Rafael Benitez

[DJ_NUFC]

My working theory around players like Gouff, Colback, Raylor, etc., is that they're essentially teacher's pets in training and off the field, and once they're in the good graces of a manager, the manager is compelled by loyalty and good behaviour to keep giving them chances.

 

Edit: why is why I think we may still see Gouff and Colback next year, maybe even regularly in the team, especially if we don't spend and back Rafa.

 

If we don't back Rafa he'll go and the presence of Gouff and Colback will be the least of our concerns.

 

This is how I feel:

 

My only concern for the summer window is coming through it with Rafa still here tbqh.

 

Very true. Now you've got me worried about the real issues, lol.

[TRon]

My working theory around players like Gouff, Colback, Raylor, etc., is that they're essentially teacher's pets in training and off the field, and once they're in the good graces of a manager, the manager is compelled by loyalty and good behaviour to keep giving them chances.

 

Edit: why is why I think we may still see Gouff and Colback next year, maybe even regularly in the team, especially if we don't spend and back Rafa.

 

If they're in the first team it will be because Rafa has left. It's one thing to use them in the championship - where they still struggle in Colback's case - but he'll be wanting Premier league players in his starting 11 next season.

[HaydnNUFC]

Got in Spanish fitness coaches who've won the World Cup and La Liga to watch us train

 

https://www.nufc.co.uk/news/latest-news/spanish-fitness-experts-visit-magpies-training-ground

 

Spanish fitness coaches Javier Miñano and Jose Angel Garcia dropped by United’s base to observe Benitez and his team’s preparations for this weekend’s Sky Bet Championship clash with Fulham on Saturday, as well as impart some of the knowledge they’ve gleaned from their successful careers in the game.

 

High-respected Miñano was a fitness coach with the Spain national team under Vincent Del Bosque when they won the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 – an achievement sandwiched by two European Championship victories in 2008 and 2012.

And Garcia spent 14 years as a fitness coach at Atletico Madrid, where he won a La Liga and Copa del Rey double at the end of the 1995/96 campaign.

 

Both Miñano and Garcia watched the Magpies train on Friday morning ahead of the visit of the Cottagers, and they are due to remain on Tyneside until early next week.

“This is the first time I have visited the training ground, although I have been to St. James’ Park,” said Miñano, who now teaches at the Instituto Nacional de Educación Física in Madrid, where Garcia is the director of the MA in fitness coaching.

“This was a great opportunity for us to touch base with Rafa, with his ways of working, and really to see first-hand the success of his project here.”

 

The duo were able to share their ideas with Benitez and the Magpies’ fitness coach Paco de Miguel, and have had the opportunity to take it some the methods already in place at the club – which Garcia describes as “top notch”.

“I’m very interested in things like injury prevention and all the rest of the issues that come with fitness coaching. We’re very interested in the different models of fitness coaching and the fundamentals of that,” he said. “For us, the model of work that Rafa and Paco have here is top notch – it is an example, and an extraordinary model.

“This is very much a family club, with installations that are simple and clear, where the resources are put to use to tremendous effect. For us, it is remarkable how committed the players are to the methods of coaching here. It is very clear that they are paying attention, they are concentrated on the exercises, and there is no distraction for them.”

 

Garcia – who is also the President of the Spanish Fitness Coaches Association and a board member of the Real Federación de Fútbol de Madrid met Benitez when the current United boss studied at INEF.

“We have been following Rafa’s trajectory since then with much admiration,” he said. “He is someone who has given a lot to football, and he is someone who knows the importance of and has put a lot of emphasis on fitness coaching.”

For both Garcia and Miñano, this week has also provided an opportunity to sample the culture of English football.

“I remember while working with Radomir Antic how he always used to mention to me the English culture, the English way of training and doing things in professional football, with a lot of admiration,” said Garcia, who worked with Antic, a former Luton Town player and Real Madrid and Barcelona manager, at Atletico. “For me, it’s very important to see this in person through Rafa and his group of coaches to contrast those ideas, that conception of the English game with what Rafa is implementing here.

“We were lucky to be invited to watch the preparations for the game against Fulham tomorrow. We’re very much looking forward to seeing how tomorrow goes, as there has been a lot of good preparation for tomorrow’s game.”

 

And for Miñano, who made the move from the development squad at Atletico Madrid to Benitez’s development squad at Real Madrid back in 1992, it was a chance to see how his former colleague and his staff were going about their task of keeping the Magpies ahead of the chasing pack in the Championship.

“We are very thankful to have had the chance to witness the very meticulous preparations that take place here at Newcastle United with Rafa and his team – how they are analysing and working on their strengths, and how they are analysing the strengths of Fulham tomorrow, how to tackle them, and seeing the players putting that into practice,” said Miñano. “It’s fantastic to see.”

[ElDiablo]

Nah, bring back Derek Wright.

 

Edit - He's still about?!

[Dave]

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rafa-benitez-wants-emulate-liverpool-12725228

Rafa Benitez celebrates one year in charge of Newcastle United saying that he hopes to be able to replicate the success he had over six years at Liverpool – suggesting there is a similar emotional pull.

 

Newcastle face Fulham in the fourth of a group of four games that Benitez felt would be the most challenging of the second half of the season – and the Spaniard was more concerned with talking up the challenge of the Cottagers than he was about his anniversary.

 

But he did discuss a rollercoaster year and touched on what he hoped to achieve in the long-term at St James’ Park. Benitez again stopped short of saying he would definitely be in charge to celebrate a second year – saying he “cannot say too much” about his future – but he did emphasis how much he has enjoyed his first year in charge.

 

Benitez wants some reassurances about his continued control over football matters and the club’s plans for the future – although he did say “a lot of things” are right at Newcastle United. And he stressed that he has spoken to Lee Charnley about plans for the future.

 

Benitez also said that he got a similar feeling from Newcastle that he did from Liverpool, a club where he was worshipped and that he led to two Champions League finals, winning one.

 

“Yes, (Newcastle is) very similar in a lot of things. I was there six years and we won the Champions League in the first year and we played in the final of the Carling Cup at this time, so the adoration was growing and growing.

 

“After, we were in another final, so we had won four titles and three finals at Liverpool and semi-finals or whatever, so that was massive. But it’s very similar, so hopefully we can do well and we will have the same number of years and trophies.”

 

Benitez says nothing has surprised him about Newcastle, a club he pushed to join last March. He said: “Not really. In terms of the fans, the passion, the massive club, (it is) everything that we were expecting. (I’m) a little bit surprised about the affection of the fans for me because you were expecting the fans supporting, but the way that they support is even better than you were expecting.

 

“The city is fine. When I was doing my tours, it’s fine, it’s nice, but still I need some time to explore.

 

“But the weather, for example, the weather has been quite good – I am not joking. You were expecting it would be windy every day or will be raining, but it has been quite good.

 

We have had some sunny days and the training sessions, we haven’t had to change too many things because of the weather. We have had some training sessions where we have had problems, but it was the same at Liverpool or Chelsea, so it’s been quite good.

 

“Now we have to improve things, facilities, squad or staff or that way that we work, normal things that you have to do little by little.

 

There remain concerns among supporters that he is not in the job for the long-term and Benitez has steered clear of offering unqualified assurances – something that he stopped short of again yesterday.

 

Benitez was asked about the odds on him being at St James’ Park to celebrate a second year in charge.

 

He said: “I don’t know what will happen. I said before, you have to concentrate on your job and see what happens one year’s time. But I don’t know now, so you cannot say too much.

 

“I meet Lee Charnley maybe every week, I am on the phone with him maybe four or five times a week and we talk about everything. We talk about the future, plans for the future, ideas, normal conversations. But still we need to know where we are, that is the main thing.”

 

Benitez was then asked what the issues governing his long-term stay would be. “A lot of things are right because we have good staff – I say that, that is true – but maybe in terms of the way to do things, we can improve a little bit,” he said.

 

“It will still be very difficult to be right in every decision, but at least you can do things in another way that maybe can help everything, football and business.”

[Dave]

(I’m) a little bit surprised about the affection of the fans for me because you were expecting the fans supporting, but the way that they support is even better than you were expecting.

 

[DJ_NUFC]

So basically, "I love this place, I want to stay, but won't say I AM going to stay, because the cunts above me are fucking pieces of shit and unless they change, I'll stay mum for now."

 

[Guest firetotheworks]

 

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rafa-benitez-wants-emulate-liverpool-12725228

There remain concerns among supporters that he is not in the job for the long-term and Benitez has steered clear of offering unqualified assurances – something that he stopped short of again yesterday.

 

Benitez was asked about the odds on him being at St James’ Park to celebrate a second year in charge.

 

He said: “I don’t know what will happen. I said before, you have to concentrate on your job and see what happens one year’s time. But I don’t know now, so you cannot say too much.

 

“I meet Lee Charnley maybe every week, I am on the phone with him maybe four or five times a week and we talk about everything. We talk about the future, plans for the future, ideas, normal conversations. But still we need to know where we are, that is the main thing.”

 

Benitez was then asked what the issues governing his long-term stay would be. “A lot of things are right because we have good staff – I say that, that is true – but maybe in terms of the way to do things, we can improve a little bit,” he said.

 

“It will still be very difficult to be right in every decision, but at least you can do things in another way that maybe can help everything, football and business.”

 

No one else think that that's pretty much the writing on the wall?

 

I don't want to hark on about it because I'm trying to enjoy it while we have him, but that section is pretty telling imo.

 

 

[54]

Rafa

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

 

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rafa-benitez-wants-emulate-liverpool-12725228

There remain concerns among supporters that he is not in the job for the long-term and Benitez has steered clear of offering unqualified assurances – something that he stopped short of again yesterday.

 

Benitez was asked about the odds on him being at St James’ Park to celebrate a second year in charge.

 

He said: “I don’t know what will happen. I said before, you have to concentrate on your job and see what happens one year’s time. But I don’t know now, so you cannot say too much.

 

“I meet Lee Charnley maybe every week, I am on the phone with him maybe four or five times a week and we talk about everything. We talk about the future, plans for the future, ideas, normal conversations. But still we need to know where we are, that is the main thing.”

 

Benitez was then asked what the issues governing his long-term stay would be. “A lot of things are right because we have good staff – I say that, that is true – but maybe in terms of the way to do things, we can improve a little bit,” he said.

 

“It will still be very difficult to be right in every decision, but at least you can do things in another way that maybe can help everything, football and business.”

 

No one else think that that's pretty much the writing on the wall?

 

I don't want to hark on about it because I'm trying to enjoy it while we have him, but that section is pretty telling imo.

 

 

I think that bit pretty much sums up and proves what everyone already thought that the sticking point is obviously the decision making and process regarding transfers and scouting and such. That's the sticking point and if Ashley doesn't agree to his way then he will 100% be off.

 

It sounds like hes still willing to negotiate though, hence why he wont talk about staying on until it is.

 

it's going to be a nail biting summer, I hope they sort it out very quickly either way, if he does go though I think that will be just about it for me, and I would suspect a fair few others.

[HaydnNUFC]

As soon as the whistle goes in the Barnsley game on the last day this will be what everyone will be talking about for a while. I'm going to be a wreck

[Wilson]

I think he'll do his job, start looking for his assurances as soon as promotions guaranteed, if he gets the slightest feeling he's being f***ed about, that'll be it.

 

Don't think much has changed in that he'd like to stay, but it needs to be done his way. 

[Dave]

Every time he talks about his future he puts the ball firmly in the club's court. It's fairly clear to me that he will stay if they don't fuck him over.

 

We'll see whether they can resist. January doesn't bode well.

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

We've got a manager like Benitez saying he has a determination and a vision to make us a success, has built an incredible relationship with supporters, and has probably made Ashley a fortune in increased revenue and its entirely likely he will mess this up again and we'll lose him, probably over the sake of the same amount of money that was afforded to a fucking dunce like McClaren and some fat old pub team coach in Carr.

 

The worst part of it is though even if somehow Ashley does agree to Rafas demands he could still fuck him over at any given time, no matter how it plays out we'll always have that worry at the back of our minds, Rafa will know this too.

[Superior Acuña]

 

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rafa-benitez-wants-emulate-liverpool-12725228

There remain concerns among supporters that he is not in the job for the long-term and Benitez has steered clear of offering unqualified assurances – something that he stopped short of again yesterday.

 

Benitez was asked about the odds on him being at St James’ Park to celebrate a second year in charge.

 

He said: “I don’t know what will happen. I said before, you have to concentrate on your job and see what happens one year’s time. But I don’t know now, so you cannot say too much.

 

“I meet Lee Charnley maybe every week, I am on the phone with him maybe four or five times a week and we talk about everything. We talk about the future, plans for the future, ideas, normal conversations. But still we need to know where we are, that is the main thing.”

 

Benitez was then asked what the issues governing his long-term stay would be. “A lot of things are right because we have good staff – I say that, that is true – but maybe in terms of the way to do things, we can improve a little bit,” he said.

 

“It will still be very difficult to be right in every decision, but at least you can do things in another way that maybe can help everything, football and business.”

 

No one else think that that's pretty much the writing on the wall?

 

I don't want to hark on about it because I'm trying to enjoy it while we have him, but that section is pretty telling imo.

 

 

 

 

I'm canny surprised he doesn't just say "I have a 3 year contract", it'd be easy to at least not say there's doubt. Hopefully it's part of his way of exerting pressure on the regime for power and funds. Surely when he stayed though he had a longer-term intention - I doubt he wanted to spend a year in the Championship if not to manage us when back in the PL.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I mean, it's been 10 years, but I still can't believe that Ashley, or anyone can know so little about football like. Think about the things that have happened in that time, the endless discussions we've had on here, the things that he should have learned, and the only thing you can rely on him for, is his attempts to actively avoid success. I should have been able to get my head around it in some way by now, but I still can't understand how a fucking billionaire can be this obviously and relentlessly thick.

[Yorkie]

Every time he talks about his future he puts the ball firmly in the club's court. It's fairly clear to me that he will stay if they don't fuck him over.

 

We'll see whether they can resist. January doesn't bode well.

 

That's how I see it. The pessimist in me believes January may have rankled enough for him to up and go in the summer, but ffs, there's nothing stopping the club from just letting him go about his business the way he wants. Why do we HAVE to have misery bestowed upon us again after a year's respite?

 

If he goes then, I mean, as good as it's felt caring again - this season and all the progress we've made as a club was empty and utterly pointless.

[Sir Toon]

The good thing about this is when Ashley does fuck it up then everyone will be on the same page for once and we should be able to stir up enough anger to cause more than a ripple.    Then again, if candy crush release an update around this time, we may have to wait.

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

The good thing about this is when Ashley does fuck it up then everyone will be on the same page for once and we should be able to stir up enough anger to cause more than a ripple.    Then again, if candy crush release an update around this time, we may have to wait.

If he does go the Happy clappers will be out in force if we manage a point in our first game tbh, still don't think even the Rafa situation would be enough for even 50% of the fan base to take some kind of action.

[Yorkie]

I really won't know what to do with myself if he's forced out. I need to support the club, it gives me so much. I don't have the energy to hate but I couldn't bare returning to the apathy of 2014-15, where it didn't even feel like I had a club any more. Urgh. I just hope he stays for a while and when he eventually does go, it's not in some disgraceful circumstances that effectively puts a nail in us ever becoming something.

[Heron]

I get the impression it's not this January but next we need to be worrying about. That will be the telling time...

[Ronaldo]

It always is.

[madras]

Aren't all managers, and players comet to think of it, like that these days when asked about their futures ?

[LFEE]

Aren't all managers, and players comet to think of it, like that these days when asked about their futures ?

 

No. Your being naive.

[merlin]

No surprise here - Rafa is telling it like it is. He won't commit himself to a long stay at the club because he has doubts about Ashley and his cohorts being as committed to success as he is.

 

I hope he doesn't go in summer but unless he receives cast-iron budget/assurances about the extent of his control over signings etc I fear he will be off...and who could blame him because he would be the fall guy if we start struggling in the PL after his hands were tied over team strengthening.

Big, big problems for Ashley if this happens but I reckon he is likely to try for someone like Wagner if Rafa walks...Wagner would see NUFC as a step up from Huddersfield(albeit a temporary one)whilst Ashley would bank on his comparative success there being able to appease fans angry at Rafa's exit. Ashley's dream option is an approach for Rafa from another top club, he then gets the compo from that and gives Huddersfield a lesser amount to get Wagner....it would suit him down to the ground and you can see it happening - or something similar.