Rafa Benitez has given his press conference this afternoon for the crucial game at home to Burnley tomorrow night.
And Rafa still seems confident Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley can bring in some of the players he wants before the transfer deadline tomorrow night.
And even if players don’t arrive he hinted he thinks the team he already has in place (with Kenedy added) will be able to compete in the final 14 games of the season.
Rafa Benitez – still confident Newcastle can sign players
He did say a few words about the transfer window at the start of his comments.
“We have some time and I am confident we can do something. We have an important game tomorrow. I will not talk about the window, I will focus on the game.”
“Yes, we are working on names as we have been working for more than one month on. We have a list.”
“We have two or three players talking with (other) clubs at the moment but it depends on if we can get some players in.”
“We are in the bottom half of the table so we know it will be tough.” “We can still compete.”
“It is always difficult but we are doing our job and we will wait and see what happens.”
“A lot of managers agree the transfer window has to close before the games. Every game for us is important. This is the first one so it is the most important.”
“The players are training and some of them know that their future is going one way or another.” “The rest are concentrating on the game.”
“This team is competitive and they try their best in every single game. That is something that is guaranteed. I think the fans appreciate that.”
Our players do their best in every single game and never give up – that’s 100% true.
But we are sometimes just not good enough – and last Sunday at Chelsea was an example of that, after looking good in those first 30 minutes.
We need say four top players and this team could be transformed into a good team in the Premier League.
But that will never happen under owner Mike Ashley – we need new blood at the top of the club.
Comments welcome.
20 comments so far
canny lad
Jan 30, 2018 at 1:59 PM
Comment #1Interesting definition of “confident”. That being manager of NUFC with hours to go before the window closes and relegation staring you in the face.
geordiemark
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:02 PM
Comment #2hes the only one whos confident then the fans arent
marshy
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:02 PM
Comment #3I wish I had rafa’s confidence.
ashleysmate
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:06 PM
Comment #4Rafa’s a trier I’ll give him that….poor buggger
RobLeenio
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:06 PM
Comment #5Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as… St James’ Parklife
anthc
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:06 PM
Comment #6Sorry but I’m done with this club until Ashley is gone.
Transfer window closes 10pm, season ticket renewal deadline 5pm…….
How we can’t compete with clubs below the top 8 is beyond me. Ashley getting everything out of the club before he leaves. I’ve no doubt if we stay up he’ll take all the tv money and then leave. Man’s an absolute joke with no interest in progressing. You pay peanuts you get monkeys, we simply aren’t good enough and a good manager cam only take you so far.
shearerclass09
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:07 PM
Comment #7Is Kennedy injured?
stan anderson
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:07 PM
Comment #8I S Rafa just bluffing it out knowing he is gonna get shat upon again and will walk and sue the slug for constructive dismissal as special K did,proving Ashley is a lying scumbag .
Ashley OOT
Geordie-john
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:07 PM
Comment #9I have no reason to doubt what Rafa is saying, Only hope that Fatman and Penfold aren’t just telling him what he wants to hear just to keep him quiet.
RUNAWAY777
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:14 PM
Comment #10no players coming in no takeover thats dead in the water no manger soon and relagation on the horizon what more do you want before you get up and do something to save this graet club or should i say this once great club yous decided.
Sultan of Broonale
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:15 PM
Comment #11Rob Leenio
Comment #5
Well played Sir!!!!!
‘’Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as… St James’ Parklife’’
twotonearmy
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:16 PM
Comment #12So help me if one of our players of value are sold and we don’t sign any replacements…
This is Deja vu, every single transfer window its the same. I can’t even remember the last time a reporter was at St James Park on deadline day. If we get nothing by the end of the day I expect nothing tomorrow. We can’t seem to do any signings on game days… weekends… days when its raining, days that end with the letter “y”
At this point though we’ll be onto plan “F” and any striker we potentially get in will likely be just as risky as Joselu.
toon kk
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:17 PM
Comment #13Go ahead and get your season tickets.
Look on the bright side at least we can watch us play competitive football and compete on and off the pitch.
There’s no point wasting our time in the premier league, it’s looking like getting promoted was a waste of time,we’re obviously not bothered about staying up.
DjMickyg
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:21 PM
Comment #14its all waffle from Rafa now. You can see he is fed up of this. Boycotting the Man Utd match is the only way. Let the world see what he is doing to the club
twotonearmy
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:27 PM
Comment #15Who would take over the club anyway if Rafa left? Surely his backroom staff would leave as well. That, along with his commitment to the fans is likely why Rafa won’t leave, he doesn’t want his staff out of jobs as well.
BANDWBURNABY
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:32 PM
Comment #16Setting a deadline of 5pm to BUY season tickets? they should be giving refunds! Hope fans see the light & don’t renew. Pardew of all people gets a player who was on his way to Newcastle to sign to change his mind & sign for W.B.A. in 2 HOURS Takes the deadly duo 12 months to get a player on loan. Have been saying all along no players coming in no sale for takeover. The t.v. money is too much of a magnet for the greedy fat leech. Why anyone buys anything at his rag shop is a mystery, there should be a boycott of all his stores.
BeeGuy
Jan 30, 2018 at 2:34 PM
Comment #17If Rafa leaves with the staff, Ashley can save some money over the last 14 games by making his older guys player/managers..
kimbo
Jan 30, 2018 at 3:24 PM
Comment #18We have more chance of Mitro scoring a hat trick tomorrow night as signing any players. I predicted Lascelles would be sold but it looks like Merino will go and Ashley will make his £30million profit in the transfer window.
I am convinced Rafa is on a massive bonus to stay up and will see out the rest of the season as he has nothing to lose, leave now and he pays Ashley compensation.
Rob
Jan 30, 2018 at 5:34 PM
Comment #19Evening all. I doubt we will sign anyone to be honest but with our luck of signing crocks then IF we had of taken sturridge he would of pulled up within 10minutes of his first game for us and be out all season amounting to nout but a waste of money.
Hart i would of taken last summer as competition, right now though a keeper is the last thing nufc need. We’re in dire eed of a number 10 1st and foremost, then a striker. We have strikers on the books and i believe personally without a midfiled lynchpin to connect defence and attack our strikers have been left under pressure from opposing defences, a number 10 yo pull the defence away and create time and space would benefit us more but also a clinical finisher would be nice to.
Experience is something we lack also. Youngest team in the prem or one of anyway.
This ben al mhanni lad, why isnt he in the 1st team at 22? Mbappe is regular for psg at 18. If he isnt goin to make it at 22 when is he going to make it? How long before we stop saying a young lad has potential? Rooney was what? 16 when he broke through?
Moonraker15
Jan 30, 2018 at 7:33 PM
Comment #20Pardew’s crowing on Sky Sports taking the credit for offering Sturridge a route back into the England squad in a club that suits his style. All Sturridge wanted was to be near his nana when he gets an injury. Can’t wait for Pardew to fail again!