I have wanted to write about Newcastle since their dreadful, historic loss at home against the Mackems. But I've spent too much time being nervous about relegation.

It was too late for Newcastle to make any tactical changes late in the season. They just had to win one more match between April 14 and May 19, and they just got it done against QPR on Sunday. Now we cal all relax a bit. Bit there is so much to be done betweeen now and the end of July.

It is clear to every knowlegible supporter that Newcastle United is a squad full of talented players. But the tactics and player slections were off the entire season.

There are also clear talent gaps. The squad can't afford to have wingers who cannot cross. I'm sorry, Jonas, but you have to go. You also have to go, Tioté.

In the current campaign, this squad has consistant difficulty delivering the ball to the strikers. The combinations are off. They have scoring machines up front. But it's all for nought if the team can't contruct sustained attacks. Giving up the first goal of the match is not the way to 60 points either.

It hurts to think that if this team had gotten just three more wins, they would be sitting in eighth place in the league, right behind Liverpool. That's not a spectacular finish, but very respectable, and away from the cluster of poor teams at the bottom. But what this means is that they are a poor squad. The club needs a lot of rebuilding, and they are going to have to help themselves.

Also, assuming Alan Pardew is given another chance to make things right, he needs to stop saying silly things. Someone get the Silver Fox a public speaking coach.

There really isn't much to say until the summer transfer window is well underway. So I'm going to enjoy a week in Puerto Rico and then hope I return to mainland to news of players bought and sold. This was the case in 2011, when the team bought Marveaux, Obertan, and Cabaye around mid June.

This team needs a bigger, better squad so that it can compete in both the Premiership and in tournaments. That's where the money is. If Newcastle is to reamin a big club (the biggest football club in the world north of 53.5 north latitude, in fact!), then they need to be far better than this.