Rafa has been interviewed again and has been asked if he will walk away from Newcastle.
He didn’t answer that question directly, but it’s clear what he wants to do at Newcastle and what Mike Ashley wants to do with the club are nowhere near the same.
In fact, they seem like they are polar opposites.
Rafa wants to improve the side and the infrastructure at the club which will take some significant investment to achieve.
Rafa Benitez – disappointed with this summer’s transfer window
On the other hand, Mike Ashley wants Newcastle to stay as a Premier League club while spending as little money as possible.
Rafa has been asked if he would walk away from Newcastle and this is how he answered the question – as reported in the Shields Gazette:
“If I decided to come here, it’s because I could see the potential. You can see you have 50,000 fans. They are very clever. They know what is going on.
“They have to support the team, because that is the only way to guarantee the team stays up.”
“I will fight until the end. Can I guarantee anything that will happen tomorrow?”
“In my head, it’s to stay and fight and be sure that we do well, and, if everything is right, to talk about the future.”
“But we have been talking about the future for the last month and we are not going in the same direction.”
“Hopefully, we will continue to work hard together to be sure that the team stays in the Premier League.”
“I can talk, but it’s what I said before – you have to walk the walk and talk the talk.”
“It’s not that we need to talk too much. We need to do things. We didn’t do it.”
“We have to be sure that if we want to improve something – we need to be sure that it will be done, not words and interviews or whatever.”
“It has to be done.”
Rafa’s now been let down financially by the owner for the fourth successive transfer window and only in the first one two years ago, back in the summer of 2016, was he allowed to do what he wanted.
It was a case then of what Rafa wants – Rafa gets.
That was a very successful transfer window and ensured we were promoted at the top of the Championship last year.
Rafa managed to get us into 10th place in the Premier League last season and now he wants to get higher than that position this coming season.
He will have to do that with no financial help from the owner.
Comments welcome.
75 comments so far
crawfordm
Aug 6, 2018 at 8:58 AM
Comment #1I for one am glad Benitez will be here for one more season. Ashley is a lying deceiving individual with a team of the same. Enjoy this year chaps because we will never have a manager of Rafas ilk again whilst Ashley is here. Its personal now as im sure he enjoys destroying the hopes of our fans. Why have a football club if you do not want to see it succeed – we all know why – making even money !!!
crawfordm
Aug 6, 2018 at 8:59 AM
Comment #2I for one am glad Benitez will be here for one more season. Ashley is a lying deceiving individual with a team of the same. Enjoy this year chaps because we will never have a manager of Rafas ilk again whilst Ashley is here. Its personal now as im sure he enjoys destroying the hopes of our fans. Why have a football club if you do not want to see it succeed – we all know why – making even more money !!!
c-dog
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:00 AM
Comment #3I wouldn’t say this window has been disastrous. I would say it has been to underwhelming. And our owners needed to show our manager that he was committed to building towards success in order to get him to sign a new contract. Looks highly unlikely he will now.
Mag52
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:00 AM
Comment #4The jist of that interview is pretty much that Rafa is not a happy bunny.
If he stays on beyond the date that his contract runs out, it’ll be a miracle ( that’s if Ashley is still owner of NUFC ).
Rafabomb
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:03 AM
Comment #5If Rafa flopped it out, I’d tug him off. That’s how much I love the bloke and respect him as a person. He only wants to see and do what’s right for the club and fans….
runheed
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:07 AM
Comment #6Too true, crawfordm. We need to forget the ‘might have beens’, ignore that buffoon Ashley, and just enjoy what we can this season and what Rafa can make of this squad. Hopefully some exciting moments.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:09 AM
Comment #7Mag52,
Are you not embarrassed over your support for Pardew when you read comments like that, the guy was thick as thieves with Ashley and would have still been here if the fans hadn’t of turned on him.
simon376
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:13 AM
Comment #8When we read what Rafa is saying and has been for a couple of weeks now, does make you wonder if he does know about something going on or maybe already taken place and waiting for an announcement. If any of us spoke so openly about our boss/employer with all the criticism, even rightly so, we would be fit the high jump. Just got to hope he is doing it as he knows there is a positive way out. Hopefully he knows deal good as done but Ashley just isn’t willing to spend while in process of selling
Marzy
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:17 AM
Comment #9Staying Utd for Rafa and the players is so important on match days, just don’t know how to influence fat Ash to leave! So many good ideas being bounced around, but I keep coming back to the idea of a empty stadium makes it happen.
Another idea could be chipping in for a big outdoor screen for televised games and all support the team from outside the ground so the players feel the atmosphere albeit some distance away and the TV cameras will keep focusing on us fans in a fans park! Like I say it’s an idea?
Jail for Ashley
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:18 AM
Comment #10simon376,
I don’t think he’d be so openly critical if something was happening. He’s blatantly calling out Ashley for those ridiculous staged interviews.
dig-n-dig22
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:21 AM
Comment #11Rafabomb 5
Have you been secretly been watching Jib and Ashley?
ronaldo aarons
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:24 AM
Comment #12Lol there is nothing going on behind the scenes in relation to a takeover. Rafa is staying this season and will say whatever he likes, Ashley isn’t going to sack him.
If anything, the earliest I see a takeover happening is next season. Healthy financial statement released, premier league safety achieved again and the sky money given to the club as a £40-50m lump sum at the end of the season along with the rest in the months throughout the season.
simon376
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:24 AM
Comment #13Maybe Jail, it’s probably just hope from me and wishing something is happening are about to
c-dog
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:26 AM
Comment #14Ashley’s calls Jib Jane when they’re going at it. That’s the origin of the alter ego.
ShearMagic
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:27 AM
Comment #15Simon375
Maybe he does know something we don’t know.. This is my hopeful, wishful thinking. Net spend at a profit again, Ki on a free, Rondon to be a loan, Kenedy again on a loan, Schar and Muto – funds from players sold. For all we know Ashley’s cashing in slightly ready for when he does sell at the end of the season without harming the club too much? (very unlikely that last statement I know, he’s done us over enough) but maybe Rafa knows this?
Why would he stay after consecutive transfer windows being lied to? He must have had other offers from clubs.
Just a positive thought. Isn’t many kicking about on the blog recently!
Ready for the everyone to shoot this idea down in the posts that follow haha.
Binney
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:31 AM
Comment #16Had anybody heard anything of a takeover?
ronaldo aarons
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:32 AM
Comment #17I only see rondon coming in and possibly n’soki. Then that’s it. Dont see another cb coming in. If there are any truths to Maia then I can see Hayden being used as 4th cb while Lejuene is out. But I think the Maia talk it’s just agents trying to drum up a sale.
ronaldo aarons
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:33 AM
Comment #18Binney
Yes. Ashley is going to try and takeover House of Fraser.
jazzyp
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:42 AM
Comment #19Rafa Benitez wants to quickly move on to completing the signing of Stanley N’Soki once Salomón Rondón is through the door at NUFC. The 19-year-old PSG left-back is open to a move to the Premier League but the fee is yet to be agreed.
ronaldo aarons
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:43 AM
Comment #20Adama Traore looks to be off to wolves. £10m upfront and £10m in bonuses/add ons. Think he’ll be a good signing. Quite frustrated about that actually!
c-dog
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:43 AM
Comment #21The takeover is dead. Rafa is just seeing out the final year of his contract.
simon376
Aug 6, 2018 at 9:49 AM
Comment #22Let’s just hope something is going on even if it takes the full season. Sure Rafa will be able to do enough this time round to keep us up. Yes other teams have really strengthened, in just hoping might take a while for them to gel and Rafa can work his magic for us again
ronaldo aarons
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:04 AM
Comment #23Apparently there has been one bid for nahitan nandez this summer and it was from us. Although the bid was said to be way below the asking price!!
Get up salmon
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:08 AM
Comment #24It would be amazing obviously if obese mike sold up but it sounds more like rafa is just making it clear why he wont be extending his contract while leaving the door open for ashley to change his mind.
Unfortunately as has been said by many a person fat boy doesnt give a sh17 so we will probs end up with pulis next season
Sir Braveheart
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:09 AM
Comment #25Rafa probably knows he’s going to walk after this season, so why not openly be critical? Ashley isn’t going to sack him, he knows Rafa is the only thing that will keep the club up on the shoestring budget he’s made available, if he sacks Rafa the club is that much more likely to be relegated, so he won’t risk it.
Rafa won’t walk because it looks bad on him, and a manager’s reputation is what gets them job offers at the end of the day. By being openly critical of the transfer approach at NUFC if we do get relegated Rafa’s reputation is intact – it’s all Ashley’s fault – so he’ll get another top job no problem. Just as the last relegation didn’t impacted his reputation.
There are only two circumstances that I can see where Rafa signs an extension to his contract. One, Ashley opens the purse strings, gives him £40-50 million in January to spend, starts improving the academy etc. Or two, the club gets taken over. Neither of which feel likely.
If there was an imminent takeover Rafa would be staying quiet, you don’t want to appear critical of your old boss in front of the prospective new boss, you want to be seen as a team player who makes the best of it. Rafa’s comments tell me there’s no white knights on the horizon.
This will be a other season of grinding out the results we need to finish 12th – 15th, followed by Rafa walking away. At some point as fans we’re going to have to make a decision as to what we’re willing to put up with and what action we’re willing to take to see change. That’s a discussion for another time perhaps, but that time is coming. The end of this season will see the best manager we’ve had since Robson walk away because of our owner, and people will have to make a choice.
dig-n-dig22
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:12 AM
Comment #26Marzy 9
Ashley is only interested in money, the best way is to hit Ashley in his wallet, It’s difficult to have any influence over Ashley when we are handing over 95% of revenue generated by the fans for the Club before a ball has been kicked or a player has been signed. STs club kit and Sky Sports,BT sports is the way to attack Ashley with good organisation. So we need to plan ahead for next year. we could give him a taste of what he can expect by wearing a protest shirt for next season. We could adopt a black and white shirt from a local league with a sponsor or slogan on it, could you imagine the shock wave this statement would send to Ashley and the footballing world if we sold maybe 100.000 of these shirts ready for next season , Puma and Ashley would crap themselves, all proceeds could be donated to local football, the shirt could become iconic, but Ashley would know there would be no Shirt money next season, next we boycott the season tickets, Don’t buy them, and boycott live games, This is the action the that the Magpie group should try to implement and have access to someone with a financial brain who could put this idea into action.
ronaldo aarons
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:28 AM
Comment #27John Percy
John Percy
@JPercyTelegraph
#avfc have had a bid worth up to £6m for Bristol City defender Joe Bryan accepted. Could be the first major signing under Villa’s new owners
ronaldo aarons
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:29 AM
Comment #28Get French Football News
@GFFN
Stanley N’Soki “continues to reject all the professional contract offers that PSG put in front of him,” according to L’Équipe.
Lovem or Hatem
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:31 AM
Comment #29@ Ronaldo
If N’Sonki is refusing a contract from PSG, will he accept a contract from NUFC?
Lovem or Hatem
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:32 AM
Comment #30Also £6 million from Bryan is still a good buy – wish NUFC make a bid
TyneMouth
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:33 AM
Comment #31Rondon is valued at £16.5M, he has one year left on his current contract, he will be a free agent next May.
We are in the process of agreeing a one year lone contract for a fee of £2M, what happens then?
….and knowing NUFC, under Ashley’s ownership, what could possibly go wrong?
TyneMouth
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:38 AM
Comment #32Lone, Loan even!…
ronaldo aarons
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:39 AM
Comment #33Hatem
It’s a possibility he could accept coming here. GFN reported before that he was open to a premier league move but really wanted first team games.
ronaldo aarons
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:40 AM
Comment #34Tynemouth
I think wba have the option of extending rondon’s contract another year. If true, that will go through before the loan is confirmed.
Munster Mag
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:41 AM
Comment #35Going to Portugal on hols, yay!
Wayayman
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:42 AM
Comment #36Just a small start but some people •cough• along with 3,700 others have left reviews for SD on Trustpilot. https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.sportsdirect.com
There are also others who have gone to SD website and put ££££’s of goods in the basket and leave it there for the day. That temporarily makes the stock ‘unavailable’ for others to buy. Not sure how long the time limit is, but on my computer there’s a window open with almost £50K worth of Man U shirts in a basket. No idea who put them there. Imagine if more people did the same with, say, the most popular shirt they sell both here and abroad? Might result in some lost sales, might not but apparently it takes seconds to do.
lochinvar
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:49 AM
Comment #37Zippity do dah
The bigger they are the harder they fall
A hys on BBC Sports
“I’ve been a die hard Man United fan for over 40 years and have never felt so despondent heading into a new season. A transfer policy in disarray, a desperately dull brand of football and an egomaniac of a manager. Going to be a long, painful season”
TyneMouth
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:52 AM
Comment #38Ronaldo aa @ #34
That makers sense, from WBA’s position.
.
I would take Ings on a similar loan deal, if it failed it would be no worse than Slim Shady last year, but if it worked, bingo, bingo!
I can’t understand why we haven’t signed Bryan,….. however, in hindsight ignore that thought…
lochinvar
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:56 AM
Comment #39Wasn’t it felt that Rafa could be an integral part of the Amanda Staveley fronted takeover consortium. He might even have a financial interest or long term benefit in that scenario.
If he goes then that’s one rumoured takeover less to consider. If he stays there might be a glimmer of hope.
Talk of an American bid seems far fetched unless Ed isn’t telling us something.
Ed go on, tell I dare you
lochinvar
Aug 6, 2018 at 10:59 AM
Comment #40Rondon’s “list” value is £13m, Gayle’s £10m which just about explains the £2m cash adjustment which plus other fees is probably about the £3m difference. The £16.5m escape clause was a typical hype to inflate his value and pitch a price high.