Richard Keys has been speaking about Newcastle United.
Richard Keys has been speaking about Newcastle United.
Ah Richard Keys with a wild take on Newcastle United, like being cold in the winter. You knew one was inevitable when the Magpies held the Carabao Cup aloft at Wembley Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The former Sky Sports presenter has previously claimed the club was too far north and that the club would have to move their operations to London, before writing this in March last year: "I’m genuinely sorry that all the hard work Eddie Howe and his staff have put in has come to nothing. Another year has passed without silverware. How many more campaigns can they waste?
"I was never convinced that Howe was the right man for Newcastle, but in fairness he did a terrific job last season. It was great to see them mixing with the big boys again. He restored pride and belief, but it’s time for change if they want to push on. I really don’t think Howe can take them to the next level."
Now, Keys has come out with another outlandish opinion, alleging Newcastle's owners had lost interest in the project.
"It’ll be interesting to see how far the Saudi’s are prepared to back Howe and his team now," Keys wrote over on his Richard Keys blog. "I’ve felt for some time they’d lost interest in the project.
"It was a different [world] when they bought Newcastle. The original idea was to make a mark on the world’s sporting stage like the Emiratis had done with City. And the Qatari’s had with Paris.
"But it seemed to me the money dried up when the formula changed and they started buying sport ‘in’ - staging big boxing bouts in Saudi - football matches - tennis and the like - and setting up their own football league.
"Perhaps now they’ll have another look at their involvement and give Howe the money he needs to get to the next level?"
To the general football fan, his opinion may be fair, but in reality it's far from the truth. The suggestion that Newcastle's owners had lost interest in the project is ludicrous.
PIF made the vow to turn the Magpies into one of the biggest clubs in world football, with the dream of challenging for the Premier League title, the Champions League and more. Since taking over the club in 2021, they've fended off relegation, got to the Carabao Cup Final twice - won it last week - and qualified for the Champion League.
Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Chairman of Newcastle United, celebrates with the Carabao Cup (Image: Getty Images)
The owners have got supporters of the club believing again. They've struck sponsorship deals that dwarf those under previous owner Mike Ashley, built a new STACK fanzone and continue to support Eddie Howe and his staff.
The club's lack of transfer activity in recent seasons is undoubtedly the foundation of Key's 'lost interest' claim, but he's ignoring the huge elephant in the room - Financial Fair Play. From the very get go, Newcastle supporters knew they weren't going to be able to splash the cash like Manchester City.
Many supporters expect this summer to be different. The Magpies chiefs are expected to back Howe in the transfer market, not because he's the man to end their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy, but because that was their plan all along.
Newcastle have had to increase revenue streams before bolstering their squad with quality signings. As frustrating as it has been, that's the harsh reality of life after Ashley.
Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan’s appearance on the Wembley pitch sent a clear message, spotted on camera with one finger in the air saying: "That's the first, and it's not going to be the last." That appearance may have caused a stir, but that's a different debate to be had entirely.
Newcastle's owners are serious and have never lost interest. After all, it took Man City three seasons to win it's first piece of silverware in the form of the FA Cup.
If that's anything to go bye, given all the mitigating factors, the Magpies are exactly where they want to be.
NUFC win Carabao Cup
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