Can you BUY a full team of players and expect them to gell from the start?
That is the concern at the Stadium Of Shite, and it will be interesting to see if they sink or swim.
There are various ways of looking at it - not least the fact the Mackems have brought in TEN players (with two more still to come) and only THREE can speak English.
That in itself is a major problem, and although Alan Pardew filled us full of shit by telling us the language barrier was not a concern at Newcastle last January - many of the French players have told us it was a disaster!
Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio has been the busiest manager in the Premier League this summer, bringing in ten new faces and he has no plans to stop yet.
The Italian believes he needs to bring in a few more players if the side are to improve on last season's disappointing campaign.
Asked if he planned to make any more forays in the transfer market, Di Canio told reporters in Hong Kong ahead of next week's Barclays Asia Trophy.
"Of course," said Di Canio. "Obviously we know the board knows that we need something more. But I don't know if it's possible at the moment.
"We have already made some good signings and the club has made some sacrifices in some ways, they have spent some money.
"So I am happy, but obviously it would be better to bring in one or two other players, but we will see."
The major concern to Newcastle fans at the start of a new campaign is that the Sunderland board have done everything asked of them by Di Canio; and Mike Ashley has done NOTHING that Pardew asked for.
Ashley has made ONE signing ... JOE KINNEAR!
Pardew told the media: "I will have three new players in the squad when we return to training on July 4th" ... and how many have we signed?
If that is not a "hint" that Pardew has a noose around his neck ... what is?