Guest antz1uk Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/14332676.LATEST__Steve_McClaren_still_clinging_to_his_job___but_hopes_of_Newcastle_recruiting_Rafael_Benitez_rise/ STEVE McCLAREN is clinging to his job as Newcastle United head coach this evening after another farcical day of developments, but the club are growing increasingly confident of recruiting Rafael Benitez as his short-term successor. Despite his authority being seriously undermined by Newcastle’s sounding out of potential replacements, McClaren once again took charge of training this morning before remaining at the Magpies’ Benton base throughout the afternoon. He left at around 5pm, with sources claiming he was due to meet managing director Lee Charnley to discuss whether or not he would be required to take charge of Newcastle for next Monday’s trip to league leaders Leicester City. That meeting did not take place though, and McClaren headed home. McClaren and Charnley spoke in a telephone conversation during the afternoon, but the call ended without a firm decision being made over the 54-year-old’s future. As things stand, McClaren is due to take charge of training again tomorrow, but while the Newcastle hierarchy are understood to have been impressed with the former England manager’s professionalism during the last 48 hours, there is an acceptance that the current drift cannot be allowed to spill over into another day. The fact that Newcastle do not play until Monday has bought the club time, but some key pre-match duties will have to take place during tomorrow and Friday, and Charnley is finally expected to meet McClaren for face-to-face talks at the training ground once training is completed. It is still expected that McClaren will be dismissed, although Charnley’s determination to have a replacement in place before anything is publicly confirmed remains a key factor. Having identified Benitez as his preferred target in the immediate aftermath of Monday’s hastily-arranged board meeting with chief scout Graham Carr and club ambassador Bob Moncur in York, Charnley has spent the last two days discussing the possibility of a deal with the Spaniard’s representatives. Benitez’s response has been broadly positive, and while there are still some issues to be ironed out which have delayed the move to more formal contractual discussions, there is a growing confidence that the former Liverpool and Chelsea boss will agree to take over for the final two months of the season. His tenure will initially be a short-term one, with Benitez only committing to lead Newcastle for the remainder of the current campaign. If he fails to keep the Magpies in the Premier League, he will have a cast-iron guarantee that he can walk away. If he succeeds in keeping them up, he will be given the option of signing a long-term agreement to be head coach, and the terms of that arrangement are understood to be the key factor complicating discussions. Sources close to Benitez claim he would demand strong assurances about his influence over transfers and his ability to bring in members of his preferred backroom team before agreeing to any deal that could potentially extend beyond the next ten games. In terms of the next two months, he has been offered a large financial bonus that would only be paid if Newcastle retained their top-flight status on top of a sizeable salary for the remainder of the season. Benitez has been out of work since his dismissal from Real Madrid at the start of January, and has returned to England to live in his family home on the Wirral. While taking over at Newcastle might be regarded as a significant step down given that has last six jobs have taken him to Valencia, Inter Milan and Napoli as well as Liverpool, Chelsea and the Bernabeu, it would offer a potential route back into the Premier League with a club that retain a major global profile despite their struggles on the field. Speaking in an interview three weeks ago, Benitez said: “I like the Premier League and it is a priority to return there because my family lives on the Wirral. But it is not easy because I have to watch every league just in case. “But especially for my wife, I’d like to return to management as she’s telling me to go coaching. After one month, it’s fine with the wife and the children, but obviously I’d like to be on the pitch.” Newcastle had also sounded out former Manchester United boss David Moyes in the wake of Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat to Bournemouth, but the Scotsman is believed to have been much more reluctant to take over a side that have claimed just six league victories all season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Crooks Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Even if he does turn up he's not going to last 5 minutes out of self respect Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Plz happen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BONTEMPI Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 That meeting did not take place though, and McClaren headed home. McClaren and Charnley spoke in a telephone conversation during the afternoon, but the call ended without a firm decision being made over the 54-year-old’s future. Hi err Steve it's Lee. Oh hi Lee, what's up. Errrrrrrrr the weather's not nice is it. Ha, err no Lee it's not. Anything else. Hmmmmm No, that was it. Bye. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasy Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 If he fails to keep the Magpies in the Premier League, he will have a cast-iron guarantee that he can walk away. If he succeeds in keeping them up, he will be given the option of signing a long-term agreement to be head coach, and the terms of that arrangement are understood to be the key factor complicating discussions. Are they fucking serious? Deal with that shit IF he keeps us up FFS. For now just get him in for the remaining 10 games, we don't have time for this shit right now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 If he fails to keep the Magpies in the Premier League, he will have a cast-iron guarantee that he can walk away. If he succeeds in keeping them up, he will be given the option of signing a long-term agreement to be head coach, and the terms of that arrangement are understood to be the key factor complicating discussions. Are they f***ing serious? Deal with that s*** IF he keeps us up FFS. For now just get him in for the remaining 10 games, we don't have time for this s*** right now! Benitez will never have more bargaining power than now and he would be a mug to jump in, I can fully understand why he would do as much bargaining now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucaAltieri Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Should we send his wife a bunch of flowers? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klaus Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoot Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Should we send his wife a bunch of flowers? I'll chip in a quid... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foluwashola Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Racially abuse his mam. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Racially abuse his mam. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interpolic Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Hurry the fuck up man, we've bored him rigid already Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoot Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Racially abuse his mam. Or we could fly a plane over his house. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStar Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 If we manage to get Benitez in, in the state we're in at the moment, this lot will have seriously landed on their feet. Which will make it all the more frustrating when they manage to completely fuck it up anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMagpie Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Imagine going from Ronaldo et al to looking at fucking gouffran?!! Hopefully Rafa hasn't seen us play this season! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interpolic Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Imagine going from Ronaldo et al to looking at fucking gouffran?!! Hopefully Rafa hasn't seen us play this season! On the plus side, if he reads these boards he's probably read that 4 or 5 times now and might be getting slowly used to the idea Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketsbaia Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 C'mon Rafa, be our gaffer! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimpy474 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Would be good to get him but unless he can shit miracles we're in big trouble. Not that he can't get us out of it, it's just the die might have been cast already. Our players are gutless and it's shown up more and more as the seasons gone on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Imagine going from Ronaldo et al to looking at f***ing gouffran?!! Hopefully Rafa hasn't seen us play this season! On the plus side, if he reads these boards he's probably read that 4 or 5 times now and might be getting slowly used to the idea Bet he's also looking forward to seeing 'jobless' in the McClaren thread title then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klaus Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I refuse to believe. If I was Rafa I wouldn't go anywhere near this club in its current state. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chopey Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 So long as the money is right I can't see how this is a risk to him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-more Mag Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 The NUFC Guide to Doing Fake Deals suggests that tomorrow Rafa's camp should be releasing a statement that they haven't had any contact from the club and reports that a deal is close to being done are categorically untrue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlito Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Stranger things have happened to be fair. I don't think any of us could have predicted Keegan returning, or Joe Kinnear being appointed at the other end of the spectrum Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Imagine going from Ronaldo et al to looking at f***ing gouffran?!! Hopefully Rafa hasn't seen us play this season! On the plus side, if he reads these boards he's probably read that 4 or 5 times now and might be getting slowly used to the idea Bet he's also looking forward to seeing 'jobless' in the McClaren thread title then. The Chronicle actually published a great article today on how Benitez despises Fat Sam. Some choice quotes in there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Good point actually. Would be immense if that was his first game after the Liverpool-Blackburn game a few years back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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