The more successful you are in life you can almost guarantee the more criticism you will receive.
So when we talk about football, Rafa Benitez has had a terrific career and he has the trophies to prove it.
But of course he still gets some criticism and the latest last week has been from pundit Andy Gray.
Newcastle fans are rightly disappointed that Mike Ashley spent none of the club’s money this summer and we made a £20M profit in this summer’s transfer market.
That’s the transfers going out minus what we paid for players coming in.
Rafa Benitez – forget the criticism
Rafa doesn’t pay much attention to criticism from pundits,
But these are the comments he made when Gray’s criticisms were brought up in his press conference yesterday:
“Obviously, I can see a lot of people talking about it and the reaction, but I think we have to concentrate on football.”
“I cannot waste time with that because there are too many other things to think about; like my team, and trying to improve the players we have.”
“But what I said before and I said last year: we have what we have and I know if we want to do well, we have to concentrate on our players and improve them.”
“Who knows what is going on better than our fans? Not too many people. But I cannot talk about this all the time because I want to make the right decisions in terms of team selection.”
“Everything I will do now depends on what happened in the last two months in the transfer market.”
“You have to manage your team and your tactics depending on who you have. My job is to maximize what we have.”
“We did well last year. Why? Because the players were working really hard and everything was fine in a lot of games, yet still we had some bad times.”
“We finished 10th, but we could have finished 15th or 17th. It was just one game, that’s it.”
“If we wasted time with these people [like Gray] – they are too far away, and they do not know what is going on inside [the club] – then we lose energy.”
“If I try to concentrate on that, sometimes it can be a distraction.”
“These comments that they make, they are having an argument with some fans.”
“I don’t have a problem if we concentrate on football. Maybe these people [like Gray] don’t have all the information, but it doesn’t matter.”
“My focus has to be now on football as much as I can because I know that is what we need.”
“I have enough experience to know that, if you lose your focus in a couple of games, everything can be wrong.”
Those are good comments from Rafa.
And ignoring pundits is probably the worst thing that could happen to them.
They would love for a man with the name and stature in football of a Rafa Benitez to get upset with some of their comments.
Rafa is an excellent football manager – perfect for Newcastle – but he’s also a savvy and sensible man.
That’s why we love him. so much.
Comments welcome.,
157 comments so far
Mag52
Aug 25, 2018 at 3:37 PM
Comment #1Not keen on points going to Wet Spam, but remembering the stick a good proportion of Arsenal fans gave to Wenger last season (and the one before) I’d love to see them get the worst start to their season since the 1950s.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 25, 2018 at 3:56 PM
Comment #2Wolves didn’t really have any possession either…
…they sucked it up and got a vital point!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 25, 2018 at 3:57 PM
Comment #3We would probably just play 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1 depending on your outlook seeing as that’s all we know!
Moonraker15
Aug 25, 2018 at 4:06 PM
Comment #4Jib
In a previous post you say we ARE a massive club but operating at only 30% due to lack of investment. I, and most of us would agree totally with that statement. However you are normally supportive of Ashley so who is to blame for “lack of investment”?
Do I detect a step change in your opinion, or am I misjudging you?
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 4:07 PM
Comment #5We actually played 5 – 4 – 1 last year vs Man City at SJP
Yedlin – Mbemba – Lascelles – Dummett – Manquillo
Aarons – Diamé – Shelvey – Murphy
Joselu
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 4:13 PM
Comment #6Moonraker
I’m just supportive of Ashley in your closed mind.
Just because I don’t pour invective on his head
every opportunity and see things as black and white
(no pun intended ) as some – doesn’t make me an
Ashley supporter.
Everything bad at the club is Ashley’s fault
Everything good is despite Ashley.
The world really doesn’t work that simply
the white tino
Aug 25, 2018 at 4:36 PM
Comment #7Jibber jabber it really is that simple at newcastle dickhead, every slightly good thing is despite the FCB
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 4:41 PM
Comment #8I rest my case m’lud
Moonraker15
Aug 25, 2018 at 4:46 PM
Comment #9Jib
I’m open minded but when it comes down to one issue – investment, who else can we point the finger at?
Moonraker15
Aug 25, 2018 at 4:52 PM
Comment #10Jib
£23 million profit on transfers the last window; £40 million net profit under Rafa’s tenure! Would you not agree our squad could do with that money invested?
“Every last penny…….” !
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 4:59 PM
Comment #11NUFC down to 15th
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:03 PM
Comment #12Sunlun 2nd on gd
lesh
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:04 PM
Comment #13Moonraker
You may have noticed that when the blog goes all nostalgic about the city, its characters and pubs, Jib posts constructive comments and his craic, quite enjoyable.
However, when topics are focused on NUFC and Ashley, Jib becomes abusive. Could it be he’s out of his comfort zone?
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:07 PM
Comment #14Lesh
“Jib becomes abusive”
You are a bit one eyed I fear
I said someone had a closed mind
I was called a dickhead
Canuck Mag
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:07 PM
Comment #15How bad are Cardiff? 2 games with a man advantage and they cant score a goal.
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:15 PM
Comment #16Canuck we want those guaranteed relegation
slots filled as quick as possible
Mag52
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:24 PM
Comment #17Jib.
Did I miss your answer to the question who is to blame for our lack of investment in the team ?
NY Mag
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:35 PM
Comment #18Jib,
You said earlier you thought the land may have been a gift to Ashley’s son-in-law.
I think it’s more than that, Ashley has made Murray a director of all his various property development companies.
The big one, Mcgrove developments (which Murray is a director, as is Justin Barnes) is the one in Kensington which Ashley ploughed in £200M and will allegedly be worth £900M when finished.
Moonraker15
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:40 PM
Comment #19Mag
I suspect Jib dropped his guard when he stated the club was suffering from lack of investment.
Jib
With an open mind, may I ask which are the good things Ashley is responsible for in the last 11 years. I’ll give you a start; appointing Rafa!
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:40 PM
Comment #20Mag52
Are you a bit simple ?
We have had
Martin Dubravka
Ki Sung-yueng
Kenedy
Fabian Schar
Yoshinori Muto
Salomon Rondon
Federico Fernandez
Yannick Toure
Rosaire Longelo
added to the team since May
Your question should be
“who is to blame for our lack of investment in the team
to the level I would like”
accompanied by a petulant stamp of the foot in annoyance
Moonraker15
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:46 PM
Comment #21I think appointing close relatives or family members in important positions is a touch dodgy. In our case Douglas Hall was a prime example; Ashley surrounds himself with friends and cronies. I suspect because he wants to keep control as in the Lee Carsley situation.
GeordieTwo
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:46 PM
Comment #22Is top goal scorer Hoser Loo ready to double up his goals total tomorrow? I hope so! Howay Hoser Loo!
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:48 PM
Comment #23NY Mag
Whatever
but
Ashley has relinquished his interst
in Strawberry Place
Moonraker15
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:49 PM
Comment #24Jib
@#20
It was you that mentioned under investment and the club only at 30% of potential. What investment are you referring to if you’re happy with the squad quality?
GeordieTwo
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:52 PM
Comment #25Mutomutomutomuto!!!
GeordieTwo
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:53 PM
Comment #26What aboot Muto in behind Hoser Loo tomorrow? It’s mutovational!!!
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:53 PM
Comment #27Approving Charnleys appointment of McClaren
and backing them to the tune of over £70M.
The fact that SM was a complete failure was
hardly MA’s fault.
Mag52
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:55 PM
Comment #28Jib.
It really doesn’t matter what I would like does it.
My question should have been ‘who is to blame for our lack of investment in the team to the level that gives us a realistic chance of winning something this season, and that is in accordance with the promises regarding investment that he made to our manager.’
GeordieTwo
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:55 PM
Comment #29No Perez to start tomorrow please Rafa. He’s been bollocks so far. Give him some Mutovation by sitting him on the bench!
Moonraker15
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:56 PM
Comment #30Jib
Do you realise you just stated that appointing McClaren and giving him £70 million to spend was a good thing Ashley did. Haha please tell us the bad things then!
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:57 PM
Comment #31By gum Klopp has LPool playing some
lovely stuff
NY Mag
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:58 PM
Comment #32Jib,
He hasn’t, that’s the point.
The land was passed (legally) from a company that was a subsidiary of NUFC to a company that is a subsidiary of MASH holdings. He now directly owns the land, completely bypassing NUFC
Oldgit1
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:59 PM
Comment #33@ Jib sorry mate re your last post but none of the signings were McClarens these were purchased and agreed with by Ashley prior to McClaren appointment. Jon Jon and Saivet were proberly his.
GeordieTwo
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:59 PM
Comment #34Fong the Chelski’s tomorrow!
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 5:59 PM
Comment #35Moonraker15
I repeat
The fact that SM was a complete failure was
hardly MA’s fault.
You are a bit of a blinkered buffoon
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 6:01 PM
Comment #36Oldgit1
Who did and didn’t make the signings is hardly germane
to the argument
Ashley made the funds available
GeordieTwo
Aug 25, 2018 at 6:03 PM
Comment #37We get on with it now with what we have. But no relaxing at all this season. Points are precious. We’ve already dropped two we needed against Cardiff.
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 6:05 PM
Comment #38NY Mag
Sorry you are wrong
The land is owned by a Doncaster based
property development company that MA
has nowt to do with.
GeordieTwo
Aug 25, 2018 at 6:08 PM
Comment #39Man City away in the league after Chelski. I don’t like it…
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 6:09 PM
Comment #40On the one side we have the Ashley supporters
who tell half truths – the arseholes Keys Gray and
Allardyce.
On the other
we have the Ashley haters who operate the same
way