Red Bulls boss outlines trophy-laden target and hints at more signings

Newcastle Red Bull’s general manager, Neil McIlroy, has reiterated that the club’s bold objective is to be sitting at the top of the Gallagher PREM table within the next three years.

The Red Bulls are at the bottom of the table with 12 points after only two wins and 15 defeats, and a gap of 14 points between them and ninth-place Harlequins with only one game to play at Gloucester this weekend.

McIlroy told TNT Sports that within three to five years, the club’s Austrian energy drink owners are looking to challenge the best teams in Europe for silverware, as overambitious as it would seem. They obviously believe in shooting for the moon.

“Our objective is that within three years, we want to be sitting at the top table with the Premiership. They (Red Bull) know it’ll take time for us to create something special here and create a club that can rival the Baths and Northamptons, and then three to five years in Europe.”

The Red Bulls squad will have an entirely fresh look next season, with 24 players told they don’t have a future at the club and will be released when their contracts run out at the end of next month.

Fixture

Gallagher Premiership

Gloucester

54 - 21

Full-time

Newcastle

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And they have already announced that 21 players will check into Kingston Park when the players report back for pre-season training, and McIlroy believes there could be as many as 25 by the time they have finished their recruitment.

“It’s something I’ve never done before, and certainly hope never to do again. We were highly respectful of what’s gone before. The players, the staff, everybody that’s been here, but Red Bull have given us a challenge.

“And whilst having 30 players out of contract wasn’t nice and wasn’t comfortable. We tried to do the right thing with those guys that we decided not to retain and let them know as soon as possible. We will probably bring in around 25 new players. Which is a lot,” he added.