The Chronicle is reporting that while there have been some worrying reports over the weekend that any transfer business will be held up until Rafa signs a new deal – the information Lee Ryder has is that Rafa is still pushing ahead trying to sign his top transfer targets.
Rafa is calling agents and trying to line up deals so that Newcastle can make a good early start to the transfer window.
That’s something we are not used to at Newcastle in recent years.
We are not used to it because the Newcastle hierarchy move at a snail’s pace in doing anything – including trying to sign Rafa to a new deal.
Rafa wants to overhaul the club for the better, and he wants significant improvements to the facilities at Benton and also wants to have full control of how he spends the transfer money he has.
The Chronicle reports he now knows how much he has to spend from Ashley and it’s looking like it’s around £50M and any money he can get from selling players this summer.
That’s a lot more than he’s had since he joined Newcastle.
We are hoping he can get some good deals done and some good players brought in.
Two years ago Rafa and Lee Charnley worked together famously to transform the side ready for the Championship.
We hope they can do the same thing this summer to transform the side to challenge for a top-six Premier League place.
After all, we finished in 10th place last season.
Also, Rafa has been given the go-ahead to try to win a local Cup – the League Cup or the FA Cup.
Those are two trophies we have the best chance of winning for what will be 50 years since we last won a cup.
That was when we beat Ujpesti Dozsa of Hungary 6-2 on aggregate in the Inter-City Cup Final, and I was privileged to watch the first leg at St. James’ Park on 29th May 1969 when we won 3-0, and Bob Moncur scored two goals.
We then won the away leg 3-2, and that was before the first man landed on the Moon.
We need another major cup win just as soon as possible, and it’s very possible that we can do that under the world-class Rafa Benitez, who has a burning desire to make Newcastle great again.
We know Ashley doesn’t have any burning desire for any Newcastle success, but our fans are right behind the manager.
That in itself can work wonders – and we have already seen that over the last two years,
Howay The Lads!!
Comments welcome.
Note:
Jack Farish is currently studying for a Master’s degree in sport and exercise psychology at Northumbria University.
His thesis project looks at Premier League fans’ team identification – how well they support and identify with their team.
Jack has put together a relatively short questionnaire of team identification and satisfaction with life; it should take no longer than 10 minutes.
You can help Jack by filling out the survey here.
5 comments so far
martoon
May 28, 2018 at 9:57 AM
Comment #1Is this the same Chronicle who were reporting that all transfers were on hold until Rafa’s contract was agreed?
Jib
May 28, 2018 at 10:02 AM
Comment #2Martoon
I’ve told you
It depends which shift is working
at intu Eldon Square
c-dog
May 28, 2018 at 10:07 AM
Comment #3Most likely outcome is a net budget of about 10mil. This is Newcastle under Ashley.
JohnJ
May 28, 2018 at 10:16 AM
Comment #4I was also privileged to watch that first leg at St. James’ Park on 29th May 1969 and I remember being glued to the radio listening to the away leg and Newcastle going down 2 – 0 in the first half and it was squeaky bum time but I recall reading afterwards that Joe Harvey had told the team in his half time talk “just go out and a score a quick goal and it’ll knock the stuffing out of them” and we did and went on to win that game 3 – 2 and 6 – 2 on aggregate! Happy Days!
I still have quite a few “Fairs Cup” programmes including the Rangers Semi Final – and that was a game and a half!!! I can still see in my mind a big mass of Blue erupting from the leazes end and a few Black & Whites from the Gallowgate fortunately the blue fog changed their minds on half way and went back to “Their own end”!
Mister Tuff
May 28, 2018 at 10:21 AM
Comment #5Jib Jiblets Jibberish – more gaffes I’m afraid.
It is the second time that you have stated that the Benitez interview with Guillem Balague was conducted in Spain.
No it wasn’t it was held in Benitez’ office in Newcastle.
You make a fundemental assumption (erroneous) that when two Spaniards are talking the chat must be in Spain – wrong.
In addition any real Toon fan would know that the picture backdrop during the interview – SJP – is in Rafas office and not in Spain.
Your lack of NUFC knowledge and your inability to assess your “google finds” are very embarrassing.
You need to desist – change your game- Ladies rugby or ladies wrestling suggested – please before it is too late.
Folk making on they are long standing Toon fans are easily flushed out with the passage of time.