For the second summer running the Newcastle players are at odds with the hierarchy about what their bonus payments this season should be.
Last summer it was solved by captain Jamaal Lascelles talking directly to owner Mike Ashley to sort it out.
And it has to be sorted out quickly because it seems to be having a negative effect on the dressing room, according to Rafa.
These are some of the things that happen when a club has an owner who is a penny-pincher through and through.
Jamaal Lascelles and Rafa Benitez – two important men at Newcastle
The players yesterday refused to talk to the press after the game just as they did last Wednesday in the 4-0 capitulation to SC Braga.
Benitez was asked if the players were in the right frame of mind given the problem and this is how he responded to that question as reported in the Shields Gazette today:
“I will tell you before the game against Braga, maybe it wasn’t.” “Today I will tell you yes.”
“I think the players will tell you that our job is to perform on the pitch. I can’t complain about the players or the way they approached this game or we missed this pass or made mistakes.”
“For us, it’s about the team.”
“Last year we saw the team spirit and staff, that was the key.” “So it has to be the key next year. We don’t talk about the transfer window.”
“We’re trying to improve the squad as we said before, but we don’t know if we can do it or not.”
” So it’s just carry on working and try to our best before August 9.”
“Then after we have to do our best on the pitch.”
Once the window closes we’re sure Rafa will ask for unity from the fans, the staff, and the players.
And finally, the only thing Mike Ashley seems to think about is money, and that’s been one of his big problems at Newcastle.
Comments welcome.
86 comments so far
jazzyp
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:32 PM
Comment #41Geordieboy..Sorry
posada
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:36 PM
Comment #42Jazzy
Stop commenting on my posts your stalking me.
Stop asking me out for a pint your stalking me.
OK I’ll stop now. Pulling your chain is getting a bit boring.
ronaldo aarons
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:36 PM
Comment #43The comments by caulkin on talksport align with Rafa when he talks about knowing what they wanted to do at the start of summer. Some people on here refuse to admit that these deals set up were blocked by Ashley. Same thing came out last year when Rafa had a couple deals lined up only to be blocked then too.
Moonraker15
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:39 PM
Comment #44If it’s true they’ve given Rafa permission to sign 2 or 3 more I’m well pleased but is it true?
I would love to think that Ashley had delegated responsibility to his minions and felt he had to intervene after Rafa’s statement. There’s no way he’s hands on at the Toon with all the other companies he runs, so it’s possible I suppose.
Is this a turning point? Too little too late for Rafa I fear; he’ll be gone this time next year !
ronaldo aarons
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:39 PM
Comment #45So the loan system is a little complicated. You can only have 4 in a season and 2 at any one time and only two from the premier league. Not sure if this includes domestic or from the championship. The only exception to the 2 loans at any one time is if there is an obligation to buy. That’s why we had dubravka, kenedy and slimani on loan from January last season.
jazzyp
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:40 PM
Comment #46Ronaldo
The financial wizardry of NUFC who can’t afford £8mill for Argentine full international LB but consider £7mill deal for 19yr untried kid, Won’t buy a striker but pay £2mill to borrow him with nothing at the end.
Only at Newcastle could this happen
L Toon
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:43 PM
Comment #47Ron knee
I wish. No, it was just cut and pasted from the chron.
ronaldo aarons
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:47 PM
Comment #48Jazzy
Yes, that and the long time wasting haggling of £1-2m pounds here or there. Pure incompetence.
Then with reports today that Ashley sanctioned 2-3 signings, you know there’ll be roadblocks in place to make this difficult as possible.
jazzyp
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:51 PM
Comment #49Ronaldo
Remember when it renewal time for ST’s and all of a sudden we were signing this player and that player.Ashley and his media partners were simply trying to drum up interest to sell season tickets. Hopefully I am wrong but it has the same smell about it mate
Bladey
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:52 PM
Comment #50Lots of dummies being spat out today usually it’s banal chat from the dummies on here
YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE
ASH OUT
Mister Tuff
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:52 PM
Comment #51On a slow news day – tremendous comedy blogging, although overall boring, a few highlights of mirth to savour.
Booohooo booohooo I’m not stupid, no way I’m walking into a twap and get molested by a couple of bwutes. Fwendly pint indeed. Boohooo boooohooo. Last time I met a couple of nice boys in the pub they stole my handbag.
Anyway I don’t dwink pints. A nice Babycham is my tipple, Booohooo booohooo”.
YohanKebabShop
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:54 PM
Comment #52Just to clear afew things up fella’s. A premier league club can have 4 loans a season but only 2 at any given time. Which means once we have Rondon and kenedy, that’s it. Forget about the likes of ings…
ShirebrookToon
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:55 PM
Comment #53Oh boooohoooooo
ronaldo aarons
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:55 PM
Comment #54Haha of course lol. How did I forget. What was it, £22m for plea, £17m for Townsend. Thing is, signings like that are achievable. I think that is the most frustrating thing about it all.
ronaldo aarons
Aug 5, 2018 at 1:58 PM
Comment #55Yohan
I just made a post about that. The exception to the 2 loans at any one time is if there is an obligation to buy. Hence we had dubravka, kenedy and slimani at one time in the same window.
jazzyp
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:03 PM
Comment #56Tuffers
that sounds like a voice of experience with ya comedy sidekick Jibberish lol.
Any tips??
jazzyp
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:03 PM
Comment #57Don’t drink yellow snow yeah I know
ronaldo aarons
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:04 PM
Comment #58Burnley sign boro’ Ben Gibson. £15m. To me that is a good signing.
jazzyp
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:05 PM
Comment #59So why do we get a green light now? Does he want the club to prosper and cement it’s EPL status? Rafa had a list of positions that needed filling 2 months ago and at the 11th hour they suddenly say ‘ok’ but of course won’t get them over the line
lesh
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:14 PM
Comment #60Munster
jib may have predated Bishop by years but that hasn’t stopped him jumping on the Ashley supporting band wagon. At best he’s a narcissistic troublemaker who basks in he hassle he gets.
Nicky or Jimmysmith (why do posters feel the need to change their tags?
Assuming you’ve read the post @19 and might have realised that your posts excusing Ashley have been a tad off the situation as Mark Douglass sees the situation. Bear in mind (and yes he’s a journalist) that he’ll have more sources of information than you – unless you have the ear of a source that’s been providing a more accurate assessment?
Munster, it’s not a case of being anti Ashley or not, there are varying degrees of support or dislike of Ashley and his behaviour over the last 11 years but you can’t deny that support for him in general is great.
magpie6699
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:16 PM
Comment #61To lighten the tone a bit. Surely if we get Rondon there can only be one song for his chant: “Help me Rondon” to the tune of the Beach Boys “Help me Rhonda”. Anybody else old enough to remember it? Great song and would work well with a change of words.
DaveD1000
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:16 PM
Comment #622 months to sign Rondon and still not inked. 2-3 in 4 days…..np that’ll happen
Mister Tuff
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:20 PM
Comment #63jazzy – no tips just trying to introduce a bit of comedy. But I think it is amazing that 20 minutes have elapsed since my post and none of the blogs hate preachers/Jib junkies and other assorted bird brains haven’t been on to have a pop. Must be a record.
Strangely though quite a few regulars, mainly fannies and grannies are conspicuous by their absence. I suspect they make themselves scarce so as not to join the Rafa v Tubbs debate.
General post only not directed at any specific parties.
Long Live Rafa. Viva Rafa!!!!
lesh
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:24 PM
Comment #64Moonraker15
I think most would agree that Ashley’s not directly hands on at Nufc – he’s put Barnes in there to do his bidding. If Ashley’s left Barnes to it without making sure he’s been kept informed, or if he’s been kept out of the loop/ misinformed and this situation’s arisen again – for the fourth time since Barnes appeared, then one would expect Ashley to have sacked or removed him. It seems he hasn’t so what can be read into that?
Ketsbaia9
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:25 PM
Comment #65We need to go in for Brahimi. Desperate for a playmaker after selling Merino (one of our best players)
lesh
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:28 PM
Comment #66magpie6699
Or even Da Doo Rondon, Da Doo Rondon…..
lochinvar
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:31 PM
Comment #67JazzyP@17
Rafa didn’t take a holiday and instead lined up 5/6 deals to the point where Charnley just needed to rubber stamp. These where worked on and ready to go nearly 2 months ago…1 week till Spurs and none of those players have come in #Nufc
Not that we’ll ever know but I wonder who the 5 or 6 players targeted by Rafa were.
Plausible that Ki and Rondon and even Schar are three of them because the club and Nickerson and Charnley would surely have had to prepared a portfolio of information and Ki and Schnars arrival seemed fairly effortless suggesting they were pre planned. Rondon’s arrival less so but just about there.
The other three ?
I wonder …
ronaldo aarons
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:32 PM
Comment #68lol Ladbrokes put a small nufc factfile on twitter and asked if they can get midtable.
Manager: Rafa
Star Man: Shelvey
Best Signing: Mikel Merino
Lol!!
jazzyp
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:32 PM
Comment #69Tuffers
I’m sure they are biding there time for an unforeseen onslaught of your good nature mate.At least we have kept the blog ticking over for today as all is quiet on the western front
ronaldo aarons
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:33 PM
Comment #70They have changed that to muto now though but still.
ronaldo aarons
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:35 PM
Comment #71Loch
When the players had the open media day in Ireland, Rafa or someone mentioned we had interest in players from psg, inter and another big team. Possibly one or two could come from these.
jazzyp
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:37 PM
Comment #72Lochinvar
The question I have asked many times on here is why employ an extensive scouting network around the world if Ashley has no intentions on sanctioning anything they list. Surely Rafa’s no1 forward wasn’t Rondon. And Shar cannot be benitez no1 CB option. For me these are back up targets at best and lets hope they hit the ground running cos we sure gonna need em mate
lochinvar
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:45 PM
Comment #73Magpie and Lesh
Like the idea of “Help Me Rondon…”
The Crystals Da Doo Ron Ron works well…along the lines of
I saw him on a match day and my heart stood still
Da do Ron don don , da do Ron don
Somebody told me that his name weren’t Bill
Da do Ron don don , da do Ron don
Yeah, my heart stood still
Yes, his name ain’t Bill
And when he scored a goal
Da do Ron don don , da do Ron don
jazzyp
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:53 PM
Comment #74Loch
That’s gonna catch on if he comes.Gold star sir
lesh
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:54 PM
Comment #75lochinvar
Nice one and the words are perfect. Copyright your song before Ashley does!
Ketsbaia9
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:55 PM
Comment #76If we sign the following, I think we will have a good chance of finishing in the top 13:
Rondon – Loan
Ings – Loan
De Arrascata – £18m
Tagliafico – £8m
Diego Reyes – Free
lesh
Aug 5, 2018 at 2:59 PM
Comment #77I wonder whether the media attention Ashley’s getting’s got something to do with the signings we can err, expect?
Could he be feeling the heat?
And, I wonder whether the Magpie Group’s had or is having any thoughts about contacting the FA with a summary of Ashley’s shenanigans and lies/ half-truths and asking whether they amount to bringing the game into disrepute? The EPL wouldn’t be too happy either.
Beattie
Aug 5, 2018 at 3:16 PM
Comment #78I see that the views of the likes of Ruddy and Jail haven’t changed over the years.
Many fans have not been afraid to adapt their thoughts to emerging developments, rather than trying to reconcile those developments with the rigidity of thought.
It makes for a constant boring read if you are that way inclined. No wonder Ed confirms a growing number that merely both to read and don’t interact.
Beattie
Aug 5, 2018 at 3:17 PM
Comment #79Bother not both.
Transfer Sage
Aug 5, 2018 at 3:22 PM
Comment #80I think we’ll get another 3 players in and have a better squad than this time last year.
Can see us coming between 10th and 14th