like Newcastle United.

The Red Devils have dominated the league by finishing as champions more often than any other side but most fans have forgotten that in the first five years of the league’s existence Newcastle was the team that took every title race down to the wire. The Magpies gave us some unforgettable moments like Kevin Keegan’s infamous rants and battles with Sir Alex Ferguson, and legends such as Les Ferdinand, Gary Speed and the league’s all-time leading goal scorer, Alan Shearer.

Aside from the brilliance that Newcastle’s great teams provided on the pitch, it is often forgotten the club has the sixth-largest stadium in England. Any club that has sold out a ground like that more often than three-time League champions Manchester City does not belong in the second-tier Championship.

The problem for the Tyneside club has often been the board – or more specifically Mike Ashley – refusing to provide funds for a team that was allowed to slowly deteriorate.

But with the arrival of Rafa Benitez Newcastle has found its old spirit. The ex-Liverpool boss shocked the football world by staying with Newcastle when the club was relegated in 2016.

Having won the Champions League, the FA Cup and the Europa League, the former boss of Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Chelsea and Liverpool was prepared to mix it in the lower division after apparently falling in love with the passion and culture around the club.

Newcastle responded to relegation by winning the Championship straight away to bounce straight back into the big time. Most clubs that are relegated continue to decline or briefly climb back to the top division before slipping backwards again. That is not likely to happen to Newcastle. The club’s consistency over the past season marked it out as a natural member of the Premier League and it was obvious throughout that they would soon regain their rightful place.

A world-class manager, a 52,000-strong sell-out  crowd at every home game and an atmosphere as good as the Camp Nou tells you that Newcastle is back where it belongs. I get the feeling they’re here to stay and will even be competing for the title in the coming few seasons under the tactical genius of Benitez.

 

by Nubaid Haroon  YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCtMg-fWm7awR41vM1GhVOkA  Twitter: twitter.com/rambofyi

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