The Words of the Huish Family

The reality of aiming for European success

Matthew Huish
April 14, 2012

I'm a Newcastle United fan. My birth certificate reveals that I was born in Newcastle -upon-Tyne, and although my parents moved southward 6 months after my birth, I feel an affiliation to the city. I feel it's important to remain connected to one's roots and although I have many roots (ethnicities, religions, languages, locations) my connection to Newcastle manifests itself most prominently in my support for the Magpies.

Being a member of the Toon Army is not an easy life. As a young boy, just when my interest in football developed, Newcastle had won promotion to the Premier League after four years in the second tier of English football. Newcastle Utd experienced some degree of success over the next few years, enjoying high positions in the league, playing in Europe and reaching back-to-back FA Cup finals. Alas, trophies eluded Newcastle's grasp and over the course of a tumultuous and often farcical decade Newcastle were again relegated from England's highest league a few seasons ago into the Championship.


The heartbreak of relegation

Frankly, I was somewhat relieved by that experience. It was a wake-up call for many fans, players and staff, bringing into sharp focus the reality of the club's situation. Since then, Newcastle has worked very hard, often in a humble fashion, to rebuild itself. At the start of the current season, I would have been happy just for Newcastle Utd to finish mid-table, anywhere but the relegation zone in the bottom three of the league table. The chairman was still unpopular with many fans due to his frugal and somewhat ruthless financial direction, the manager was still not trusted as he'd only been in charge for a few games (having replaced a very popular manager whom many had regarded as responsible for Newcastle's promotion from the Championship), and many of the big star players had been sold by the club to be replaced by relatively unknown players or players who were regarded as mediocre. 33 games later, Newcastle Utd are within a real possibility of finishing within the top four, which would earn them the opportunity to play in next season's UEFA Champions League, a competition including the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and AC Milan.

Why am I sharing this sporting information with you? If you're not interested in football, or if you don't care about the club that I support, you might be wondering why I've bothered to share this piece of sporting passion. Just hang on a bit longer – there is a point I want to make:

Right now there are some Newcastle Utd fans who are hoping to qualify for Europe next year, and yet there are some who don't. Why would some fans not want to see their club playing in Europe next year? Well, to begin with the involvement in another competition would significantly increase the number of games within a season. If Newcastle does well in a European competition they could play up to 10 or 12 extra games, all of which would increase the burden on an already stretched squad. The season would feel a lot longer, players would get tired more quickly and there's the increase of injuries to players. This, in turn, may impact on the club's form within the domestic competitions. Performance within the league may suffer and Newcastle could struggle to maintain a high league position, which would disqualify them from playing in Europe the following season (assuming they don't win a European competition). Many clubs have experienced that European football becomes a burden rather than a blessing, if not managed properly. Leeds United and Middlesbrough are clubs that, soon after enjoying European football, tasted the bitterness of relegation. Newcastle fans themselves will have the painful memory of relegation fresh from the experience just a few seasons ago. So the compromise is thus: to remain where we are and build a solid foothold in the Premier League, it would be better to avoid qualification for European football.


Something to cheer about

Frankly, I don't like this outlook. (And again, please hang on, there is a spiritual point at the end of all of this!)

If Newcastle were to qualify for Europe, the star players we currently have, many of whom have blossomed as the season progressed and may be transfer targets for other clubs, will be more likely to stay at Newcastle, resisting the temptation to play for other clubs that will qualify for European football. Further, the club may be able to attract other good players from other teams with the reward that they would be able to play against Europe's biggest clubs. Under the current chairmanship and management, I trust that the club will be able to set ambitious goals while also being able to be realistic about how to achieve those goals. And even if the club fails to win trophies next season (and I sincerely wish we can win at least something next year!) the clubs position may be healthier and stronger as a result of this opportunity that Newcastle Utd has not enjoyed since 2006.

So, what's the spiritual point of all this?

Yesterday I was speaking with someone about the goals spelt out in the Lisbon Resolution. They're quite ambitious. It talks about educating 13,000 people. We have regular encouragement to invite participants to 7-day Divine Principle workshops or European Leadership Conferences. We are challenged to find suitable candidates to receive the marriage blessing. We want to liberate and bless 210 generations of our ancestors. We believe we can double our community's membership and regular worship attendance. We even aspire to go beyond our local, national and continental community, helping the providence in Africa, the Middle East, Russia, China and the Korean peninsula. That's CRAZY! We simply don't have the resources, human or financial, to accomplish these goals.

But that's why we set these goals. I don't think we're capable of achieving these goals if we remain exactly the way we are today. The only way we'll accomplish these goals is if a transformation takes place. An internal transformation reflected by an external transformation. We need to improve, we need to become stronger, we need to become healthier. Then we will be able to achieve these goals. And I believe we can change. I believe we can improve. I believe we can be healthier, stronger, better. I believe, with the grace of God, we can achieve these goals.

Next year I want Newcastle Utd to win the FA Premier League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the UEFA Champions League. We might not – OK, we probably won't win any of those competitions! -- but by trying to win I hope the Magpies can become a stronger club for the future. Likewise, I hope that by striving to accomplish the challenging goals we are aiming to accomplish this year before Foundation Day, our community can become much stronger and create a better foundation for the future. 

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