Can Newcastle really bounce straight back up next season?

Let’s face it, despite spending a rather ridiculous sum of cash in the region of £80 million last season on a succession of questionable big name players, Steve McClaren and Newcastle United seemingly proved nothing short of an expensively assembled laughing stock among the rest of their Premier League counterparts last term.

 

Yet now former Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid head-coach – Rafa Benitez – has nonetheless taken on the job of securing Newcastle United’s status back among the top flight of English football once again, perhaps a fresh sense of renewed hope is in-fact waiting just around the corner for the largely dejected Magpies supporters right in the here and now.

 

Many have since expressed a great deal of confidence in Newcastle’s ability to restore their place among the Premier League at the first time of asking this season…

 

Rafa building a good team at Newcastle should bounce back this year.

— Robbie Sparkes (@superbob09) 8 July 2016

 

…especially as Rafa has certainly made a great deal of headway in the often troublesome transfer market already this summer…

 

Matt Ritchie & Dwight Gayle great signings for Newcastle! Good to go for Championship proven players??

— Alex Smith (@alexsmithyccfc) 1 July 2016

 

Yet whilst some are seemingly expecting the Magpies to prove their worth among the Championship next term with no questions asked…

 

If Newcastle don't walk the Championship then the club is an absolute joke.

— Jordan (@Jtrump16) 21 July 2016

 

…there are nonetheless those who feel Newcastle still have it all to do next term…

 

Newcastle will not "walk the Championship" or "rip it up". It's a completely different league since '09

— Evin (@EvG_Football) 21 July 2016

 

So then, although the Championship arguably won’t prove smooth sailing throughout Rafa’s entire stint among the second tier of English football in 2016/17…

 

Wouldn't touch Newcastle at 7/4 to win the championship… Ridiculously tough league and no easy games especially away from home…

— Mick Massey (@topklobber) 21 July 2016

 

…Newcastle United really should bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking when all is said and done…

 

Sunderland are now a sinking ship. They will be in the Championship next season. Newcastle back in the Prem.

— miguel (@MiguelonaFC) 22 July 2016