Source: Northern_Echo
Newcastle boss denies wages key to success
CHRIS HUGHTON has hit back at Middlesbrough suggestions that Newcastle are only leading the Championship because of the size of their wage bill by insisting the club have no God-given right to return to the Premier League.[LNB] In the build-up to this afternoon's Tees-Tyne derby, both Boro boss Gordon Strachan and midfielder Barry Robson highlighted Newcastle's wage structure as a key factor in their success this season.[LNB] While the Magpies trimmed around £30m from their wage bill in the wake of last season's relegation, an annual outlay of around £40m still makes them by far the highest payers in the Championship.[LNB] Hughton accepts the retention of the likes of Fabricio Coloccini, Kevin Nolan and Alan Smith has greatly strengthened his hand this season, but denies that financial reality has made Newcastle's promotion all but inevitable.[LNB] Is it the case that we should be where we are because of our wage bill That is a train of thought for a lot of people, said the Magpies manager, who has watched his side score 15 goals in their last four matches.[LNB] They say that with the squad we have, that is where we should be. But there are a lot of very good clubs that have come down and found life very difficult.[LNB] At the end of the day, it is not about the wage bill. We must not forget this is the team that got relegated last season, and when you get relegated, there is no God-given right to be the best team in the lower division. We've seen that on numerous occasions.[LNB] Indeed, Middlesbrough's fortunes in the opening seven months of the season confirm just how hard it can be to adapt to life at a lower level.[LNB] Gareth Southgate's departure in mid-October preceded a run of two wins in 13 matches, and while Strachan has subsequently strengthened the spine of his side, a gap of five points to the play-off places looks just about insurmountable given that Boro have played a game more than a number of their rivals.[LNB] Middlesbrough have lacked Newcastle's grit and resilience for the majority of the campaign, and while the Magpies have ground out victories despite not being at their best, their opponents this afternoon have struggled to turn decent enough performances into wins.[LNB] What has happened to Middlesbrough shows how difficult it is, said Hughton.[LNB] It is a very demanding and difficult league, and no-one going down has a given right to come straight back up.[LNB] You have to have a team that has enough of the qualities you need in this division to do well. So far, we've shown lots of that.[LNB] We have a lot of players who were determined to do well and bring the club straight back up. If you look at the moral fibre of the squad, I was always happy with what I had. I always thought that, with the rub of the green, we would do well.[LNB] Crucially, Newcastle have been able to cope with the injuries that have come their way, while Boro have struggled to plug the gaps, particularly in midfield and attack.[LNB] With Jose Enrique and Wayne Routledge expected to return to the starting line-up this afternoon, and Joey Barton back on the training ground ahead of a likely reserves appearance at Hartlepool next week, Steven Taylor is Newcastle's only remaining long-term absentee.[LNB] The centre-half is likely to be unavailable for another month as he recovers from a knee injury, and Hughton sees no need to rush him back thanks to Mike Williamson's efforts alongside Coloccini.[LNB] Steven is still about four weeks away, he said. It was always an injury that was going to keep him out for a considerable period of time, and if it's anything less than we originally thought, that's a bonus.[LNB] I'm delighted with how Coloccini and Williamson have gelled as a partnership.[LNB] Mike would probably be the first to admit that he's come into a good team, and your introduction is always smoother if you come into a team that's playing well.[LNB] That's helped him, but he's still the one that has to go out there and do a job.[LNB]
