Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Altamullan]

Was always doing to be effective (when there are round pegs in round holes) rather than flamboyant football. That said, seem to recall breaking a club goal scoring record (most away ever?) in the championship and effective football, and managers like Rafa, are more likely to win things.

[Dave]

Last season and this, the football on show simply does not matter to me. What mattered then was coming straight back up and what matters now is staying up - at all costs. We'd all love to see better football, goals and excitement but right now style is literally the last thing I am worried about. I know it's much easier for me to say when I'm not paying for match tickets btw.

 

If/when we stay in the division we should be looking to be more expansive and not rely on marginal factors to gain points, and Benitez has said the same a few times. Just days ago he said that medium to long term he sees us being a top eight club, and he knows that you can only go so far by scraping results.

 

However that requires better players, which cost increasingly large sums of money.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

As poor as the football has been, it’s not Pardew levels. I’ll not mention the first 35 against City though...

[hakka]

Little reminder of what Rafa has achieved. He's OUR manager and he came when we've been at our lowest and stayed with us. Yes the football was painful to watch against Brighton, but if Rafa can stay with us when we went down then we have to support him when times are tough now.

 

Extremadura

 

Segunda División promotion: 1997–98

 

Tenerife

 

Segunda División promotion: 2000–01

 

Valencia

 

La Liga: 2001–02, 2003–04

UEFA Cup: 2003–04

 

Liverpool

 

FA Cup: 2005–06

FA Community Shield: 2006

UEFA Champions League: 2004–05

UEFA Super Cup: 2005

 

Inter Milan

 

Supercoppa Italiana: 2010

FIFA Club World Cup: 2010

 

Chelsea

 

UEFA Europa League: 2012–13

 

Napoli

 

Coppa Italia: 2013–14

Supercoppa Italiana: 2014

 

Newcastle United

 

EFL Championship: 2016–17[135]

 

La Liga Best Coach: 2002

UEFA Manager of the Year: 2003–04, 2004–05

European Coach of the Year—Alf Ramsey Award: 2005

LMA Special Merit Award: 2006

Premier League Manager of the Month: November 2005, December 2005, January 2007, October 2008, March 2009, April 2013

EFL Championship Manager of the Month: October 2016

[Carlito]

Little reminder of what Rafa has achieved. He's OUR manager and he came when we've been at our lowest and stayed with us. Yes the football was painful to watch against Brighton, but if Rafa can stay with us when we went down then we have to support him when times are tough now.

 

Extremadura

 

Segunda División promotion: 1997–98

 

Tenerife

 

Segunda División promotion: 2000–01

 

Valencia

 

La Liga: 2001–02, 2003–04

UEFA Cup: 2003–04

 

Liverpool

 

FA Cup: 2005–06

FA Community Shield: 2006

UEFA Champions League: 2004–05

UEFA Super Cup: 2005

 

Inter Milan

 

Supercoppa Italiana: 2010

FIFA Club World Cup: 2010

 

Chelsea

 

UEFA Europa League: 2012–13

 

Napoli

 

Coppa Italia: 2013–14

Supercoppa Italiana: 2014

 

Newcastle United

 

EFL Championship: 2016–17[135]

 

La Liga Best Coach: 2002

UEFA Manager of the Year: 2003–04, 2004–05

European Coach of the Year—Alf Ramsey Award: 2005

LMA Special Merit Award: 2006

Premier League Manager of the Month: November 2005, December 2005, January 2007, October 2008, March 2009, April 2013

EFL Championship Manager of the Month: October 2016

 

[Vinny Green Balls]

He shouldn't be sacked because he's by some distance the best manager we could ever have, I don't even know why anyone would even contemplate the idea.

 

Even if we get relegated I wouldn't sack him although I think he'd walk.

 

So in your eyes hes basically untouchable if he takes us down whos fault is it then?

 

I will personally blame you. We are all being punished karma-wise for your willfull dipshittery.

 

[Toon No9]

Last season and this, the football on show simply does not matter to me. What mattered then was coming straight back up and what matters now is staying up - at all costs. We'd all love to see better football, goals and excitement but right now style is literally the last thing I am worried about. I know it's much easier for me to say when I'm not paying for match tickets btw.

 

If/when we stay in the division we should be looking to be more expansive and not rely on marginal factors to gain points, and Benitez has said the same a few times. Just days ago he said that medium to long term he sees us being a top eight club, and he knows that you can only go so far by scraping results.

 

However that requires better players, which cost increasingly large sums of money.

I know all about his record and belive he will get results if/when backed with money. And of course premier league safty comes first. But I don't think we will ever play an attractive football under Rafa. It's not in his thinking. Defence will always be his priority.

 

The question is if we want to finish in top eight with boring football, or a team that plays attractive while beeing a steady premier league team?

 

Bournmouth, Leicester, Watford and Swansea (a few years ago) have all been able to do it without spending great amount of money but with good managers who want's offensive attractive football.

 

I'm not sure myself. Love Rafa and love attractive football but doesn't see how it could happen together.

 

I guess it's easier for us fans to take it if we lose some games but play very good attractive football than loosing and play boring. Never at the cost of premier league safty tho.

[HaydnNUFC]

The football will get better as we get better quality players. We've already seen glimpses of how good our football can be from games last season; Preston at home in the cup, QPR away, Birmingham at home. Even this season, I thought the West Ham and Stoke home games were excellent.

 

And after seeing his Liverpool sides from 2007-2009 dick us at SJP and at Anfield, I think it's a bit rich for anyone to suggest he doesn't play good football.

[Carlito]

The football will get better as we get better quality players. We've already seen glimpses of how good our football can be from games last season; Preston at home in the cup, QPR away, Birmingham at home. Even this season, I thought the West Ham and Stoke home games were excellent.

 

And after seeing his Liverpool sides from 2007-2009 dick us at SJP and at Anfield, I think it's a bit rich for anyone to suggest he doesn't play good football.

 

Look at the 5-1 against Spurs as well. With better quality players we can easily compete under Rafa. No way would we have gotten that result if McClaren or someone of his level was here.

[HaydnNUFC]

The football will get better as we get better quality players. We've already seen glimpses of how good our football can be from games last season; Preston at home in the cup, QPR away, Birmingham at home. Even this season, I thought the West Ham and Stoke home games were excellent.

 

And after seeing his Liverpool sides from 2007-2009 dick us at SJP and at Anfield, I think it's a bit rich for anyone to suggest he doesn't play good football.

 

Look at the 5-1 against Spurs as well. With better quality players we can easily compete under Rafa. No way would we have gotten that result if McClaren or someone of his level was here.

Aye.

[NG32]

Behind him 100% he has very little to work with. 

[Shelveys Hair]

Love the bloke but he isnt beyond criticism.

 

Most of us wanted to see 4-4-2 with Mitro and Gayle which I think is a much better option that Joselu/Gayle. Its obvious he wants rid of Mitro and thats why he has refused to play him.. a decision which I think has possibly cost us points.

 

A backed Benitez with definitely get results, but we will never get the type of football most people want to see as he likes to control every aspect of his teams.

 

[Greg]

 

A backed Benitez with definitely get results, but we will never get the type of football most people want to see as he likes to control every aspect of his teams.

 

 

Already been debunked on this page ffs.

[hoppaz]

Apparently the switch in formation was down to long-term fitness levels. The fitness team looked at the stats and concluded that if we played the way we were playing at the beginning of the season for the whole year, that the players would all be knackered by about now.

 

Really! What did they say last season when we played 53 games in total (often 2 per week)?

 

We had a bigger and better (comparative to the league) squad so we were able to rotate quite a lot. We don't have the squad to do that in this division.

 

What has changed though? The players who have gone were played like never and we got others. My point is none of this squad should be tired as they played more games last year.

[Heron]

I sincerely hope it's not the same people complaining about 442 as it was 4231 or whatever it was...

 

FWIW I don't think anyone thinks Rafa or the team are beyond criticism so I'm kinda sick of hearing that. People are just rationalising why they aren't they actual issue and that's actually 100% rational, given we are making the same mistakes at board level as we have for the last decade...

[Vinny Green Balls]

It's a matter of focusing on the source of the shit storm that this football club has been in long long before our current manager, and in the midst of some of the worst turds possible floating down the managerial river.

 

Not focusing on Ashley as the Eye of Sauron is fucking madness. Has nothing to do with not accepting criticism about Rafa... especially considering he has been one of the rare bright spots in the last 10 years.

[Dinho lad]

Anybody posted Richard Keys dig at Rafa?

 

Where? And does anyone know Keys' address?!

[Guest chopey]

Keys has had a vendetta against Rafa for years now

[Hanshithispantz]

The thing is Rafa was being criticised during our bad run. The run has now ended and we look far better but some are carrying on like we should be winning every game at home to make up for it.

 

In isolation a 0-0 draw at home with Brighton is not a horrific result just as a 3-2 win away to West Ham is a good result. Our season will not be defined on whether or not we beat Stoke away tomorrow although it'll no doubt feel that way, we seem to have gotten over our slump which is the important thing.

[midds]

Lots of things go into having a successful football club. You need an owner with ambition, you need an intelligent manager in the dugout with a vision and the ability to communicate it to a squad with talent, flair and a bit of nous.

 

Rafa ticks one of those boxes and getting shot of him tight now is so ridiculously shortsighted it’s untrue. He’s the biggest tick we have in those 3 big boxes. He’s, arguably, the only tick we’ve had since Bobby left. A takeover should lead to the owner being replaced and a bit of substantial and sustained investment will lead to an improvement in the squad, it’s like dominoes at the minute, one is inextricably linked to the next. There’s no guarantees and it may go down the toilet but Newcastle fans advocating getting shot of Benitez need to be fucking shot down man.

 

Results and performances have been poor, questionable decisions have been made regarding starting elevens and subs etc but it’s all pretty moot given the paucity of the squad he’s got to select from and it all leads back to one bloke. It’s Ashley who needs to leave, it’s Ashley who’s failed this club, it’s Ashley who has neglected to invest in the squad and it’s Ashley who has run this club to meet his own ends to such an extent that we’re all grateful for him allowing our club to spend its own money. He’s the poison, he’s the millstone. Ashley out. As soon as fuckng possible.

[Greg]

Lots of things go into having a successful football club. You need an owner with ambition, you need an intelligent manager in the dugout with a vision and the ability to communicate it to a squad with talent, flair and a bit of nous.

 

Rafa ticks one of those boxes and getting shot of him tight now is so ridiculously shortsighted it’s untrue. He’s the biggest tick we have in those 3 big boxes. He’s, arguably, the only tick we’ve had since Bobby left. A takeover should lead to the owner being replaced and a bit of substantial and sustained investment will lead to an improvement in the squad, it’s like dominoes at the minute, one is inextricably linked to the next. There’s no guarantees and it may go down the toilet but Newcastle fans advocating getting shot of Benitez need to be f***ing shot down man.

 

Results and performances have been poor, questionable decisions have been made regarding starting elevens and subs etc but it’s all pretty moot given the paucity of the squad he’s got to select from and it all leads back to one bloke. It’s Ashley who needs to leave, it’s Ashley who’s failed this club, it’s Ashley who has neglected to invest in the squad and it’s Ashley who has run this club to meet his own ends to such an extent that we’re all grateful for him allowing our club to spend its own money. He’s the poison, he’s the millstone. Ashley out. As soon as fuckng possible.

 

[HaydnNUFC]

Lots of things go into having a successful football club. You need an owner with ambition, you need an intelligent manager in the dugout with a vision and the ability to communicate it to a squad with talent, flair and a bit of nous.

 

Rafa ticks one of those boxes and getting shot of him tight now is so ridiculously shortsighted it’s untrue. He’s the biggest tick we have in those 3 big boxes. He’s, arguably, the only tick we’ve had since Bobby left. A takeover should lead to the owner being replaced and a bit of substantial and sustained investment will lead to an improvement in the squad, it’s like dominoes at the minute, one is inextricably linked to the next. There’s no guarantees and it may go down the toilet but Newcastle fans advocating getting shot of Benitez need to be f***ing shot down man.

 

Results and performances have been poor, questionable decisions have been made regarding starting elevens and subs etc but it’s all pretty moot given the paucity of the squad he’s got to select from and it all leads back to one bloke. It’s Ashley who needs to leave, it’s Ashley who’s failed this club, it’s Ashley who has neglected to invest in the squad and it’s Ashley who has run this club to meet his own ends to such an extent that we’re all grateful for him allowing our club to spend its own money. He’s the poison, he’s the millstone. Ashley out. As soon as fuckng possible.

On the money.

[Dave]

[Away Day Gadgie]

Lots of things go into having a successful football club. You need an owner with ambition, you need an intelligent manager in the dugout with a vision and the ability to communicate it to a squad with talent, flair and a bit of nous.

 

Rafa ticks one of those boxes and getting shot of him tight now is so ridiculously shortsighted it’s untrue. He’s the biggest tick we have in those 3 big boxes. He’s, arguably, the only tick we’ve had since Bobby left. A takeover should lead to the owner being replaced and a bit of substantial and sustained investment will lead to an improvement in the squad, it’s like dominoes at the minute, one is inextricably linked to the next. There’s no guarantees and it may go down the toilet but Newcastle fans advocating getting shot of Benitez need to be f***ing shot down man.

 

Results and performances have been poor, questionable decisions have been made regarding starting elevens and subs etc but it’s all pretty moot given the paucity of the squad he’s got to select from and it all leads back to one bloke. It’s Ashley who needs to leave, it’s Ashley who’s failed this club, it’s Ashley who has neglected to invest in the squad and it’s Ashley who has run this club to meet his own ends to such an extent that we’re all grateful for him allowing our club to spend its own money. He’s the poison, he’s the millstone. Ashley out. As soon as fuckng possible.

Boom! ?

 

Nowt more needs to be said.

 

 

[Vinny Green Balls]

So baffling to see him get lambasted, because this is so stunningly simple to understand.