Mike Ashley’s tenure at Newcastle United has not been a successful one over the last nine years and we suffered our second relegation in seven years in May and are once again a second division club in England.
And after just avoiding relegation a year ago on the final day of the season, the warning signs were there and we spent a massive £80M on new players in the transfer market last season.
And after doing that it took a lot of hard work and complete incompetence to be relegated and Newcastle were in the bottom four almost all season.
But that’s what happened and even Rafa Benitez couldn’t save us.
Lee Charnley and Mike Ashley
We always thought Mike Ashley had done the right thing a year ago by leaving it to the Newcastle Board to run the club.
The problem was the Board members proved to be incompetent and their biggest mistake was in appointing the head coaches.
First of all it was the woeful John Carver who was put in charge to replace the departed Alan Pardew a year last January.
After John almost single-handedly had the club relegated last May he was fired and replaced by Steve McClaren last June.
Steve had failed miserably at Derby County and was never good enough for the Newcastle job, but the Board (of which Steve was a member) kept him in place for far too long and the rest is history – bad history.
But Newcastle did very well to get Rafa Benitez to stay on and he is now essentially running the club for Mike Ashley and we just hope the owner stays out of Rafa’s way as he builds Newcastle United into a football force again.
The signs are encouraging with news in the Shields Gazette today that Ashley wants to keep both Moussa Sissoko and Gini Wijnaldum at the club to help with the promotion drive.
Rafa Benitez – running Newcastle in all football matters
Mike Ashley told Rafa he didn’t have to sell any of his players this summer and the owner has stood by that promise.
And it seems that he is also willing to be guided Rafa Benitez on the incoming and outgoing transfers this summer.
The fact that Rafa was allowed to sing 31 year-old Jesus Gamez and on two year deal is proof that Rafa is indeed in charge of all transfers.
We hope Mike Ashley allows himself to be being guided by whatever Rafa wants to do at the club as he builds it up from the very foundations into a club in his own image.
If Rafa is allowed to do that and supported along the way by Mike Ashley and his Managing Director Lee Charnley – there’s little doubt Newcastle United will soon be great again.
All Mike basically has to do is nothing – and sometimes that’s difficult.
But it’s so far so (very) good at Newcastle with Benitez making some great progress in such a short time.
Long may it continue.
50 comments so far
Rafa Revolution
Jul 13, 2016 at 3:08 PM
Comment #41I haven’t been as excited for a new season as I am with this one, think Rafa can be a god here if he makes us successful
Ian Toon
Jul 13, 2016 at 3:10 PM
Comment #42Thanks Tsunki.
firebug666
Jul 13, 2016 at 3:11 PM
Comment #43Rotonda
Should have been ‘Patience’ but I knew who I was talking too. Confusing isn’t it…pmsl!
welshgeordie9
Jul 13, 2016 at 3:21 PM
Comment #44firebug666
As you can see i haven’t got any.
firebug666
Jul 13, 2016 at 3:26 PM
Comment #45Welshie
You should always keeps a little back for a rainy day mate.
When you go out to buy something do you ever haggle over the price?
Jib
Jul 13, 2016 at 3:27 PM
Comment #46Poor Tsunki
Yesterdays man
Desperately in denial
Farage got what he wanted and has done one
Michael Ashley has turned ovr a new leaf “Ashley out” looks SO sad now
Tsunki do one mate
welshgeordie9
Jul 13, 2016 at 3:31 PM
Comment #47firebug
Now and again if they taking the mick with the price, they can be stubborn like me.
Mister Tuff
Jul 13, 2016 at 3:37 PM
Comment #48Mr Tubbs…………………………………………….OOT
Fool with a 1000 faces…………………………..OOT
Costa del Crime inhabitants……………………OOT
welshgeordie9
Jul 13, 2016 at 3:41 PM
Comment #49The only reason why I’ve been losing patience is because last week or 2 we’ve been on a roll with signings and i just want them to continue, if you told me we were sign to five players in a short space of time before our first friendly I would have said to you I’ll have what you drinking, this is first time for a long time everyone’s feeling positive this season, things happening this season should have happened a long time ago, manager in charge of transfers for example, i guess it’s like been a kid opening xmas presents, first two or three you like wow so you get greedy and hoping for more, transfer windows is the same.
loonie-toon
Jul 13, 2016 at 3:47 PM
Comment #50Giimps u forgot Toney fink he could do job for is this season we bought him from this league