Simon Jordan believes Champions League football may be out of Newcastle United's reach after defeat in the Carabao Cup Final. However, the former Crystal Palace owner has backed the Magpies to regain their poise and secure European football, losing him a £1,000 bet he made with fellow talkSPORT presenter Jim White.
Jordan told talkSPORT: "I mean, Newcastle have done remarkably well since the moment the ownership model took over and Eddie Howe walked through the door. I think most of the things they've done they've gotten right.
"Now, they've lost in a cup final and of course they've had a recent downturn in form, which was inevitable because whilst they've spent a lot of money - it was no doubt - to be in the top four was a huge ask. The key component for Newcastle now is not to lose their way because all their season in recent weeks has crescendoed on this cup final.
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"A cup final for Newcastle for the first time in 25 years is a great achievement. They mustn't compound their disappointment - which will inevitably be there - by allowing their league form to slip.
"Now being in the top-four was probably unrealistic and at times their form certainly warranted it but now we're at the business end of the season and we'll see how much substance they've got. I would suspect they've got enough substance to stay inside the top six or more to the point, the other teams who've supposedly got the substance, like Liverpool and Chelsea may afford them that opportunity and enable Newcastle to stay inside the top-six which is the bet I took on with Jim White they wouldn't achieve.
"Even if they finish sixth in the league, it's a remarkable achievement when you look at the landing of the Middle Eastern money into Manchester City it took them a couple of seasons to really get their engines started, they didn't finish inside the top-six in the first real season of huge investment.
"I think we've got to get some balance into this conversation. Newcastle have been a remarkable turnaround story, a remarkable feel good factor for the football club, its supporters, owners and manager, whilst the disappointment yesterday [Carabao Cup Final defeat] and if they don't win the next game, the underlying observations will be 'oh dear, they've got a cup hangover it's all lead to that disappointment.'
"I think Newcastle are good enough to regain their poise and go again. Unfortunately give Jim White that £1,000 of my money on a bet that they wouldn't finish inside the top-six."
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