The Sun are reporting today that Lee Charnley was surprised by Rafa Benitez’ visit to the Benton training ground on Monday and that he wasn’t expecting the manager.
There is a contract on the table for Rafa to sign, but the news has been the Spaniard has been unable to make much progress in getting owner Mike Ashley to give him the assurances he wants – to stay on at Newcastle.
Ashley seems to want to continue running Newcastle with a tight financial fist.
It has never brought success to Newcastle for 12 years and never will for that matter.
Rafa Benitez – 18 days left on his contract – now Newcastle suddenly worried
Rafa talked to Lee at the training grounds briefly at the beginning of the week but gave the Managing Director no hint on whether he would sign his new deal.
Now the Sun is reporting the (incompetent) Newcastle hierarchy are increasingly concerned that nothing will happen and Rafa will simply see out his contract at the club through the end of this month.
Then he will become a free agent.
With only 18 days left to go in Rafa’s contract isn’t a bit late to think he may just be seeing out his contract?
And in their wisdom, Ashley and Charnley have put all their eggs in one basket, and if Rafa doesn’t stay at Newcastle, they have nobody lined up to take over.
They have no plan B.
If this was a proper business – and had gone public – then Mike Ashley could have been fired a long time ago because of the gross incompetence he shows in the way he has run the club.
But Rafa Benitez is not going to sign any deal with Mike Ashley until he knows what’s happening with the proposed takeover.
We would be stunned if it’s true, as is being reported in the local press, that Rafa has not spoken with Sheikh Khaled.
That seems like a natural thing to do, and maybe the pact between the new owner and Rafa is to wait, and they will give him a new contract once the takeover is complete.
But the big problem with that plan is that we are already losing some of our top targets to other clubs in the ongoing summer transfer window.
Other clubs are buying players while Newcastle are in a complete deadlock – and not for the first time with Mike Ashley in charge.
We suppose the disaster scenario could happen – after all, Mike Ashley is still running the club.
The disaster scenario is that Rafa doesn’t sign the new deal and Mike Ashley shifts the goals posts, so Sheikh Khaled doesn’t end up buying the club after all.
And Ashley once again remains the owner.
We have realized over the 12 years we have run this blog that anything is possible when you have somebody like Ashley running this club.
Comments welcome.
135 comments so far
DubaiMicky
Jun 12, 2019 at 1:46 PM
Comment #1I just posted that! (repost)
Crap in the Sun written by a Whitesnake Guitarist https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/9272323/newcastle-rafa-benitez-contract-premier-league/
Repeated by the chronic.
Sad eh?
DaveD1000
Jun 12, 2019 at 1:50 PM
Comment #2Maybe when Chumley asked Rafa the reply was No Comment
magscar
Jun 12, 2019 at 1:53 PM
Comment #3Do Ed or Neil wait for me to start typing then press “send” on new article
magscar
Jun 12, 2019 at 1:49 PM
Comment #92
Without anything definite we have 3 choices
– ignore as if similar to usual press transfer speculation
– Take it as an Ashley scam
– Accept that it is real and it takes time to complete
I reckon because of how long story has run it’s now either second or third possibility
Even Ashley would baulk at such an elaborate hoax just over contract and transfer spending (even if he could “buy” cooperation form such a reputable group) when there will only one party to blame if this didn’t happen and it won’t be as easily forgotten as Staveley attempt!!!
So for me the logical choice is the third and I continue to wait as it appears Rafa is content to do for now
Mag :P
Jun 12, 2019 at 1:54 PM
Comment #4Magscar
I doubt you’re important enough to effect those kinds of decisions.
Jib
Jun 12, 2019 at 1:57 PM
Comment #5So Charnley and Rafa turn up at Benton at the same time
five weeks after we played Fulham and someone is surprised
mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
bettyswallocks
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:02 PM
Comment #6Jib……… Are you in Mallorca?
Nostradamus the Geordie
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:03 PM
Comment #7Seriously Monty Python comes to mind with how the club is being run.
Monty movies for NUFC, The Holy Fail, Life of Ashley, The meaning of being a NUFC supporter and the most apt one, A Liar’s Autobiography.
Diddly
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:05 PM
Comment #8Don’t forget sky camera Jib
RobLeenio
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:09 PM
Comment #9Mag : P I’ve noted you’re not really attempting to contribute lately, more just wading in attacking other posters.
What’s up? You can generally be quite engaging in my experience, it’s not like you need to be picking fights with other posters fella.
Oh, and I think you should be using affect as the verb and effect as the outcome of that verb, in most cases.
hibbit
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:10 PM
Comment #10Jib the story goes Rafa turned up unannounced and a member of staff phoned Charnley who turned up just over an hour later, the so called meeting was little more than a nice to see you,
there was no private meeting the face to face happened in the main reception area a very public space considering how many contractors are working there at the moment,
Tony Baloney
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:13 PM
Comment #11Gotta love the grammar, spelling and apostrophe Police 🙂
Tony Baloney
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:15 PM
Comment #12effect and affect is really easy to misuse. Like farther and further.
hibbit
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:17 PM
Comment #13i was told one other thing but i really don’t know if its true,
Rafa actually turned up to pick the paint colour to be used in his office ????????????????
DubaiMicky
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:19 PM
Comment #14I thought it was the carpets hibbit?
Do we reckon Persian hand made or cheapo tiles from the market?
Toon44
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:19 PM
Comment #15.
hibbit
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:20 PM
Comment #16DubaiMicky LOL
Toon44
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:20 PM
Comment #17Nothing’s going to happen people, same old crap.
Ron Knee
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:20 PM
Comment #18Tony
I’m tempted to think you applied to work for the Chronic and were turned down!
WLtoon
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:21 PM
Comment #19This article is bullpap,, I think Rafa is just waiting for the new owner to step in and he will be given a better contract than the one offered by the fat miser. The article says they are extremely concerned that Rafa will leave,, really ? how do they know that?. I doubt either Ashley or Charnley have said anything to suggest that. Once again just total speculation and assumptions mean absolutely nothing.
barkel
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:21 PM
Comment #20What did he go for Hibbit? I bet it was something classic like an antique white .. the classy barsteward
Diddly
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:23 PM
Comment #21Herd of magic carpets from Arabia not magic carpet tiles
Toon44
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:23 PM
Comment #22Someone said i was welshie because i used the word tit, he calls people muppets, there again though so do others.
Yeah right
Tony Baloney
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:24 PM
Comment #23Ron Knee: I doubt I am the only one to criticize Lee Ryder.
Bambams
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:24 PM
Comment #24Sky Sports London office contacted the Durham office (Sky media) to tell them they had been told Rafa was attending the training ground on Monday and for a camera to be there.
The seats that are being replaced at SJP are damaged AND Ash is charging the Rugby clubs for costs to replace them.
Believe, disbelieve matters not.
Toon44
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:24 PM
Comment #25He probably wishes he was me.
Tony Baloney
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:27 PM
Comment #26Not quite homophones Roblenio, but close. I have to admit I get confused sometimes with further and farther.
Bills Son Is Back
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:35 PM
Comment #27Jail was asking earlier why so many bloggers were hearting one of my posts.
Errr…
I think I possibly know the answer…
Because they agreed with me.
Not too hard a question to answer really.
Tony Baloney
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:37 PM
Comment #28Do any of us know what the hell is going on? I took a very small bit of comfort from Roblenio’s explanation earlier but I am not there yet. I just don’t trust the Fat Man, so any logic I still have trouble accepting (not excepting Roblinio)
Bills Son Is Back
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:39 PM
Comment #29Tony B,
The further you walk the farther you can see.
The further you walk with your father the farther you can see as well.
And… The further you walk with your father and a farter the farther you need to walk to get away from the farter.
Tony Baloney
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:39 PM
Comment #30Robleenio. I even misspelled your name. Not on purpose.
hibbit
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:40 PM
Comment #31@13
sorry lads that last bit was me trying to post a little humour into the blog,
we all know his Mrs would have done that job not him 😉
Tony Baloney
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:43 PM
Comment #32Bills Son: I am still confused.
NezzaNUFC
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:43 PM
Comment #33Transfer embargo – Rafa can not sign a contract as it involves money transfers, it’s that simple.
No transfers, contracts renewals of any kind and any other transfer outgoings!
Ron Knee
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:45 PM
Comment #34@23
But at such length? You might hold the record there.
chancel be a fine thing
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:48 PM
Comment #35What we know:
– BZG are in negotiations to buy NUFC
– heads of terms agreed
– premier league owners test under way (possibly completed- the ‘Saul Goodman’ statement given to the chronic who had been trying to get a statement from BZG for a week before the cryptic statement)
– refurbishment of the directors area underway and sports direct signs removed from this area.
– monochrome acquisitions set up
– various nufc companies closed
What we don’t know:
– who was behind the leak to the sun and why
– what is going on with the negotiations
What we can guess:
– Ashley is going to try and squeeze everything that he can out of the deal
– Ashley will use the press to put pressure on the buyers to get the best deal he can.
NezzaNUFC
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:51 PM
Comment #36Ever noticed why no punters have spoking about NUFC lately, even Merson has been quite on the subject which is very odd.
Where’s Shearer quote on the situation, even that bell end Rio Ferdinand would of said it was all BS?
Read between the lines guy’s
Tony Baloney
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:52 PM
Comment #37Ron Knee: You know what? I don’t care! I am very happy with my stance on the so-called journalists at The Chronicle. I might go on a bit too much about them but I think most share my opinion.
NezzaNUFC
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:54 PM
Comment #38Chancel
But everything has been agreed upon so Mike can’t get more money of the new owners.
We are waiting for the PL to get their thumbs out of their arses and approve the new owners (probably waiting for a pay off payment to quicken things up, typical)
lesh
Jun 12, 2019 at 2:57 PM
Comment #39Tony Baloney
An observation….You seem to have ruffled a few feathers in the short time you’ve appeared on this blog. Why?
Tony Baloney
Jun 12, 2019 at 3:02 PM
Comment #40Lesh: I am not meaning to ruffle any feathers at all. Sometimes I am trying to be funny and maybe I am not as funny as I think I am.