Newcastle United's Future Plans

As things stand, Newcastle United are in a sticky situation because we don't, as yet, know which division we will be plying our trade in next season.

A season which will be the first under the new TV deal, which will see an extra £30 million minimum enter the accounts of our club.

Now, forgetting the argument of Mike Ashley having a plan or will we/wont we invest, there has to be a point where we know what the score is in regards to the club's ambition in order to try and get us all back on the same page.

A United front is a happy front and all that.

Other issues affecting the future mainly involve the replacing of our want-away captain, Fabricio Coloccini, Who was in the papers again yesterday trying to explain what he meant by comments stating that he will stay till the end of the season before assessing.

It means exactly that, he is here until May,then he wants to leave for personal reasons. It will then be up to the club to decide if/when he can.

If we're safe then the chances are he will be sold but not given away. Replacements for him have already been mooted, with Mamoudo Sakho linked again today and yes he's French before anyone asks.

Other issues to be decided include the recruiting of a major striker as well as a couple of striking squad members, who can compete for the starting XI as replacement for Demba Ba, Xisco and the probable departure of Nile Ranger.

Another milestone ahead will have to be the tinkering of the infamous wage cap. Extra revenue gives us that option to renegotiate some contracts instead of losing them to clubs that don't care if their books are in order just to sign some big names. The Financial Fair Play Rules may be in force but that hasn't stopped many clubs from breaking the bank.

The wage structure here wouldn't be such a problem if we had major ambitions of actually winning something, which must be addressed in the Summer in a way of a statement of sorts by Mike Ashley or Derek Llambias because regular passionate crowded full houses deserve some sort of reward for their loyalty.

Which leaves us with another issue.

Does Ashley or Derek see Alan Pardew as the man to steer us to glory or just the man to take the flak for their policies?

As ever, we'll find out.

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