Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Kasper]

Was listening to one of the True Faith podcasts and one of the points made hit home with me.  We 'own' 1 striker that cost £5m!!! 

 

Anyone who thinks Rafa is anywhere near part of the problem needs taken out behind the barn and shot.

 

We did sell a striker for £27m and that was down to Rafa. He was more than happy to replace him with Rondon and for all we know, that might still work out, but I think he's big enough to take responsibility for that decision.

 

More than happy? I'm pretty sure Rafa would have been a lot happier breaking our transfer record to sign that Plea guy for example

 

Plea didn't want to come here. Whether our bid was serious is another matter, but if Germany was his preferred choice, it's immaterial. Rondon appears to have been second choice and he's here.

 

You seriously think Rondon on loan was Rafa's preferred choice if he had the opportunity to spend the Mitrovic money?

 

I dont think this discussion is based on an ounce of reality.

[UncleBingo]

Was listening to one of the True Faith podcasts and one of the points made hit home with me.  We 'own' 1 striker that cost £5m!!! 

 

Anyone who thinks Rafa is anywhere near part of the problem needs taken out behind the barn and shot.

 

We did sell a striker for £27m and that was down to Rafa. He was more than happy to replace him with Rondon and for all we know, that might still work out, but I think he's big enough to take responsibility for that decision.

 

More than happy? I'm pretty sure Rafa would have been a lot happier breaking our transfer record to sign that Plea guy for example

 

Plea didn't want to come here. Whether our bid was serious is another matter, but if Germany was his preferred choice, it's immaterial. Rondon appears to have been second choice and he's here.

[/quotte]

 

His second choice, or second choice within his meagre budget, there's a massive difference?

 

I'm sure He would have loved likecs9neone like Josh King or Callum Wilson, but they were complete non-starters under this tight cunt.

[TRon]

Was listening to one of the True Faith podcasts and one of the points made hit home with me.  We 'own' 1 striker that cost £5m!!! 

 

Anyone who thinks Rafa is anywhere near part of the problem needs taken out behind the barn and shot.

 

We did sell a striker for £27m and that was down to Rafa. He was more than happy to replace him with Rondon and for all we know, that might still work out, but I think he's big enough to take responsibility for that decision.

 

More than happy? I'm pretty sure Rafa would have been a lot happier breaking our transfer record to sign that Plea guy for example

 

Plea didn't want to come here. Whether our bid was serious is another matter, but if Germany was his preferred choice, it's immaterial. Rondon appears to have been second choice and he's here.

 

You seriously think Rondon on loan was Rafa's preferred choice if he had the opportunity to spend the Mitrovic money?

 

I dont think this discussion is based on an ounce of reality.

 

Rondon was mentioned as a target all summer so I would assume Rafa had some genuine interest in him yes.

[TRon]

Was listening to one of the True Faith podcasts and one of the points made hit home with me.  We 'own' 1 striker that cost £5m!!! 

 

Anyone who thinks Rafa is anywhere near part of the problem needs taken out behind the barn and shot.

 

We did sell a striker for £27m and that was down to Rafa. He was more than happy to replace him with Rondon and for all we know, that might still work out, but I think he's big enough to take responsibility for that decision.

 

More than happy? I'm pretty sure Rafa would have been a lot happier breaking our transfer record to sign that Plea guy for example

 

Plea didn't want to come here. Whether our bid was serious is another matter, but if Germany was his preferred choice, it's immaterial. Rondon appears to have been second choice and he's here.

[/quotte]

 

His second choice, or second choice within his meagre budget, there's a massive difference?

 

I'm sure He would have loved likecs9neone like Josh King or Callum Wilson, but they were complete non-starters under this tight cunt.

 

Maybe, but we don't even know if they were for sale. I suspect not, and yeah there's no way that Ashley would sanction spending the sort of money it would take to get them here.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Are people actually trying to say Rafa should get the boot? If so, fuck right off, man. Utter fucking mongs. Deserve all they get the fucking cretins. What an embarrassment.

 

Sadly some absolute weapons are saying that, got into a conversation with someone on twitter trying to suggest he's not been hard done by when it comes to investment and also that he didn't do well last season.

 

Another suggesting he should be replaced with Howe. As if Howe would leave a well run club that fully supports him to our shitshow

[Dave]

Imagine a world where Newcastle United wouldn't be able to attract the Bournemouth manager.

 

It's this one.

[Fugazi]

Are people actually trying to say Rafa should get the boot? If so, fuck right off, man. Utter fucking mongs. Deserve all they get the fucking cretins. What an embarrassment.

 

Sadly some absolute weapons are saying that, got into a conversation with someone on twitter trying to suggest he's not been hard done by when it comes to investment and also that he didn't do well last season.

 

Another suggesting he should be replaced with Howe. As if Howe would leave a well run club that fully supports him to our shitshow

 

I said the same on Twitter, no decent manager would come anywhere near us. It'll be a cheap yes man.

 

[Guest firetotheworks]

There were people on Twitter saying the same shit last season when we were actually getting results. Some people really are just beyond help and live in this fantastical, arrogant world where attacking will magically change the outcome against teams that are much better than us, especially at attacking, and especially at tearing teams that try to attack them apart.

[jackyboy]

It wouldn't surprise me to see Pardew come back because Ashley knows how much that would piss everybody off

[Wallsendmag]

If Rafa leaves it's a Pardew/McClaren/Carver standard manager who's replacing him.

 

Surprising how many people don't realise that.

[NEEJ]

Are people actually trying to say Rafa should get the boot? If so, fuck right off, man. Utter fucking mongs. Deserve all they get the fucking cretins. What an embarrassment.

 

Sadly some absolute weapons are saying that, got into a conversation with someone on twitter trying to suggest he's not been hard done by when it comes to investment and also that he didn't do well last season.

 

Another suggesting he should be replaced with Howe. As if Howe would leave a well run club that fully supports him to our shitshow

[Guest chopey]

Rafa's going nowhere until after his Toby's this week.

[Scoot]

I remember him getting stick last season as well when we didn't win for 9 games or whatever it was. These people are just so irritating and thick if they cannot see where the problem lies at this club. Rafa is the best thing to happen to us in over a decade. I said this last season but we seem to have more than our fair share of complete weapons in our support. It annoys the fuck out of me.

[HaydnNUFC]

I remember him getting stick last season as well when we didn't win for 9 games or whatever it was. These people are just so irritating and thick if they cannot see where the problem lies at this club. Rafa is the best thing to happen to us in over a decade. I said this last season but we seem to have more than our fair share of complete weapons in our support. It annoys the fuck out of me.

 

Happened in the Championship as well. "Wa shud be playin 2 up front man".

[Scoot]

I remember him getting stick last season as well when we didn't win for 9 games or whatever it was. These people are just so irritating and thick if they cannot see where the problem lies at this club. Rafa is the best thing to happen to us in over a decade. I said this last season but we seem to have more than our fair share of complete weapons in our support. It annoys the fuck out of me.

 

Happened in the Championship as well. "Wa shud be playin 2 up front man".

 

How can they not see that Ashley is the problem? It baffles me.

[HaydnNUFC]

I remember him getting stick last season as well when we didn't win for 9 games or whatever it was. These people are just so irritating and thick if they cannot see where the problem lies at this club. Rafa is the best thing to happen to us in over a decade. I said this last season but we seem to have more than our fair share of complete weapons in our support. It annoys the fuck out of me.

 

Happened in the Championship as well. "Wa shud be playin 2 up front man".

 

How can they not see that Ashley is the problem? It baffles me.

 

It'll be the same people who think the 'well if that was [insert past Ashley-era manager here] there'd be hell on' shite. Completely ignoring the bigger picture.

[Shearergol]

I remember him getting stick last season as well when we didn't win for 9 games or whatever it was. These people are just so irritating and thick if they cannot see where the problem lies at this club. Rafa is the best thing to happen to us in over a decade. I said this last season but we seem to have more than our fair share of complete weapons in our support. It annoys the fuck out of me.

 

Happened in the Championship as well. "Wa shud be playin 2 up front man".

 

How can they not see that Ashley is the problem? It baffles me.

 

It'll be the same people who think the 'well if that was [insert past Ashley-era manager here] there'd be hell on' shite. Completely ignoring the bigger picture.

 

To be fair, Ashley put billions in to rescue the club and all Rafa has done is buy Manquillo. Fair play to them.

[cp40]

I remember him getting stick last season as well when we didn't win for 9 games or whatever it was. These people are just so irritating and thick if they cannot see where the problem lies at this club. Rafa is the best thing to happen to us in over a decade. I said this last season but we seem to have more than our fair share of complete weapons in our support. It annoys the fuck out of me.

 

Happened in the Championship as well. "Wa shud be playin 2 up front man".

 

How can they not see that Ashley is the problem? It baffles me.

 

It'll be the same people who think the 'well if that was [insert past Ashley-era manager here] there'd be hell on' shite. Completely ignoring the bigger picture.

 

 

It would be a completely different story from them if Sunderland were a successful club.

[Tubestationatmidnight]

Rafa's going nowhere until after his Toby's this week.

 

[Bimpy474]

I don't think anyone disagrees Ashley is the problem, well the ones with eyes and a brain, i reckon its just some think Rafa should be doing a tad better. Personally i don't think he can with the under funded, lop sided squad he's got at his disposal.

 

And the old well he bought the players argument (Manquillo who i fucking hate because he's woeful would be the worst buy and something Rafa baffled me with), well aye but i'm pretty sure Rafa bought a squad to get us out of the Championship thinking he'll rebuild that when we got up, then Ashley steps in destroys that common sense approach because he's an utter moron.

 

If i have a gripe it would be that i wish we could play a tad better football, not attacking football as such, just a bit better ball retention and play. Even with a piss poor squad sabotaged by our moron owner, our players should be able to do the basics right, which a fair few of them can't even do at times.

[Dave]

Absolutely mental to even consider that Rafa isn't straining every sinew to get more out of this squad, including questioning every single one of his own decisions. He's a borderline psycho when it comes to tactical details and how things can be improved.

 

If it was as straightforward as just telling them to attack more (our strikers are shit, the way some go on you'd think they're just starved of a bit of service) then I reckon he'd have done so.

 

Our problem was the club resting on its laurels in the summer - see Ashley's statement at the end of the season when he essentially made it clear the squad needed no improvement - just as it's done loads of times before including after Pardew finished 5th. Just assuming everything can happen again without spending anything, no matter how blindingly obviously unsustainable something is. Conveniently forgetting that everyone else tries to improve all the time, just as any fucking sporting institution should.

[Wilson]

I remember him getting stick last season as well when we didn't win for 9 games or whatever it was. These people are just so irritating and thick if they cannot see where the problem lies at this club. Rafa is the best thing to happen to us in over a decade. I said this last season but we seem to have more than our fair share of complete weapons in our support. It annoys the fuck out of me.

 

Happened in the Championship as well. "Wa shud be playin 2 up front man".

 

How can they not see that Ashley is the problem? It baffles me.

 

Some of them do, well at least some of them say they do.

 

My mate for instance, 'i know it's ashleys fault that we're in this mess... But...'

 

But fuckin nothing man, that's all there is to it.

[Bimpy474]

Absolutely mental to even consider that Rafa isn't straining every sinew to get more out of this squad, including questioning every single one of his own decisions. He's a borderline psycho when it comes to tactical details and how things can be improved.

 

If it was as straightforward as just telling them to attack more (our strikers are shit, the way some go on you'd think they're just starved of a bit of service) then I reckon he'd have done so.

 

I know how hard he works and his attention to detail would not be bettered by any other manager imo. Personally i would like a tad better ball retention, not 'attack more' as i don't think you can with this squad.

[Lush Vlad]

Behind him, but losing faith ever so slightly. So somewhere between the top two options, I guess. By that, I don’t think we would get anyone better and I 100% want him to stay and for a long time, hopefully.

 

But even allowing for the shit budget. I’m not sure on some of his signings, the reluctance to use ‘expensive’ players (by our standards, at least) and the way he has handled certain players who have been moved on.

 

I also feel the tactics seem even more cautious this year. Cardiff and Leicester were shambolic and I don’t pin that all on the players being not good enough. Are they that bad that we should struggle to a 0-0 with Cardiff and get played off the park at home by Leicester? I have no issue with how we set up against the better sides. But it feels like we’re getting stuck in a rut and not even having a go. Pretty ugly to watch.

 

Ultimately, we’re in this position because of our cunt of an owner. But I don’t think that should mean players and the manager should be exempt from minor gripes.

[Wilson]

At this point i wouldnt even blame the players and manager if they just sat down and done fuck all for the full 90 minutes.

 

My view is that anything, including results and performance, mean absolutely nowt anymore. Any vitriol or negative thoughts should be aimed in one direction only, regardless how things are going on the pitch.