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Tell that to Rafa

 

He'll know.

He's already said 20-30% of his transfers were mistakes

 

No really. He said:

 

“It means we have done something right.” “Still we know we have made mistakes, we are not stupid.

 

“But you have to put everything in context and after you can analyse.”

 

He doesn't quantify where he thinks he is in terms of his claims re 70% success being a good position to be in.

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A turnover of at least 25 players in a season post relegation while still getting promoted and making a profit is a huge achievement . We are not used to building squads. Yes some players have not had the impact on the pitch we had hoped for, but the table doesn't lie and squad is much more balanced. Given the high turnover number it no surprise some players have not been big successes like Gayle and Richie.  The quality generally in the squad is lower than we have had previous seasons, but the reality is we're playing in the championship and you can't argue that the plan for this season has been executed perfectly in unspectacular fashion. Judgement on Rafa should be saved after several seasons in the Prem after which has has had time to build a team at that level.

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Just an obvious point, but success/failure of transfers also has to be judged on whether someone was better or contributed more than another player you had already. Going into the season, I would have expected Perez to play more at #10 than Diame (only five million remember), so in my book Diame has contributed more than he should have done. Perez has been very disappointing at this level. Likewise Murphy getting the nod over Mitro in certain games where Mitro was available.

 

It's also silly to offset the runaway success of Gayle, Ritchie, and Clark with three players who've hardly featured to produce a number of 50%.

 

We've played some quite dull and tactically constrained football this season, but it's been mostly effective and part of me suspects it's been a case of KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid), Benitez running a stripped-down system that can be fairly well executed regardless of the limitations of the players at his disposal. To thrive back in the Prem, we'll need better players whose presence will open up more tactical possibilities.

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Yeah some excellent posts above. He's had to pick up a complete mess of a club and there's been enormous pressure going into this season with the financial ramifications of not going back up at the first attempt. The squad has been so brittle for so long and so many people have been looking to see us fail. There's been unbelievable pressure throughout and recently it's started to tell. I think he's managed things extremely well even if our play has been a bit dull at times. The goal was purely to get promotion, first or second.

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The not coming back up at the first attempt stat is bizarre like. Just had a look at the table when we finished 5th. 8 of the 20 in the league won't be in the Premier League next season.

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“Every year the transfer window, when it is open, it is quite busy,” “In this case, for a team who are relegated, you also have a problem.”

 

“The players, they have a short memory of the Premier League. You think you cannot bring players who are not ‘good enough’ for the Premier League.”

 

“Then you start making the mistake of trying to sign ‘names’, because we are coming from the Premier League.”

 

“You don’t realise that the Championship is so difficult, that’s why you have to bring in players for the Championship.”

 

“Then, after, you can get players good enough for the Premier League.” “Normally when you go to a club that has been relegated, it’s because something was wrong, quite wrong.”

 

“Then you have to work even harder.”

 

“Look at the other teams. Why over the last five years teams who were relegated they don’t promote in the first season?”

 

“Because maybe it’s not the right approach, so you have to be sure that in a division like this one with 46 games and it is so difficult, you have to be ready.”

 

“Then afterwards, you can think about the future.” “But the present is the priority.”

 

“When you have to bring new players in, they have to be right.” “You also have to sell your players at the best price possible.”

 

“Then, sometimes you make mistakes.” “Always I say 70% success in the signings is really, really good.”

 

“If you can get 80%, it’s massive.” “When you have a couple of mistakes, it’s normal because you are signing lots of players.”

 

“But also the main thing is to sell well and I think we did a great job in the summer.” “It was a great job because we had profit and new faces.”

 

“If you asked the fans which players they didn’t want, then maybe they will say: ‘Listen, he’s done a great job this season.’”

 

“The majority of fans will agree with this player, this player, another one.” “We made profit and we bought players.”

 

“Some of the players we brought in are starters and are doing really well.” “In fact, some of the signings are actually the best players of this season.”

 

“It means we have done something right.” “Still we know we have made mistakes, we are not stupid.

 

“But you have to put everything in context and after you can analyse.”

 

:thup:

 

Love this wise man.

 

Brilliant!

 

Have you got the link?

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“Every year the transfer window, when it is open, it is quite busy,” “In this case, for a team who are relegated, you also have a problem.”

 

“The players, they have a short memory of the Premier League. You think you cannot bring players who are not ‘good enough’ for the Premier League.”

 

“Then you start making the mistake of trying to sign ‘names’, because we are coming from the Premier League.”

 

“You don’t realise that the Championship is so difficult, that’s why you have to bring in players for the Championship.”

 

“Then, after, you can get players good enough for the Premier League.” “Normally when you go to a club that has been relegated, it’s because something was wrong, quite wrong.”

 

“Then you have to work even harder.”

 

“Look at the other teams. Why over the last five years teams who were relegated they don’t promote in the first season?”

 

“Because maybe it’s not the right approach, so you have to be sure that in a division like this one with 46 games and it is so difficult, you have to be ready.”

 

“Then afterwards, you can think about the future.” “But the present is the priority.”

 

“When you have to bring new players in, they have to be right.” “You also have to sell your players at the best price possible.”

 

“Then, sometimes you make mistakes.” “Always I say 70% success in the signings is really, really good.”

 

“If you can get 80%, it’s massive.” “When you have a couple of mistakes, it’s normal because you are signing lots of players.”

 

“But also the main thing is to sell well and I think we did a great job in the summer.” “It was a great job because we had profit and new faces.”

 

“If you asked the fans which players they didn’t want, then maybe they will say: ‘Listen, he’s done a great job this season.’”

 

“The majority of fans will agree with this player, this player, another one.” “We made profit and we bought players.”

 

“Some of the players we brought in are starters and are doing really well.” “In fact, some of the signings are actually the best players of this season.”

 

“It means we have done something right.” “Still we know we have made mistakes, we are not stupid.

 

“But you have to put everything in context and after you can analyse.”

 

:thup:

 

Love this wise man.

 

Brilliant!

 

Have you got the link?

 

Reading between the lines,  is this what he has had to explain to Charnkey and Carr who then pass it back to Ashley??

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“Every year the transfer window, when it is open, it is quite busy,” “In this case, for a team who are relegated, you also have a problem.”

 

“The players, they have a short memory of the Premier League. You think you cannot bring players who are not ‘good enough’ for the Premier League.”

 

“Then you start making the mistake of trying to sign ‘names’, because we are coming from the Premier League.”

 

“You don’t realise that the Championship is so difficult, that’s why you have to bring in players for the Championship.”

 

“Then, after, you can get players good enough for the Premier League.” “Normally when you go to a club that has been relegated, it’s because something was wrong, quite wrong.”

 

“Then you have to work even harder.”

 

“Look at the other teams. Why over the last five years teams who were relegated they don’t promote in the first season?”

 

“Because maybe it’s not the right approach, so you have to be sure that in a division like this one with 46 games and it is so difficult, you have to be ready.”

 

“Then afterwards, you can think about the future.” “But the present is the priority.”

 

“When you have to bring new players in, they have to be right.” “You also have to sell your players at the best price possible.”

 

“Then, sometimes you make mistakes.” “Always I say 70% success in the signings is really, really good.”

 

“If you can get 80%, it’s massive.” “When you have a couple of mistakes, it’s normal because you are signing lots of players.”

 

“But also the main thing is to sell well and I think we did a great job in the summer.” “It was a great job because we had profit and new faces.”

 

“If you asked the fans which players they didn’t want, then maybe they will say: ‘Listen, he’s done a great job this season.’”

 

“The majority of fans will agree with this player, this player, another one.” “We made profit and we bought players.”

 

“Some of the players we brought in are starters and are doing really well.” “In fact, some of the signings are actually the best players of this season.”

 

“It means we have done something right.” “Still we know we have made mistakes, we are not stupid.

 

“But you have to put everything in context and after you can analyse.”

 

:thup:

 

Love this wise man.

 

Those are some brilliant quotes like assuming they are genuine.

 

 

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Guest firetotheworks

I know others will disagree, but how this guy managed to get this team promoted is a fantastic achievement, especially after January. Love the bloke.

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Get in Rafa.

 

(Please stay)

 

Ultimately it's up to Ashley. Genuinely think he loves it here, the concept of NUFC anyway.

 

We'll see whether it's 'like it said in the brochure' in the summer transfer window.

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