Trophies are key to 'big' status
jan 14 2007
Never mind that Damien Duff chose Newcastle above Tottenham last summer. Nobby Solano insists trophies - not trophy signings - are what United need to prove themselves a bigger club than the likes of their opponents today.
But winning those trophies, he warns, will require major spending on new players.
London noses were pushed out of joint when Duff snubbed Spurs for St James's Park in quitting Chelsea.
But while the Magpies' mighty fanbase would appear to vindicate that decision, Solano says silverware is the real measure of status.
And the status that comes from winning something for the first time in almost 40 years will be vital, Solano believes, to attracting more big-name players to Tyneside.
"Are we a bigger club than Tottenham? The only thing I would say is that we need to prove it by winning trophies," said the Peruvian winger turned full-back.
"We must win something. It's very sad to see what good fans we have and we don't have any trophies.
"We have everything else: the perfect conditions to train in, a great stadium and the best supporters in the country.
"All we need is a trophy to make us more interesting to top players."
Solano added: "One of the only things in football bigger than this club is to play for Chelsea. But 10 years ago, nobody wanted to move there.
"Now they are winning trophies and there's a lot of money at the club.
"That's all this club needs, the money to win trophies. Hopefully, that is the future here. This club can be like a Chelsea."
And with Newcastle languishing in the bottom half of the Premiership and facing a third-round replay in the FA Cup, Solano is certain where the biggest hope of breaking their trophy drought this season lies.
"The UEFA Cup is our best chance," he said. "It's going to be tough - we have played some good teams already in the group stage but the opposition will only get harder.
"But we have to go for that trophy. If we won that it would be fantastic; just fantastic."
Solano har rett som bare det. For å bli et bra lag. Må man vinne troffer.Hvis vi vinner tja si uefa-cupen. Da blir det enklere å få tak i spillere. Å vi får en kanskje høyere staus som klubb. Å vi kan satsje høyere.