The Newcastle United transfer problem Paul Mitchell overlooked - and it's one he plays a role in
It will go down as one of the most explosive and contentious quotes in Newcastle United's long history of controversy. New director of sport Paul Mitchell lit a bonfire under himself when he declared that United's transfer policy was "not fit for purpose".
Given that it has produced the likes of Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier, Harvey Barnes, Nick Pope, Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento it sparked Eddie Howe into a passionate defence of his and the recruitment team's signings supported wholeheartedly by a grateful Toon Army.
After all, those signed players had with help from reinvigorated performers already within camp lifted Newcastle from a team regularly haunted by the fear of relegation to fourth top, the Champions League, and a Wembley cup final.
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No, United's recruitment has been excellent and, I would suggest, not overpriced. Surely Livramento, who has just been elevated into England's squad, and Tonali who has made an explosive return to the Italian national side will go on to fully justify their fee and more.
Where United have fallen short is that they have actually not recruited enough of late and that is down to their one big overall failure - the inability to sell players as all clubs must in these infuriating days of financial fair play. United - ie Mitchell - were unable to sign a central defender and a right winger in the summer transfer window but what was highlighted during the 2-1 victory over Wolves at the weekend was their constant reluctance to address a blatant problem up top.
When Isak was forced off at half-time with United a goal down at Molineux alarm bells deafened all Geordies. The fact that the Mags somehow turned it round and won with two superlative long distance strikes does not camouflage an obvious problem. If Isak fails to make the next match United will be down to playing a false nine or a rookie Will Osula as their main striker which for a team trying to remain unbeaten and push for the summit from third top of a hugely competitive league is potentially catastrophic.
For a basic outlay of £10m plus possible add-ons a PL club gets little more than a third choice centre-forward, which is fine and exactly what Osula is, but when the main back-up man is Callum Wilson with his chronic injury record then they are desperately thin on the ground.
Wilson hasn't played since limping off in Germany without kicking a competitive ball and into the operating theatre. Frightening but true. United are exposed in certain areas including No 9 despite their subs' bench looking strong at Wolves in terms of experience and that can cost the club big time between now and January and afterwards as well unless they get their act together in the next restricted window.
That brings me back to what in my eyes is their outstanding problem and that is a total failure to move players on. Some HAVE to go under current financial rules whether they are good club men who help foster unity and a healthy dressing-room environment or not.
The only players of significance sold this close season were Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh in an embarrassingly blind panic on June 30 when a deduction of 10 points for breaching FFP rules loomed large. Suddenly anybody and everybody was available!
There were others who in my opinion were expendable over the summer months when pressure was not on like Miggy Almiron, Trippier, Wilson (while fit) and Martin Dubravka who would have provided wiggle room in terms of boosting recruitment but are still with us.
What we are also faced with now is a barrow load of players whose contracts are up at the end of this season and will be on a free transfer if they are not offered new deals. In other words no financial return whatsoever available because the problem was not headed off sooner. Think of Wilson, Dan Burn, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, Emil Krafth, and Dubravka. Eddie will want to keep some, not others, but financially all are dead wood.
No, Paul Mitchell, let us praise the signings of those who have rescued NUFC and turned a sinking ship into an ocean going liner. However please get on moving out certain players less valuable to the cause than others and get new personnel in to key positions to give Eddie Howe a genuine chance of making Europe and perhaps even bringing silverware back to an empty trophy cabinet.
May all the good that has been done in the name of Newcastle United not be squandered on the alter of ego or confrontation.