Wallace

All of this we play too many games only applies to the teams that play in Europe. The suggestions that games should be moved to give them more time to recover or for them to play home games after they have played in Europe or even scrapping the League Cup is just strengthening the elite teams. They play more games because they are successful and the majority of teams such as us, barely play more than 40 games a season. They have much bigger squads to deal with it and it gives other clubs a chance when they are slightly more vulnerable. UEFA now claim a lot of the midweek dates within a season even spreading one round of Champion League matches over a 4 week period in March which is the real reason for the overcrowded fixture list as they do not allow Premier League or cup games to be played at the same time. At one time, there were 42 league games in a season, cup games were replayed until there was a conclusion (no penalty shoot outs), internationals were played midweek with league games either side of the fixture. There wasn't as many European games because they were all knock out games but they don't want that anymore because it is not so lucrative. I am not saying we should go back to all those things but I get frustrated how everyone else is expected to kowtow to the elite clubs just so they can get richer and have an easier ride to another title.

He is relocating his business interests to this area giving the impression that he is planning to move back here at some point.

I am concerned about the over-confidence of our fans but as long as Rafa and the players are focused, which no doubt Rafa will be, then hopefully we will be OK.

It sounds like the new contract is very specific about his role and the control he has so it would appear that was not the case in the original contract. Perhaps then relegation was a good thing because the original contract would then have stood and he might not have had the power he appears to have now.

He has a voice?

The way some people talk about the championship is nuts, it's just a league full of limited teams, we heard all this guff last time we went down. They talk about it like it's a 15 round fight with a grizzly bear. Karanka? Alex Neil a couple of seasons ago? Sheffield Wednesday might still get promoted and their manager wasn't experienced in that league.

Probably his agent.

Clubs like Burnley and Bournemouth are probably going to be richer than us now so failure to get promoted next season will be disastrous as the teams that are relegated will be in a better financial position.

It's all a hoax by a Mackem and lots of the newspaper websites are running the story. :lol:

f***ing amazing how he whinged about all these players being forced upon him and he's looking at a boat load of them Every player they seem to be linked to is one we have been "monitoring" in the past.

And that article earlier today said his backroom staff had started to relocate to this area in recent days so they must be expecting to stay,

apart from the fat c*** releasing a statement saying that asking shearer to be manager was the best move he'd made, despite relegation. Aye, yet he still didn't so much as return Shearers calls let along have a meeting with him AFAIR, just sound bites for the fans. This is far more concrete. If it does go wrong then that's it for me, won't even be following the club anymore, and I hope thousands do the same. My understanding was that Shearer had a meeting with them (maybe not Ashley) and outlined his plans for a root and branch reform of the club and what was needed to get them promoted. An agreement was reached, they shook hands and then he never heard from them again. I definitely think it was more than a statement and that Shearer thought there was an agreement in place.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-news-live-rafa-11370636 Where do we stand on Benitez? Rafa Benitez has had the assurances that he wants and contracts have been drawn up that formalise the arrangement between Newcastle and himself to continue on a three-year contract. It’s very unlikely to be announced today though. Club continue to work as if it’ll happen soon. The delay was down to the nitty gritty of the deal being worked out: budgets, the fate of Graham Carr and the formal power lines being redrawn at St James’ Park. It’s unclear at this stage whether Carr and Bob Moncur’s futures will be resolved when the decision is announced formally towards the end of the week. The only thing that would stop this deal from being done now is if a Premier League club sacks it’s manager and approaches Benitez. Manchester United have done that today, but Jose Mourinho’s taking over. There’s been no interest from Everton. Some of Benitez’s backroom staff have begun the process of relocating to Newcastle in recent days. Weekend reports claimed there may still be a role for Carr at the club but whether he has the enthusiasm, at 71, to take a spot on the board when his power has been vastly reduced is another thing. As for the Chief Scout issue, Frank McParland was still doing business on behalf of Rangers as recently as Friday - so if there’s anything in those links the Ibrox talent spotter isn’t letting it detract from his day job....

I can imagine Krul wanting to stay but with 3 decent standard goalkeepers for the Championship and one very promising youngster, one at least is going to have to moved on. And of the 3, he will be on by far the greatest wage.

Yep, we didn't get enough for Cabaye either. For a man supposedly obsessed with the bottom line, Ashley gets this sort of thing hopelessly wrong The reason we didn't get enough for Cabaye was because Kinnear cocked the deal up - one of the (many) reasons that lead to him losing his job very quickly afterwards.

http://www.football365.com/news/16-conclusions-crystal-palace-1-2-manchester-united * Oh, Alan. Only The King could turn a wonderful goal for Crystal Palace into a moment of ridicule. His dancing celebration at Puncheon’s opener was cringeworthy, and neatly encapsulated the man: wherever, whenever, it must be about Alan. Much of the build-up had surrounded the Palace manager. After defeat in the 1990 Cup final as a player and heartbreak in the 2006 version as a manager, this year represented his third opportunity at lifting the trophy. He basked in the publicity, painting himself as a beacon for English managers. “It will not just be good for me and the club to win it but good for English coaches,” he said in midweek. “English coaches and managers get a bad press.” If they do – which they really do not – they bring it on themselves in Pardew’s case. Footage during the game showed that Pardew’s dance may have provided Juan Mata and United with the perfect motivation to initiate a fightback. In the midst of celebrating the opener, Pardew had built a rod for his own back.

Surely what you and many others on here see in Rafa Benitez is not only a manager but a new direction for the club?.. When it takes a relegation just to show a modicum of ambition, however good the news it doesn't signal a change or new direction until that momentum is evident. I know that's unexciting but whilst Rafa is definitely the right man and has always sought perfection as we've known all along, I'm not trusting the club to have done the same. Well, they sought out Rafa in the first place.. Not a typical NUFC thing was it? I read one article where they said that it was Rafa's people that contacted the club first - which wouldn't surprise me considering who we have appointed previously.

I keep hearing an interview where he says "As an England manager" instead of "as an English manager". That job must be constantly in his thoughts.

We should also make quite a saving on players wages as any new players will be on nowhere near the wages of those sold.

But he wants to play for a Champions League club.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-news-live-rafa-11354498 Why would there be a 'delay'? United’s bid to tie Rafa Benitez down to a longer term deal looks set to stretch into next week. With all parties supposedly happy with the terms mentioned so far in talks, why would that be so? A Graham Carr resolution. United would probably rather resolve the future of their Chief Scout before announcing Benitez, and he still has three years left on the bumper eight-year contract that was signed in 2012. Benitez hasn’t demanded Carr’s departure but there’s a feeling that it would suit all parties. Similarly, United probably need to address the whole issue of the boardroom set-up. Bob Moncur is also on the board - his role in any newly configured set-up needs to be resolved. Terms need to be drafted up. Benitez has been in the game long enough to need reassurances. Ditto United, who will want to be protected in case the relationship sours at some point. United have worked this week on a possible budget for next season. They need to crunch the numbers and work out how they will balance the books in the second tier. Discussions at Shirebrook this week focused on that. Newcastle are happy but they still need Benitez to rubber stamp the deal. It’s been suggested in some quarters that he may hanging on for a better option. That’s not the case, insist his camp. As of this morning, all parties felt comfortable with the state of play. An official announcement may not be forthcoming until next week.

He was saying weeks ago that he would stay even if we were relegated ... no-one else is going to pay him that £80k a week.

It would make sense. He needs to know ASAP who is willing to hang around and who wants out.

Hasn't Gradel just got fit again after being injured for most of the season. Not sure why he would want to leave Bournemouth unless they have told him to look for a new club.

very good point Agree. Our managerial appointments have been seriously underwhelming and as the fans have remained unconvinced, it has allowed the players to deflect the blame for their poor performances. Now everyone is 100% behind the manager, the players no longer have the excuse of a manager's shortcomings so it gives him incredible authority.