It was another excellent Q&A in the Chronicle today this time with the experienced Mark Douglas answering questions.
People at Newcastle right now (fans, journalists, players, staff, shopkeepers, businessmen, Starbucks lovers, Greggs patrons .. …) don’t know much about what’s happening.
But Mark thinks the meeting between Ashley and Rafa could happen tomorrow although there could be more than one meeting to agree to a deal between the two men.
Unfortunately, both men are both stubborn and resolute in their views – as Douglas rightly points out.
If Lee Charnley is still in charge of transfers for Ashley, then it seems like it will be the same old same old even if Rafa signs.
Nothing too much will change.
We remember the saying – a leopard can’t change its spots.
Remember this Public Relations picture of two years ago?
Rafa was then screwed by Ashley in the transfer market
Not good
Another saying we made up – Mike Ashley doesn’t like to spend money.
Long transfer cycles will continue as Lee Charnley follows his directions from the top and tries to do the best-ever deal for every transfer transaction he does (for Ashley).
That is not the way to get players in quickly as Rafa wants – and it is not the way to get top players to Newcastle
So we don’t see much changing if and when Rafa signs a new deal.
Rafa will still be frustrated – but we hope this time it’s not by the transfer funds Mike Ashley is willing to give the manager.
If we can get Mike Ashley to cough up some money for Rafa – that will be a big step forward.
After all, it’s the club’s money, not Ashley’s we are asking him to spend.
And Rafa has earned significant transfer funds by having Newcastle finish reasonably positioned in the Premier League given the investment he’s been given – 10th place on 44 points last season and 13th place with 45 points this season.
Will Mike Ashley will give up control to Rafa for the transfers?
We doubt that will happen although we hope it does.
Unfortunately, the truth is that things will change for the better and Rafa will be unleashed at Newcastle only when some humanitarian billionaire reads about the pain and suffering of Newcastle fans over the last long twelve years.
And then he (she) comes in and does a humanitarian act by buying out Ashley for the money he wants for the club.
Only then can Rafa Benitez start making Newcastle great again and be uninhibited in doing that: he will be supported by the new owner
What a concept!
And then the sparks will really fly.
Maybe that’s what Rafa is waiting for?
Howay The Lads.
Comments Welcome.
97 comments so far
IrishRob
May 15, 2019 at 6:33 PM
Comment #1First
IrishRob
May 15, 2019 at 6:34 PM
Comment #2Second
Ron Knee
May 15, 2019 at 6:50 PM
Comment #3Q. When would you expect movement on the Rafa contract? Surely the longer it drags out the less likely he will stay?
A. I think we’ll see something relatively quickly and I’d be surprised if we go into the middle of next week without a resolution. (Chronic)
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 6:51 PM
Comment #4Turd
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 6:51 PM
Comment #5whoops
welshgeordie9
May 15, 2019 at 6:51 PM
Comment #6Looking at that table, we would have been fcuked without Rondon and Perez, whoever’s in charge next season needs to sort out our midfield, in terms of goals scored, that is shocking.
Jail for Ashley
May 15, 2019 at 6:58 PM
Comment #7I think Mark Douglas is ill informed and in the club’s pocket!
Essex Geordie Bill
May 15, 2019 at 6:59 PM
Comment #8Martoon
Well done, another grand effort! There was around a dozen of us who got the top scorer right but a lot of us were a little over optimistic, including me, about positions etc.
I think if Shelvey had managed a full season he’d have been a contender for player of the season!
Oh well there’s always next season if you are the patience to run it again. 😉
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 6:59 PM
Comment #9Welshie#
You’d be better employed thinking about
a replacement for Graham Potter
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 7:01 PM
Comment #10Chris Coleman is returning to the land of his fathers
Rotonda heights
May 15, 2019 at 7:11 PM
Comment #11It’s very rare to see the kind of telepathy and understanding Rondon and Perez have. really hope they both stay.
Essex Geordie Bill
May 15, 2019 at 7:16 PM
Comment #12Rob
Belated reply to you but we just arrived home today as we had a couple of nights in Lewes.
Glasto was great as usual and my missus hit the shops as usual whilst her friends hubby and I sat in the George and Pilgrim watching them go in and out of the shops, they loved it and she did come back with a very nice Bhodran.
Lewes is a big bonfire town and they often have effigies of famous and infamous people to chuck onto the fires, I’m sure that suggestions of someone that be given this treatment, can be thought of by blog members.
martoon
May 15, 2019 at 7:21 PM
Comment #13Thanks for all your kind words:-
The next Mike Williamson – for goodness sake don’t tell her she did better than me – I’ll never here the end of it!
Ozzy – I’ve never heard of Google Sheets web app but I’ll certainly investigate it for next year – cheers
RobLeenio – I’ve sent the results to Ed in previous years and he’s promised to do an article on them but it has never materialised so I sort of got fed up – however now Neil is on-board I might try again.
ronaldo aarons
May 15, 2019 at 7:22 PM
Comment #14Mike Ashley
@MoneyMikeAshley
Unfortunately, by the time a new manager is in place we may have missed out on all our targets.
Nevermind, will try again next Summer 🙂
#nufc
You know, this is going to come one day that this was in fact mike ashley.
IrishRob
May 15, 2019 at 7:34 PM
Comment #15Fifteenth
RobLeenio
May 15, 2019 at 7:34 PM
Comment #16Bill, you’ve gotta love a drum, especially when you can give it a good bash while watching Mike Ashley burn in effigy.
There’s another use for the fat b*****d, having a chubby enough effigy to provide heat for millions.
😉
Munster Mag
May 15, 2019 at 7:35 PM
Comment #17Martoon, did I miss scores or something from the preseason. How did I do?
Munster Mag
May 15, 2019 at 7:35 PM
Comment #18🙂
Munster Mag
May 15, 2019 at 7:36 PM
Comment #19Jail why do you think Mark Douglas is in the company pocket?
Jail for Ashley
May 15, 2019 at 7:38 PM
Comment #20Munster,
You had Rafa down to be sacked after ten games and were booted out!!!
Ron Knee
May 15, 2019 at 7:38 PM
Comment #21ronaldo
Thanks for alerting me to that Twitter person.
Mike Ashley@MoneyMikeAshley May 12
One point more then last season. By this rate we should equal City’s total in another 53 years.
RobLeenio
May 15, 2019 at 7:38 PM
Comment #22I didn’t realise Chris Coleman was married to Charlotte Jackson.
Kinda makes up for having to manage the Mackems. Swings and roundabouts and all that.
Jail for Ashley
May 15, 2019 at 7:38 PM
Comment #23Munster,
Because he talks bollorx
IrishRob
May 15, 2019 at 7:39 PM
Comment #24Whenever Rafa’s contract gets sorted, it gets sorted. I wish people would stop creating Hysteria over him possibly leaving. As desperate as it can get at NUFC and even though Ashley is probably going to make it harder than it has to be, only an idiot would think he’s actually going to leave.
Ozzy
May 15, 2019 at 7:39 PM
Comment #25welsh
And Liverpool would have been fuc**d without Salah and Mane, Chelsea wihout Hazard, even ManCity without Aguero and DeBruyne look average. Every team without their best players would struggle.
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 7:40 PM
Comment #26Poster………………Posit.Points.LC..FAC..Blog PotS..Top.GS..Goals
———————————————————————-
Jib…………………..13…..45…2….4…Rondon…..Perez….13
JLP.Geordie…………..51…..9….5….6…Shelvey….Rondon..19
DaveD1000…………….42…..14…4….6…Shelvey….Rondon..17
Shoulders.knees……….41…..18…3….6…Ritchie….Perez…18
aussiemag…………….20…..31…1….1…Joselu…..Joselu…5
SUTTY1978…………….18…..31…3….3…Ritchie….Perez….8
ilovetoon8788…………18…..31…3….3…Lascelles..Rondon…6
Spotlight.Kid…………18…..35…3….4…Lascelles..Perez…13
Shot.Bru……………..17…..37…3….3…Kenedy…..Perez…11
Mister.Tuff…………..16…..39…4….4…Shelvey….Muto….13
firebug666……………16…..39…5….6…Shelvey….Rondon..17
Clasol……………….17…..39…5….5…Ki.S.Y…..Muto….10
dig-n-dig22…………..16…..40…5….5…Lascelles..Kenedy..14
BlacknWhiteBarmy………16…..40…4….4…Kenedy…..Joselu…2
Canuck.Mag……………14…..41…3….4…Dubravka…Perez…11
toon.kk………………15…..41…4….3…Shelvey….Rondon..13
Optimistic.Panda………15…..41…4….4…Muto…….Rondon..13
Toonces………………13…..41…5….6…Kenedy…..Rondon..15
Bambams………………15…..41…5….6…Muto…….Rondon..12
Black.and.white.armpit…15…..41…5….5…Kenedy…..Rondon..12
Charlie.in.the.Gallowga..16…..41…4….4…Dubravka…Perez…11
chicousa……………..14…..41…6….5…Shelvey….Rondon..11
Bianconeri……………16…..41…4….4…Dubravka…Rondon..10
Mrs.martoon…………..13…..42…4….5…Shelvey….Kenedy…9
Mag_:P……………….12…..42…5….3…Dubravka…Rondon..12
nut.meg………………12…..42…5….5…Shelvey….Rondon..14
Marzy………………..12…..42…5….5…Lascelles..Rondon..10
Budge123……………..15…..42…3….4…Dubravka…Rondon…9
Toon.fm.Exeter………..14…..42…4….4…Dubravka…Perez…11
toonluvva…………….14…..42…3….4…Muto…….Muto….18
c-dog………………..14…..43…4….4…Lascelles..Rondon..11
OneAlanShearer………..12…..43…3….8…Muto…….Rondon..15
EssexJordy……………12…..43…5….4…Dubravka…Perez….9
hibbit……………….14…..43…5….6…Muto…….Rondon..13
Rafabomb……………..12…..43…6….5…Shelvey….Rondon..12
NUFCadon……………..14…..44…4….4…Schar……Rondon..11
Our.Toon……………..14…..44…4….3…Rondon…..Rondon..12
A.Pain.in.the.Blog…….10…..44…3….4…Shelvey….Perez….8
Reilly……………….14…..44…4….4…Muto…….Rondon..11
JohnJ………………..12…..45…?….5…Dubravka…Rondon..12
Lovem.or.Hatem………..13…..45…5….4…Kenedy…..Rondon..13
Rowan………………..12…..45…4….5…Dubravka…Rondon..15
Markaccus…………….13…..45…3….3…Kenedy…..Perez…13
willowdalerez…………10…..45…3….3…Kenedy…..Rondon..12
sing.in.the.corner…….13…..45…5….4…Kenedy…..Rondon..10
Mag52………………..10…..45…7….5…Lascelles..Rondon..15
Pitmatic……………..15…..45…4….3…Dubravka…Rondon…9
Graeme……………….12…..45…4….4…Lascelles..Rondon..17
Transfer.Sage…………12…..45…5….3…Rondon…..Rondon..15
midweek.weekend……….10…..45…3….8…Rondon…..Rondon..19
martoon………………10…..46…3….3…Lascelles..Rondon..12
thatmatt……………..12…..46…4….5…Lascelles..Rondon..12
ShirebrookToon………..10…..46…6….4…Muto…….Rondon..13
Pardews.Priceless.Bulls..11…..46…4….3…Lascelles..Rondon..14
jesperfuglsang ……….12…..46…4….5…Lascelles..Perez…11
Jail.for.Ashley……….10…..46…4….8…Kenedy…..Rondon..12
G……………………15…..46…4….6…Lascelles..Perez…11
Average_Contents………14…..47…3….4…Shelvey….Muto….11
GeordieTwo……………12…..47…5….5…Kenedy…..Muto….14
RUNAWAY777…………….9…..47…6….6…Shelvey….Muto….14
Legolas………………11…..47…6….5…Shelvey….Rondon..16
ronaldo.aarons………..10…..48…5….5…Rondon…..Rondon..13
Dagwoodz……………..11…..48…4….4…Lascelles..Rondon..14
mac.the.jaffrey……….12…..48…5….6…Muto…….Rondon..14
RobLeenio……………..8…..48…5….4…Kenedy…..Muto….14
Rackateer…………….10…..48…5….4…Kenedy…..Rondon..16
MadisonToon…………..10…..48…5….6…Shelvey….Rondon..18
the.white.tino………..12…..48…5….6…Shelvey….Rondon..14
kennyg33……………..10…..49…7….6…Kenedy…..Perez…16
JP…from.The.Rock……..9…..49…4….5…Ki.S.Y…..Rondon..12
bosamuelson……………9…..49…6….3…Lascelles..Perez…13
DubaiMicky……………11…..50…4….4…Kenedy…..Rondon..16
Bedford.Mag……………8…..50…6….4…Kenedy…..Rondon..14
one.fine.day…………..9…..50…7….4…Dubravka…Rondon..11
Paul141726…………….9…..50…4….3…Lascelles..Rondon..15
supermac69…………….8…..51…5….4…Dubravka…Muto….11
JackBall………………9…..51…4….5…Shelvey….Rondon..15
geordiesteve520………..9…..51…7….6…Dubravka…Rondon..17
Wayayman………………9…..51…6….7…Rondon…..Muto….15
IITianToon…………….8…..51…5….7…Kenedy…..Rondon..17
jayphoto………………9…..52…5….3…Shelvey….Perez…14
DicBDoonToon…………..9…..52…5….6…Lascelles..Muto….11
ctommo………………..9…..52…6….5…Kenedy…..Rondon..16
Ozzy………………….9…..52…4….4…Lascelles..Perez…14
Lascelles.sells.sea.she…9…..52…5….6…Dubravka…Rondon..12
SPRINGY………………10…..52…4….5…Lascelles..Rondon..15
Tosun.A..Wobbler……….9…..52…6….4…Ki.S.Y…..Muto….17
Oldgit1………………12…..52…4….3…Shelvey….Rondon..12
NY.Mag………………..9…..52…5….5…Kenedy…..Rondon..14
Munster.Mag……………9…..52…5….6…Shelvey….Rondon..16
magic.hat……………..9…..53…6….4…Dubravka…Rondon..14
jane………………….7…..53…4….5…Ki.S.Y…..Perez…15
jasper………………..7…..53…5….7…Shelvey….Rondon..17
The.next.Mike.Williamso…8…..54…7….6…Shelvey….Perez…12
clinath@ed…………….9…..54…4….4…Dubravka…Perez…16
simon376………………8…..54…6….5…Lascelles..Rondon..16
coatesy17……………..8…..54…5….5…Dubravka…Rondon..14
lochinvar……………..8…..54…7….6…Ki.S.Y…..Rondon..13
TyneMouth……………..7…..55…4….8…Ki.S.Y…..Perez…18
Moonraker15……………8…..56…5….8…Ki.S.Y…..Muto….16
Nicky.the.ball.tosser…..8…..56…4….6…Shelvey….Perez…15
Dave76………………..7…..56…5….4…Dubravka…Rondon..16
Pearl.Geordie………….8…..56…4….6…Lascelles..Rondon..16
Dragon64………………8…..57…4….4…Kenedy…..Rondon..12
jezza442………………8…..59…6….5…Kenedy…..Muto….13
Essex.Geordie.Bill……..7…..61…7….8…Shelvey….Perez…14
B1GSTEVE………………7…..61…6….8…Muto…….Muto….19
geordieboy83…………..8…..62…6….8…Kenedy…..Rondon..17
Online.Guy…………….6…..62…4….8…Dubravka…Perez….9
Nostradamus.the.Geordie…7…..64…7….6…Kenedy…..Rondon..16
SredniVashtar………….5…..67…5….8…Muto…….Muto….16
mallorcamag……………5…..70…4….4…Kenedy…..Muto….19
Average/Mode…………..12….47…5….5…Shelvy…..Rondon..13
Actual………………..13….45…2….4…Rondon…..Perez…13
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 7:42 PM
Comment #27Me again Munster
Getting sick of being right all the time
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 7:44 PM
Comment #28Good show by the Leeds fans
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2019 at 7:47 PM
Comment #29You’re guesses for the martoon contest were actually fairly uncanny Jib. Hats off to you.
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 7:50 PM
Comment #30ty G2
🙂
ronaldo aarons
May 15, 2019 at 7:52 PM
Comment #31Ron
It’s a quality account lol, if you check it frequently, some of the stuff they come out with you can just picture Mike Ashley coming out with it.
Perhaps a little too similar for my liking.
RobLeenio
May 15, 2019 at 7:53 PM
Comment #32Jib…..
Rewriting history since, well, I guess we’ll never know, come to think of it
😛
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 7:53 PM
Comment #33G2
Guess is harsh
An amazing combination of vast footy knowledge
and high IQ
ronaldo aarons
May 15, 2019 at 7:55 PM
Comment #34Jib
I agree, that’s why you stole my predictions and took them for your own!
martoon
May 15, 2019 at 8:00 PM
Comment #35Thanks Jib – saved me a job 🙂
martoon
May 15, 2019 at 8:02 PM
Comment #36Jib – you little tinker I’ve only just noticed!
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 8:02 PM
Comment #37I think it’s called creative accountancy
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 8:11 PM
Comment #38Leeds 2 – 0
Dallas
Jib
May 15, 2019 at 8:12 PM
Comment #39Game over methinks
Mister Tuff
May 15, 2019 at 8:13 PM
Comment #40no it’s called deception – something you are not unfamiliar with on here viz all your multiple gang. Once a crook always a crook.
Hahahaha.