Keith Wyness rips into Newcastle United man – ‘he doesn’t understand the fans’
Newcastle chief executive David Hopkinson has been told he is out of touch with the club’s fan base.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, after Hopkinson said he wanted Newcastle to become the “world’s top club” by 2030.
Hopkinson arrived as Newcastle’s new chief executive in September, after Darren Eales stepped down from the role.
Newcastle must generate £500million of revenue to compete at the top of the Premier League, with their latest accounts showing the club made around £320m.
David Hopkinson ‘doesn’t understand’ Newcastle fan base
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – says Hopkinson needs to show how Newcastle can become the top club in the world to the supporters.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness believes the financial rules would also have to change to benefit Newcastle.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “The fans in the north-east, they’re not stupid. They know what the potential there is. And unless you can offer a roadmap of how you’re going to get there, they don’t need the hope of being told they’re going to be a top-level club.
“They believe that Newcastle is already a very important club. They understand that the Champions League is great, and it’s a huge step forward from where they were just a few seasons ago. So I’m afraid it comes across to me like he doesn’t really understand the fan base, he’s not giving a plan or a way forward.
“As I say, for it to really happen, then the whole rules of football financially would have to be rewritten, and I don’t see that happening. I’m putting it down and I’m afraid to bluster.”
Newcastle need to address on-field form
Newcastle have more urgent matters to address on the pitch following their 1-0 defeat to Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby.
Supporters are growing frustrated at Eddie Howe, but the Toon are unlikely to sack the manager despite the club’s current bottom half position.
Newcastle are six points off the top four, with crucial matches against Chelsea and Man United over the festive period.