Newcastle United ‘message’ revealed after Sunderland win as Ross Wilson faces first major decision
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Newcastle United latest news: Newcastle United Women continue their search for a new permanent manager.
Newcastle United’s new sporting director has a January transfer window to manoeuvre on the horizon - but he cannot take his eye off one of the biggest appointments the club have had to make since the takeover over four years ago.
The Magpies are no strangers to making big appointments, having seen two CEOs and three sporting directors join the club under new ownership. Ross Wilson, the latest to be handed the sporting director reins following in the footsteps of Dan Ashworth and Paul Mitchell, is set to guide the club through his first transfer window.
A lot can happen between now and January and Wilson, along with Eddie Howe and the recruitment team, will be doing their all to ensure that they can exit the window in a stronger position than they entered it. However, not all of Wilson’s focus can be geared towards what business the men’s team can do in winter.
For the first time since the takeover of the club and the move to make the women’s team professional, a new manager needs to be installed. Becky Langley’s departure last month ended her six-year spell at the club, starting the search for her successor in the process.
Ross Wilson facing major Newcastle United decision
Wilson’s move to Tyneside from Nottingham Forest was concluded just a few weeks before Langley’s departure. The 41-year-old was present at St James’ Park on Sunday as the Women’s side put behind them a stuttering start to the season with a win over local rivals Sunderland at St James’ Park.
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Wilson was one of 18,972 people in attendance as an Emily Murphy brace from the bench secured a 3-1 win for the Magpies. Claire Ditchburn, who has taken interim charge of the side since Langley’s departure, was asked for the latest on a permanent successor in the immediate aftermath of that win.
She responded: “The message from the club was to bring a bit of stability but also to continue to keep us moving forward. That is what we have been focussing on, what we have been trying to do and that’s what I will continue to do until I’m told otherwise.”
The win over Sunderland was Ditchburn’s third game in charge of the Magpies, in which time she has overseen seven points from a possible nine following a win over Ipswich Town and a draw against Durham last weekend. Promotion is still a possibility for Newcastle United Women’s side, although they currently trail WSL 2 leaders Charlton Athletic by ten points.
Having won back-to-back promotions under Langley before a fifth-placed finish last season, the Magpies will be desperate to finally realise Amanda Staveley’s ambition of becoming a WSL team - and that ambition will hopefully be realised by whoever is picked to be Langley’s permanent successor.
All focus may be on January and what moves can be made to give Howe the best possible tools to finish the season strongly, however, getting this decision right will be key to realising one of the club’s long-term ambitions and helping them bridge the gap between themselves and the elite clubs of England, all of whom have very strong women’s teams.