Richard Keys drops uncomfortable NUFC truth that hurts more because he said it

We're pretty sure that 99% of Newcastle United supporters wish that Richard Keys had just stuck to morning television and never got involved with sports broadcasting.

The former Sky Sports presenter now plies his trade in the Middle East on Qatar-owned beIN Sports alongside his fellow shamed broadcaster Andy Gray.

After the Tottenham Hotspur game on Sunday the pair, along with Jason McAteer were discussing the issues the Newcastle owner face with PSR blocking them from taking Newcastle to where they envisioned.

It's a very real concern, one that was addressed by Gary Neville and Eddie Howe at the weekend with Neville saying that PSR should be changed to allow Newcastle to compete.

Richard Keys' smugness should be deemed a criminal offence

Richard Keys took a different tact, however, and although what he said was in fact correct, it's the smugly satisfied way that he said it that's the big problem.

"How long will it take them (PIF) to take Newcastle into the elite? I'll give you the answer. Here's the answer: Never."

As long as restrictions like PSR and rules around how to operate multi-club ownership remain in place, he's probably right, but he doesn't have to be so happy about it.

PIF have pumped too much money into Newcastle to walk away so soon

Andy Gray was a bit more diplomatic, blaming the rules and suggesting that they could force the PIF to abandon Newcastle as a project and look elsewhere.

It's a huge fear shared by a lot of Newcastle fans, but it's probably not one we need concern ourselves with for a good few years yet.

PIF will likely fight alongside other clubs to get the rules changed and will do so until they believe there is no chance of winning, then they may start to think about moving on, but for now, they have, and continue to put too much money into the club to simply walk away because they aren't getting their own way immediately. They're not Jim Ratcliffe.