Forget about the money Rafa was not allowed to spend – that’s all Ashley’s doing – and he will drive Rafa out of the club.
But for £22M the players Rafa brought into the club we think are very good.
Dubravka and Kenedy were Newcastle stars this year in the second half of the season.
Salomon Rondon and Yoshinori Muto replace Aleksandar Mitrovic (who Rafa never played) and Dwight Gayle and that has to be an upgrade.
Kenedy listens to points Rafa Benitez is making (good)
Ki Sung-yueng could turn out be the signing of the season as a free agent – and Fabian Schar and Federico Fernandez are two quality center-backs.
So while we are furious with Mike Ashley we have a better squad than last year at this time.
What’s missing is Mike Ashley needs to allow Rafa to spend £20M or £30M or more, on players who are already top-notch to further strengthen the team.
But he won’t do that.
Here are tweets from our fans.
Alan’s right – this is now what we have to do.
#NUFC let’s get behind the players….100%…toon toon..
— alan scott (@alanscott236) August 9, 2018
Okay… We’ve made 7 signings this summer. I agree, we should have spent more, but we all know Ashley & Charnley are preventing #NUFC from growing. Rafa will do well for us again this season! #inRafawetrust
— Samuel Douglas ?? (@slduk88) August 9, 2018
Withdrawal of our relatively small contribution to @SportsDirectUK will have minimal effect. Plan B – try to help find a buyer willing to pay what Ashley wants. NOT GOING TO BE EASY! #nufc
— Steve Wilkinson (@SteveWilk19) August 9, 2018
Does £20m profit mean: £20m off Ashleys valuation of the club??#NUFC
— Toon Report (@ToonReport) August 9, 2018
Now that the window is closed, there’s really no point in Rafa saying anything about the shortcomings of this squad as it won’t help….
but I can say it looks a bit Second Divisionish…… a bit relegationy…. a bit, naff!
Got loads of money in the bank though ? #NUFC
— Rafferty’s Jukebox (@PercyArmsDisco) August 9, 2018
What an absolute shambles of a transfer window ! The clubs hierarchy should hang their heads in shame. Every last penny ? #NUFC #WheresTheMoneyMike ?
— Richard Darby (@dickyd74) August 9, 2018
At least this farcical window shows that the ‘vocal Twitter minority’ of MA apologists from a few years ago is almost gone. Most of them now see the ridiculousness of their ‘faith’. We’ll be down again under this fool sadly. #nufc #TransferDeadline
— ron (@ronwx) August 9, 2018
‘Every last penny’
Apart from those pennies saved for transfer profit eh?#Nufc— Bad Photos At Gigs (@BadPhotosAtGigs) August 9, 2018
I reckon Muto is going to be a fans favourite this season the bloke runs his arse off every game and is clever player ?????????? #NUFC @NUFC
— daniel langley (@DanielDanlang83) August 9, 2018
It doesnt look good for this year mate but #rafa will be gone next year when his contract is done if #ashley is still in charge #nufc
— Francis Clarke (@FrancisJClarke) August 9, 2018
BREAKING NEWS: After this summers transfer window @rafabenitezweb is set to appear on BBC2s Celebrity Special of Bargain Hunt #NUFC @NUFC
— Yoshi Muto ? (@GeordieSamuri) August 9, 2018
Dubravka and Kenedy were part of an #NUFC side that overperformed, were they not? Take your point about the rest but even then not necessarily their fault they went down. WBA fans were sad to see Rondon leave, Muto played for a Mainz side that continually punch above their weight
— Sean McCormick (@S_McCormick95) August 9, 2018
That window was about not finishing in the top 7. He doesn’t want European football because he has to spend to strengthen the squad. That’s why Benitez is ultimately leaving. #NUFC #IfRafaGoesWego #fatcunt
— NUFC Away (@NUFC_1987) August 9, 2018
145 comments so far
Belfast
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:16 PM
Comment #1I was just talking to Jib on the cb radio actually and he reckons Ashley is just waiting on all the other clubs going bankrupt and then we’ll win the league at a canter.
Something about a secret document:
The premier league crunch/downturn 2080.
By Derek Llambias
SPRINGY
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:16 PM
Comment #2Repost:
Hopefully ashley has been so greedy coz he’s planning on bailing out this season…so any money he saves on transfers goes in his poke as well as any money received from if he sells up…that would make some sort of sense for his absolute scroogeness….or he’s just an absolute tw*t….make ya own minds up!lol
welshgeordie9
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:17 PM
Comment #3Personally I think it’s been a good window, yes it would have been nice to get another forward in but that’s life, if our new signings do well this season no one will be moaning about this window.
Ninjacent
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:20 PM
Comment #4Ashley does not give a crap about us being competitive, he be like “why spend a 100 million to finish 6th”. So unless we get an owner happy to do that we will have to plod along and hopefully have enough to stay up and push for the Carbo cup.
Bonus for me was keeping Rafa and Lascelles for now.
Mac
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:21 PM
Comment #5I must be missing something. Agreed no money was spent. But the manager and owners job is to improve the team. Have we improved the team. Absolutely we have. We could of gone out and spent 100 million on untried and untested players. And been in a worse situation. I for one am fairly happy witht the new signings.
No doubt people will bang on about Fulham and Everton showing ambition. But didnt Everton show ambition last season by spending hundreds of million and did nothing. They had to sack a manager and bring in Sam. And of all the players Everton,Fulham etc have brought in how many have actually seen them play? And i dont mean onxe against England or on you tube.
Put your umbrella up. Here it comes
SwissSte
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:24 PM
Comment #6SwissSte
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:21 PM
Comment #15
It was a decent transfer window, but any fan should be wanting us to be wayyyyyyyy more ambitious than that! I believe Charnley actually does what he can and wants to do well (basing that on giving up his promotion bonus), its Barnes that’s thwarted everything.
Improvements to the academy should’ve started in April.
Improvements to the training ground should’ve started in the close-season.
If Rafa was “in control of all footballing matters” then why have his players “not met the criteria”?
If Fulham can sign Mawson, Seri and Bryan, Wolves sign Dendoncker, Everton sign Bernard, Palace sign Meyer, we can surely compete with these teams.
What was that about “we demand a club that tries”?
If you think that was a satisfactory window then you are just as devoid of ambition as our spiteful, greedy, psychotic, wealthy slob of an absent owner. To pass a fit and proper test you should have to attend at least 10 games a season. New rules are needed to get the leeches out of the game.
GeordieTwo
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:33 PM
Comment #7We now don’t have a backup LB welshie. Some teams consider that fairly important. Our starting RB is still an adventure in getting too far up the pitch. We don’t have a real number 10. Muto is untested in the Prem, as is Schar. There’s quite a lot to be worried aboot.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:33 PM
Comment #8I think the transfer window has been better than a lot of late
I would give it 6 out of 10 and if the new players gell with the rest of the squad and we are lucky with injuries we will be OK
West Ham spending £100 million and don’t get into Europe is that a failure?
Jib
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:33 PM
Comment #9SwissSte
You claim to be Swiss
It’s ironic a Swiss complaining about
leeches in the game
Have you heard of Herr Blatter?
He took leeching to a whole new level
geordieboy83
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:34 PM
Comment #10Evening all, thank good that’s over with for now.
First off the dissatisfaction we all feel is rightly justified and there’s no way anybody can deny the fact that Ashley has been a complete prat who seems to have this knack of complete brain farts. He’s an idiot with no regard for where the club heads. And Rafa is the best thing to happen to this club and mike can’t stand the fact Rafa is more important than him so in my opinion is giving it the Barry big bollox.
Now the contradictory bit, I have to say as I’ve already said earlier in the week, I do believe we have brought in some very very good footballers who’s ability have been disregarded a little due to the furore of them not being marquee signings. I agree with sage on previous threads, prices mean diddly squat. Leicester bought a CB for 13 million and Southampton 18 million. So 31 million all in all, yet we’ve spent 9 million on schar and Fernandez and I hand on heart believe our 2 are better. I’d pick Rondon over Ings every day of the week, dubravka is the bargain of the summer, Muto unknown quantity, but remember cabaye, cisse, tiote, Enrique, to name a few, were nothing to shout at and look how they turned out.
In short fcuk Ashley he’s a cretin, but with Rafa at the helm and this group of players this season will be a nice surprise I think. I’m well aware that suits Ashley as he gets to be proved right that he doesn’t need to invest, but I’m still hoping for the best
GeordieTwo
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:35 PM
Comment #11It wasn’t enough for an ambitious manager like Rafa mac. Not even close.
lukes26
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:36 PM
Comment #12I try to remain positive
Are newcastle a better team than last season? yes.
If we had signed a first rate LB, I would be perfectly fine with this window. The defense has still vastly improved.
We’ll have the strongest bench in…at least a decade maybe? Ki, Schar, Muto sitting on the bench is not bad
Newcastle are younger than most other squads..youd expect yedlin, perez, dummett, murphy, hayden, kenedy lascelles to continue their development
GeordieTwo
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:38 PM
Comment #13Tfhat’s a nice cups half full argument geordieboy. We will only find out by watching the lads for a number of games but I can’t see us finishing higher than 10th with this lot. Hope I’m wrong. Most have chosen us to slip slightly according to the martoon pole if I judged it correctly.
West Lancs Geordie
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:42 PM
Comment #14My mind is made up – The later Springy – the later !!!!
His new nickname is Giant Armadillo (thick skinned callous individual who dismisses criticism & simply says “Whatever,I don’t care & couldn’t give a shinny sh*** about NUFC or their fans so long as Rafa keeps us in the Premiership & I can keep syphoning off the profits”
Pity we couldn’t have brought in Santos & Bryan but the lads we have brought appear to be good value even though many have come from relegated sides. Only time will tell. Despite bloggers wishes SJP will be full to the rafters on Saturday against Spurs. With the Toon Army getting behind what are thought to be , by many , no hopers.
DubaiMicky
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:42 PM
Comment #15I don’t think Rafa is too peeved about the transfers, I think what is making his blood boil is the facilities.
If they were upgraded with, let’s say £20m (the profit he made this window), then I think he’d be OK.
Sadly they won’t be, and there’s always that same thought….
WHERE’S THE MONEY GONE YOU FAT TWAT?
Pottsclock
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:44 PM
Comment #16Overall I think it has been the most unusual transfer window that I can remember – I don’t mean just for us but across the EPL as a whole. Some clubs have done nothing or nothing of any significance – Spurs, Burnley. Some have spent big hoping that it will pay off – Fulham, Wolves, WHU etc. Some have not spent big but have bought lots of players who have no EPL experience – Brighton , Huddersfield etc. Some are in the middle ground of either a few quality additions or some improvements in depth of squad.
After 10 or so games we’ll start to get a view. In the big spenders, I expect 1 or two of them not to come off. I hope it’s West Ham. Also think Palace, Bournemouth, Huddersfield and Cardiff have not strengthened enough and we’ll finish well above them. Fulham, Wolves, WHU, Brighton have made so many additions that their teams will take time to settle and we’ll finish above 2 of them too.
Whatever happens – I cannot wait. I just cannot wait !!! Bring on Spurs. Bring on ManUre. The squad is what it is now. We know Ashley is a tight sod. But I just want to get behind the team now.
toon kk
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:47 PM
Comment #17The transfer window will soon be yesterday’s news and then we can all concentrate on the football.
Here’s to a good season.
posada
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:47 PM
Comment #18Maddison T
I still think we are better placed.
The players who have gone played very little last year and Rafa did not want them.
Sels, Mbemba, Mitro.
Merino didnt play much after Christmas.
Gayle was down to his style of play not fitting in.
Kept the two loaners and the incoming Rafa must rate.
All told it’s squad maintenane rather than improvement.
GeordieTwo
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:49 PM
Comment #19To demonstrate my commitment to my bean bag gun idea I’m going to shoot myself in the cobblers with a bean bag gun before we try it on Ashley. Now then just line this up correctly…. Ahhhhh!!! Ahhhhhh!!!! Oh that stings. Brings tears to me eyes! Yes we should try this on Ashley straight away lads. Now I’m just going to find a bag of ice….
geordieboy83
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:50 PM
Comment #20Geordie 2
Haha the cups got to be half full mate otherwise what’s the point. I can be pessimistic and change naff all or I can stay positive and change naff all. Come hell or high water I’ll be screaming at the telly with joy of we win on Saturday and the window and Ashley will be at the back of my mind.
A Pain in the Blog
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:51 PM
Comment #21As Lascelles said in a recent interview, this young team has had a season in the premiership and two seasons being coached by Rafa. Without any upgrades we would have been a better squad at the start of this season than this time last year. What other premiership club can match that? Added to that, we have definitely upgraded in this window.
I believe that we will do well and that Rafa will be content to continue his ‘project’ with the limited resources available to him.
posada
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:53 PM
Comment #22A couple of weeks ago I said I was going to order something from SD and then send it back.
I clearly said I’m not suggesting that 52,000 do it as that would be wrong.
Well, some have been doing it.
I’ve had a nasty letter from some wise ass solicitor called Barnes saying it is my fault.
He said I have to pay for the 500 jogging suits. Managed to talk him down to £19.95.
Not each for the lot.
GeordieTwo
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:53 PM
Comment #23Well said geordieboy and APain.
Jib
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:54 PM
Comment #24I think Ashley has very little to do with the parsimony
It’s probably his “eminence gris”
Justin Douglas William BARNES
who seems to be running the show from the shadows
which really is a good thing , as he is Ashleys
disposals and acquisitions guy, which indicates they
still think they can offload NUFC.
West Lancs Geordie
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:56 PM
Comment #25Dubai Micky
I bet what really pisses off Rafa is having to walk out every home game and see all Armadillo’s advertising all round the ground – that’s really rubbing salt in the wounds.
So far as “Where’s the money gone – well straight into FT’s (as you call him) skyrocket. He’s bleeding the Club dry just like the Oysters did at Blackpool. You are obviously a very well educated man. Can you tell me how much the Club is actually worth at this moment in time IF he were to sell & I know he will add another £100M+ on top. The Club, at the end of the day, is actually only worth what a willing purchaser is prepared to pay a “willing” seller.
A Pain in the Blog
Aug 9, 2018 at 8:57 PM
Comment #26Welcome back from your hols RobLeenio. Hope you had a good one. It’s all been handbags at five paces here in your absence. You did well to miss it.
West Lancs Geordie
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:02 PM
Comment #27Posada – you’ve been done at £19.95! They might all have designer labels on them but if Cashley is involved there sure to all be fakes. Don’t believe a single word he says
GeordieTwo
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:07 PM
Comment #28I’m getting far too many squeamish replies to my bean bag gun idea. It’s just a bean bag fired at aboot 100 mph straight into Mike’s scrotal area from 10 feet away. So just settle down gosh darn it. We’ve got to try something new to get our unhappiness across don’t we?
Toonces
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:09 PM
Comment #29Wonder if Rafa likes the way Roberts has looked in the preseason and maybe he is ready to jump into the first team as cover for dummett?
I think I’d feel better about this window if that 20M in transfer profit was going towards the training facilities or something like that. But he just won’t do that.
GeordieTwo
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:10 PM
Comment #30Sometimes I just don’t understand you lot. You don’t like Muskrat Love, you don’t like pooping in Mike’s wellies and now you’re squeamish aboot high velocity bean bags in his scrotum! It’s hard to conceive lads. Harrumph!
Toonces
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:12 PM
Comment #31Dubai – you just said that as well
GeordieTwo
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:13 PM
Comment #32I hasn’t been handbags at five paces APain, it’s been beanbags at five paces. Harrumph!!
posada
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:14 PM
Comment #33West Lancs
It was’nt too bad a deal.
With 70% off it came to about 6 quid.
GeordieTwo
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:14 PM
Comment #34It hasn’t been even
Pitmatic
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:18 PM
Comment #35Just a couple of general points:
1. The obsession with net transfer spend is a bit daft. It’s wages that send clubs under. Ki was a free transfer but is at least a £10m player – does anyone really think his wages/agent fees won’t reflect that discrepancy?
2. Is it really a crime, bearing in mind the obscene amounts paid for TV deals, for a football club to make a profit? Or is Alan Sugar’s “prune juice effect” the only acceptable model now?
Personally I think it’s a decent enough window. I’m really looking forward to seeing the new players, but more importantly, we haven’t lost Lascelles or Shelvey. Lots of fuss being made about the spending from Wolves, Fulham, Brighton, Bournemouth etc, but I don’t think any of the players they’ve signed are in the same class as those two.
Sir Braveheart
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:19 PM
Comment #36The window isn’t terrible. Seven additions, some good, some solid, some untested. Better than last year. I’m confident we’ll be safe, 14th at a guess.
But, this isn’t about is it a good window. It’s about is it good enough to convince Rafa that we’re worth sticking with. And the answer to that is surely no. Had we broken our transfer record on a player, or got in the left back that Rafa wanted, then he’d have been more convinced. As it stands, Rafa still set to walk the end of the season.
After that the choice as to what happens next is with us, the fans.
West Lancs Geordie
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:23 PM
Comment #37I hope RAFA is going to learn many more languages than English & Spanish as he now manages a team of Seventeen different nationalities now we have a Swiss, a Korean , a Japanese, An Argentinian, A Venezulan to play alongside 3 Spaniards, a Frenchman, a Slovakian, an American, two Senagalese, a Ghanaian, a Moroccan plus an Irishman, a Welshman, a Scotsman & several Englishmen.
I hope they show they can all sing off the same hymn sheet!
West Lancs Geordie
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:25 PM
Comment #38Posada – you’ve undoubtedly got ALL the credentials to be a Premiership Football Owner
A Pain in the Blog
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:33 PM
Comment #39West Lancs @37
It reminds me of Paul Whitehouse’s football manager in The Fast Show talking a different languag to each player at half time – including Latin to a Roman centurion. Classic!
Chancel My MBembaship
Aug 9, 2018 at 9:35 PM
Comment #40Last time posting this (thank god they all said). The deadline to submit your team and join the league is early tomorrow before the Man Utd game.
https://fantasy.premierleague.com
Once your team is set up, use this code to join the Ed Harrison League.
2757682-629477
The response has been brilliant with more than fifty people signing up so far. The more the merrier!
And all the best to Ed for his latest check up. I hope it’s all goes well and you’re able to take a break (of sorts) now the window is closed 🙂