OPINION
It is a well agreed fact that clubs outside of major English cities, namely London and Manchester, face a battle to try convince new recruits to make the move elsewhere – and that applies to Newcastle United.
The Magpies are the most northern of all Premier League sides and perhaps one of the most remote places that England’s top flight has to offer, with a small city centre in comparison to the likes of other non-London cities such as Manchester and Birmingham.
Such aspects can play a key role in trying to sign new stars, especially from overseas, and if a London side are battling Rafael Benitez’s team for his capture, then there really is only one place he wants to live.
There are other elements which play a role; areas like wages, bonuses, competitiveness and facilities – but unfortunately for the Spanish boss, Newcastle are likely to lose out on all of those thanks to Mike Ashley.
The owner is rarely willing to open his wallet and splash the cash for a new arrival, and while the Magpies were lagging behind both on the pitch and in the boardroom, they now look to be overtaken when it comes to their training facilities.
The Chronicle report that rivals Leicester City are to splash out a stunning £100million on a new training complex, and with Benitez known to be keen on improving Newcastle from top to bottom, he will likely be demanding cash to modernise the Magpies’ practice ground.
With just a year left on the Spaniard’s contract, any unwillingness to spend will only edge him closer to an eventual exit, and that is only the start of the issues.
Potential arrivals will not be impressed by what they see on Tyneside in comparison to other clubs, while the current stars themselves are coming up against opposition using state-of-the-art equipment which will only hinder their chances of success.
It is time for Ashley to pull his finger out and invest, for it would bring a massive boost on numerous levels.