Newcastle followers ought to take a deep breath, writes GRAEME SOUNESS

I remember when I was Newcastle United manager once asking a Sky journalist why the media go out onto the streets of Newcastle more than any other city for what I believe they call ‘vox pops.’ He told me: ‘Because you get a more dramatic reaction there than anywhere else.’

I think that’s been the story in the past week, with the reaction to Newcastle United’s transfer window and this sudden sense of crisis at the club. Looking at some of the headlines, you could be forgiven for thinking all hell’s let loose up there.

That’s certainly not how I see the situation around a club who, please let’s remember, are sitting fourth in the Premier League after three weeks – such an early point in the season. I think it’s time to take deep breath at Newcastle, calm down and get a proper sense of perspective.

They’ve not had an active window. Eddie obviously has his thoughts about where they need to strengthen and, reading between the lines of his public comments, there is some disharmony. But let’s remember that the club appear to have pushed the boat out and offered £65million for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. 

That deal went south when Palace tried to negotiate Newcastle up to £70million, but this looks to me a whole lot like a club who appear to be willing to back their manager’s judgement

There are new people in position there. Amanda Staveley and her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, the former co-owners who Eddie seems to have had a good working relationship with, have now gone. There’s a new sporting director in Paul Mitchell. I know new people sometimes come in and want their own man as a manager, but Eddie is popular in Newcastle for a reason. He’s done a very good job so far.

There are certainly big challenges. Expectation levels clearly went through the roof when the Saudi Arabia takeover happened but because of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules – the ‘PSR’ which has suddenly become such a part of the vocabulary of our football – the club are restricted in what they spend.

Mitchell was talking this week about the club being quoted a ‘Newcastle price’ when they bid for a player. To which I say: ‘Welcome to the big boys’ league.’ There’s certainly nothing in new in that.

When a big Premier League club goes for a player, there’s a double tax on them – for being in the richest league and for being one of its richest clubs. Manchester City have had to live with it in their recent history. 

So have Chelsea since Roman Abramovich took over. Manchester United and Liverpool, too. It’s certainly something you have to get used to, when you’re one of the truly big boys. Live with it.

How do you succeed when you’re facing this double bind of PSR and a big club tax? By developing a recruitment team who are truly top notch. 

My old club, Liverpool, were best in class when it came to that, under Jurgen Klopp, paying out money like £36m for Mo Salah, £27m for Sadio Mane. Klopp’s net spend in his nine years at Anfield was £254million, the lowest of the so-called ‘top six.’

Newcastle had a good start under the Saudis in the transfer market but £65million for Guehi? From the outside, it looked to me like they were prepared to get tickled there, because I’m simply not convinced you can value that player at that kind of price. 

Not getting the player Eddie wanted may prove to be a good thing. A quiet window is not necessarily a bad window if there’s not value out there.

That Newcastle squad doesn’t look bad to me. Eddie got the club into the Champions League and after they were unlucky to miss out on the knock-out stages, I think they ought to be capable of challenging to get back to the elite competition. 

The trouble is supporters in the North East have got a taste of the Champions League now and will want more of it. That’s where the pressure comes, but who said it was going to be easy? Extreme pressure has been around forever in professional football.

LEE CARSLEY IS THE EASY OPTION FOR ENGLAND 

I think Lee Carsley will end up getting the England manager’s job after his three games in temporary charge, because those opponents – Ireland on Saturday night, Finland next Tuesday and Greece next month – are nowhere near England’s level. I can see England winning by three or four goals every time.

Carsley was successful during his time in charge of England under-21s, but England always seem to do well at youth and under-21 levels, because the players get the best of everything within the wealthy academy system.

That’s why I don’t view Carsley’s success with the under-21s as hugely significant in qualifying him for the top job. He’s never been at the coal face, coaching the big players and making the pressurised decisions with the whole world watching.

Appointing him as manager seems like a very easy succession. He wears the blazer well. He’ll know how the FA works and it’s also a very easy move for them. But for me, he’s not the outstanding candidate. He’s the easy candidate.

The outstanding candidate is Eddie Howe, who’s now had five or six years, dealing with Premier League players. I think it helps to have worked in that bear pit because not all games go to plan and, as England manager, you’re being asked to make decisions under pressure. 

If you’ve never known that kind of pressure, then you’re probably learning on the job. Is that really what England want, if their backs are against the wall at a World Cup, two years from now?

DON’T OVERPLAY YOUNG TALENT KOBBIE MAINOO 

Would Real Madrid rely on a 19-year-old to run the show for them from the centre of midfield, which is such a vital position? Would Bayern Munich, Man City, Arsenal or Liverpool do the same?

My question is a rhetorical one. Ideally, you want to see a 19-year-old going in and out of a team – hopefully a winning team – and being blooded gently, not given the full force of responsibility, as Kobbie Mainoo was, once again, for Manchester United against Liverpool last Sunday. 

The burden of responsibility that young man has been asked to take in the last six months could bury him. I worry for him. Introduce him slowly. Let him pick up experience along the way.

SUPPORT SOUNESS’S 85-MILE CHARITY CYCLE RIDE 

The weather is yet to favour my teammates and me, as we prepare for our fundraising mission for my charity DEBRA UK. As I mentioned here last week, I’ll be undertaking an 85-mile cycle ride from Dover to London after my team swim the Channel both ways, with me in the boat, at some stage this month. 

My charity supports people with the skin disease Epidermolysis bullosa (EB), also known as butterfly skin. You helped me with an incredible show of support on our Channel swim last year and I would be so grateful if you can help us again if you can. 

You just have to go to this link – Give.AS/debrachallenge24. Thankyou!