Rafa Benitez has been quoted after tonight’s 4-0 mauling at SC Braga in which all goals came in the second half and Newcastle were outclassed.
Rafa is worried because he is saying that things are not going well off the pitch and at the end of this game he certainly looked worried.
And tonight there is the news that West Ham have agreed a £20M transfer fee for 21-year-old Brazilian holding midfielder Thiago Maia – a player we were told a day or two ago we cannot afford.
Rafa Benitez – openly worried about Newcastle’s strength
Here are some worrying comments from the manager after the game tonight:
“It was a bad game.”
“We did not do things the way we have to. Ten days before the start of the season now and this is wake up call.”
“We have to realize we can’t make these mistakes.” Things are not going well off the pitch and you can see a reflection of that on the pitch.”
“I have no idea (about the transfers).”
“As I say things aren’t going well off the pitch and you can see a reflection. We were poor and we made too many mistakes.”
“We have to wake up – that’s it.”
Here are a couple of tweets from Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie which show there’s a disconnect between Rafa and the hierarchy – that has to be very worrying.
Me: “Rafa, are you close to any new signings?”
Rafa Benitez: “I have no idea.”— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) August 1, 2018
A frustrated Rafa Benitez on transfers: “I said two months ago what we needed, and 10 days before the start of season we still are where we are. There’s 4/5 players we thought we could bring but we haven’t.”
— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) August 1, 2018
If there is a time Rafa can leave the club let’s hope it’s not after this – it seems the hierarchy are just not on the same wavelength as Rafa.
They are still trying to save money – or not spend it – take your choice.
And Ashley and Charnley have fully and completely failed their test of this summer – to show Rafa their ambition.
They don’t have any, and Mike Ashley should never have bought the Newcastle club eleven long years ago and he is hardly a fit and proper owner.
He’s been a complete disaster.
Comments welcome.
141 comments so far
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Aug 1, 2018 at 10:58 PM
Comment #1Shire brook
I wonder if the players did not give interviews because Rafa told them that he was handing in his notice tomorrow
lochinvar
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:00 PM
Comment #2Is this what has p&ssed Rafa off.
Chumley was trying for a loan.
West Ham United are set to make Newcastle United-linked Thiago Maia their eighth summer signing, according to the Sun.
The newspaper claims West Ham have agreed a £20 million fee for Maia, the Lille defensive midfielder.
ShirebrookToon
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:03 PM
Comment #3Charlie
God knows mate. All is not well within the dressing room it seems. If he does walk, time to stand up and be counted and bulldoze the fat fcuk out of our club!
lochinvar
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:06 PM
Comment #4We sealed the deal for Dubrovka.
Kennedy’s here for the season and maybe longer.
Schars arrived
Ki’s pleased to be here.
The outgoings have mostly gone.
So what’s changed or gone so badly wrong in 24hours ?
Rondon not happening ?
Maia off to West Ham ?
House of Fraser our new sponsors ?
Something’s up
ShirebrookToon
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:07 PM
Comment #5Pete Clarke
Pete Clarke
@Peteclarke85
·
1m
Replying to @MsiDouglas and @UtdForNewcastle
Fans need to wake up and take action before it’s too late. Sick and tired of hearing “support the team not the regime” or some b*l*o*ks about how “true fans never turn their backs on the club”. Full scale boycott and protests outside for every game.
TomaKaThor
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:07 PM
Comment #6Rafa should walk and the fans should boycott the club until the fat cancer finally sells, we simply have no bright future while he remains, should never of been allowed to buy a football club.
lochinvar
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:10 PM
Comment #7Charlie@1
I didn’t need that
But it’s enough to turn mild mannered pensioners of my ilk into an angry mob
They say there could be civil unrest when Brexit happens.
The way things are going it might happen sooner.
Ninjacent
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:11 PM
Comment #8Would anyone blame Rafa for walking, I wouldn’t. He is paid very well but is also being treated as a mug with very little respect in terms of being handed a new deal with broken promises sprinkled on top. Can you sign this new deal and we promise to give you some money we get in to spend, which we all know won’t happen. What I don’t understand is that Mclaren was given a few bob, but Rafa has to scrap around for players, who is the better manager, please? Ashley OUT!!!
ShirebrookToon
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:13 PM
Comment #9https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/full-transcript-rafa-benitezs-extraordinary-14980278
ShirebrookToon
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:14 PM
Comment #10Lochinvar@7
Lol that made me laugh out loud literally 😆
kilcline
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:16 PM
Comment #11We are doomed, our team on paper is bottom 5 material but Rafa keeps us safe, he goes, so does any hope of this season let alone a future of fighting at the right end of the table.
Ashley is one of the most selfish men walking the planet
GeordieTwo
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:16 PM
Comment #12Rafa sounds ominous to me. No communication between him and Charnley by the sound of it. Very bad news indeed. “I have no idea” is not a good response at this point in the window.
GeordieTwo
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:17 PM
Comment #13I think almost everyone is getting the message now. Ashley does not give a fig that Rafa feels betrayed.
ashleysmate
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:19 PM
Comment #14OMG…0-4 against… BRAGA???
JHC….Well Mikey boy you’ve certainly let your club sink to new depths.. even by your penny pinching miserable standards.
You make Scrooge look like Santa and Walt Disney rolled into one
For a multi billionaire you are as naive as my better half about football….she knows nowt.. but at least she tries to understand…..unlike you phatt boy… you don’t have a scoobies.
Never mind all….after Rafa walks, we will see Stevie Bruce coming to our aid…..nice guy… wrong person.
World….what have we done to deserve this????
GeordieTwo
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:25 PM
Comment #15If the worst came to pass and Rafa walked before the end of the season and we got relegated how would Ashley explain it? Would he even bother making a statement. The supporters groups seem to be sure that he has had one or more offers for the club but how far apart are the parties in question? How can West Ham and Everton spend so much while we spend nothing (no net spend again this window so far)?
sing in the corner
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:26 PM
Comment #16Bobbybee
I read your comments this afternoon / evening with interest.
’15k idiots..gobalots ‘. etc.
..90% of whom wouldn’t know where SJP is..or something like that,wasnt it? How do you know that? Huge generalisation at best.
And unsolicited insults to anyone who says anything in support of fan opposition to Ashley.
Well what do you think of Rafa’s comments tonight and over the last couple of weeks? I’d wager he wouldn’t agree with your opinion about the fans wanting to group together and voice their discontent about how Rafa is being cut off at the knees in his attempts to improve the squad.
GeordieTwo
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:27 PM
Comment #17I can explain this to Rafa: “you see Rafa, you’re a decent person whereas Ashley is a lying scumball like Trump.”
GeordieTwo
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:29 PM
Comment #18Well said singinthecornoer
ashleysmate
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:30 PM
Comment #19Geordie@17
Don’t insult Trump like that
lochinvar
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:31 PM
Comment #20can we look forward to seeing Mike when he’s at SJP for the visit of his team Spurs against some other club
sing in the corner
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:33 PM
Comment #21Anyway, time for bed, said zebedee..
The way things are shaping up, we are gonna need divine intervention.
Howay the lads, and the fans..
GeordieTwo
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:35 PM
Comment #22Hahahaha ashleysmate. Sorry you’re right. Although we would need an accurate count of lies by both gents to see which is worse. Apparently Trump is over 4,000 and counting now. I gave an underestimate earlier.
GeordieTwo
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:37 PM
Comment #23Night all (it’s only afternoon over here but chores await).
jane
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:37 PM
Comment #24Rafa refers to problems but is not specific. he says what the fans want to hear without getting into trouble. plays this card a lot. and the club probably don’t mind him doing it, they don’t mind being the bad guys. not enough information to come to any conclusions. roll on next friendly!
ashleysmate
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:37 PM
Comment #25Geordie@15
What people need to realise is….he couldn’t give a miserable shyte what happens with you, me and all the other supporters….as long as he’s making money.. he could have Stalin in charge with Adolf as his coach and still wouldn’t give a flying st mary…as long as he makes money. He couldn’t give a rats arse about us
Mister Tuff
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:41 PM
Comment #26Poor Rafa had probably never come across such scumbags and tricksters as Tubbs and his cronies and I have to say quislings and fifth columnists.
Working all summer to try and better the club and more or less they stick 2 fingers up at him.
This is not shaping up well at all.
Nutters will be on in the morning chuntering it was only a friendly and we think Rafa and Tubbs get on well – bla bla bla.
Rowan
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:43 PM
Comment #27Benitez: “As I say things aren’t going well off the pitch and you can see a reflection.’’
For me that’s the most chilling part.
What message does this send to our new players – and any potential signings yet to come?
A post-match interview of this nature is unprecedented I think – especially in preseason. It reeks of a man at breaking point who is ready to give up.
Is it a game Rafa’s playing? Doubt it – but I’m equally surprised by his comments. He’s such a professional, and he knows how to talk to the press. He speaks as if the dressing room is broken. If it isn’t – what damage will an interview like that have done?
I’m utterly shocked by these comments – not by how he’s feeling, but that he’d actually say them to the press.
ToonRich
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:46 PM
Comment #28What stands out to me was the very last quote – “we dont finish deals”…When’s Charmless due at the nexts fans forum, perhaps he could be hung out to dry on that subject!!
ashleysmate
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:46 PM
Comment #29I’m watching a very cheesie film by John carpenter called vampires, with James woods….now why on earth do I keep thinking of phatt boy all of the time?? Doh!
ashleysmate
Aug 1, 2018 at 11:59 PM
Comment #30I’ve noticed there’s some cuti pie female vampires on here (the film I’m watching) with large fangs and large other bits….I know.. nowt to do with footie. but I’m 63. and if there’s any retired female vampires on here who fancy a ‘coffee’ or a rare steak….just drop me a line??
Harper-NUFC
Aug 2, 2018 at 12:05 AM
Comment #31Very worrying times ahead unless something dramatic changes.
The big problem is, the team we fielded tonight was the same team we fielded in the championship apart from Dubravka.
The worrying thing about this is that it looked as though none of them have ever played together before, no basic understanding of positioning, no communication, no link up. So even after 2 years of the same team they looked completely clueless in every department.
All the interviews, all the media stories and still Rafa doesn’t know what’s happening, that is very worrying. A club insider needs to do a full interview to give us fans some form of information whether it be good or bad, the silence from people at the top is deafening.
MA needs to go, he doesn’t care about anyone but himself and his money, he wants out, we all want him out. He has the sky TV money which has basically repaid his loan, we are in profit in transfer dealings yet we still can’t buy a player.
Something must be going on behind the scenes, I just pray that a takeover is happening.
ashleysmate
Aug 2, 2018 at 12:07 AM
Comment #32I don’t think Charmless is to blame in this really…..he must be the lowest paid director in the premiership and is nothing more than a Muppet…..Puppet
SPRINGY
Aug 2, 2018 at 12:09 AM
Comment #33Rafa looks sick of his life at newcastle in that video…seems the only thing keeping him here is his love for the fans and the fact if he walked that useless lard arse ashley would get a huge wedge of cash in a settlement for breach of contract if some of the stories are to be believed….things not looking good….is a huge understatement.
RUNAWAY777
Aug 2, 2018 at 12:12 AM
Comment #34If by any chance rafa does walk before the tottanham game i hope everybody stays away from the game to show rafa we support him and not ashley its the lest the fans can do now for rafa as he stood by us when we got relegated now is the time to stand as one and get this fat grease slug out of the toon once and for all.
Munster Mag
Aug 2, 2018 at 12:17 AM
Comment #35Bobby ffs plenty of nufc die hard fans are turning up for entertainment, just like other fans. No just because it is their way of life. To support nufc properly, you may now need to take a stand and boycott or do something to influence things. For the greater good of the club. Ashley despises nufc. And the geordie faithful. After all we threatened his family (but not enough to get the police involved). We have to act. I travelled a 400km round trip just to see the players train and neet Rafa. We all live and love the club. But we may need to act and not just turn up to watch the 11shirts on a clothes line. Mckeag being worse than Ashley is pretty much irrelevant now. Is chlamydia worse than gonnhorea? We looked awful in Dublin. If shelvey is out for a few months we can start contemplating playing Sunderland sooner than we envisaged.
TyneMouth
Aug 2, 2018 at 12:28 AM
Comment #36I’ve just returned home home, seemed to have missed a memorable evening on the blog.
Just read some epic posts by Bobbybee, hilarious, and people say satires dead!
We are so fortunate to have such an erudite and perceptive contributer to this humble blog, I think Bobbybee could destroy the fantasies of the flat earth society and the social harmony intentions of the Klu Klux Klan with a mere humorous quip! He exhibits a linguistic skill rarely witnessed in today’s frivolous world, know what I mean, dare I say it, Pal…
Must agree with Bobbybee, research is very important, he has certainly proved to me that you should be careful who you read, the wrong ‘facts’ can corrupt your judgement, just sayin’…
Munster Mag
Aug 2, 2018 at 12:30 AM
Comment #37I think he’ll go but Rafa got stick in. The media last year for whinging and he may need to be careful. Burnley have a euro campaign co. ING and the manager is calm. I know the club owners love Dyche but Rafa hS to be careful not to undo the unity he has crested by moaning that the team is weak. BTW any truth in that fan meeting Ashley in London. If so Ashley Deffo won’t be spending much. U know where Rafa cud go? Celtic. Tight budgets, super fans but Europe football and ambition. He cud retire there after stints as manager and DOF. We might be glad of Steve Bruce when Rafa goes and no young talented managers want the gig. It’s a very bad evening.
Munster Mag
Aug 2, 2018 at 12:33 AM
Comment #382 hr trip, 06.30 rise. Why am I on the blog. Nite fellow Mags
RUNAWAY777
Aug 2, 2018 at 12:33 AM
Comment #39Maybe the only way to get rid of ashley is to do a sunderland and drop a few leauges dont think he would hang around and also he would lose million and no more sports direct on tv stations happy day.
Charlietoon
Aug 2, 2018 at 1:38 AM
Comment #40Why does he never spend money when he is in a position of strength??