Newcastle United manager http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alan-c4244 Pardew is hopeful for a top four challenge this season, and believes his squad has the quality to qualify for the elite European club competition.
The manager said that his squad can go on and build upon last season’s fifth place finish, but admitted that they don’t have the financial capabilities of their rivals.
The Tyneside club were the surprise package of the 2011/2012 season where they shattered expectations and finished at fifth place. Newcastle had been favourites for the fourth spot, but missed out on it by just a point.
Despite not qualifying for the Champions League, Newcastle finished ahead big spenders http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786, beating the latter at Stamford Bridge towards the end of the season.
Newcastle were able to hold on to all their star players who helped the club finish at fifth spot. Despite growing interest from a number of clubs, Newcastle have managed to secure the likes of Cheick Tiote, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Demba-Ba-c10812 and Papiss
Demba Cisse for this campaign.
The club has also acquired a number of new signings. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Vurnon-Anita-c36486 was the only big name who arrived at Tyneside in a high profile move from Dutch club Ajax. Newcastle also signed promising youngsters Gael Bigirimana, Romain Amalfitano and Curtis Good.
Alan Pardew believes that his side are as good, if not better, as their Premier League rivals. Even though Newcastle do not have the financial backing of clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, they have the quality to take them on and get a result
at any given day.
“Although we are a big club, financially we are not as big as the others,” Pardew said speaking to the English press.
“It is difficult to get some stability in your squad when players are being touted around. For us, it was very important to keep that group together.”
“We worked hard last summer to bring them here, they did terrifically well, we finished fifth and we want to do the same again or even better.”
“We have to take the four points and the qualification and say ‘Okay, now we need to up it a gear’.”
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