Teamtalk guest Jak Penny believes it would be in Newcastle's interests if they were to miss out on a European place this season.
It was an inconceivable notion back in August as Newcastle United went into 'meltdown' according to the players rushing out of the St James' Park exit door.
Last season's big hitters Joey Barton, Jose Enrique and Kevin Nolan all departed Tyneside under a cloud after writing off the club's chances of progression following a steady first campaign back in the Premier League. Barton and Enrique, especially, envisaged a scenario where Newcastle would be battling for their lives at the bottom whilst they sat sniggering from their ivory towers.
But as the season draws to a close both men are enviously gazing up at the Magpies who have climbed to sixth in the table, finding themselves on the cusp of ending a six-year exile from European competition.
However, with fans dusting off their passports and filling out renewal forms in anticipation of their first continental adventure in over half a decade, the top flight's surprise package should approach the Europa League with a sense of trepidation.
Newcastle all but sealed their return to the big stage after brushing past Liverpool on Sunday, increasing the gap between the two sides to 11 points. The prospect of European nights returning to St James' has provoked an outpouring of excitement amongst the Geordie population who've been deprived of such occasions for longer than they would have liked. Midfielder Cheick Tiote has even called upon the club to push for a top-four finish and entry to the Champions League.
With the feelgood factor making a welcome re-emergence on Tyneside the problems that could face Newcastle, should they qualify for the Europa League, have been pushed to the back of everyone's minds.
The rapid progression the club has experienced during Alan Pardew's stewardship has seen expectations sky rocket, putting pressure on the current crop of players to succeed.
Right now they're at an advanced stage of the blueprint laid out by owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias upon their return to the Premier League for the 2010/11 campaign. The idea was to gradually build a squad stocked with young and hungry footballers capable of sustaining a top-six challenge season after season.
It's no secret that Pardew's options in all areas have been stretched this season. Luckily the loss of key individuals like Debma Ba, Yohan Cabaye, Fabricio Coloccini and Tiote hasn't been as damaging as first presumed. However with the Europa League comes a gruelling schedule that could prove to be extremely taxing on the wafer-thin squad Pardew has at his disposal. Any injury or suspension could really hit the Toon Army hard.
No doubt they will be diligently working the transfer market during the summer purchasing players on the recommendation of chief scout Graham Carr, who is credited with unearthing the talents of Cabaye, Tiote and new number nine Papiss Cisse.
But whilst those players certainly possess the qualities to hold their own on the European stage, any potential additions will be complimented with departures. Fringe players will be moved on to generate space on the budget for new acquisitions meaning the depth of Pardew's squad will remain unchanged. Relying on inexperienced youth players to provide backup just won't cut it in such a ruthless enviroment.
Ashley's prudence in the transfer market has put Newcastle's finances back in the black and heralded a new era on Tyneside but at the same time it could also prove to be a hinderance. Balancing the books is his main priority, irrespective of the riches that come with finishing in the top-six and qualifying for Europe.
That's not me having a pop at him. Ashley has worked wonders behind the scenes to make Newcastle financially secure but his current philosophy will make it hard for the club to sufficiently compete in the Europa League and that could come back to bite him in the arm.
The Premier League is their bread and butter, and playing in Europe could harm their development on the domestic front in the same way it has Fulham and Stoke this season. Both clubs failed to marry the two together despite having the necessary numbers to cope with the extra playing commitments.
Newcastle don't have the option to rotate their squad and giving it a chance of surviving the physically draining Thursday-Sunday schedule. The worry for them is that should injuries begin to pile up and mid-season burnout kick in, their Premier League form will suffer.
Positive reinforcement from Pardew, famed for his motivational skills, will only push the squad so far before it runs out of steam. Perhaps it's better for the Magpies if they avoided the allure of the European lights and stuck to their guns in the Premier League next season. Establishing themselves in the top-six and slowly constructing a squad with the attributes to hold their own on the continent should be their primary objective.
The catch-22, should Newcastle miss out on Europe this season, is that it could hasten the departure of Tiote and put Ba's future at the club into doubt. Can they cope with potentially losing both players in the grand scheme of things?
Whatever transpires, their rapid rise to prominence is a far cry from the directives laid down following their relegation to the Championship three-years prior.
Teamtalk
