There’s an awful lot of evidence that the Newcastle fans are in love with Rafa Benitez for what he has done already for the Newcastle side over the last nine weeks, and how he has handled himself in such a professional manner in that time.
And now there is mounting evidence that that love is being reciprocated – and the reason Rafa is even thinking about managing in the Championship next season is the incredible support he has received from the Newcastle fans since he arrived.
Rafa Benitez – I am flattered by the fans
Rafa has given his press conference today for the Spurs game tomorrow and has held some interviews.
The 56 year-old has hinted he wants to stay at Newcastle if Lee Charnley and Mike Ashley will only give him the control he wants, so he can ensure he can be extremely successful at the club in future years.
This is some of what Rafa has said about the Geordie fans:
“I am really flattered with the fans, they have been amazing but at the moment we have to make sure we prepare properly for tomorrow’s game and try to do the best for everyone.”
“I am a professional and what you hope for as a professional is respect and people to appreciate your job and here it has been fantastic.”
“The fans are the reason why I am sat here and why I am positive and keeping an open mind about the future.”
“As I said, I’m really happy and impressed by the fans and I think that tomorrow they will still show appreciation and we will try to do well for them.”
Message to Lee Charnley and Mike Ashley – give this man what he wants – after all it’s for the good of the club – and sign him up for (at least) the next three years.
Then we will have some real hope for the future – at the moment, after being relegated due to incompetence and arrogance, we have none.
86 comments so far
Bobbybee
May 14, 2016 at 5:23 PM
Comment #1I have no doubt at all that the fans tomorrow will do their level best to convince him to stay. We could give the players and board stick, but that would prove counter productive and might shoot ourselves in the foot. Tomorrow we’ve nothing to play for in reality, but convincing Rafa to stay could prove to be a monumental day in the future of NUFC. Would be nice to do the double over spurs, but the result is second to convincing Rafa to take us straight back up. 😉
JAMSHA
May 14, 2016 at 5:31 PM
Comment #2Lee Charnley Should Be Replaced By KK
JAMSHA
May 14, 2016 at 5:34 PM
Comment #3If Rafa Stays Il Watch Our Matches , If He Doesnt <Il Watch When We Get Promoted
Graeme
May 14, 2016 at 5:35 PM
Comment #4Look at the numpties he has employed on 8 year Contracts, most not fit to polish Rafa’s shoes. 3 Years should be the minimum Contract – it will take him that long to correct the miss-management of the past 10 years.
There then should be an option for another FIVE years, at least.
Managers like Rafa don’t grow on trees, they are very few and far between and therefore in very high demand. Secure his services from the start.
hibbitt
May 14, 2016 at 5:39 PM
Comment #5just hope there not holding back that Rafa has turned us down
just the type of trick they would pull just don’t trust them one bit
could be stringing Rafa and us along till after the game big worry with this lot
ShirebrookToon
May 14, 2016 at 5:40 PM
Comment #6Bobby that’s exactly how I feel mate. Main objective tomorrow is showing Rafa he belongs here.
ShirebrookToon
May 14, 2016 at 5:42 PM
Comment #7Gone for a win tomorrow. Let’s go out with a bang and take Rafa with us
U.S Magpie
May 14, 2016 at 5:53 PM
Comment #8Ok I’m going to get my gun and shot myself in the head, because I’m not going to die due to the fact that I am dreaming and this blog is not real. Because if it was I would be reading that Mike Ashley has sat down with Rafa yesterday and told him sign here, here’s ten million a year and here is a seven year contract and you have full control over the clubs ins and out and here’s 30 Million pounds to strengthen the squad and oh what you sell you keep towards the transfer window for new players and if you get us back into the premiership with in the first year you will get another 10 million bonus, two years 5 million. Because Rafa we are losing 100 million not being in the prem. Now the fact I am not reading that means I’m dreaming and you know that I cannot be killed in my dream so gun out aimed at head. Shit I’m dead. Rest in peace Magpie, rest in peace.
Average_Contents
May 14, 2016 at 6:02 PM
Comment #9If penfold and old man Carr are to blame for the recruitment of players not needed and ones we did need that were not purchased or what the manager wanted then can somebody explain to me how before penfolds time as MD, exactly the same recruitment process (minus Carr) was in place where the manager had no say?
Even before Llambias it was the same. The manager had no say.
I think the only one that did was hippo heed and obviously because of what happened, that stopped because he bought shite.
There’s ONE constant since all those laughable appointments have come and gone.
They just implement what this ONE constant wants. And don’t get me wrong they are culpable obviously but again they are a symptom of the disease.
Spineless yes men.
I want them fcuked off too but I want the real culprit to go more.
There’s a timeline of the recruitment not being the managers remit yet those tasked with executing it have changed or left.
Why is it still the same? Yet the executors get blamed?
I’ll give you a clue. It starts with M.
lesh
May 14, 2016 at 6:08 PM
Comment #10MEMO TO CHARNLEY
Get Rafa signed up and promoted pronto otherwise you’ll lose Jamsha (;)) and many more!!!
SA Toon
May 14, 2016 at 6:10 PM
Comment #11Please, those of you lucky enough to be going to the game tomorrow make some serious noise for Rafa. Make it hard for him to walk away. If he stays, I feel the Championship can be a positive rebuilding phase. If he goes, I worry for the future. Make sure he knows we’ll be behind him 100%. Make sure management realize that too!
lesh
May 14, 2016 at 6:11 PM
Comment #12Very astute footwork from Rafa.
By playing up his affection for fan support, he’s ramping the pressure onto Charmless who should have enough brains to anticipate a backlash, a big one at that
GeordieTwo
May 14, 2016 at 6:19 PM
Comment #13Will Charnley actually show up at the match tomorrow? If I was him I wouldn’t bother.
GeordieTwo
May 14, 2016 at 6:20 PM
Comment #14Make no mistake about it the transfer policy we have used is down to Ashley. So look to him for somebody to blame. Nobody else but this owner can set the policy. As others have said it hasn’t changed but the other executives have.
Ron Knee
May 14, 2016 at 6:29 PM
Comment #15I remember some lacklustre end of season matches against Spurs with nothing to play for, but this one promises to be different!
Yo-yo
May 14, 2016 at 6:30 PM
Comment #16As I can’t be there to give Rafa my 100% support tomorow I am going to nominate Bobby as my proxy.
Bobby, please give a few extra loud chants for me. I agree that ‘positive’ is more likely to mean yes than no, and you can help me out by doing a bit of persuasion on my behalf.
Thanks HWTR
Jib
May 14, 2016 at 6:34 PM
Comment #17Ron Knee
Did you have a camp bed in the City Hall basement ?
Bobbybee
May 14, 2016 at 6:36 PM
Comment #18Yo yo, the pleasure will be mine marra. In fact, i’ll actually say out loud ‘this is for yo yo’ several times. 😉 Howay the lads!!!
Ron Knee
May 14, 2016 at 6:40 PM
Comment #19It had a good bar, jeff, that I remember!
Jib
May 14, 2016 at 6:42 PM
Comment #20The students from the Poly used it at lunchtimes.
Wall to wall fanny (sorry Band B)
ShirebrookToon
May 14, 2016 at 6:49 PM
Comment #21I’ll be shouting my support for Rafa at the tv tomorrow
#RaiseTheRoofForRafa!!
SA Toon
May 14, 2016 at 7:01 PM
Comment #22Bobby we’ve never met, but I’d be much obliged if you could make some noise for me too. RAFA, RAFA, RAFA!!!!
Patoon
May 14, 2016 at 7:03 PM
Comment #23Does any1 kno if u can stream championship games the way u can stream prem league games or are championship games televised in other countries
Bobbybee
May 14, 2016 at 7:03 PM
Comment #24SA toon, of course i will my friend. Better start making a list! 😉
lesh
May 14, 2016 at 7:10 PM
Comment #25Geordie two
Will Ashley show up? It’ll be interesting to see whether the Übergruppenfuhrer Ashley rocks up
lesh
May 14, 2016 at 7:11 PM
Comment #26Bobby
Put me on the list as well bonny lad.
In fact you’d better get to SJP for about twelve so you can chant for everybody that’s asked you to.
Yo-yo
May 14, 2016 at 7:26 PM
Comment #27Muchas gratias Bobby.
That would be much appreciated.
I have us down to win, the double over Spuds would be nice. If we have any kind of players at all, pride will take over and mean they’ll want to end this season the same way we start the next..
And if some of them want to be in the shop window.. that’s up to them
Bobbybee
May 14, 2016 at 7:27 PM
Comment #28Lesh, will do matey. And i will actually do it for you all by name. And one day i just might grow up, just not this day. 😉
Yo-yo
May 14, 2016 at 7:29 PM
Comment #29Bobby
Off topic but I watched some of the Hillsborough footage last night. Having seen the cops forcing the fans back in the pens to get crushed, I think your sense of outrage was spot on the other week.
welshgeordie9
May 14, 2016 at 7:30 PM
Comment #30Benitez name should be the only one the fans should be singing tomorrow, more they mention his name the better, no negative chants otherwise it might put him off agreeing to stay, tomorrow is all about Benitez.
Bobbybee
May 14, 2016 at 7:30 PM
Comment #31Yo yo, it has all the makings of a bizarre carnival atmosphere, despite the relegation. It really could only happen at SJP! 😉
BandB
May 14, 2016 at 7:30 PM
Comment #32On the subject of growing up bobby.
My little boy is too young to go. And I’m trying to protect him from a lifetime of heartache for as long as I can.
But I’d be honoured if you have a shout for him too.
They are the future.
welshgeordie9
May 14, 2016 at 7:31 PM
Comment #33Townsend to score the winner.
Bobbybee
May 14, 2016 at 7:34 PM
Comment #34Yo yo, it truly was a sad sad day for humanity, let alone football fans. I’m just so pleased for the families that the truth has finally been revealed. Some of those coppers pushing fans back in got compensation for THEIR trauma ffs. Glad it’s coming to a close now.
Bobbybee
May 14, 2016 at 7:48 PM
Comment #35BandB, consider it done. They are indeed the future. 😉
Bobbybee
May 14, 2016 at 7:51 PM
Comment #36In fact, i’ll do it for BandB and son. 😉
BandB
May 14, 2016 at 8:03 PM
Comment #37I’ve a few things you could shout for me Bobby 🙂
But that would be my job and no-one else’s.
One can’t both boycott and expect those in the ground to protest on their behalf.
Rafa is the most successful manager we have ever had on our books.
I don’t want to even think about the future without him.
I’d rather he took two weeks and played hardball for the control he wants, rather than caving in and signing up to business as usual.
If Ashley won’t change the template for Rafa, we can conclude he won’t change it for anyone.
HWTF
HWTL.
SA Toon
May 14, 2016 at 8:19 PM
Comment #38Thanks Bobby. Enjoy the game. You might hear us cheering the lads on all the way from Johannesburg. I just hope they know what they’re playing for tomorrow. HWTL
Bobbybee
May 14, 2016 at 8:20 PM
Comment #39BandB, that pretty much sums up the situation sadly. We all want the same thing, let’s hope Ashley does also. If he can’t see the endless possibilities that could come from hiring Rafa, then we are pretty much shot at. I keep telling myself that only an idiot would turn down this chance, but then i remind myself it is Ashley after all. This is Ashley’s chance to finally get it right, let’s hope he takes it.
BandB
May 14, 2016 at 8:23 PM
Comment #40I think all those who went to Villa’s last home game to throw stupid beach balls around could have made a much more dignified and effective protest by staying away.
I never saw the point of going to a football match or anything else with the sole intention of complaining.
You go to a match to support, and if you can’t do that, don’t go.