Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[wormy]

https://twitter.com/bigchrisholt/status/985593603404771328

 

This is ice cold btw.

 

Even if we don't get another point this season, we've beaten all but five of their seasons. :lol:

[FustinoSolano]

It's all been said before but this man deserves all the praise and plaudits he's getting from the fans. He's worked absolute miracles with that squad and to be looking at a potential top half finish is absolutely incredible given the lack of backing he received in the last 3 transfer windows. Finally starting to get a few mentions from the national media about the job he's done which is only right.

 

He's improved pretty much every single player in that squad, Dummett, Diame, Shelvey, Lascelles to name a few and very few managers are actually capable of that these days. Rafa is a coach, manager, figurehead and ambassador for this club and it actually makes you feel proud - something we haven't felt since the Bobby and Keegan years. For me Rafa can now be mentioned in the same breath as those two for what he has done / is doing for this club and that is no mean feat.

 

As always a huge summer lies ahead and the ball has been emphatically whacked back into Mr Ashley's court by Rafa. If he isn't backed and no takeover materialises then I fear the worst as a man of his capabilities certainly won't be short on offers. On the other hand even if he gets some money to sign even 3 or 4 quality players then the future could look very bright indeed.

[Disco]

[George Bailey]

The best man for the job bar none.

 

The stars aligned when we got him (or rather HE joined us out of choice!)

Amazing to think he is our manager. Simply amazing.

[HaydnNUFC]

 

[Darth Crooks]

beep beep happy birthday il bastardo

[NG32]

Top Guy.

[Robster]

Happy Birthday Gaffer

[Guest firetotheworks]

http://www.football365.com/news/mails-well-done-pep-but-heres-the-manager-of-the-year

[TRon]

i was thinking about this yesterday, if he stays a few years and we make some nice progress, god forbid win a cup or something, i'll have more fondness for him than any before him in my supporting time, i'm not far away from that now tbph

 

i think the difference is i wasn't around to directly experience the pre-keegan years so there's no context for me about where we were to where we went to some degree...with rafa pardew had actually broken me, i borderline hated football and certainly couldn't have cared less about NUFC until he came along

 

he's also done the one thing i've been moaning about for years with top managers at their peak - instead of continuing on the gravy train buying cups and titles he's went and challenged himself, probably to an extent he didn't think he'd have to, yet he's come through it and it's quite clear that given sufficient backing he'll be able to put together a very decent PL outfit and probably get us back into europe

 

tldr in short  :love:

 

I don't think I'll ever have the emotional connection we had with Keegan, everything about him lit the club up. But purely as a manager, Rafa is in a different class to anyone I've seen here. Even with players who aren't good enough to do much more than survive, he's still managed to make them look like an organised unit playing impressive stuff at times. No doubt in my mind he will win a trophy given some proper backing.

[mrmojorisin75]

i was thinking about this yesterday, if he stays a few years and we make some nice progress, god forbid win a cup or something, i'll have more fondness for him than any before him in my supporting time, i'm not far away from that now tbph

 

i think the difference is i wasn't around to directly experience the pre-keegan years so there's no context for me about where we were to where we went to some degree...with rafa pardew had actually broken me, i borderline hated football and certainly couldn't have cared less about NUFC until he came along

 

he's also done the one thing i've been moaning about for years with top managers at their peak - instead of continuing on the gravy train buying cups and titles he's went and challenged himself, probably to an extent he didn't think he'd have to, yet he's come through it and it's quite clear that given sufficient backing he'll be able to put together a very decent PL outfit and probably get us back into europe

 

tldr in short  :love:

 

I don't think I'll ever have the emotional connection we had with Keegan, everything about him lit the club up. But purely as a manager, Rafa is in a different class to anyone I've seen here. Even with players who aren't good enough to do much more than survive, he's still managed to make them look like an organised unit playing impressive stuff at times. No doubt in my mind he will win a trophy given some proper backing.

 

robson is somewhere in between them both i guess, he had the success and trophies but was obviously not in the prime of his career when we got him, that's the mental thing about rafa...he's got years left in him man, and he's fucking class

[mrmojorisin75]

haha i should have written this from the 365 post

 

"All hail Rafa

For some time now managers like Guardiola and Mourinho have often had their achievements queried due to the resources at their disposal. The main argument made is how good would they be dropping down a division, or managing a club with fewer opportunities.

 

One multiple title winning manager (two time league winner and Champions League) has done just that. The chairman has scant regard for the supporters or heritage of the club. He has even less regard for the employees of his bargain basement empire. The players have often been referred to as Championship level and yet Rafa Benitez has Newcastle not only safe but comfortably so.

 

I’m not a particular fan of his, nor do I give much of a toss about Newcastle – I’m neither here nor there on both, but Benitez has done precisely what is often wondered of the aforementioned, and proven his credentials as a very astute tactician. Fact.

Dan Mallerman"

[Dave]

Remember when we went for seemingly years without coming from behind to win a match? Done it twice this season alone.

[joeyt]

Remember when we went for seemingly years without coming from behind to win a match? Done it twice this season alone.

Last time we did it at home in the PL was Pardew's last game

 

Before yesterday obv

[mrmojorisin75]

just noticed the poll at the top of the page

[Ikon]

Next season is either gonna be amazing or fucking horrible I feel. It all depends on Rafa being backed or not, and he wont stay unless he's backed properly this time I reckon. If Rafa goes then I'm out. Pray to God that we get bought by some ambitious people because I just can't see Ashley backing Rafa. If he was to leave there would be chaos again and we'd easily get relegated again.

 

Also, Happy Birthday husband.

[Mikky]

Give him £80m and money from player sales and we are laughing

[HaydnNUFC]

Give him £80m and money from player sales and we are laughing

Yep.

 

Fucking Ashley though, although I hate reading/spreading pessimism in times like this when the team is playing so well, Robster is right when he says Ashley isn't suddenly going to change.

[Bimpy474]

As ever, the worry will be Ashley looking at what Rafa has done with no money and just thinking, go ahead and do it again, you didn't need it last time.

 

We need Ashley gone obviously to fulfill any heights Rafa might takes us too.

[Ikon]

http://www.redcafe.net/threads/whos-your-manager-of-the-year-no-jose-hate-please.438012/

[summerof69]

For me:

1 Pep

2 Rafa

3 Dyche

[54]

My top three:

 

Dyche

Rafa

Pep

[Mole_Toonfan]

Let's be honest it's Pep and it's not close.

 

I don't care how much money they spent(especially considering only really Walker and Ederson actually impacted their results) that isn't a big enough reason to explain the difference from last year to this.

 

Rafa has been amazing though and he should be 2nd or 3rd on anybodies list.

[Ikon]

Think all 3 would deserve it tbh.

[TRon]

Give him £80m and money from player sales and we are laughing

Yep.

 

Fucking Ashley though, although I hate reading/spreading pessimism in times like this when the team is playing so well, Robster is right when he says Ashley isn't suddenly going to change.

 

I think the £80m will be there from the tv money, just not sure how far it will stretch with Ashley's tendency to make that cover the wages as well. So in reality it might be £40-50m. This is always going to be the problem with him as the owner, nothing's ever what it seems.