The (very) good news this morning in the Telegraph was that Mike Ashley and Rafa Benitez are meeting face-to-face at an unknown destination in London to start to thrash out a new contract for Rafa Benitez.
First of all, we hope Rafa signs, and then we hope it’s more than just for three years.
If it’s only a three-year extension that tells us that Rafa still doesn’t fully trust the owner enough and therefore he’s unwilling to sign a really long-term deal in case Ashley reneges on any agreements that are made as part of his the manager’s new contract.
The face-to-face meeting is the news we had all been waiting for, and it seems Ashley has allocated more than a day to have a good long talk with Rafa – and that’s got to be good.
A smiling and confident looking Rafa Benitez
Let’s hope he signs soon
Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie is reporting the talks are very likely to extend into tomorrow.
That’s promising because they will both be able to have dinner tonight – although Rafa doesn’t drink much, so it gives the manager a chance to educate the owner on football tactics.
Let’s just hope there are plenty of forks, cups, and saucers available for Rafa to demonstrate – for example – how to defend from a corner.
🙂
Here’s what Keith Downie has tweeted today as fans anxiously await the outcome of one of the most important meetings for a long, long time at Newcastle United FC.
Rafa BenĂtez sitting down with Newcastle today to thrash out his future. Talks likely to carry over into tomorrow. There’s willingness on both sides to reach an agreement #NUFC
— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) May 16, 2019
Comments always welcome.
8 comments so far
Lindisfarne
May 16, 2019 at 3:34 PM
Comment #1Aye up!
ShirebrookToon
May 16, 2019 at 3:34 PM
Comment #2Give him an 8 year deal and a competitive transfer budget ya miserable fat tw@t!
Ron Knee
May 16, 2019 at 3:36 PM
Comment #3So June is the end of May – or maybe not?
martoon
May 16, 2019 at 3:48 PM
Comment #4I still think it’s guess work – the talks will be complex and involved so lets guess it will be over 2 days!
SouthendGeordie
May 16, 2019 at 3:57 PM
Comment #5Is Mr Ashley actually there? Sky Sports are saying that Lee Charnley is doing the negotiating. so is Mike busy looking at how bad the sports direct website is? or playing Snake on his Nokia 3310?
Wayayman
May 16, 2019 at 4:06 PM
Comment #6Southend Geordie, yes Ashley was seen there this morning. See previous thread.
WLtoon
May 16, 2019 at 4:35 PM
Comment #7There are mixed rumours going around that Ashley is at the meeting,, or is it Charnley ? Either way, i think this could be the most important meeting the club and manger will have. I think it will decide our short term future,(the next 5 years) , one way or the other
9
May 16, 2019 at 6:30 PM
Comment #8There is no if or but about it – this is the NUFC’s future for the next few years on the line. My personal view- and I have absolutely no inside knowledge – is MA is desperate to sell, but on his own terms, and has an IQ of more than 2, which means he fully gets hove much of an (irreplaceable) asset Rafa is; so, though MA loves the way he is running things and getting results (i.e. maintaining the honeypot which is membership of the EPL) and he knows Rafa has vastly more ambition, MA needs to give Rafa enough to keep him as part of the sale.