Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[ToonArmy1892]

I'd barely consider him a shield/buffer tbh. His leaving wouldn't be any sort of catalyst. Doesn't matter who's in the dugout when there's a wife to escape from.

 

Completely believe this too. All very demoralising when you see so many of our own fans bunkering down and refusing to try and get Ashley out. Just looks like the vast majority will not stop going no matter what. Just leaves it all a little pointless and demoralising. Got to the point for me where i just don't give a toss anymore if he stays or goes. Just feels like nothing will work when so many people are willing to camp out on Ashley's side (even when they don't realise that is what they are doing), keep handing him money and going, all because of some blind, blinkered loyalty they think they should be showing.

 

This is how i am starting to feel tbh, i just don't feel that there are enough people willing to sacrifice their own pleasure (arf) of going to the game to try and get rid of Ashley, i am totally demoralised at this point.

 

Too many zombie supporters that Ashley relies on, fucking sick of it.

[Guest reefatoon]

I'd barely consider him a shield/buffer tbh. His leaving wouldn't be any sort of catalyst. Doesn't matter who's in the dugout when there's a wife to escape from.

 

Completely believe this too. All very demoralising when you see so many of our own fans bunkering down and refusing to try and get Ashley out. Just looks like the vast majority will not stop going no matter what. Just leaves it all a little pointless and demoralising. Got to the point for me where i just don't give a toss anymore if he stays or goes. Just feels like nothing will work when so many people are willing to camp out on Ashley's side (even when they don't realise that is what they are doing), keep handing him money and going, all because of some blind, blinkered loyalty they think they should be showing.

 

This is how i am starting to feel tbh, i just don't feel that there are enough people willing to sacrifice their own pleasure (arf) of going to the game to try and get rid of Ashley, i am totally demoralised at this point.

 

Too many zombie supporters that Ashley relies on, fucking sick of it.

 

Yep agreed. Massive credit to the fans standing up and trying to make a difference, they are doing an amazing job, but like you say, the odds are just so against them, as the majority of people seem to be completely against and kind of demonstration (like that fan telling someone to sit down and support the team, sorry can't remember who posted that). But that really is the stamp of the Newcastle fan that goes to the match now and what people trying to make a difference are coming up against.

[ToonArmy1892]

Bet the majority won't even do ANYTHING at all about it, like attending a protest/meeting, or getting at him online.

 

Stop doing nothing at all if you love Newcastle.

[Stottie]

We’ve had no luck at all this season too;

 

Spurs – hit the woodwork twice, Kenedy’s touch when clean through and if (clutching straws!) goal line technology wasn’t used then there is no way their first would have been awarded!

 

Cardiff – missed a last minute pen

 

Chelsea – very debatable pen

 

Man Utd – denied a blatant pen when we were 2-0 up

 

Brighton – their goal came via a corner that was a goal kick

 

 

Lejeune and Rondon will make a huge difference when fit

 

 

Arguably we've only had one real piece of luck this season, the Cardiff pen that was outside the box.

 

Ultimately I agree that this season will grimly come down to whether we can come out of dour games against poor opposition on the right side of a 1-0. I also agree with the posts above that since we did not kick on in the summer even with the TV money and chunks of the Sissoko and Mitro money coming in, there is no hope left. Fatty simply doesn't care. It would not be surprising for this to translate to less effort from the players on the pitch.

[TRon]

It's mad how little people acknowledge the impact of momentum and confidence.

When Keegan was here, that was his stock-in-trade - and he knew he needed to be backed to achieve it.

 

He also knew that the players had to be playing for something, not just survival. I don't think enough has been made of this, it puts a spring in a player's step when he's aiming for titles or Europe.

[Darth Crooks]

Wind me right up when they produce all this PR guff with 'take the club forward' Where exactly you twats? you have no intention of the sort.

[Odear]

Because Rafa is well liked all objectivity is lost in relation to how well he’s doing his job.

 

Pardew (although he never piped up about it) was fucked around by Mike Ashley just as much in transfer windows. (Bar one or two windows when we did ok)

 

Because we hated him, we were always able to put that aside and criticise his performance as a manager after the window had shut.

 

Can’t say a bad word about Rafa or people lose their shit.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Also Rafa is a massively decorated and incredibly experienced manager, who it's frankly unbelievable is even messing with our farcical football club.

[Kanj]

Odin, Pardew was given one of the most talented squads we've had in some time, and he somehow still managed to completely fuck it up and fall out with many of them.

[LRD]

Because Rafa is well liked all objectivity is lost in relation to how well he’s doing his job.

 

Pardew (although he never piped up about it) was fucked around by Mike Ashley just as much in transfer windows. (Bar one or two windows when we did ok)

 

Because we hated him, we were always able to put that aside and criticise his performance as a manager after the window had shut.

 

Can’t say a bad word about Rafa or people lose their shit.

 

Comparing an Ashley bootlicker who sleeps with his player's wife and has no qualms berating the fanbase against an established manager who oozes class and is able to engage the community and give renewed hope. Where have you been if you have no idea why Pardew is hated?

 

Nobody is saying that Benitez is perfect but your points on transfers (3 x 20m players, no need for squad depth, less than perfect record on cheap 5, 6m signings) as a stick are just stupid and rightly ridiculed by many on here.

 

Go on, dig a bigger hole.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Because Rafa is well liked all objectivity is lost in relation to how well he’s doing his job.

 

Pardew (although he never piped up about it) was fucked around by Mike Ashley just as much in transfer windows. (Bar one or two windows when we did ok)

 

Because we hated him, we were always able to put that aside and criticise his performance as a manager after the window had shut.

 

Can’t say a bad word about Rafa or people lose their shit.

 

It could just be that you're talking relentless nonsense like.

 

Rafa's well liked because he's proven to be a good manager. He got us promoted, got us to 10th, with a team that in the eyes of many has the least amount of ability in living memory, and yes, because he 'gets it' and does work in the community.

 

Pardew's hated because he proved to be a bad manager, but he wasn't universally hated on here until about January 2013 and he joined in December 2010. No one hated him during 2011-12 did they?

 

Also, Rafa's been fucked around and had to stay in the Premier League with a team that was built to win the Championship.

 

Whereas Pardew was 'fucked around' and had internationals like Ben Arfa, Remy, Ba, Cisse, Cabaye, Tiote, Debuchy, Coloccini, Santon, and Sissoko handed to him on a silver platter.

 

I don't know why this keeps needing to be explained to people, but it's such a fucking idiotic point it's unreal. This whole idea that people won't criticise Rafa because it's a cult, or because people are unable to be objective or something just makes you look stupid. The comparison with Pardew even more so.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Imagine if Rafa had the players Pardew had man, we’d win the league

[Guest neesy111]

Manager's can fluke 1 seasons, pardew's team grounded out a few results and then he kept the momentum and confidence going for the season.  We were found out the next season massively soon as he had to use tactics etc to reverse awful performances and results.

[LRD]

Imagine if Rafa had the players Pardew had man, we’d win the league

 

Can still remember the pro-Pardew Ian W.

[Mattoon]

I just can't believe people are using the P word in the Rafa thread, it's the height of disrespect!

[Guest firetotheworks]

Imagine if Rafa had the players Pardew had man, we’d win the league

 

Can still remember the pro-Pardew Ian W.

 

The best bit about it was that after the writing had been on the wall for ages, the straw that broke the camel's back for Ian was when Pardew said that Santon could be 'the next Phil Neville'

[Darth Crooks]

Imagine if Rafa had the players Pardew had man, we’d win the league

 

Can still remember the pro-Pardew Ian W.

 

The North remembers...

[geordiedean]

We got absolutely spanked on a regular basis under Pardew how many times under him did we let in 4 or more goals?

[tmonkey]

Pardew was technically screwed over to a degree by Ashley. Just because he was a really shit manager and a total arrogant cunt of a human being, it doesn't mean he didn't suffer some of the issues associated with being a manager of a Mike Ashley club.

 

However:

 

a) Pards would have signed utter shit if he was given the chance to (Obertan was a taster - look at the money he spunked at Palace). Thankfully the club signed Carr's recommendations predominantly. Rafa on the other hand has an overall very good track record in the transfer market across the continent at the highest levels (Napoli being the best recent example of what he's capable of if backed). He's someone you want to back when it comes to spending money. Pards isn't.

b) The club was signing players for Pards back when transfer fees were "normal" and so £5m to £10m bought you a potentially good player with a greater chance of being successful (Cabaye, Cisse, Ben Arfa, Tiote, etc). With Rafa it's a different kettle of fish, he's restricted to signing players who are genuine bottom of the barrel stuff, players even relegation competitors aren't interested in. And the worst thing is that transfer fees are inflated because clubs have vastly inflated income - we have the money to spend, but refuse to do so.

c) Pards was in on it all. Him being manager of NUFC was entirely down to being a beneficiary of the horrifically incompetent way in which NUFC is run by Ashley. Pards was ridiculously lucky to get the gig here, snaking his way in through the back door by hanging around the casino Ashley frequents, whereas we're really lucky to have Rafa here.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Not that I should be vindicating stupidity with an answer like, but occasions we've lost by a margin of 3 or more.

 

Pardew:

4-0 Stoke

3-0 Liverpool

5-2 Fulham

5-0 Spurs

4-0 Spurs

4-0 Wigan

7-3 Arsenal

4-0 Man City x2

3-0 Sunderland x2

6-0 Liverpool

3-0 Everton

4-0 Southampton x2

4-0 Man United

 

Rafa:

4-1 Man United

3-0 Watford

 

[geordiedean]

Not that I should be vindicating stupidity with an answer like, but occasions we've lost by a margin of 3 or more.

 

Pardew:

4-0 Stoke

3-0 Liverpool

5-2 Fulham

5-0 Spurs

4-0 Spurs

4-0 Wigan

7-3 Arsenal

4-0 Man City x2

3-0 Sunderland x2

6-0 Liverpool

3-0 Everton

4-0 Southampton x2

4-0 Man United

 

Rafa:

4-1 Man United

3-0 Watford

 

 

Sure pardew lost more than that by 3 or more and didn't we get beat by 3 in a championship game under Rafa?

[HaydnNUFC]

KI has got all of the Pardew games there apart from Chelsea away in 2013/14 (3-0) and Chelsea at home in 11/12. We lost 0-3 but that game was an utter farce, Luiz should've been sent off for bringing Ba down on a goal scoring opportunity, their opening goal was dubious iirc. We played well but they scored 2 on the break in added time, nothing to do with Pardew that day.

 

Lost 3-0 to Oxford in the cup under Rafa with half of our under 23s out in the Championship season, but that's it.

[Consortium of one]

Watching Everton v Palace yesterday, it’s scary. Even the players who flattered to deceive and were basically crap are probably worth £20-40m.

 

To even be expected to compete in this league you need multiple £20m players in your team and ideally 1 or 2 worth £50m.

 

It's also how you end up in a position where £10m is spent on someone like Murphy and rather than it being viewed as a pittance for a young, British player, it's viewed as a waste of a lot of money and we're in a position where some of our fans are thinking like Ashley, completely divorced from the reality of modern day football spending.

 

If he ever played Murphy I would feel differently. This was someone he wanted. Who was our most expensive signing that summer.

 

This isn’t about agreeing with Mike Ashley. Don’t be so fucking stupid. This is about taking the rose tinted glasses off for a moment and actually seeing that Rafa has done a decent job but not amazing, certainly not in the transfer market with what he’s had to spend.

 

The state of the team this year is on him. The same bunch played far better last year.

 

One of the most clueless series of posts I've ever seen on here, fair play.

 

Aye. The players busted their arses last season and probably expected the squad to be improved so they together as a squad could push on. Also they all love Rafa who hasnt been given a new contract. Why bust their arse again when Rafa is currently leaving at the end of the season? The motivation the players had last year doesnt exist this time round.

[cp40]

Imagine if Rafa had the players Pardew had man, we’d win the league

 

 

 

its insanity blaming Rafa for our current situation.

[Twinport53]

Imagine being thick enough to genuinely believe Rafas top transfer target was Rondon.

 

"Mike, I don't want money, I merely want Salomon Rondon on loan."