One reason clubs want to move quickly in the transfer market is in case another club wants the player, and they could come in for him and wreck the deal.
And this is the fourth week that Lee Charnley has been talking with Rafa Benitz’ representatives and now West Ham have fired David Moyes and his staff.
West Ham are now reported to be after Rafa Benitez, and that’s not a real surprise.
Rafa almost signed for the Hammers back in the summer of 2015 after he had left Napoli, but at the last minute, Real Madrid came after him.
And now there are reports in the national press today – with an exclusive in the Mail – that West Ham will give Rafa whatever he wants – to get him to sign for them this summer.
Rafa Benitez – West Ham want him
That’s significant because Newcastle (make that Mike Ashley) will not give him everything he wants at Newcastle.
And if ever Rafa starts talking with West Ham the negotiations could be over in days, not weeks or months.
The West Ham Chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan are ambitious – unlike Mike Ashley.
Benitez is said to be West Ham’s “preferred candidate,” although they are talking to other managers like Shakhtar Donetsk’s Paulo Fonseca and former Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Newcastle cannot seem to do anything quickly under Mike Ashley, and if we lose Rafa to West Ham, it would be an almighty tragedy for Newcastle.
We all know Mike Ashley can screw things up – anything – but this would be way beyond the pale.
Comments welcome.
24 comments so far
G
May 17, 2018 at 10:11 AM
Comment #1I don’t think he will go there to be honest. I reckon his family will be against him working for the Dildo brothers.
masterp1983
May 17, 2018 at 10:13 AM
Comment #2I think if he goes there will be massive uproar. They would be so stupid to allow this to happen but then it is Mike Ashley and we know the club is his plaything. He loves to be the pantomime villain. I just don’t get why he doesn’t just sell. Its not like he is short of a bob or two is it!
lochinvar
May 17, 2018 at 10:16 AM
Comment #3Newcastle has been voted the most entrepreneurial city in the UK.
Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards and winger Vereniki Goneva have been named Premiership Rugby’s top coach and player for 2018.
We have the Great North Run showing the world a purposeful vision of community and ambition and prompting health.
Rafa is at the helm of a world class football club that can live in the company of Real Madrid, Liverpool, Juventus and others of that ilk.
Ashley is in danger of confirming the view that he’s a little man and in danger of damaging all that is great about NUFC.
Talk of a West Ham having more fans is bollocks. They have less fans, just more pop corn eating tourists on a day trip to a football match on London.
If Ashley is man enough to ensure that NUFC and Rafa exude greatness then he needs to show it. Otherwise Ashley needs to move over and let someone who understands the power of quality take control.
Is Ashley a visionary – no, don’t think so and that’s the problem.
Geordie-john
May 17, 2018 at 10:18 AM
Comment #4Never say never ! Rafa just wants to do his best while enjoying the football but if there is something or someone restraining him then it’s only a matter of time before he says up yours Ashley. There comes a time when even the support of the Toon Army faithful wouldn’t be enough. I hope this isn’t the case but Ashley’s greedy tactics are unbelievable most of the time.
dig-n-dig22
May 17, 2018 at 10:18 AM
Comment #5According to TALKSPORT, Rafa has a £6Mill buy out clause on his NUFC contract
Toon_Tom
May 17, 2018 at 10:19 AM
Comment #6I wouldn’t be surprised, nor would I blame him, if Rafa left the Toon in the coming weeks…
Ashley NEEDS to cut his holiday(s) short and get this sorted ASAP before it’s too late.
With Allardyce, Moyes and Pardew all floating around it is a scary situation for desperate clubs!
Yung Mitro
May 17, 2018 at 10:27 AM
Comment #7It’s all well and good using the argument that ‘if Ashley doesn’t want to back Rafa to fulfil our potential as a club then he should just sell up’… but its not that easy. He’s an arrogant piece of work who seems to drive the price up when there is any interest shown (up to 400mil when Stavely tried). I don’t think Rafa would want to leave but in every transfer window here he hasnt been given what he was promised… and been forced into bringing in utter dross like Joselu.
Thing is, West Ham have got nothing to lose with these negotiations and will go all out to get him. No doubt Rafa won’t leave at the drop of a hat, he’s got a great project going here, but if fatboy Ashley stays on holiday all summer and doesnt address these issues i’d be concerned that the offer of money to spend and having full control of things at West Ham could tempt him… 🙁
Lets hope not
geordietom
May 17, 2018 at 10:29 AM
Comment #8starting to get a bit worried now … will he go will he stay ? who knows … are things going on in the back ground we dont know about … ie: rafa’s contract talks … take over … new players … who would we get as manager if he does leave … dont want another manager/ coach … just want rafa to stay … god nowts ever easy at wor club ffs
Pottsclock
May 17, 2018 at 10:31 AM
Comment #9I think what has been most disappointing during the reign of Ashley has been the incompetence of the senior management team i.e. LLambias and Charnley etc. who should be running the club on a day-to-day basis.
It’s exactly those guys who should be closing contract deals quickly and to sorting out transfer deals quickly. That’s what they are paid for. I even remember on the one occasion we signed all the French players under Pardew, Ashley had to actually step in himself to get deals done that had been dragging for weeks.
I am starting to think that Charnley is completely incompetent. Ashley has been weak in getting the right people at that level.
Agreed he should step in to sort this situation but it is also true that it should never get to this point.
TyneMouth
May 17, 2018 at 10:34 AM
Comment #10Repost, (apologies for being late)
Regarding West Ham’s stadium, it’s not a proper football ground, in the traditional English league tradition.
I’ve been there six times, two of then when it was used for the Olympics in 2012, then it was a very good athletics stadium for a three week event.
Six years later, (and about a £375M spend) the stadium is less than adequate for top class football.
West Ham certainly have won the bargain of the century. Newham Council supply the ground maintenance, the matchplay workforce, security and criticality a big chunk of the stadium conversion finance!
Thank you, Boris Johnson, (Latin quote to follow)
In return for their ‘generosity’ Newham receive 15000 tickets for every match, hence the large attendance.
The West Ham fans hate the stadium, as much as they hate the owners! The recent on-field riots were not just about the football.
I can’t see Rafa even contemplating a move to this awful place, however the speculation may speed up the contract negotiations…
lochinvar
May 17, 2018 at 10:36 AM
Comment #11McLaren for West Ham
McLaren for West Ham
McLaren for West Ham
spread the word across the land, the press will report it and West Ham will believe it
The best way to predict the future is to create it
DubaiMicky
May 17, 2018 at 10:37 AM
Comment #12Pottsclock, not at NUFC it isn’t, they (Charnley) have absolutely zero power and is MD in name only, also he’s only on £150,000 a year, a pittance. He just does as he’s told by the fat puppet-master Ashley via his 2 henchmen.
kc2012
May 17, 2018 at 10:37 AM
Comment #13Personally don’t see any benefit for him joining West Ham. Look at the state of their club. Yes we aren’t in the best state with Ashley in charge but when do you see our fans fighting in the stands and running at players on the pitch and players looking like they’re totally disinterested in the club. Swapping 1 bad owner for 2 bad owners and a smaller club who looked well off the pace last season under 2 different managers just doesn’t seem like a Benítez move. Seen a lot of West Ham fans saying the exact same thing, why would he.
If he goes then I doubt it would be to West Ham, Everton would be a better move for him career wise. Either way our club doesn’t look like changing it’s ways anytime soon so it can’t be any shock to anyone if he leaves.
Luckily Steve Maclarens going QPR so the wolly in a brolly (Ashley’s best mate) can’t come back here.
DubaiMicky
May 17, 2018 at 10:38 AM
Comment #14PS. have we signed Dubravka yet? Or can we not get that one “Over the line”?
ashleysmate
May 17, 2018 at 10:40 AM
Comment #15If Ashley was stupid enough to bugger this one up, he would need to make serious consideration for his safety……
dig-n-dig22
May 17, 2018 at 10:41 AM
Comment #16An extension of Rafa’s contract should take all but 2 minutes to complete, Ashley and Rafa sit down at a table, Ashley says, “I would like to thank you for all you have achieved on behalf of NUFC over the past 2 years, HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED TO CONTINUE?” simple as.
crawfordm
May 17, 2018 at 10:42 AM
Comment #17ffs – scare mongering title from Editor – where is the evidence !!!!
Rafa is a man of integrity who loves the club and fans. Possible worse case scenario he fulfils his contract and leaves. West Ham ? fans who invade their putch confront there players and fight amongst each other. Rafa is no fool and its a no goer.
ashleysmate
May 17, 2018 at 10:42 AM
Comment #18Dubai#14
Wonder if he’s waiting to see what happens with Rafa?
Bobbybee
May 17, 2018 at 10:44 AM
Comment #19Time for a big intake of breath and calm down. Breath slowly.
West Ham’s owners have a rap sheet every bit as long as Ashley’s. Their default setting is BS as well. They lied to their fans about the move to get them on board re the move to cheapskate stadium. They’ve lied to managers repeatedly in the past. Not just at West Ham either, go ask Birmingham fans what cuddly nice people they are.
This would be Rafa out of the frying pan and into the furnace. Give the man a bit more credit.
How many times have we been here since Rafa arrived? How many times have posters on here had Rafa’s bags packed and out the door? Ditto the so called press? So far they’ve been wrong every single time.
This is Rafa at work. He never stops. He’s pushing Ashley for as much as he can get. He’ll use this situation to its maximum effect.
Our advantage is he wants to be here, not West Ham. West Ham can’t just walk in, he’s under contract. He usually honours his contracts. Just let him get on with it, he knows what he’s doing.
It’s understandable to panic a bit – this is Ashley – but Rafa is all that matters and he’s already said he’s only talking to one club. You think he’s lying to us? Has he ever?
Right now he’s our manager. Why would he go from one piece Of turd owner to another? Who’s fans wreck their own ground? Who turn on managers at the drop of a hat if they don’t play ‘the West Ham way’ – whatever that is.
He’s, not gone. If Ashley gives him a decent spend he’ll remain here. We hold all the cards. The sky hasn’t fallen Chicken Licken, it’s just a bloody acorn.
Rafa will let us know if he’s leaving. Until then try and stay calm. Nothing we can do anyway.
I don’t trust Ashley, but I do respect Rafa enough to believe he’ll keep us posted. I doubt we’ll hear it through the media first.
magpie6699
May 17, 2018 at 10:48 AM
Comment #20Of course we COULD lose Rafa – but why West Ham? It’s not handy for Merseyside and they are not a better set-up than us. Is there a “project” like he envisaged for the Toon? Would he get the same support from their fans as here, for example? Would they cope with a losing streak like we had or would they again be demonstrating? IF he did decide to leave (heaven forbid), it would be for somewhere far better.
Incidentally, if he does leave I could see a lot of Sports Direct shops being trashed!
Little h
May 17, 2018 at 10:51 AM
Comment #21Bobby bee
Thanks for that post its genuinely sent a calming vibe through me
A little prospective goes a long way
Basogeordie
May 17, 2018 at 11:09 AM
Comment #22The dildo brothers are worse than Ashley!
Are we all forgetting what went on this season? Whilst Mike renamed our beloved SJP, the dildos knocked down their home and sold it for housing. Moving them into a soul less shell of a athletics stadium, under the ruse of promised mass investment.
We can all rest easy in that Rafa will not being going to West Ham.
Munster Mag
May 17, 2018 at 2:50 PM
Comment #23Hmm lochinvar I think putting nufc in the same bracket as juve and Madrid is crazy talk. You’d be laughed at by most football fans I know. Not having a go mate. As for West ham, if any manager has his wits about him and as acceptable football then they cud do well. Rafa nearly joined them, only Real Madrid stopped it. Obviously Rafa will use this and fair enough. My concern is Ashley returning to the French model with a young dynamic foreign coach. Or a moyes, plus 6m compensation
gmike
May 17, 2018 at 5:08 PM
Comment #24Why is Lee Charnley avoiding so much stick? He is the MD and it is his responsibility to get Rafa signed up and do the transfer deals. If he has to constantly check with Ashley, why is he even there? He is the one who dragged his feet over the transfer deals and is doing the same with Rafa. Is he not capable of making a decision? Surely it is an easy one to make!!