Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[rgk_lfc]

I don't think Rodgers is any better than average and seems a wanker to boot. Wagner did okay but... meh.

 

If Rafa goes then surely we are in "burn it down" territory, and therefore an overrated smarmy cunt like Rodgers might be a good choice. Perhaps too talented, though. Get Joe back in the dugout to replace Rafa

 

He is definitely above average compared to PFMs. He has the right idea in terms of how to play football. If the circumstances are in his favor, he has the ability to create teams which play high quality attacking football. His teams play one way and when it clicks they are brilliant to watch. He is also good with young players and invests time in developing them.

 

But he is not an elite manager like Rafa. He is not the type to come to a bad situation and arrest the slide by lifting everyone around him using his tactical know-how and personality. His attacking coaching is very good. I can definitely see him having a great first season with you guys with his attacking strategies combined with Rafa's defensive training drills which the players will remember. Similar to what happened at Everton with Martinez in his first season. But once the defensive discipline wears off, not sure how he will perform with you.

 

He is a nice guy but press conferences and statements can be grating especially when he is not winning. He really needs to cut down on cringeworthy quotes. Bottom line is he is a more than a decent manager, just not as good as he thinks he is.

[TRon]

As in Brendan Rodgers? He’s much better than anything we’ll get.

 

I'd like to see him try to produce successful passing football with substandard players. He'd have no chance, Wagner would probably be a better bet.

 

No one's going to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear though, Rafa is getting better results than either of those two would with the same resources. Ashley won't care though, strict financial control is what matters to him, he's obviously sick of not being able to push the managers around like he used to.

You miss when he was at Swansea like?

 

It's very hard to sustain that without very good players though, seen it with a lot of teams who come up and look fantastic for half a season but without a very good defence you need to have outstanding attackers to win enough games to stay up season after season. Just look at Fulham during this campaign.

[Wilson]

No matter who comes in, they won't have half the vision for the club like Rafa has.  Rafa knows exactly what he wanted to do from the ground up but has been thwarted at every turn.  If he leaves hopefully it gives the majority of fans the kick they need to walk or support those trying to do something about the shit ownership.

 

Probably won't though.

 

If we get either of the above mentioned, it'll placate most until they also get forced out for having some kind of ambition. 

[triggs]

As in Brendan Rodgers? He’s much better than anything we’ll get.

 

I'd like to see him try to produce successful passing football with substandard players. He'd have no chance, Wagner would probably be a better bet.

 

No one's going to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear though, Rafa is getting better results than either of those two would with the same resources. Ashley won't care though, strict financial control is what matters to him, he's obviously sick of not being able to push the managers around like he used to.

You miss when he was at Swansea like?

 

It's very hard to sustain that without very good players though, seen it with a lot of teams who come up and look fantastic for half a season but without a very good defence you need to have outstanding attackers to win enough games to stay up season after season. Just look at Fulham during this campaign.

Fulham have been awful all season. It isn’t the same as Swansea were at all

[Tiresias]

Blobfish? Sigh. Would ultimately go the same way as McLaren imo who had good intentions but couldn't shoulder the weight of having to deal with our awful behind the scenes setup, get players fighting despite what they're up against and dealing with ashley twattery

[huss9]

Rafa's boots are going to be a lot harder to fill than even KK'S and Sir Bobby's.

 

KK left and we were still massive, rich and second only to ManU.

 

When SBR left we still had a decent squad and (some) money to spend, just finished 5th. An owner with ambition. Freddie screwed up with the replacement -  it was obvious to all Souness was going to be a disaster. We were still doing well enough to attract a top top coach from europe.

 

There is no one out there that can match Rafa's tactical know-how, attention to detail, ability to get the best out of average/shitty players, have a season-long plan in place etc etc.

Most of all - Rafa doesnt doubt himself or panic and shit himself under pressure, and he can't be intimidated by the likes of the Ashley. He won't be a yes man. He gets the club, the city and fans and is a uniting figure in the mould of Keegan and SBR.

 

we are fucked if he leaves.

[TRon]

As in Brendan Rodgers? He’s much better than anything we’ll get.

 

I'd like to see him try to produce successful passing football with substandard players. He'd have no chance, Wagner would probably be a better bet.

 

No one's going to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear though, Rafa is getting better results than either of those two would with the same resources. Ashley won't care though, strict financial control is what matters to him, he's obviously sick of not being able to push the managers around like he used to.

You miss when he was at Swansea like?

 

It's very hard to sustain that without very good players though, seen it with a lot of teams who come up and look fantastic for half a season but without a very good defence you need to have outstanding attackers to win enough games to stay up season after season. Just look at Fulham during this campaign.

Fulham have been awful all season. It isn’t the same as Swansea were at all

 

It's quite possible to build a decent attacking football team which can do well for a season or two on the cheap, but when you start losing your best players to the top clubs and replace them with budget versions, it would take a pretty special manager to do that season in season out. If you think Brendan is that man, then he's a better manager than Rafa basically.

[ToonArmy1892]

Like others have said, if Ashley stays and Rafa goes, the club is dead to me.

 

I'm clinging to the hope that Ashley realises that's how loads of people feel, and now is his best chance to get out with some value.

 

But the bloke is just an absolute whopper.

[Tribesman]

From Mark Douglas.

 

A fresh round of in-depth contract talks between Rafa Benitez and Newcastle United may not be launched until the club’s Premier League fate is looking clearer.

 

There is an appetite from the club to try and tie Benitez down to a longer deal and the manager has always spoken about committing his long-term future to United if – in his words – things are done right.

 

But hopes that the signing of Miguel Almiron will convince Benitez that is the case are unduly optimistic, with the manager viewing the deal as a long overdue down payment on his judgement as Newcastle boss. It’s worth noting that although Almiron was billed in most quarters as the club’s record signing that is NOT the case unless certain conditions are triggered in the deal. The down payment of around £16million could rise to £21million but technically, Owen is still the club’s record signing at the moment.

 

Reports last week suggested Benitez would be given a six-week deadline to sign his deal but club sources played down that talk. And what’s clear is that the Newcastle manager won’t be pressed into making a decision on his future until he’s ready to do it.

 

He is now shutting down all talk about his future in public and will seek further reassurances about recruitment and scope of his budget before penning any offer Newcastle make.

 

And after taking soundings from both sides, it now feels like those talks will take place when Newcastle’s divisional status is, if not settled, at least looking more likely.

 

The Sunday Sun can reveal there is NO contingency plan for a third relegation under Ashley but Benitez is supremely confident Newcastle will not go down, especially now they have cover in two key positions and – in Miguel Almiron – a player who offers “something different” to the rest of his squad.

 

But that certainty would need to be reflected in the Premier League table for either side to want to put pen to paper and end the damaging uncertainty that has hung over the club for the last two years and soured trust between the hierarchy and fans.

 

One thing is for certain: relegation would be another bruising experience for the club that would threaten their long-term ambitions profoundly.

 

Although there is no formal plan to cope with the drop it’s understood there’s unlikely to be an appetite from owner Mike Ashley for a similar splurge to the last Championship season. Lee Charnley said over the summer that failing to go up under Benitez would have led to a “bloodbath” at the club and the chances of them taking that risk again are slim – especially when the second tier now more competitive than ever.

 

Indeed Benitez himself is unlikely to want to reprise the job of dragging the club out of the second tier so agreeing a long-term deal in those circumstances would lead to a messy summer if United did slide into the Championship.

 

Benitez gave short shrift to all questions about his future ahead of the Wolves game, insisting he was thinking about the next games rather than contract talks. To be fair, the manager rarely engages in politcking when the transfer window is shut and a period of calm will help clear the way for further talks.

 

But there are optimistic signs that he is looking to the future and it speaks volumes for his professionalism that his work at the club at the moment includes things that will benefit United in the long-term.

 

For a start, he says he will plan for the summer transfer “as usual” – and that includes feeding what he feels the club need to take them forward to his head of recruitment Steve Nickson and the team of United scouts looking around the globe.

 

“Yes. We have to do things as usual,” he said, when the Sunday Sun asked if he would be putting his targets for the summer to the scouts.

 

“Normally when you finish the transfer window, your scouts have holidays – you have to give them some holidays – and then they start working on the next window.

 

The truth about his NUFC exit, Cup woes and why Rafa's a 'genius': Steven Taylor on life after Newcastle

 

“But it’s more a question for them because we have to concentrate on the games. When they come back, they will start thinking about the future, and that’s it.

 

“You can share information with them, but the main thing is for me to concentrate on the games.”

 

Newcastle put the offer of a one-year deal to Benitez in the final months of last year which did not have any of the restrictive conditions his current deal did. But the Newcastle manager wanted to see how the transfer window panned out – and while he was “happier” at the two deadline day signings, he did post a reminder that he’d wanted business done earlier.

 

“I think the message was clear during the transfer window: We need to do business early. But we did business when we did. And I was happier because we got a wing back, left wing-back, which we didn’t have before and we have a number ten or a winger we didn’t have before,” he said.

 

“So two players with characteristics we didn’t have before. I think we are better equipped to manage the rest of the season.”

The signing of Almiron for a price that they first put to Atlanta United in the final weeks of December – effectively the MLS club blinked first over the deal, having scoured the buyer’s market for someone willing to pay their original price – saved the club around £6million which United sources say will go into Benitez’s summer budget if he remains.

 

Whether Benitez would have preferred the player earlier than extra value and cash for the summer is one of those differences of opinion between manager and club – the Spaniard says Newcastle should put “football matters” before business considerations – that will need to be ironed out in the coming weeks.

 

The bit in bold. 

[geordiedean]

Fucks sake man.. so not record signing ans saved 6m to go into summer spending

 

6m doesn't even get you half of a ched Evans

[Guest neesy111]

Fucks sake man.. so not record signing ans saved 6m to go into summer spending

 

6m doesn't even get you half of a ched Evans

 

 

[Away Day Gadgie]

That whole article is utter horse shit. 

[Tribesman]

f***s sake man.. so not record signing ans saved 6m to go into summer spending

 

6m doesn't even get you half of a ched Evans

 

Could you not say that about most signings these days? It was mentioned at the time Fulham are paying £25 million for Mitrovic, but only like £15 million has been paid up front.

[xLiaaamx]

It'll be the biggest payment we've ever made in one go. I highly doubt Fat Fred gave Real all 16 million at once.

 

 

[geordiedean]

It'll be the biggest payment we've ever made in one go. I highly doubt Fat Fred gave Real all 16 million at once.

 

 

 

Between Fat Fred and Souness you just know there were some brown envelopes exchanged somewhere along the line

[Guest neesy111]

It'll be the biggest payment we've ever made in one go. I highly doubt Fat Fred gave Real all 16 million at once.

 

 

 

Northern Rock forwarded the sponsorship payment in 1 lump which helped pay that transfer.  That helped pay for it + I suspect we were still owed money for the Woodgate transfer.

[STM]

Aye, I think it would be pedantic to get into the semantics of the payments we are giving Atlanta, with regards to the club's transfer record.

 

The real issue is whether we have the ambition to sign good players. I'm far from convinced anything has changed, in that regard.

[marki]

Rafa's boots are going to be a lot harder to fill than even KK'S and Sir Bobby's.

 

KK left and we were still massive, rich and second only to ManU.

 

When SBR left we still had a decent squad and (some) money to spend, just finished 5th. An owner with ambition. Freddie screwed up with the replacement -  it was obvious to all Souness was going to be a disaster. We were still doing well enough to attract a top top coach from europe.

 

There is no one out there that can match Rafa's tactical know-how, attention to detail, ability to get the best out of average/shitty players, have a season-long plan in place etc etc.

Most of all - Rafa doesnt doubt himself or panic and s*** himself under pressure, and he can't be intimidated by the likes of the Ashley. He won't be a yes man. He gets the club, the city and fans and is a uniting figure in the mould of Keegan and SBR.  good post ,makes sense like

 

we are f***ed if he leaves.

[marki]

Rafa's boots are going to be a lot harder to fill than even KK'S and Sir Bobby's.

 

KK left and we were still massive, rich and second only to ManU.

 

When SBR left we still had a decent squad and (some) money to spend, just finished 5th. An owner with ambition. Freddie screwed up with the replacement -  it was obvious to all Souness was going to be a disaster. We were still doing well enough to attract a top top coach from europe.

 

There is no one out there that can match Rafa's tactical know-how, attention to detail, ability to get the best out of average/shitty players, have a season-long plan in place etc etc.

Most of all - Rafa doesnt doubt himself or panic and s*** himself under pressure, and he can't be intimidated by the likes of the Ashley. He won't be a yes man. He gets the club, the city and fans and is a uniting figure in the mould of Keegan and SBR.  good post ,makes sense like

 

we are f***ed if he leaves.

spot on

[Tribesman]

I'm glad it appears he has told the club they are going to have to do more than just sign Almiron to keep him at the club.

[Yorkie]

Thought he was astonishingly restrained in his post match interview on Sky.

 

Still think he's doing a marvellous job and will ultimately see us right.

[Kanj]

He said they don’t know the rules in England. Love how brutal he is hahaha. Set us up brilliantly again.

[astraguy]

He said they don’t know the rules in England. Love how brutal he is hahaha. Set us up brilliantly again.

And you just know the fa will charge him for those comments now

[Darth Crooks]

I'm glad it appears he has told the club they are going to have to do more than just sign Almiron to keep him at the club.

 

And there’s the difference when someone makes the bullshit pardew comparisons

[Infinitely Content]

He said they don’t know the rules in England. Love how brutal he is hahaha. Set us up brilliantly again.

 

The wry smile after he said it too