52,405 reasons why Newcastle can do well next season

There’s no hiding the fact that Newcastle United’s season was nothing short of disastrous during the 2015/16 campaign, but with the biggest signing of the summer sealed after an agreement was reached to keep Rafa Benitez at the club, there’s no reason why some of the most passionate fans in the game can’t bounce the club back to the top.

Benitez agreeing to stay on at the club was such a significant move for the club, especially given that there was a clause in his contract in case the unthinkable happened. Unfortunately the unthinkable DID happen and yet Benitez has decided to give it a go in the Championship.

I am sure the most avid Newcastle fan would admit that there was a concern that Rafa Benitez would not hang around after relegation. Let’s look at it logically, he has managed Liverpool, Napoli and Real Madrid. Not a bad resume is it? So why has he agreed to try and roll his sleeves up and haul the North East club out of one of the most unforgiving and tortuous divisions in football? Is it because he has been giving a massive treasure trove of cash to buy his way out? Not likely, Steve McClaren was given plenty of autonomy in the transfer market and ultimately (along with tactical ineptitude) failed in his recruitment. Not Rafa’s fault but the players that were invested heavily in will be expected to get the club out of trouble. So if it is not the promise of money to spend that has kept Rafa here, is it salary? again probably not as, even if he is being paid handsomely it is only what he could be earning at another top European club, he wouldn’t struggle to find another willing club with his background and experience.

There is only one logical and justifiable explanation and that is the fans of Newcastle, the Toon Army. They have given the club a full house every home game and backed them all the way, even when they looked shambolic and lacklustre. The fans have always had the same mentality to back their team vocally during the match. Yes there have been protests around the ownership of the club but the fans have largely been fully behind the players every week.

Rafa Benitez
Credit: @TeleFootball

Rafa has been welcomed by the fans, and it’s fair to say that he has been quite taken aback by the reception and warmth the fans have shown towards him. Why wouldn’t they? If he had been in charge from the start it would be difficult to imagine that Newcastle would be in anywhere near the trouble he found them in after succeeding McClaren.

 

Benitez has been won over by the fans, but he will also be able to see the bigger picture in that, if he can mastermind a return to the top flight (with the help of the fans) he will be able to construct and build a club back in the Premier League. As bizarre as that may sound now, they ae set up as a club to be one of the biggest and best clubs around, the fan base, the club, the history. They can be a force again, but Benitez will realize he needs a tough mentality from his team and with 52,000 people behind them at home they can overwhelm a lot of Championship teams at St James park. However they must also be wary of teams finding Newcastle a huge scalp and every team in that league will come to spoil the party. Just ask neighbours Middlesbrough who took 7 years to make it back to the big league.

So, all is not lost at Newcastle and fans can now look forward to a reign at the club with a successful manager at the helm, keeping a nucleus of good players at the club and adding some steel to the ranks should see Newcastle return next season. Hold tight.

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