Journalist and presenter Semra Hunter has been speaking on the Loaded Mag YouTube channel about how she can’t see Newcastle United qualifying for Europe this season.
The Magpies finished last season on top form and only narrowly missed out on a top-half finish, despite it taking 15 attempts to win a game in the Premier League, which only goes to show how good of a job Eddie Howe has done on Tyneside.
Newcastle have started in a similar fashion this season, going unbeaten in their opening two games by picking up four points against Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively. However, Hunter doesn’t think they have enough to finish in a European spot.
Hunter believes that a top-10 finish could be on the cards, but anything more may be out of reach.
She said: “I tell you what, the aim has clearly been stated that it needs to be a top-10 finish. You finished 11th last season, so a top-10 finish – that should be at least the aim in terms of doing one better and taking a step forward.
Will Newcastle finish in the top six?
Yes!
No!
“I think Europe may be a little bit out of reach for right now, but I could definitely see Newcastle finishing top-10, I think, relatively comfortably.”
TIF Thoughts on Newcastle’s aims this season…
It makes logical sense for the Magpies to target a top-half finish as that would be progress on last season, however, after splashing out over £50m this summer so far and attacking reinforcements still yet to arrive, PIF and Howe may have loftier ambitions, even perhaps in the short term.
Howe has previously spoken about not wanting to get carried away with goals and targets, but instead that he does indeed dream of winning something and doing great on Tyneside – and that is exactly what is now possible under the ownership of PIF, who are clearly willing to invest and do so responsibly.