Can Newcastle Shake Up The Premiership?

Last updated : 16 June 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

Sam Allardyce believes the Premiership needs Newcastle United to put the fear of God into the Big Four's stranglehold, and he believes he is the man to do it.

 
Allardyce: "I've come here because there is absolutely no question that this club has the potential to break into the top four. It hasn't for a number of years, but I'm here to try to change that.
 
"We've got to realise that we can achieve that, that we have the potential, but it can only be done with a little bit of patience. Breaking into the top four has become a very difficult task.

"However, if you build slowly and grow slowly you will have an opportunity to do that. You can't do it instantly, even if you spent a lot of money, it doesn't guarantee anything.

"You have to grow the culture of the football club and we need to have the infrastructure to get us there.

"Everyone keeps talking about instant success, but Newcastle have to get away from that. We can't just expect to start on August 11 and go on to finish in the Champions League. That will be a goal, a dream to achieve, but it's almost an impossible task in my first season here.

"Football needs Wigan and Sunderland, the West Hams and the Boltons to break the mould, as well as the likes of Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Tottenham.

"We need a competitive league because if it becomes too predictable it loses its entertainment value. If you can't get a shock result like Reading last year, or Wigan the year before, it makes the Premiership boring.

"I think what those two teams did when they came up was very good for the league as a whole. It's the same with Bolton finishing in the top eight, it's healthy.

"We are building to last, not just to have one good season."