Rob Dorsett has been speaking on a problem that PIF may encounter in years to come at Newcastle United.
Dorsett and Sky Sports have been reporting on the fact that UEFA are set to ratify new plans to ensure Europe’s bigger clubs have an easier way of qualifying for the Champions League each season via a new wildcard system, which would allow teams into Europe’s elite competition without finishing in the designated qualification spots in the Premier League.
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This may not appear to be an immediate problem for Newcastle United or PIF, as Amanda Staveley has claimed in the past they want Newcastle to be fighting right at the top – and that would mean potentially going for a spot in the Champions League in the coming years.
These new wildcard spots would be based upon a team’s UEFA coefficient, and Sky Sports have revealed what they expect them to look like, with the Magpies all the way down in 94th place – something that Dorsett believes would see them almost certainly miss out on a wildcard spot in the Champions League, forcing them to finish inside the top four, which is a tough feat given how congested the top of the Premier League already is.
He said: “Last at the bottom there, Newcastle in 94th – we know about Newcastle’s spending power, we know about their ambition. They will want to get into the Champions League and they will not get there via the wildcard system, it’s that simple.”
TIF Thoughts on Newcastle going for the Champions League…
Given the wealth of Newcastle United’s owners, it is certainly not a longshot to suggest that they are gunning for the Champions League and other such honours, however, it will take a long time for this to come to fruition when you look at how poorly they have done against sides fighting it out for European spots this season, not winning a single one.
The mere fact that UEFA are looking to implement a rule that would allow historic performances to determine a club’s path into the Champions League is a massive punch to the gut for everyone that campaigned against the European Super League.
In other news: ‘I exchanged messages’ – George Caulkin reveals what Staveley has told him at Newcastle