There is some hope and that is all it is at this stage – hope – that Rafa Benitez could stay at newcatsle if we are relegated and hopefully we will get a decision within the week.
But if the 56 year-old Spaniard doesn’t stay it seems that Managing Director Lee Charnley has again picked a candidate who would likely be willing to accept the way he and Graham Carr currently run the club.
🙁
Steve Bruce – Hull City manager
Geordie Steve Bruce seems to be their first choice – but we would be surprised if Mike Ashley doesn’t make some big changes in the way the club is run – otherwise we could end up in free fall.
Appointing Bruce would keep us as a fairly mediocre side and would have none of the potential and excitement for fans that a Rafa Benitez managed Newcastle United would have.
But we also want to see owner Mike Ashley hold those fully accountable for what looks to be a self-inflicted relegation caused by sheer ineptitude at the top of the club.
Those responsible are mainly the Managing Director and Chief Scout who have essentially been running the club for owner Mike Ashley.
In any well-run organization there has to be accountability when the club, through complete ineptitude and poor management, will miss out on over £140M in funds from the Premier League in a year’s time.
That’s some real money lost right there and the inability to take decisive action when it’s necessary has a cost – in this case a huge cost.
If Mike Ashley wants the Newcastle club to be successful, he should do two things:
- Keep Rafa Benitez at the club and give him full control of those things he wants control over.
- Clear out those people who have proven they cannot do the job at Newcastle.
That would be a good start to follow a probable second disastrous relegation in a short seven years.
Comments welcome.
81 comments so far
Ben3arfa
May 11, 2016 at 9:18 AM
Comment #1Charnley should stick to working on the club’s finances, relegation wont be pretty.
stuart no9
May 11, 2016 at 9:19 AM
Comment #2stuart no9 // May 11, 2016 at 9:17 AM
strange to say tonights game is the biggest game in newcastles history. There will be more geordies watching that game , world wide , than mackems.
As for the game itself , i’m not banking on everton to turn it on and play scum off the park, why ? their form is as bad as ours and if it was left to football alone then we will be down by 9-45 this evening , however ,sometimes games dont go as planned , maybe the ref might frustrate them a bit , the everton players might frustrate them ( remember palace at SJP a couple of weeks ago) some decisions may go against them that will wind them up, defoe has an offday ( yep it can happen )
” unfortunate” injury to their main man , ok , we wont want to see anyone getting hurt but these things do happen in football just when you least expect it. If everton can hold them for 70-80 mins , panic will set in as they will want to do the business tonight and not have to travel to do it on sunday. i still expect everton and watford to be professional regardless of reports about holidays etc, these sides wont throw a game, these sides dont NEED to win , sunderland do, the pressure is on them it all depends if they can handle it, if they cant we live to fight on sunday , if they do – at least well have raffa next year, so either way there is something to look forward to.
stuart no9
May 11, 2016 at 9:22 AM
Comment #3where does it say anywhere that bruce is favourite for the job ??
Rotonda heights
May 11, 2016 at 9:28 AM
Comment #4The tragedy is these inept t—s who’ve cost the club millions in disastrous signings and managers, Benitez apart, will still be in situ to return to making the same desperately mediocre and uninspiring choices.
If it is Bruce, that really, really, really will be the end for me after 46 years.
Jib
May 11, 2016 at 9:33 AM
Comment #5“Rotonda heights
If it is Bruce, that really, really, really will be the end for me after 46 years.”
That’s a bit kneejerk
Rotonda heights
May 11, 2016 at 9:35 AM
Comment #6stuart
even if under performing everton don’t beat sund, they’ve then got under performing watford and we couldn’t score past Villa and have to somehow beat the 2nd placed team.
Too many odds against. Saturday was one of the blackest days in our hstory
The only thing giving the club any credibility and morality is Rafa. if Rafa goes and ashley’s goons are left then I hope it all goes to hell. I’d take league 1 to finally see the back of these.
Jib
May 11, 2016 at 9:39 AM
Comment #7Hull are defo in the playoffs and have a very very slim chance of an automatic promo spot !
Rotonda heights
May 11, 2016 at 9:45 AM
Comment #8Jib
I don’t think so
Allardyce, souness, pardew, carver, mclaren……bruce!!
Bruce would just continue the cycle of mediocrity perpetuated by the chuckle brothers. Hull fans want Bruce gone the way derby fans did with SM.
I might fnd something useful to do on saturday afternoons. After 46 years I think it’s quite a measured response. Kneejerk would be if we had only been s—e for a season or 2.
The club’s run by a ”wrongun” who had a last desperate gamble long after the horse had bolted. Bit ironic after his talk of bolting on carts to horses.
Other clubs seem to be able to find previously
unheralded up and coming managers like karanka, pochetinno etc, but Bruce for me just represents everything that has been going wrong at the club (Rafa apart) in terms of ambition or rather lack of.
Fabricio - out of position - Coloccini
May 11, 2016 at 9:48 AM
Comment #9Carr out!
Jib
May 11, 2016 at 9:51 AM
Comment #10A much more measured assesment of the situation
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/05/10/newcastle-hope-to-persuade-rafa-benitez-to-stay-at-st-james-park/
stuart no9
May 11, 2016 at 9:56 AM
Comment #11Rotonda —- You say watford are under perfoming, just last week they came from 2-1 down to win 3-2, to me thats not underperforming even if it was against villa, the fight was still there. it would be foolish to underestamate them . we found that out on saturday
Wayayman
May 11, 2016 at 10:02 AM
Comment #12Where is the report that this supposed news came from Ed?
BandB
May 11, 2016 at 10:06 AM
Comment #13Wayayman/Stuart.
Ed is referring to a report in yesterday’s Daily Mail.
The Telegraph’s north east football reporter Luke Edwards also reported similar details yesterday.
Jb has kindly posted a link to the article just above.
Ibizatoon
May 11, 2016 at 10:09 AM
Comment #14Trying to convince Rafa to stay, Bruce is the fall back.
It does sound like lessons have been learnt after all.
This summer re-build should be a breeze then!
lesh
May 11, 2016 at 10:15 AM
Comment #15If Rafa were to stay with us to both restore our Prem status and undertake a rebuild of footballing operations, then success for him would surely rank as a far greater achievement than winning a major European trophy with an already established top top side?
BandB
May 11, 2016 at 10:17 AM
Comment #16Ibiza
It seems that Rafa is amenable to staying ….on his terms.
If he leaves, he will want to say he couldn’t get the necessary assurances, while the club would no doubt prefer that was not the version of events that got put about.
lesh
May 11, 2016 at 10:17 AM
Comment #17Ibiza
Of course Ashley’s board will have learnt from last year. They’ll not fanny on as long before swooping for Bruce!
Ibizatoon
May 11, 2016 at 10:20 AM
Comment #18BandB…Exciting times then. Has Ashley realised that his terms don’t work or is Rafa an unreasonable so and so.
The idea that Bruce is part of the equation doesn’t bode too well imo.
lesh
May 11, 2016 at 10:20 AM
Comment #19BandB
G’day to you and a hope that you’ve no need to beat Jib up today.
hibbitt
May 11, 2016 at 10:21 AM
Comment #20got to ask who says Bruce would take the job ???
stuart no9
May 11, 2016 at 10:22 AM
Comment #21Band B —- Yeah just read it. First , how the hell does rob lee know that raffa withoiut doubt is going to leave if we go down, second , what makes him think bruce will do a good job and get us straight back up ? Im sorry but , like shearer, lee was one of my all time mid field heros as much as shearer was my no1 striker, however i do think they should both take a step back and let raffa make his own mind up where his future lies . Lee and Shearer – by speaking out of turn and put negative thoughts into raffas head about what he should do . These EX players should be doi ng all they can to keep raffa here , not give him reason to leave , so the whole of tyneside would ask that they kindly refrain from expressing their negative thoughts to the nation and just STFU, and let raffa decide if he stays or leaves.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
May 11, 2016 at 10:23 AM
Comment #22Having Bagpuss as a fall back for if Raffa doesn’t stay, is like having a salmon paste sandwich as a fall back for not being able to secure a booking at The Loch Fyne
Ron Knee
May 11, 2016 at 10:28 AM
Comment #23hibbitt
Good point!
BandB
May 11, 2016 at 10:29 AM
Comment #24Lesh
Now now Lesh.
No need to go stirring animosity between comrades.
Jib and I have a working relationship, and one which I prefer to the one I have with some less obviously aggressive bloggers.
Ibizatoon
May 11, 2016 at 10:29 AM
Comment #25Stuart…Whilst I do agree, a bit of positivity can go a long way, do we really think Rafa will allow the views of pundits etc to determine whether he stays on, if we’re relegated?
He’s either already decided or will be waiting for assurances from the club as to what the master plan is.
stuart no9
May 11, 2016 at 10:36 AM
Comment #26anyway , this bruce story is all hypothetical, coz come sunday 4-45 raffa will not want to go anywhere ,
I have said this from day 1 , raffa will stay no matter what happens on sunday . As shearer and Lee will be very surprised if he stays , i will be more surprised if he leaves , Raffa can see a big opportunity here to turn this club around and to become one of the all time greatest managers in the world, The temptation must be there
SPRINGY
May 11, 2016 at 10:40 AM
Comment #27ibiza
i would agree with that comment @25,but that does mean ashley has to agree to what we all pretty much agree is the best for the club…but he very rarely does anything that is right for the club…if its gauranteed right for his pocket he’ll be all in.
morning all by the way.
Toon_Tom
May 11, 2016 at 10:42 AM
Comment #28All these stories are still premature if you ask me – 9hrs premature really.
Yes we are probably going down but if you guys can count it still isnt certain – everton could beat sunderland and with the pressure going in to the last game sunderland could crumble against watford – hell even Norwich could stay up!!!
why talk about Bruce, why talk about Rafa leaving, why talk about Rotherham away – while there is still a bit of a chance I will remain hopeful.
JAMSHA
May 11, 2016 at 10:45 AM
Comment #29some1 tell Lee Charnley to fk off
BeeGuy
May 11, 2016 at 10:45 AM
Comment #30Raffa ain’t staying. Charnley will diddle until he has to take the post himself. NUFC will drop down to League 1, but make a pile of cash in doing so.
stuart no9
May 11, 2016 at 10:50 AM
Comment #31ibiza — no, raffa probably wouldnt allow opinions by EX players to sway his decision , my point though is , it dosnt help . There could easily be a point made by anyone that may just trigger a thought , that COULD make him have a rethink . It could be anything , family , the spain job , having another go at a big club , anything could trigger a last second change of heart , it happens and there ex players should be writing stuff of how good we could be be raffa and the fans behind him , the stadium , wgat we have here , – nor saying things like ” done blame him if he leaves ” and crap like that .As i said , just shut up and dont try to put last second thoughts into his head
Tsunki
May 11, 2016 at 10:58 AM
Comment #32Jib Re your post 6:46 this am, my apologies I did misunderstand.
Average – thanks for that on the Android boxes, gives me scope, apology reserved for you if I seemed dismissive. I was kind of leaning towards Reilly and his suggestion of windows as a platform, I do actually like open source (I’ve used various flavours of Linux and prefer working with it as opposed to Windows for everyday work use) but Chrome is badly clipped to fit on cheap and economy – conscious choppers. Plus it’s still so buggy after all these versions!
Anyway I’m done being humble now. But I’ll still be more humble than all of you put together! 🙂
Tsunki
May 11, 2016 at 11:01 AM
Comment #33Why oh why does his name always crop up, the archetypal non-geordie Geordie in a mu-mu. Can you imagine the mirth the mackems would derive from that bent-faced traitor rocking up to sjp? Please just stop.
Tsunki
May 11, 2016 at 11:03 AM
Comment #34Muu Muu. Better get it right or Dano will be on my case.
Ron Knee
May 11, 2016 at 11:08 AM
Comment #35Can someone tell me why Steve Bruce is not a Good Thing? Serious question – I know nowt about him!
Rotonda heights
May 11, 2016 at 11:11 AM
Comment #36i think the fear is not so much even sunderland only needing 2 points from 2 games it’s how the hell could we beat spurs with the misfiring mitro, perpetually offside cisse and shot shy wijni.
Thump
May 11, 2016 at 11:13 AM
Comment #37@Ron: he was a defender for United when we were going toe to toe with them, he was Sunderland manager when we beat them 5-1 (then he almost took them down), and since then he’s been flirting with relegation and promotion. His football is also atrocious.
In short: not a good choice.
Notice how Rafa is talking in past tense now. He’s gone.
stuart no9
May 11, 2016 at 11:13 AM
Comment #38RON —- if you know nowt about him , i would leave it at that . you may start to panic .
Ron Knee
May 11, 2016 at 11:14 AM
Comment #39Thump
So he sounds like Charnley’s type of manager!
Mister Tuff
May 11, 2016 at 11:17 AM
Comment #40I know it’s a big IF -but if Everton win tonight -what a weekend of football it would be in a few days time.
Nerves, anticipation highs and lows, excitement, frustation etc etc.