Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Shearergol]

"They told me they didn’t want to invest in the academy or the training ground — if they like, I can explain the reason why Mike Ashley refused to do that. "

 

I really wish he'd expanded on this rather than leaving it as a threat if they come back with more guff.

 

It's probably the key part of this whole thing and for me shows that this club is never moving forward. He's never selling, he's never pushing on. A club in stasis until he dies.

[Tribesman]

Reading that article just makes me want to see the club fail even more now. There are far more ambitious and well run clubs that deserve Premier League football.

[mrmojorisin75]

"They told me they didn’t want to invest in the academy or the training ground — if they like, I can explain the reason why Mike Ashley refused to do that. "

 

I really wish he'd expanded on this rather than leaving it as a threat if they come back with more guff.

 

I took the next bit as the explanation, that they only wanted to sign players under 24 instead?

[Parky]

....and shoehorn a wide forward like JoeLinton into the central striker role where he can't use half his assets.

[Wullie]

"They told me they didn’t want to invest in the academy or the training ground — if they like, I can explain the reason why Mike Ashley refused to do that. "

 

I really wish he'd expanded on this rather than leaving it as a threat if they come back with more guff.

 

 

Wonder if we would be able to get him to clarify that. Maybe ask Caulking to get in touch.

 

Be surprised if Caulkin didn't ghost wrote the article.

[Thomson Mouse]

"They told me they didn’t want to invest in the academy or the training ground — if they like, I can explain the reason why Mike Ashley refused to do that. "

 

I really wish he'd expanded on this rather than leaving it as a threat if they come back with more guff.

 

I took the next bit as the explanation, that they only wanted to sign players under 24 instead?

 

Yeah I did as well.

 

Basically Ashley will see upgrading the training facilities as high risk in terms of return on investment so is quite happy going back to his old model of buy low, selling high and letting the mugs still keep coming through the doors.

 

It amazes me that Charnley is able to exist in the north east without more grief

[Magpie]

"They told me they didn’t want to invest in the academy or the training ground — if they like, I can explain the reason why Mike Ashley refused to do that. "

 

I really wish he'd expanded on this rather than leaving it as a threat if they come back with more guff.

 

 

Wonder if we would be able to get him to clarify that. Maybe ask Caulking to get in touch.

 

Be surprised if Caulkin didn't ghost wrote the article.

 

More than likely as he's writing for the Athletic I believe.

[ToonArmy1892]

Reading that article just makes me want to see the club fail even more now. There are far more ambitious and well run clubs that deserve Premier League football.

 

Aye agreed, the club as it stands is fucking disgusting, it doesn't even deserve to be in the championship.

 

Other clubs striving to be their best, we are robbing them of a place.

[Tribesman]

I remember last summer after the Braga match this guy saw Ashley at a pub and asked him if was going to back Benitez in the transfer market which Ashley responded by saying not a penny more which turned out to be true. Its why Ashley not giving Benitez and his coaching staff bonuses is not a big and he just set out to make life as difficult as possible for Benitez if he didn't fall in line.

 

https://twitter.com/ketchell/status/1161198894077947907

[Guest NobbyOhNobby]

I remember last summer after the Braga match this guy saw Ashley at a pub and asked him if was going to back Benitez in the transfer market which Ashley responded by saying not a penny more which turned out to be true. Its why Ashley not giving Benitez and his coaching staff bonuses is not a big and he just set out to make life as difficult as possible for Benitez if he didn't fall in line.

 

https://twitter.com/ketchell/status/1161198894077947907

Ashley actually said "NOPE!" when asked those questions in the pub, not another word. It was a mate of Ketch's as well, just so it doesn't get back to him or owt

[TRon]

I'm surprised Rafa stuck it out for 3 years tbh, he must have known deep down that he was being taken for a ride. I think he just didn't want to ditch the fans otherwise he'd have packed in within a year.

[Tribesman]

I remember last summer after the Braga match this guy saw Ashley at a pub and asked him if was going to back Benitez in the transfer market which Ashley responded by saying not a penny more which turned out to be true. Its why Ashley not giving Benitez and his coaching staff bonuses is not a big and he just set out to make life as difficult as possible for Benitez if he didn't fall in line.

 

https://twitter.com/ketchell/status/1161198894077947907

Ashley actually said "NOPE!" when asked those questions in the pub, not another word. It was a mate of Ketch's as well, just so it doesn't get back to him or owt

 

Thanks for correcting me just a further example anyway of what sort of person Ashley really is.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I'm surprised Rafa stuck it out for 3 years tbh, he must have known deep down that he was being taken for a ride. I think he just didn't want to ditch the fans otherwise he'd have packed in within a year.

 

Yeah, I guess he just felt he would honour his contract and do his best. Because he’s a professional, unlike the rest of the management.

[Unbelievable]

I'm surprised Rafa stuck it out for 3 years tbh, he must have known deep down that he was being taken for a ride. I think he just didn't want to ditch the fans otherwise he'd have packed in within a year.

 

I’m still more surprised that he ever contacted us to sign up to this shitfest. It’s not like Ashley has done to Rafa something he didn’t do to other managers before. I love Rafa as much as the next fan, but in an odd way his presence possibly set the club back by taking the pressure right off Ashley. Fans might have given up on their season tickets by now, after three more years of the likes of Carver, McClaren and Bruce. I don’t blame Rafa obviously, but he can’t claim he didn’t know how Ashley operates before he joined and if he thought he might persuade him to change his ways he was sadly mistaken. I’m sure the likes of Keegan and Shearer would have been happy to explain that to him beforehand if he didn’t. Sadly I will always look back at the Rafa era with some regret for that reason, as brilliant a manager and a man as he is. I’m certain Ashley will have loved playing with his and the fans’ emotions.

[Disco]

A great get!

 

Incidentally, Samuel’s interview with Newcastle owner Mike Ashley really hasn’t aged well. You remember the one: when Ashley was allowed to write what amounted to his own, unchallenged press-release, which industry bigwigs described as a ‘great get’ and Newcastle United supporters – quite rightly – got very upset about.

 

Anyway, The Athletic announced this morning that Rafael Benitez is going to be writing a column for them this season and, in the first installment, Benitez takes aim at Lee Charnley’s accusation that he left the club (and moved to China) ‘for the money’.

 

We recommend reading the entire article, but this is probably the most malignant paragraph:

 

‘After that meeting, I knew they would not come back with a serious offer and, when it arrived, 19 days later, it was for the same salary as three years earlier and with less control over signings. Charnley’s comments in the programme about having a deal agreed for Joelinton in February explains a lot that I couldn’t understand at that time.’

 

 

This is why people got upset. This is why Craig Hope’s sneering at the ‘Jeremy Paxmans’ was so misplaced. Benitez is a highly political manager who exerts more control over the media than most realise, but Ashley was allowed to gloss over a really important period in the club’s modern history without so much as a hint of a journalistic challenge. Benitez’s version of events shouldn’t be taken as fact, but then that’s entire the point – the media’s role in this was to do what the public couldn’t, and hold people to account.

 

Actually – yes – if the average Newcastle supporter had been put in front of Ashley, they might very well have done a better Paxman impression.

[Boo Boy]

I'm surprised Rafa stuck it out for 3 years tbh, he must have known deep down that he was being taken for a ride. I think he just didn't want to ditch the fans otherwise he'd have packed in within a year.

he convinced himself he could change it around from the inside. he thought he could talk sense into those above him.

[HaydnNUFC]

What would an 18-year-old Newcastle supporter think about his club now?

 

Think it's fucking shit, mate.

[Consortium of one]

Was on the fence, re: subscribing the The Athletic but I had to read that article so I gave in...

[Disco]

What would an 18-year-old Newcastle supporter think about his club now?

 

Think it's fucking shit, mate.

 

:lol: I shouldn't laugh but this did make me chuckle.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Rafa man 

 

More love for the club than the spineless bastards that have allowed Ashley to rebrand it as Ashley FC which is now complete.

 

So-called supporters.

 

Aye right.

 

Cheers cunts for paying Ashley to let Rafa leave for China replaced by Steve fucking Bruce.

 

You’d cry I’d you didn’t laugh

[Sean]

That bit about giving the players and staff a bonus for coming 10th but not Rafa and his coaching team is fucking shameful. Ashley is such a petty cunt.

 

I’ve also got a good feeling that Rafa might be telling some rich Chinese companies that Newcastle would be a great club to buy, while he is over there. I for one would welcome our new Chinese overlords.

 

This was when the players refused to do media duties I'm assuming?

 

Again Rafa showing his class. No bonus, no whinging at the time. Just wait and let the facts air.

[BergenMagpie]

Find it hilarious that MA and Charnley decided to have a go at Rafa. Theyre acting like kids at the playground winding up their "friend" in front of everyone, forgetting that he's seen them touching penises in the shower after PE.

 

They shouldve just kept their mouths shut and hoped that Rafa wouldnt elaborate on his time here.

[Sean]

Seems like they didn’t really want Rafa at all. Too good at exposing their bullshit most likely. If Rafa said no to Joelinton and they were trying to sign him in February, what does that tell you about their intentions in regards to Rafa’s upcoming contract negotiations.

 

It's clear they wanted rid of him. If they wanted to keep him they would have at least, you know, made some effort. 

 

After all this, I still can't grasp how some people are adamant the 'takeover' was definitely real. It's looking more and more likely that it was all one big joke at our expense.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Just like everything else, they wanted him only on 100% their terms. Absolute mess.

[Sean]

What would an 18-year-old Newcastle supporter think about his club now?

 

Think it's fucking shit, mate.

 

Jesus, when I was 18 we were in the Champions League with Sir Bobby in charge, taking us to the Nou Camp and San Siro. We had some limited players, some great ones, but I could really dream as a young fan. Must be so fucking grim for young fans now, there is literally no hope, no dreaming allowed at Ashley's version of the club.