Newcastle United invested around £50m into their squad over the summer, after a number of years of transfer inactivity. In fact, for a period of 18 months between 2012 and 2014, not one permanent deal for a senior outfield player was completed.

However, despite Mike Ashley finally putting money into the club, the Magpies are still rooted to the bottom of the Premier League. He finds himself at a crossroads.

Though the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Giorgino Wijnaldum, Chancel Mbemba and Florian Thauvin arrived – there appears to be a fundamental flaw in the plan to push on.

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His name is Steve McClaren. To judge him this early on into a rebuild may sound harsh, unfair even, but the former England boss’ previous record does little to allay the fears of the Toon Army.

Buying players with the quality of Mitrovic and Wijnaldum is a good idea – young, dynamic and the potential for a huge sell on value – and is a clear show of faith in McClaren’s coaching ability. Particularly with Mitrovic, who is somewhat enthusiastic to say the least.

However, trusting a coach to steer the North East giants away from the relegation battles they have often faced over the past few years may not have been the wisest move. John Carver was regarded as a good coach, and look what happened there.

What Newcastle need is a manager. A figurehead to plot the rise of the club, to set the wheels in motion as they seek to challenge in the top six to eight of the Premier League. Think of Sam Allardyce at West Ham, who made the Hammers a stable top tier outfit before the torch was passed to Slaven Bilic to craft a stylish, vibrant new side.

To task a man who failed at both Nottingham Forest and Derby with taking an at best unstable club like the Magpies from the Premier League doldrums is simply too big an ask and too radical a change.

The almost pantomime villain esque owner of Newcastle United has the chance to axe McClaren and salvage the season, or watch more performances like Saturday's 6-1 demolition at the hands of Manchester City as his slide slip away.

Obviously, Allardyce is merely an example and likely wouldn’t work at St. James’ after his last tenure there ended prematurely when Ashley bought the club. However, the principle is still the same. Employ someone to bridge the gap between the bottom five or six into the top half, and push on from there.

Think Nigel Adkins at Southampton, someone who took the club to a certain level only to be replaced when he hit his glass ceiling.

So, Ashley’s investment came at last, but in typical Newcastle United fashion, it’s tinged with disappointment and poor planning. They’ve made adjustments with expensive players at last, doing all sorts to build a new house, without checking the foundations.

£50m spent and the place still feels empty, doomed almost. It’s somewhat mind boggling to imagine how on earth the former FC Twente boss landed the job at a big Premier League club after his time at Derby.

Mike Ashley’s decision to employ Steve McClaren could ultimately the act that defines his time in ownership at St. James’ Park – not his lack of investment over the years. At a cross-roads in his time with the North East giants, he can either stubbornly stick with a manager clearly out of his depth, or get rid and start afresh.

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