Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[UncleBingo]

Didn't Pardew say the same thing ? That we couldn't compete with the likes of Southampton and he got pelters for it

 

Pardew was justifying the club's actions, whereas Benitez is quite clearly questioning them.

[Paully]

Rafa Benitez under pressure? NUFC are struggling but that's crazy talk

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-plenty-problems-rafa-13962537#ICID=ios_ChronicleNewsApp_AppShare_Click_Other

[Yorkie]

Can 100% see him getting sacked if we don't pick up soon, like. Never underestimate Ashley's stupidity.

[Infinitely Content]

What am I reading here man 

 

The fact it's even a discussion on any level is stunning to me.

[Robster]

Can 100% see him getting sacked if we don't pick up soon, like. Never underestimate Ashley's stupidity.

Imagine if Ashley did that, man

 

[TRon]

Can 100% see him getting sacked if we don't pick up soon, like. Never underestimate Ashley's stupidity.

 

Yeah I'm sure he's that daft to risk relegation and the last chance to sell the club for a decent price.

[Infinitely Content]

Don't you's remember how many years it took him to sack Pardew?  A few weeks bad form is nothing compared to what he put up with off McClaren and Pardew.

[Minhosa]

Don't you's remember how many years it took him to sack Pardew?  A few weeks bad form is nothing compared to what he put up with off McClaren and Pardew.

 

Not that I think it would happen but his reasons for dismissing Rafa would be completely different from any previous sacking tbh. He'd probably quite like Rafa to be gone if Ashley was sticking around.

 

Their relationship is not, nor would it ever be, sustainable.

 

The only reason Rafa is still here is because of the takeover talks. On both sides. Rafa staying because of what we could be, MA keeping him because he's a hugely valuable asset to any potential buyer.

 

If MA changes his mind, Rafa will be down the road. Just a question of which one blinks first.....

[Robster]

Don't you's remember how many years it took him to sack Pardew?  A few weeks bad form is nothing compared to what he put up with off McClaren and Pardew.

Pardew used to lick his ring piece though.

[Dokko]

Can 100% see him getting sacked if we don't pick up soon, like. Never underestimate Ashley's stupidity.

 

Not a chance. Ashley wouldn't pay his contract up.

[Yorkie]

Look at you all, underestimating Ashley's stupidity.

 

If the takeover collapses and we're at risk of relegation by March, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if he sacked Rafa.

 

And yeah, like Minhosa says, their relationship isn't sustainable.

[1964]

I think Benitez holds a lot of the cards here.  He is a huge asset, we will be less valuable without him, we are much more likely to be relegated without him, the supporters love him.  He is actually adding value to the club

 

He can and is exerting pressure

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Only question is what can this pressure achieve? Just buy the players some leeway with the fans I suppose, because it certainly won’t affect what Ashley is going to do.

[1964]

I don't know about that, the club is worth less without him so from a business perspective it would be stupid to get rid of him or force his hand to leave.

 

Imagine the scenario, Benitez walks, how much is NUFC worth?

[Wallsendmag]

"Our fans, they know where we are and why we are here".

 

Pretty damning statement against Ashley there.

[afar]

Rafa is sticking around because of the potential takeover that's obvious, he may feel a sense of loyalty towards the fans that will make him stay till the end of the season when the takeover inevitably collapses. Right now though I do think he's under performing, his game planning during this run we are on has been extremely poor, his team selection has been stupid and the lack of changes he's made during games when we've fallen behind has been very alarming, something we were told from many Liverpool fans was a strong point of his.

 

Having said all that any chance a Ashley owned NUFC has to stay in this division lies solely on Rafa being in charge, Ashley may not know that and his advisers have fed him so much crap over the years might well tell him to change the manager if things don't pick up post January (where he is safe while the takeover is in process), assuming we are off the market again and Ashley is still in charge. 

[Minhosa]

"Our fans, they know where we are and why we are here".

 

Pretty damning statement against Ashley there.

 

Just have an image of Charnley sat quivering away in the corner of the press conference awaiting the impending call from the Fat Lad.

[TRon]

"Our fans, they know where we are and why we are here".

 

Pretty damning statement against Ashley there.

 

As long as Ashley is wanting to sell the club to PCP, there's fuck all he can do about it other than fume silently at Rafa publicly calling him out.

[Infinitely Content]

Don't you's remember how many years it took him to sack Pardew?  A few weeks bad form is nothing compared to what he put up with off McClaren and Pardew.

 

Not that I think it would happen but his reasons for dismissing Rafa would be completely different from any previous sacking tbh. He'd probably quite like Rafa to be gone if Ashley was sticking around.

 

Their relationship is not, nor would it ever be, sustainable.

 

The only reason Rafa is still here is because of the takeover talks. On both sides. Rafa staying because of what we could be, MA keeping him because he's a hugely valuable asset to any potential buyer.

 

If MA changes his mind, Rafa will be down the road. Just a question of which one blinks first.....

 

I see what you're saying, but the only reason that eventuality would be the case is out of pure spite. There's no benefit to his business position by letting go NUFC's biggest and most important asset. I'd personally say the club would be worth 10s of millions of pounds less and be far less attractive if the manager wasn't there. I know you can't put it past Ashley to act out of pure spite, but if I had to guess, I'd say the chances of him sacking Rafa this season are extremely slim.

[Robster]

There's no benefit to his business position by letting go NUFC's biggest and most important asset.

Ashley is a petty man with a thin skin. I believe he'd rather 'win' an argument with someone like Rafa, rather than see past it and do whats best for him financially. Rafa's words yesterday will have upset him.

 

[HaydnNUFC]

There's no benefit to his business position by letting go NUFC's biggest and most important asset.

Ashley is a petty man with a thin skin. I believe he'd rather 'win' an argument with someone like Rafa, rather than see past it and do whats best for him financially. Rafa's words yesterday will have upset him.

So will have his words post QPR last season and his patter in the summer. And he's still here. As if he'd get sacked ffs.

[Sean]

Don't you's remember how many years it took him to sack Pardew?  A few weeks bad form is nothing compared to what he put up with off McClaren and Pardew.

 

Not that I think it would happen but his reasons for dismissing Rafa would be completely different from any previous sacking tbh. He'd probably quite like Rafa to be gone if Ashley was sticking around.

 

Their relationship is not, nor would it ever be, sustainable.

 

The only reason Rafa is still here is because of the takeover talks. On both sides. Rafa staying because of what we could be, MA keeping him because he's a hugely valuable asset to any potential buyer.

 

If MA changes his mind, Rafa will be down the road. Just a question of which one blinks first.....

 

I see what you're saying, but the only reason that eventuality would be the case is out of pure spite. There's no benefit to his business position by letting go NUFC's biggest and most important asset. I'd personally say the club would be worth 10s of millions of pounds less and be far less attractive if the manager wasn't there. I know you can't put it past Ashley to act out of pure spite, but if I had to guess, I'd say the chances of him sacking Rafa this season are extremely slim.

 

I think you're underestimating how spiteful he can be, and also how much of his actions at this club are driven by spite.

 

What benefit to his business was hiring Joe Kinnear?! Sacking Hughton when he did to replace him with a muppet fired from League 1? Leaving Carver in charge? None, the only aim was to make things miserable for us in my opinion.

[TheDonis]

Rafa is always in a much stronger position when he makes these points when the team is doing well rather than when they aren't. Otherwise it looks like he's trying to distract from a poor run of results, which he might well be doing. But he's probably right.

 

I'm not sure what the longest run of defeats is for one of his sides but he must be near it. I don't remember any bad runs when he was with us, or elsewhere. But he's hardly dealing with the same calibre of players.

 

This is a genuine test for him now. He's overcome a couple in charge of you. Can he do it again? I love him to bits but I'm not sure a moan about Ashley right at this juncture is entirely in his best interests, even if it suits the club and takeover, because it will draw fire. Not that he's ever given a fuck about that 

 

 

[Sean]

Rafa is always in a much stronger position when he makes these points when the team is doing well rather than when they aren't. Otherwise it looks like he's trying to distract from a poor run of results, which he might well be doing. But he's probably right.

 

I'm not sure what the longest run of defeats is for one of his sides but he must be near it. I don't remember any bad runs when he was with us, or elsewhere. But he's hardly dealing with the same calibre of players.

 

This is a genuine test for him now. He's overcome a couple in charge of you. Can he do it again? I love him to bits but I'm not sure a moan about Ashley right at this juncture is entirely in his best interests, even if it suits the club and takeover, because it will draw fire. Not that he's ever given a fuck about that 

 

A large part of it is directed to the supporters, especially the ones calling out the team and abusing them on social media, and also to fans booing the team after the defeat to Watford. He repeatedly mentions the need to stick together and support the team.

 

I just get this feeling that something else is up, theres none of the smiling/joviality that was present recently. Maybe it's just me being pessimistic because of this club but he seems really pissed off and I fear Ashleys fucking up the takeover. Like you say he knows it'll draw fire, so IMO he either knows it's happening, or knows its hanging by a thread, and his demeanour tells me its not the first one.

 

Like I say I hope I'm completely wrong.

[Kanj]

Sean, he is not smiling because we've lost 4 matches in a row mate.