Jump to content
Newcastle-Online

Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

Greg

by Greg
in Football

 Share

Would you have Rafa back?   

463 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you have Rafa back?

    • Yes, as manager, immediately
      101
    • Yes, as manager, but at some point in the future (eg if relegated)
      97
    • Yes, in an advisory or DoF role
      74
    • No, not in any meaningful capacity
      132

This poll is closed to new votes


Recommended Posts

NEEJ

NEEJ

Posted
Posted

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rafa-benitez-explains-vision-newcastles-14079015

Rafa Benitez believes Newcastle United can become a regular fixture in the top eight of the Premier League in the future if the Magpies make some important “changes” behind the scenes - and even without investment on the scale Manchester City have enjoyed over the past decade.

 

The Spaniard’s immediate priority is to ensure the Magpies retain their Premier League status this season, something he stresses will be easier if owner Mike Ashley allows Newcastle to strengthen during the transfer window next month.

 

Newcastle moved out of the bottom three on Saturday with a first win in two months - a 3-2 victory over West Ham United at the London Stadium - but host runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City at St James’ Park on Wednesday.

 

The Citizens have spent hundreds of millions of pounds improving their first-team squad, infrastructure and academy since they were bought by the Abu Dhabi royal family in 2008 - and Pep Guardiola’s current side appear destined to win the Premier League title, given that they are currently on a record-breaking 17-game winning run.

 

However, UEFA and Premier League Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules mean it is unlikely another team outside of the so-called ‘Big Six’ can heavily invest like Man City - but Benitez stresses Newcastle can still taste success in the future, as long as they make the “right changes”.

 

“If you talk about the massive money that has been spent in football in recent years, maybe it is not easy. But you never know,” Benitez replied when asked if he thought it was possible for the Man City revolution to be replicated elsewhere given FFP regulations.

 

“To improve teams like Newcastle United Football Club, if you change some things and do the right things, sometimes it is enough to be strong enough and be bigger and to compete.

 

“If you spend £200million or £300m every year, even if you make mistakes you will still have a good team. But without spending so much money still you can improve and do well. That is my idea if we are capable of staying in the Premier League.”

 

Amanda Staveley and PCP Capital Partners Ltd remain in negotiations with Ashley over purchasing the club, with the prospective owners believed to be keen to ensure Benitez is backed during the January transfer window in order to bolster the Magpies’ chances of retaining their top-flight status.

 

A transfer of ownership is unlikely to be completed until the end of January at the earliest but, if it does happen and Benitez is able to make the changes he believes are necessary, he still sees “great potential” at a club he insists should be competing in the top eight of the Premier League every season.

 

“I think that still this club has great potential. If we do the things that we have to do now in January, and we stay in the Premier League then it’s one of the teams that has to be in the top eight,” Benitez said when asked where he thought he could take the club if he had supportive owners behind him.

 

“Watching the table, watching the size of the others teams, if we do what we have to do, it’s a team that can be in the top 10 for sure, and top eight if you do well, then compete.

 

“We have to be sure that this is a crucial time for us.”

 

Saturday’s victory over West Ham brought an end to a two-month barren run which had seen Newcastle lose eight out of nine matches and slip into the relegation zone.

 

But even before the Magpies secured the win which lifted them out of the bottom three for Christmas Day, the travelling Newcastle supporters at the London Stadium chanted Benitez’s name throughout - as well as ahead of the game, and also while the scoreline in east London remained level.

 

Few managers would receive such backing from their club’s fans following such an awful string of results, but Benitez believes Magpies supporters appreciate everything he and his staff have done for the club - as well as the fact he continues to challenge Ashley in public, something his predecessors rarely did.

 

Benitez said of the Newcastle supporters: “I think that the fans, they appreciate first of all that I decided to come when they were in a bad position. Afterwards, we decided to stay when we were in a worse position.

 

“Then we won the Championship, we promoted and the fans, they have experience and they know how difficult it is to do that. So this season, again they appreciate this every single game.

 

“They know, they have experience in the way that Newcastle United as a football club has been doing things in the last few years, and they know that you have to put everything together and these are the reasons why they still support the manager, the staff and players; because we try our best in every single game.

 

“Yeah [i will not stay quiet when I know something needs to be done], but I think that I have to be realistic and pragmatic. Sometimes you try to change things and then you cannot, so then you have to keep going.

 

“But still it is important to tell the supporters what we are trying to do, and in the way that we think we have to do things. If you cannot change everything, at least try - and then, after, give your best every single day.”

 

:smitten:

Rafa is the man.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

Imagine if he had a group of players good enough to actually execute his plan, man. He's taken a team with Elliot, Dummett, Manquillo, Diame, Joselu, etc to within a few inches of a draw against arguably the best Premier League team in history.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Bimpy474

Bimpy474

Posted
Posted

Tremendous hearing his name being belted out at the end. Even better because the media hate the fact that we're united because of Rafa, even with our poor form.

 

Aye absolutely love it, yet we hated Pardew for being shit and got had a go for wanting him out. We can't win like no matter what we do in the eyes of most tossers in the media.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Dave

Dave

Posted
Posted

Tremendous hearing his name being belted out at the end. Even better because the media hate the fact that we're united because of Rafa, even with our poor form.

 

:thup:

 

Very noticable on the feed I was watching, hope it gets mentioned in the write-ups.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Howaythetoon

Guest Howaythetoon

Posted
Posted

Despite my criticism of how we played first 35, I’d trust him more than any manager to get the better of Pep with a similar playing field... this takeover has to happen.

Link to post
Share on other sites
midds

midds

Posted
Posted

Don’t care what the cunts at Sky thought, he was pragmatic and set the team up the only way he could. Sky clearly wanted a massacre they could pour over for a few days, promote a bit of scandal regarding Rafa whilst wanking City off 24 hours a day on SSN.

 

The only option tonight was to keep it as tight as possible for as long as possible. We did that and were still in the game in injury time. Every other team, Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal, Spurs et all have had a go at them and lost, normally by a few, we dug in and but for a better contact on Gayle’s forehead we’d have taken a point. The end would have justified the means. He got it right, with the resources available he’s done far better than Mourinho, Klopp, Wenger did.

 

Proud of him, couldn’t give a fuck.

Link to post
Share on other sites
TRon

TRon

Posted
Posted

Proud to say that the fans showed a lot more football intelligence than the commentators and pundits tonight. While the Sky 'experts' spent the whole programme slagging Rafa's approach, our fans seemed to understand a lot better that we gave ourselves a great chance to take something from this game despite the massive gap in quality between the sides.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Vinny Green Balls

Vinny Green Balls

Posted
Posted

Proud to say that the fans showed a lot more football intelligence than the commentators and pundits tonight. While the Sky 'experts' spent the whole programme slagging Rafa's approach, our fans seemed to understand a lot better that we gave ourselves a great chance to take something from this game despite the massive gap in quality between the sides.

 

You clearly missed a bunch of comments in the match thread then.

Link to post
Share on other sites
TRon

TRon

Posted
Posted

Proud to say that the fans showed a lot more football intelligence than the commentators and pundits tonight. While the Sky 'experts' spent the whole programme slagging Rafa's approach, our fans seemed to understand a lot better that we gave ourselves a great chance to take something from this game despite the massive gap in quality between the sides.

 

You clearly missed a bunch of comments in the match thread then.

 

I didn't follow the match thread tonight, was talking about the fans at the ground.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Howaythetoon

Guest Howaythetoon

Posted
Posted

Again despite my criticism of the first 35 (which isn’t me slagging Rafa per we) there is not many I’d have pitch us against a team in a one off match, regardless or the opposition or how good or not we are. Give the man a team he can really put to work and the sky is the limit!

Link to post
Share on other sites
TRon

TRon

Posted
Posted

I proper love the way Rafa gets wound up every time we concede a goal. As if it is a personal affront.

 

Contrast it with the blank looks and wry smiles we've had off other cretins in our recent history.

 

I don't think he would get wound up if we were conceding to good football moves, but usually it's just bad defending.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...