“They’re a fabulous football club, but it’s a very difficult place to work, it’s difficult to be a player there.
“Mike Ashley hasn’t been there since ’69. This is an ongoing problem. There’s a frustration that they haven’t done better, as they think they should’ve done. Managing there is very difficult, you don’t get too long, you’re always firefighting.”
Newcastle have actually won two trophies under Ashley’s leadership on Tyneside – both of which being the Championship title. However those are trophies that should never have been won by this club because the relegations from the Premier League were completely avoidable and inexcusable.
But do Magpies fans expect, or even want, silverware at this stage? That’s debatable.
It’s pretty obvious that all the Toon Army wants right now is to have a club to be proud of. They have a manager that is one of the best in Europe and they are certainly overjoyed by the fact they have him on board, but for how much longer will that last? Benitez’s contract expires at the end of the season and with transfer funds so low, you cannot expect him to stay.
So what does that leave? The players aren’t amazing and too many of them are short of the quality that Newcastle expects, or even Premier League quality for that matter.
Souness’ comments about the club are just completely wide of the mark. Fans do not silverware, they want progress. Make enough progress and then they will have the chance to add to their collection of trophies.
Under Ashley, there is no progress and there is no hope of major honours heading to St James’ Park any time soon.