Transfer Window Summary: 'We did enough'

Two weeks ago, we watched Newcastle walk past West Ham and record their first win of the season. We went home, not fooled enough into thinking that this symbolised a potentially successful season, but at least relaxed enough to think that with a series of activity at the end of the transfer window, we might see a club build on what was an extremely positive day. Fans united, players committed, Rafa happy.

And then, predictably, the transfer window came and went. Of course, Newcastle were busy – but only in one direction. They spent the last week of August hurriedly trying to rid themselves of the problems they brought upon themselves. Their record of signing unproven players from the continent for knock-down prices finally came back to bite them as they realized that their policy of ‘train up and move on’ is no policy at all if the players you sign are utter tat. So, instead, Newcastle were left with an inflated wage bill and (apparently) no money in the coffers.

Poor old Rafa Benitez. He was left to do all this dirty work. But he did it under the assumption that moving players out would leave him to bring players in. Whatever efforts were made on deadline day to move for Matt Targett and others however, it all reeked of desperation moves coming about as a result of a complete failure to implement the manager’s plan at the start of the summer. As ever, Newcastle have been too hesitant, too cautious, and as a result have been left with a mediocre squad, a disgruntled manager, and a fan base ready to turn to anarchy at any moment.

In response to yet another transfer window failure, many fans and commenters have put it (indirectly) to the board like this: ‘You have a great manager, you are in the Premier League, isn’t this the time to invest, to take risks? We know, Mr. Ashley, that you like to run the club in Scrooge-like fashion, but if you are seriously concerned about losing money, wouldn’t it be best to invest enough so as to avoid dropping down a league once more?’

All fair points, of course, but it misses, I think a crucial aspect of the club’s overall psychology. Contrary to what many of us may think, I actually think the board think they are trying, that they have given the club a chance in the Premier League. Sure, we didn’t sign some of our number one targets, but we signed some targets.

We signed players in pretty much every position. We did enough. In other words, since Ashley took over, what is built into this club’s DNA is not some pathological desire to see this club die, nor is it some kind of indifference to the club’s plight. Instead, what has been integral to Newcastle is simply the fact that the people who run Newcastle simply aren’t very good at running a football club. They are mediocre operators working in a world where competition is at its highest and margin for error is at its tightest.

In such a world, appointing people in high positions under criteria of loyalty (who can I trust) and stability (who is grateful enough for this job that they will never leave) is simply not a recipe for success. If we are all honest with ourselves, we might agree that poor old Lee Charnley really is doing his best for the club. But we might also agree that he is completely useless. Why are we surprised, then, when Tammy Abraham, Benitez’s number 1 target, ends up elsewhere?

And that elsewhere happens to be Swansea, our next opponents. Unlike Newcastle, Swansea moved swiftly at the end of the transfer window, most notably securing Renato Sanches from Bayern Munich. Here’s a club in which a manager used his contacts, and a club moved quickly, efficiently, and competently to secure the purchase. The difference is striking.

The immediate question, of course, is how will Newcastle fare on Sunday against the renewed Swans? Like most games this season, we will approach the game in hope rather than expectation. With Benitez possibly not in attendance as he recovers from surgery, this, like the rest of the season, could be a tough old slog. But the most frustrating part? It will be so not because of fate, or luck, but because of us.

Our destiny could be different, but the powers that be at our club have decided otherwise. Newcastle are eternally the architects of their own downfall – and that surely makes them one of the most frustrating teams to support in football.