‘That’s stupid’ - Paul Mitchell controversially torn apart for ‘ridiculous’ Newcastle United interview

Former Crystal Palace owner has slammed Paul Mitchell following his explanation for Newcastle United’s poor transfer window.

The Toon sporting director spoke to the local press for over an hour on Wednesday, answering questions about the club’s summer failings. A disappointing off-season saw the Magpies fail to make a significant signing that would improve the starting line-up.

Mitchell - who succeeded Dan Ashworth in July - claimed joining the club late forced him to play a supporting role on transfers. He told reporters: “I think it’s difficult coming into a predefined strategy. Football clubs do have a strategy. It is pre-planned for a long period of time before just the first of July. It’s no longer ad hoc and just thinking on your feet.

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“I don’t think that goes on at this level, it definitely doesn’t go on here. You look how methodical our head coach is. I think you look at us as a business and how we are evolving, we have plans, we have strategies.

“Coming into a prearranged, existing strategy is hard. You ultimately then find yourself supporting things more than driving elements of it. That, for me, was a learning (experience).”

However, ex-Palace chief Jordan was far from impressed, labelling Mitchell “stupid” for taking the job under those circumstances. The 56-year-old also criticised Newcastle for a lack of succession plan if Mitchell’s comments were true.

“I don’t know why he’d say I think it’s difficult coming into a predefined strategy,” he told talkSPORT. “Because if it’s difficult, don’t come into it then. I’m assuming that you were recruited because you met the requirements of a predefined strategy. Otherwise, why would they recruit you? 

“And ultimately, once you’re in that strategy, you can start finesse and to look at the way that things can evolve as you’re trying to evolve the football club. So I think that’s a stupid thing to say. And we also understand that most football clubs want predefined strategies. 

“You want to be able to have continuity. You want to have a situation where senior employees can leave and the strategy of the football club doesn’t change with the weather, based upon the personality that’s sitting in the dugout, or sitting in an influential position. So I think that’s a ridiculous thing to say in the first place.”