Former Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren has given his verdict on the Magpies’ recent spending in the January transfer window. The ex-manager was very positive about the business Newcastle were able to do last month, saying that it was “fantastic”.
Five new faces arrived on Tyneside. They were Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and Matt Targett (on loan). The club currently find themselves in a relegation battle, but the fresh arrivals may see half their starting XI changed.
For McClaren, this was a positive for the Magpies. The Englishman has first-hand experience when it comes to being in a survival scrap with the Toon.
McClaren thinks fresh competition is a good for the dressing room
Speaking on ‘The McClaren Performance podcast, he stated, “I think it’s a fantastic window.”
He then later added, “When you’ve got five or six new players coming in, it freshens everybody with competition for the dressing room and it’s like throwing a bomb in there.”
Furthermore, the man who managed Newcastle during the 2015/16 campaign implied, it may spur on the currently injured Callum Wilson.
He said, “I always like that now and again. Not if you’re settled, but now and again. It needs a bomb because players now will wonder, ‘What’s the pecking order all of a sudden. I was the top dog. I was the number nine. Now, Wood’s coming in.”
McClaren certainly had a rough spell at Newcastle. He mostly struggled with results and was eventually sacked after a 3-1 defeat to Bournemouth at St James’ Park. He won only 6 out of 28 games.
The Magpies are in a better position than they were in the 2015/16 season
Current boss Eddie Howe will hope that he can steer Newcastle away from the drop. That season, despite bringing in Rafa Benitez, the Toon Army were relegated.
This time around you feel that after the closing of the window, they’re in a better position. The five new signings all have something they can offer to the table. That’s more than some of the signings McClaren brought in such as Seydou Doumbia.
It will be a big character test for these players. Thus far one of the standouts of the new signings is Trippier, who definitely seems up for the fight.
A tough few months lie ahead for the Magpies. Their next game is against Everton who will be rejuvenated after landing a new manager in Frank Lampard. But the extra added quality you think and hope from January will get the job done and secure safety.
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