Red Bull Newcastle

[Puja]

IMO - Newcastle Bulls (playing in red - black & white hoops for the away kit)

Can't see the Geordies going for a team that doesn't wear white and black.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

[TheDasher]

What do you reckon? Prem champions in 5 years time? They'll be in the play-offs in a few years I reckon... Yes there's a cap, but this lot won't mess around, it's peanuts to them in all honesty.

Nah, I think it'll take longer than that. Lansdowne chucked money and marquees at Bristol and it still hasn't got them a title. Red Bull tend to build from the base up, so there'll be no influx of superstars - aim this year will be to get off the bottom, next year will be ERC qualification, then mid-table for a couple of years and probably ditching Diamond/giving him a chance to move to the board room. It's at that point that they'll start looking at a big name - when it's not a stunt of a superstar joining the crappy club who've got cash, but a genuine feeling of Newcastle being a club that's building "something special" that can attract big players.

Puja

You're probably right but this is all tiny stuff compared to their football operations. RB Leipzig's wage bill annually is over €80million... Newcastle will no doubt attract extra sponsorship from other companies immediately as their profile will increase, the sales and marketing team will be increased, social media presence grown, they'll want to get one or two good names in reasonably early I suspect to generate the coverage, the salaries are tiny relatively speaking.

I'm waffling, I agree really Puja - your point with Bristol is that quite a lot of money thrown at a prem club doesn't mean results and it'll ultimately be the same here for some time you're probably right. In 3 years time they might be where Bristol/Sale are now.

[Puja]

What do you reckon? Prem champions in 5 years time? They'll be in the play-offs in a few years I reckon... Yes there's a cap, but this lot won't mess around, it's peanuts to them in all honesty.

Nah, I think it'll take longer than that. Lansdowne chucked money and marquees at Bristol and it still hasn't got them a title. Red Bull tend to build from the base up, so there'll be no influx of superstars - aim this year will be to get off the bottom, next year will be ERC qualification, then mid-table for a couple of years and probably ditching Diamond/giving him a chance to move to the board room. It's at that point that they'll start looking at a big name - when it's not a stunt of a superstar joining the crappy club who've got cash, but a genuine feeling of Newcastle being a club that's building "something special" that can attract big players.

Puja

You're probably right but this is all tiny stuff compared to their football operations. RB Leipzig's wage bill annually is over €80million... Newcastle will no doubt attract extra sponsorship from other companies immediately as their profile will increase, the sales and marketing team will be increased, social media presence grown, they'll want to get one or two good names in reasonably early I suspect to generate the coverage, the salaries are tiny relatively speaking.

I'm waffling, I agree really Puja - your point with Bristol is that quite a lot of money thrown at a prem club doesn't mean results and it'll ultimately be the same here for some time you're probably right. In 3 years time they might be where Bristol/Sale are now.

They've got a pattern though - they might have the money to buy Dupont from nowhere, but they don't work around flash in the pan signings. Instead, they buy a sporting property at its nadir and then build something from the ground up that will dominate. Look at Red Bull racing - bought in 2004, invest in the basics, get an experienced reliable head in Coulthard and immediately look at younger talent and who they can bring through, building the academy and setting up Toro Rosso, while in the background they're hiring the best in Adrian Newey and giving him everything he could possibly ask for in terms of facilities and backroom staff. The success comes in 2010 when the talent they nurtured in Vettel met Newey having got his car right. They could've thrown money at Button, but instead they looked to a wise old head to be in charge of the build-up and then promoted internally.

If you want my prediction, the first year will be about getting things on an even keel, while they look at the academy, the facilities, the coaching staff, whether there is young talent that they can poach from elsewhere, etc. Would not be surprised if one of the first orders of business wasn't the long-mooted (and already planning approved, if google hasn't failed me) redevelopment of the North Stand at Kingston Park which seem to have stalled back in 2019. Increased capacity, comfort, facilities, and corporate hospitality - plan for the future when the team are successful and crowds come back, so that there's a modern, enjoyable facility (with 1.5k more seats), rather than a windswept uncovered terrace with no bars or toilets.

As long as Diamond keeps Newcastle comfortably away from relegation and into 7th/8th by 2027, I don't think results on the pitch will matter too much for the first couple of years. The plan will be to have the building blocks in place so that, if they do want to bring in big names, they've got enough cachet to be taken seriously, as opposed to a basket-case with a chequebook.

Puja

[FKAS]

They'll certainly build up sustainably but I'd also expect some signings to improve the squad for the more it was last season. I doubt they spent £4m on salaries last season, maybe not even £3m. Red Bull won't want to risk a relegation so some quality pros will be inbound. No Duponts or that superstar level but Hammond from Quins and Makepeace-Cubitt from Saints would be logical signings that would help their squad.

Mind you LRZ is coming back to rugby union...

[Danno]

Mind you LRZ is coming back to rugby union...

Can't see him swapping Florida for Newcastle. Basque country seems more likely imo

[FKAS]

Mind you LRZ is coming back to rugby union...

Can't see him swapping Florida for Newcastle. Basque country seems more likely imo

Yes, the warmer climbs of the south of France are likely to be a bigger draw. He did turn down those opportunities to stay at Glaws before heading off to the NFL though. Maybe he doesn't fancy learning a new language. Who knows. Certainly if I was him then Toulouse, Toulon, Bordeaux and La Rochelle would be where I would be pointing my agent. La Rochelle are having a rebuild and need some wing reinforcement, would be an ideal move for him and them (they've badly missed Rhule). Perpignan, Pau and Bayonne all on the border with Spain would be nice but do they have the budget and he'd be less likely to be in for a trophy.

[Danno]

Mind you LRZ is coming back to rugby union...

Can't see him swapping Florida for Newcastle. Basque country seems more likely imo

Yes, the warmer climbs of the south of France are likely to be a bigger draw. He did turn down those opportunities to stay at Glaws before heading off to the NFL though. Maybe he doesn't fancy learning a new language. Who knows. Certainly if I was him then Toulouse, Toulon, Bordeaux and La Rochelle would be where I would be pointing my agent. La Rochelle are having a rebuild and need some wing reinforcement, would be an ideal move for him and them (they've badly missed Rhule). Perpignan, Pau and Bayonne all on the border with Spain would be nice but do they have the budget and he'd be less likely to be in for a trophy.

After 18 odd months of just training he'll probably be happy simply getting to play again. Must have been a frustrating time - not that I particularly care as it was his choice, but still.

He has to maintain that tan though, and that's not free in wintertime Geordie country

[FKAS]

Can't see him swapping Florida for Newcastle. Basque country seems more likely imo

Yes, the warmer climbs of the south of France are likely to be a bigger draw. He did turn down those opportunities to stay at Glaws before heading off to the NFL though. Maybe he doesn't fancy learning a new language. Who knows. Certainly if I was him then Toulouse, Toulon, Bordeaux and La Rochelle would be where I would be pointing my agent. La Rochelle are having a rebuild and need some wing reinforcement, would be an ideal move for him and them (they've badly missed Rhule). Perpignan, Pau and Bayonne all on the border with Spain would be nice but do they have the budget and he'd be less likely to be in for a trophy.

After 18 odd months of just training he'll probably be happy simply getting to play again. Must have been a frustrating time - not that I particularly care as it was his choice, but still.

He has to maintain that tan though, and that's not free in wintertime Geordie country

very true.

I'm sure there's tanning beds up north. It's not like Wales and Gloucester are well known for the endless days of glorious sunshine.