6. Lose The Prima-Donnas
No player should be allowed to become bigger than their club, and while dressing room strength and unity is a positive thing, a football club should be neither a democracy or a people's republic. The minute any player begins to question the management, or the direction the club is headed publically, they should be considered a toxic influence and removed. 7. Accomodate "Luxury"
Too many lazy commentators this season have referred to Hatem Ben Arfa as a "frustrating" player, who has both the capacity for jaw-dropping brilliance (see Bolton and Blackburn), and to implode, supposedly. Such players are invariably shackled by short-sighted opinions that suggest the team needs to carry the player for 80% of the time, in order to profit from a staggeringly good 20%. While that can be true, the 20% is what matters, and having a magician of a playmaker, who can go past players for fun, unlock defences and chip in with goals both great and standard is monumentally important for any team with aspirations of greatness. And giving a player like Ben Arfa the on-pitch time and space to develop, and adapt his own game to the overall cause of the team can be even more valuable, as Newcastle have found with the Frenchman's increased workload and willingness to track back. 8. Spend In the Right Areas
Though Newcastle have spent very little in real terms in the past two years, thanks to the massive injection of money from Andy Carroll's sale, the £8m signing of Papiss Cisse was a statement of intent by Ashley and co that given the right player, funds would be available. Strengthening key positions with new signings remains a priority at Newcastle, despite the sensible unwillingness to pay over-inflated prices, and you can't get much more key than up-front, where a free-scoring striker can mean the difference between mid-table and European contention, or Europa and Champions' League participation. 9. Strengthen The Core
The spine of a team is undeniably the most important area, and strengthening it from goalkeeper right through to the strikers is the best way to guarantee on-field results going your way. Newcastle have proved this season that weaker players can be accomodated in wide areas, while the loss of key core players like Cheick Tiote, Fabricio Coloccini and Demba Ba have a much more visible cost to the team's fortunes. But while the core remains intact, players of a lower calibre, who would more fairly be considered squad players, like Ryan Taylor, and Danny Simpson, upcoming youngsters like Sammy Ameobi and Shane Ferguson, and developmental talents like Davide Santon and Gabriel Obertan (who need to find their feet a bit more after recent moves) can be accomodated in wider positions. 10. Fear Noone
The Premier League is no place for blind respect for your opponents, and if Newcastle's impressive results against higher placed teams and those who have built a reputation as having stronghold home stadiums has taught anything, it is that fearing noone, and playing your own game, while containing that of the opponent, no matter who they are can lead to some supposedly unexpected results like the 3-0 home win over Manchester United. Swansea have taken a similar no fear approach and as a result have brought an attacking, possession-lead style to the league that has rarely been seen from a newly promoted team. So, what do you think? Can Newcastle's model be transported in to another club? Will the short-term benefits currently being enjoyed at St James Park continue, based on it? As always, let's hear your thoughts below.