Newcastle United sporting director Paul Mitchell recently opened up about their disappointing summer transfer window, which club legend Alan Shearer described as disappointing.
The new Toons transfer chief claimed he played a support role in the transfer window. He also posited that manager Eddie Howe had his eyes set on targets, presumably Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, before he arrived. They failed to land their man despite lodging multiple bids.
Mitchell believed the Magpies should have cast their net wider, but Howe remained insistent on Guehi. Mitchell claimed he stepped into a predefined strategy and couldn’t move elements.
However, talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan brandished Mitchell’s comments as stupid before launching into a stern criticism of the former Southampton scout.
“I don’t know why he is saying it is difficult coming into a predefined strategy,” Jordan said (via talkSPORT).
“If it is difficult, don’t come in then. I’m assuming you were recruited because you met the requirements of a predefined strategy. I think that is a bloody stupid thing to say,” the British businessman continued.
Jordan further slammed Mitchell for trying to distance himself from the disastrous window and advised the former AS Monaco transfer huncho to build a data and intelligence team.
Mitchell had claimed in that explosive interview that Newcastle lagged behind other top clubs in building an extensive team of data people to find gems in the transfer window, presumably a swipe at the Amanda Staveley regime.
However, Jordan reiterated that top directors move quickly, and the 43-year-old needs to buckle down and build the structure he wants to see.
Several Newcastle fans, in a census organised by The Athletic, admitted that they were unhappy with their transfer dealings. They expected to get a deal for Guehi over the line, but he never arrived on Tyneside.
Despite touting several exciting transfer targets, they signed back-up goalkeepers Odysseas Vlachodimos and John Ruddy. They added William Osula, Lloyd Kelly, and Alex Murphy to the roster, leaving the fans underwhelmed.
Amid the transfer debacle, Newcastle have started the season well, claiming victories against Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton while drawing AFC Bournemouth. But their poor transfer window could come back to hunt them down the line when they need depth and quality to make another top four push.
