Rafa Benitez has already spoken with three players, that we know about – Tim Krul, Achraf Lazaar, and Emmanuel Riviere – and told them and their agents they must find new clubs for next season because there is no place for them at Newcastle.
Football is cruel, and that seems especially hard on Tim Krul who has been at the club for 12 years now since he arrived as a 17 year way back in 2005.
But Rafa doesn’t look at it that way, and it’s simply part of football where new players come into a club, and other players move out in every transfer window – especially in the summer.
Tim Krul training with first team earlier this summer
Rafa was questioned about his decision to move Krul, Lazaar, and Riviere to train at the Academy and away from the first team squad and this is what he said – as reported in the Shields Gazette:
“When you have too many players, what you can do is talk with them straight, and that’s what I did.”
“I told them ‘listen, we have too many players – my idea is this one.’ We have to be sure that they understand what we want to do.”
“You cannot be Championship or Premier League when you don’t have all the squad, all the players, that you want because we are going a little bit late.”
“You have to maximize the time that you have with your players.”
“If someone has to stay at the Academy, they have to understand that it’s not personal, it’s professional.”
Manu Riviere has been a complete failure at the club since we signed him for £6M from Monaco three years ago,
But Turkish club Osmanlispor may be ready to sign the Newcastle striker permanently – soon.
Achraf has been at the club for just one year since he was signed last summer for around £3M from Palermo on a five-year deal, but he hasn’t made any impact at the club, and he will also be sold this summer.
Rafa has no choice but to sell players because he can have a squad of only 25 players in the Premier League next season and the manager still has to bring in maybe another four first team players.
Rafa is very personable with his players, and he doesn’t hold it against them, and he seems to go out of his way to ensure they get good deals when they do leave Newcastle.
Let’s hope that’s true for the very loyal and capable Tim Krul who doesn’t want to exit the club.
Tim is settled on Tyneside with a Newcastle girlfriend Claire Hall, and they have a baby daughter Lynn.
A move back to Holland would probably be a convenient move for Tim since he will be close to his girlfriend’s family in Newcastle.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
11 comments so far
toontaff2
Jul 28, 2017 at 8:16 AM
Comment #1From The Mag :
‘Emmanuel Riviere now on verge of move back to France, giving Rafa Benitez hope he can now shift out any other unwanted player at NUFC.’
‘Emmanuel Riviere is now a striker in demand.
Despite only one league goal in the three years since Newcastle were duped into paying £6m to Monaco, the 27 year old now has a number of clubs fighting for his services.’
😆 😮 😛
hibbit
Jul 28, 2017 at 8:19 AM
Comment #2toontaff2
a bidding war……….. lol
Spoof
Jul 28, 2017 at 8:20 AM
Comment #3This is s big season for Hayden, I have to admit that when we signed him I did not know him at all and I was concerned as to whether he was good enough or not, I thought he was great last season, but this season is a big step up for him, can he reproduce the same standards in the PL, time will tell, I really hope he can and does.
toontaff2
Jul 28, 2017 at 8:21 AM
Comment #4Lord Hibbit – It’s like finding something valuable in the loft/shed/garage or even in the back of the stockroom at SD!
Who’d have guessed. Penfold deserves respect for drumming up any interest in Manu!
Duett looked decent with Atsu in front of him, on the bits I managed to catch at Bradford, filmed by the now jailed Scunny Mag!
toontaff2
Jul 28, 2017 at 8:22 AM
Comment #5Duett = Dummett 😆
toontaff2
Jul 28, 2017 at 8:36 AM
Comment #6Hibbit, I thought Runaway had been in to see someone in that Turkish club, threatening to take them out into the car park, if they did not buy our top striker 😛
giimps
Jul 28, 2017 at 8:42 AM
Comment #7I wonder if we’ll be paying him a loyalty bonus instead of a testimonial, (rivière not Tim) he deserves it for all his hard work and goal that he scored
toontaff2
Jul 28, 2017 at 8:43 AM
Comment #8Some sobering answers from Rafa, looking at the twitter link Ron posted and secret sausage’s account.
Guess we had accepted the money was sparse and now we know!
If Rafa likes Adrian, a swop with Darlow would sort the keeper position.
From Previous, Colback as left back, back up would be a solution.Left back in the changing room, so to speak 🙄
1 midfielder, 1 decent striker and a No. 10, if we can stretch that far.
Surprised Hanley is still here.
toontaff2
Jul 28, 2017 at 8:44 AM
Comment #9Giimps, a one way ticket, business class, an SD bag and a mug.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 28, 2017 at 8:50 AM
Comment #10toontaff,
It really reinforces the point that if Rafa wasn’t here we’d be well and truly down the swanny, Gawd knows who would have been given the thankless task of getting us promoted with GC’s bunch of U25 French and Dutchmen from Mondial agency, I’ve a feeling we’d be facing the mackems a couple of times this season.
Spoof
Jul 28, 2017 at 9:03 AM
Comment #11Jail
Let’s not forget Rafa’s reputation as well, he is risking spoiling what is a great reputation so he can stay with us, he could get so many really could job offers yet he seems determined to stay and build this club of ours up on a shoestring, personally I think he is stark raving mad, I just hope that he doesn’t get a bang on the head which makes him sane, that would be a disaster.