Rafa and some of his players spent yesterday afternoon at the inaugural Newcastle United Foundation 1892 Cup, at the Newcastle Youth Academy.
Rafa has commented on his web-site that he was really impressed with the passion shown by the boys and girls of Newcastle who were taking part in the event as they represented their various schools.
The Tournament featured 128 youngsters from eight local schools, each fielding both a boys and girls team.
Rafa Benitez with some of the boys and girls yesterday
This is what Rafa put on his web-site about the event:
I spent the afternoon as I did yesterday also with the mini ‘magpies’ at the under-13 tournament organised by the Newcastle United Foundation 1892 with over a hundred children attending.
We have worked on this idea a few days ago and its now become a reality with great enthusiasm shown by all at the club.
I have to say that the players of the first team who have accompanied us during the visit and also myself enjoyed the passion that these young athletes showed in the tournament as well as the support and welcome we have received from them.
Sincerely, thank you.
There is a great deal of contact and gestures from the fans every day and I hope that this new tournament has a great future for the fans – young and old alike.
Meanwhile, the first team are training at a very good pace, with very good attitude and involvement of each and every one of our players.
Come on Toons!
The teams each were given a full set of the new Newcastle home strips for next season, courtesy of Sports Direct, and they don’t go on sale to the general public until this Friday.
Here’s Rafa’s web-site if you want to follow what he puts up on it – there’s more and more stuff on Newcastle.
103 comments so far
jazzyp
Jul 5, 2016 at 8:23 PM
Comment #81Thump
Name any Nufc player that has performed consistently of late bud ??.
Nufc has been on a downward spiral for many year which has yet again rewarded us with yet another Relegation .
Colo has been a flaw in the cog, But so have many others
goommy
Jul 5, 2016 at 8:32 PM
Comment #82Rafa look so happy like a gramps playing with his grandchilds. XD
Bobbybee
Jul 5, 2016 at 8:37 PM
Comment #83Jazzy, agreed mate. He gave us many years of his life and was well rewarded for it. He wasn’t the best, but he was hardly the worst. Want to blame anybody, blame those who failed to replace him when his better years were behind him. The whole team has been in turmoil for years and it certainly wasn’t entirely down to Collo. I personally wish him the best in the future, the good, the bad and the ugly of his career.
jimmysmith
Jul 5, 2016 at 8:43 PM
Comment #84It’s the club that has underperformed over the past 8 years far more than the player and so it’s grossly unfair to single out Collocini, who was as good as Cabaye, Enrique, Ba, Debuchey, but stayed. He’s been far better on balance than Cheik Tiote for example, or Cisse, or Sissoko, or Ben Arfa and countless others who shouldn’t have been there at all. Really who has been better for a club that has relied too much, for too long, on too few players of his quality, just to get by.
jazzyp
Jul 5, 2016 at 8:45 PM
Comment #85Bobbybee
Players cannot win nowadays. Townsend was exceptional for us in his brief stint, Yet has been slaughtered by fans for moving on to another club because of his success on the field.
Colo has had good stints at the club as well as bad, But is only remembered for the bad.
Both cases can be blamed firmly at the hierarchy’s door
jazzyp
Jul 5, 2016 at 8:48 PM
Comment #86Anybody know about this Jonny castro fella we are linked with from Celta vigo ??
Jail for Ashley
Jul 5, 2016 at 8:55 PM
Comment #87Bobbybee,
This is a blog, an open forum, if you leave a post you don’t get to choose who comments on it. I’ve seen one of my favourite players of Ashley’s regime absolutely slated on here, who was also player of the year twice and a much more honest oro imo than Collocini. Feel free to leave an opinion!
jazzyp
Jul 5, 2016 at 9:04 PM
Comment #88A lot of chatter that the Hornets have accepted a £7m bid from Newcastle United for Craig Cathcart
Jib
Jul 5, 2016 at 9:10 PM
Comment #89Oh No!
Not an Ulsterman !
Belfast will never be off the blog !
jazzyp
Jul 5, 2016 at 9:16 PM
Comment #90Total Dutch Football ?@TotalDutchFB · 9m9 minutes ago
The agent of Siem de Jong has told @caughtoffside that he wants to remain at #Newcastle this season #NUFC
Jail for Ashley
Jul 5, 2016 at 9:22 PM
Comment #91Collocini very much like Pardew has left the fans very divided in their thoughts. A definite symptom of Ashley’s reign here.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Jul 5, 2016 at 9:37 PM
Comment #92@JazzyP
I look at that as good news De Jong owes us some performances big time after we have paid his wages for 2 seasons and not got much in return!
I also think he will want to prove a point rather than being shipped off to early retirement in Turkey
He needs to prove his fitness though but a good pre season and with some pace around him such as Gayle and Richie to create space for him he could be deadly in the Championship especially as we will be expected to break down every team rather than hope for the best !
toon22
Jul 5, 2016 at 9:40 PM
Comment #93The season hasnt even started and i have the feeling we will see a statue of Rafa at the ground in the future.
welshgeordie9
Jul 5, 2016 at 9:48 PM
Comment #94Soccer Sauce
Soccer Sauce – ?@soccer_sauce
Just in: Craig Cathcart is one of the defensive options being looked at by #NUFC Player would be more affordable than Caulker
welshgeordie9
Jul 5, 2016 at 9:49 PM
Comment #95No doubt we be linked with someone else tomorrow, oh what joy.
cyprus
Jul 5, 2016 at 10:05 PM
Comment #96Thanks Colo. A classy defender, an international, who had to baby sit too many players. In a better team, he would’ve shone.
Much like our best player by a country mile in the last few years, the only true entertainer, much maligned with the help of AP. HBA.
SPRINGY
Jul 5, 2016 at 10:41 PM
Comment #97quite happy if SDJ has said that he wants to stay,if sissoko goes and gini departs we may get to see him play….or even if they stay tbh….a fit SDJ would good to see for a run of games.
welshgeordie9
Jul 5, 2016 at 10:48 PM
Comment #98According to the Telegraph
Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez on collision course with Moussa Sissoko and Georginio Wijnaldum
welshgeordie9
Jul 5, 2016 at 10:51 PM
Comment #99This is the start of the story
Newcastle United have terminated the contract of captain Fabricio Coloccini to allow him to return to Argentina, but Rafa Benitez has warned Moussa Sissoko and Georginio Wijnaldum they are not going to be put up for sale.
You tell them Rafa, you kick their arse.
Yo-yo
Jul 5, 2016 at 10:54 PM
Comment #100cyprus
In a better team Colo would probably have been on the bench – but he did have some real good runs of form as well as the shockers.
Graeme
Jul 5, 2016 at 10:55 PM
Comment #101Welshie – if that’s true, there’s only going to be one winner!!!!
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Jul 5, 2016 at 10:56 PM
Comment #102Rafa knows he wont be able to keep Wijnaldum and Sissoko in the championship hes just trying to get the right price for each of them so he can get quality replacements
It might end up going to the end of the window for this one and we may see one of them playing against Fulham or Huddersfield
If we could get 40 million for both we could potentially transform the squad with 4 or 5 players for that amount
Cathcart from Watford has been linked he looked pretty comfortable in the top flight good defender and still only 26/27
Get him and Hanley in and that would be centre backs sorted for years !
jimmysmith
Jul 5, 2016 at 10:57 PM
Comment #103I think that once Sissoko and Widjnaldum accept they’ll only be going if an offer meets our valuation, they’ll enjoy this season for as long as they are with us. The atmosphere both home and away will be electric, and we’ll be winning. Hang tuff Rafa. Ride it out.