Finance guru: Newcastle United ‘on edge’ after boardroom ‘power grab’
Newcastle United will find it even harder to break into Europe’s elite after the latest “power grab” by the European Club Association.
That is the view of finance expert Doctor Dan Plumley, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the ECA’s relationship with Uefa and how new developments will affect the Magpies.
The ECA, who represent Newcastle among 245 other European clubs, held their General Assembly in Istanbul recently.
They announced on 23 September that they and Uefa had signed a letter of intent to create a memorandum of understanding until 2030, signalling closer collaboration between the pair.
Newcastle have not played in European competition since 2012-13 but are desperate to reemerge on the continental stage with the help of the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s billions.
But Plumley suggests that the new ECA-Uefa partnership will benefit the already-established elite and make it all the more difficult for the Tynesiders to smash the glass ceiling.
“Whether this works or not depends on the club,” the Sheffield Hallam University expert told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“If you are in the in-crowd, you are likely to be a beneficiary.
“There is still the scare factor with Uefa about the Super League coming back. I think this is a play by Uefa to bring clubs closer and ensure that doesn’t happen again.
“Then there is also stuff about the TV deal and revamped Champions League. It is the elite clubs that stand to benefit from that.
“From Newcastle’s perspective, it is going to be challenging to break into that elite. This won’t make it impossible, but it will make it more difficult.
“There is a power grab by the in-crowd/Newcastle are on the edge of that whereby they are trying to break into that elite but are not there yet.“
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