Newcastle United midfielder Gael Bigirimana has suggested that relegation from the Premier League could help the club in the long term.
The Magpies have been dragged into a relegation battle after losing their last eight league matches under head coach John Carver, and currently sit two points clear of the bottom three with three games left.
Bigirimana believes that Newcastle's situation is similar to that of Southampton, who were relegated from the Premier League in 2005, and then from the Championship four years later, before working their way back up to the top flight.
"This might put me in trouble but you look at what happened to Southampton five or six years ago," he told Sky Sports News.
"Sometimes as a club you need everything to be reviewed – its foundation and the structure.
"I don't want them to go down and get relegated. Nobody wants that to happen but it's all about the future."
Bigirimana was loaned out to Rangers in January but has not played due to illness.
Steven Toplis
