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Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)


Greg

Would you have Rafa back?   

463 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you have Rafa back?

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

This poll is closed to new votes


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It seems to me that, since about 2013, it has become quite a popular thing to say "I'm done if/when..." I dare say I've said it myself but truthfully I've often been dubious about that whole attitude: both towards the person saying it as well as wondering if I could personally do it - completely remove myself.

 

Even at my most detached - during 2014/15 when I was travelling and barely saw any games - when things really seemed at their most hopeless for differing reasons over the course of that season - I was still on here virtually every day, checking all the results and feeling something. Even if it was hatred or anger, or happiness if we'd had a bad result which have might forced Pardew closer to the exit.

 

If Rafa goes, though, I honestly don't know where I'm going to turn to. I certainly don't want to go back to wishing ill on the club, because that felt toxic and unhealthy. I honestly think it'd be bad for my health to uphold that level of negativity towards something I should feel pride for. I felt desperately, desperately low at certain times during those travelling adventures; there were several reasons but I'm certain that the state of NUFC must have contributed.

 

I have so dearly loved falling in love with the club again. Feeling like I can love the managers and the players, and feel ecstacy, heartbreak and anger - in spite of Ashley - has been brilliant and worlds away from 14/15. In terms of the games themselves, I'm personally on a hot streak at SJP since Rafa came in: five visits and five fantastic wins, culminating in the Everton game this season which genuinely might be my best ever - certainly top three. Not just Newcastle, but I've followed the sport more closely again - following every story in the Premier League, newspapers, podcasts, absolutely adored the World Cup, been playing in a 5-a-side team for a couple of years now; just totally consuming myself in the sport whenever I can. I'll talk about it with friends and strangers. I've been to the games.  I bought tickets for a talk-in at the Sage. I wear a (recent) Newcastle shirt. I must have sketched about twenty shite portraits of NUFC-related people. I've got a picture of the manager as the background of my phone, like a 9-year-old.

 

When the club was at its most hateful, I wasn't doing half of that. The interest was obviously well and truly there, but it was either extremely negative or just kind-of an interest in passing.

 

Which ever way he's done it; Rafa has single-handedly dragged my personal experience of football from the doldrums to just-about everything it should be. I know he's been paid handsomely and it's his job (and, ffs, anyone should be delighted to have the opportunity to manage us) - but we all know his calibre and we all know he should be at a club with far greater stature and ambition than us. I'm so, so grateful for the three-and-a-half years he's given us.

 

So coming back to the "I'm done," thing. If he leaves: it's not just a popular manager leaving; it would be the tragic, needless and basically malevolent end to something which literally affects my mental health-and-well-being in a positive way. Because if you can't succeed (and he has succeeded) and endure with a person like this, then this regime offers no hope of anything I can have pride in. Bit dramatic, I know, but I think I'd have to force myself to be 'done'. It would be immeasurably preferable to turning the hate tap straight back on.

 

In all seriousness, top post and how I feel pretty much too.

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It seems to me that, since about 2013, it has become quite a popular thing to say "I'm done if/when..." I dare say I've said it myself but truthfully I've often been dubious about that whole attitude: both towards the person saying it as well as wondering if I could personally do it - completely remove myself.

 

Even at my most detached - during 2014/15 when I was travelling and barely saw any games - when things really seemed at their most hopeless for differing reasons over the course of that season - I was still on here virtually every day, checking all the results and feeling something. Even if it was hatred or anger, or happiness if we'd had a bad result which have might forced Pardew closer to the exit.

 

If Rafa goes, though, I honestly don't know where I'm going to turn to. I certainly don't want to go back to wishing ill on the club, because that felt toxic and unhealthy. I honestly think it'd be bad for my health to uphold that level of negativity towards something I should feel pride for. I felt desperately, desperately low at certain times during those travelling adventures; there were several reasons but I'm certain that the state of NUFC must have contributed.

 

I have so dearly loved falling in love with the club again. Feeling like I can love the managers and the players, and feel ecstacy, heartbreak and anger - in spite of Ashley - has been brilliant and worlds away from 14/15. In terms of the games themselves, I'm personally on a hot streak at SJP since Rafa came in: five visits and five fantastic wins, culminating in the Everton game this season which genuinely might be my best ever - certainly top three. Not just Newcastle, but I've followed the sport more closely again - following every story in the Premier League, newspapers, podcasts, absolutely adored the World Cup, been playing in a 5-a-side team for a couple of years now; just totally consuming myself in the sport whenever I can. I'll talk about it with friends and strangers. I've been to the games.  I bought tickets for a talk-in at the Sage. I wear a (recent) Newcastle shirt. I must have sketched about twenty shite portraits of NUFC-related people. I've got a picture of the manager as the background of my phone, like a 9-year-old.

 

When the club was at its most hateful, I wasn't doing half of that. The interest was obviously well and truly there, but it was either extremely negative or just kind-of an interest in passing.

 

Which ever way he's done it; Rafa has single-handedly dragged my personal experience of football from the doldrums to just-about everything it should be. I know he's been paid handsomely and it's his job (and, ffs, anyone should be delighted to have the opportunity to manage us) - but we all know his calibre and we all know he should be at a club with far greater stature and ambition than us. I'm so, so grateful for the three-and-a-half years he's given us.

 

So coming back to the "I'm done," thing. If he leaves: it's not just a popular manager leaving; it would be the tragic, needless and basically malevolent end to something which literally affects my mental health-and-well-being in a positive way. Because if you can't succeed (and he has succeeded) and endure with a person like this, then this regime offers no hope of anything I can have pride in. Bit dramatic, I know, but I think I'd have to force myself to be 'done'. It would be immeasurably preferable to turning the hate tap straight back on.

 

In all seriousness, top post and how I feel pretty much too.

 

Snap. I won't be renewing my ST if Rafa doesn't stay

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If he leaves it certainly makes it easier to take a step back.

 

The negativity isn’t good for the mental health at all. Funnily enough, Manchester United supporters are heading into the same sort of choppy waters. They’re in a bad way currently.. certainly not as bad as what we’ve gone through but even despite Ashley, our first team is in slightly better shape then their (currently)

 

I can’t wait to see how many of their tourist supporters stick with them after a few years of total irrelevance.

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It was 11 days after the Spurs 5-1 match where it was confirmed Rafa was staying on.

 

I’m expecting a similar sort of timeframe here, if we don’t hear in the next 10-14 days, he’s gone.

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Guest chopey

Why didn't the talks start after we were confirmed to be staying in the league?  This just seems like delaying tactics from Ashley

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Why didn't the talks start after we were confirmed to be staying in the league?  This just seems like delaying tactics from Ashley

 

I'm pretty sure they'd have been talking the whole time tbh. The question is whether Ashley signs off on the outcomes imho. That's the purpose of the meeting with him this week.

 

Charnley is merely the middle man/messenger boy.

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If there is any hope of the club fat cunt giving Rafa what he wants needs, then I would expect Rondon to be signed by the end of this week.

 

Unless he says no to Rondon, but agrees x amount to bring in Rondons younger 'replacement'.

 

:yao:

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If there is any hope of the club fat cunt giving Rafa what he wants needs, then I would expect Rondon to be signed by the end of this week.

 

Unless he says no to Rondon, but agrees x amount to bring in Rondons younger 'replacement'.

 

:yao:

 

I doubt Rafa will sign on the basis of promises.

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If there is any hope of the club fat cunt giving Rafa what he wants needs, then I would expect Rondon to be signed by the end of this week.

 

Unless he says no to Rondon, but agrees x amount to bring in Rondons younger 'replacement'.

 

:yao:

 

I doubt Rafa will sign on the basis of promises.

 

Nah definitely not.  I'm not sure what can convince him to stay tbh...even signing Rondon now shouldn't change anything.

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Tbh we don't know exactly what he is asking for.

 

Well we know a few things he wants.  We also know that if it's took this long to come to an agreement, that Ashley is being his usual self and has no intention of changing his ways :lol:

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Guest Howaythetoon

Rafa’s contract will expire and he’ll never hear from Ashley Charnley again. There will be no meeting.

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Wouldn't surprise me if Ashley tried to replace him with Hughton now he's available in the hope he'll placate fans because he was popular here and has proven to be a merry go round option.

 

Fairly certain Hughton would tell him to stick his offer up his arse after the way he was treated

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