Rafa Benitez knows exactly what needs to be done to turn Newcastle United into a massive club with a team that can compete with the best of them in both England and Europe.
But he has not been backed in doing that by Newcastle owner Mike Ashley who doesn’t seem to want to invest too much of the club’s money in new players or upgrades to the club’s facilities.
Rafa’s vision and Ashley’s vision of a future Newcastle United are a million miles apart.
Ashley would like to go along spending as little money as possible while trying to keep Newcastle as a Premier League club.
Rafa shares the vision of the fans and wants to build a top team on Tyneside that is not fighting relegation almost every season but fighting in Europe to win trophies every season.
Rafa Benitez – Newcastle can become a massive club
Rafa was asked yesterday if he shared the frustrations of the Newcastle fans and this is what he said as reported in the Chronicle today:
“We are here, we know what is going on, and we have known that for two-and-a-half years,”
“The fans, they have been here for a lot of years – and sometimes you analyse things with the heart, but a lot of them they are analyzing things with their brain.”
“We don’t need to carry on and carry on doing that.”
“When I was in Liverpool, they were talking about: ‘Oh, you have to compete.’ But I was doing the analysis, and to compete with London and Manchester was difficult.”
“Now they say: ‘In the North East, they cannot attract players.’ Yes, we can. We can because here you have all the potential and everything to be a massive club.”
“So we can do it, but we have to do things right. That’s it. Everybody knows that.”
“But I don’t want to waste time talking about that all the time because we have to play against Chelsea, which is a massive game, and a very difficult game for us.”
“I have been talking for two months about what we have to do, and why we have to do this.”
“And also which is the way to do it based on my experience as a manager for years and years,”
“I said after we finished the transfer window finished, we have to concentrate on that.”
“But I have a lot of sympathy for our fans because they are really good.”
“They know the city, they know club, they know the North East, and how well you can live here. They know all these things.”
“They would like to see the club doing things in one way.”
“What I would say is just be sure that when you go to the stadium, you support the team because it’s the only way for us to be stronger.”
“The other things, I have to respect them and I have to concentrate on my job.”
There will be another demonstration by the fans on Northumberland Street before the game on Sunday.
But we hope these demonstrations are not going to be staged at every home game this season.
Fans have to get behind the team and Rafa has made it clear he wants fans to fully support the team once they enter St. James’ Park.
We need to stay United – with or without Mike Ashley.
Comments welcome.
19 comments so far
Mag52
Aug 25, 2018 at 8:54 AM
Comment #1Ashley Out.
Mag52
Aug 25, 2018 at 8:58 AM
Comment #2From what Rafa was saying about Woodman in the previous thread, he seems to be looking to the future by getting the goalie into the way of playing under Rafa Benitez the coach.
I’m tempted to see this as an indication that he might see his own future here as extending past the end of this season. Is that just wishful thinking ?
jane
Aug 25, 2018 at 8:59 AM
Comment #3“a lot of them they are analyzing things with their brain.”
some notable exceptions here
Aces-of-Eights
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:08 AM
Comment #4https://www.footballfancast.com/premier-league/newcastle-united/newcastle-must-be-at-the-front-of-the-queue-for-marchisio
Jail for Ashley
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:09 AM
Comment #5Mag52,
I think he desperately wants to stay and build us in his own vision, but he’s only going to stay on his terms and Ashley seems hell bent on doing it the way that has caused two relegations. He is simply not going to hand about to fight Ashleys relegation battles.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:10 AM
Comment #6Has Jiblets just let his hair down for the day.
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:10 AM
Comment #7The Southern press use the same phrase time
after time :- viz
Newcastle does not have a deep squad because Ashley
does not want to invest in something he is trying to sell.
If Rafa is aware of stuff in the background that would explain
his acceptance of the make-do-and-mend position he finds
himself in.
If nothing is resolved by Spring I expect him to opt for a one year
rolling contract.
jane
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:12 AM
Comment #8Jibbles/Jiblets
Jail for Ashley these sweet nicknames you have for Jib betray the affection you have for him.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:13 AM
Comment #9I like you more jane 🙄
The overrated Frenchman
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:14 AM
Comment #10Why does the be-all and end-all seem to be to become a “massive” club…
AncientC
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:14 AM
Comment #11Oh dear, carl’s mask really slipped last night. carl (or whichever one the 100’s of names he goes by) has a strong case of apophenia in my estimation. carl isn’t trolling, the guy is just unwell.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:14 AM
Comment #12Jibbles,
I think it’s widely accepted you haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about, so I’d safely say that Rafa won’t be signing a one year rolling contract to be served up more of the same shit each and every transfer window.
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:19 AM
Comment #13The overrated Frenchman
Rafa says it is a massive club
He wants the opportunity to help it
fulfil it’s potential.
Don’t thank me for the clarification –
always happy to help out one of the
slower members of the commonwealth
Ron Knee
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:24 AM
Comment #14Lee Ryder
Henri Saivet’s loan to Bursaspor finally confirmed.
Ron Knee
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:25 AM
Comment #15“Its potential”, even.
The overrated Frenchman
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:26 AM
Comment #16So, Jib, to be a club that enjoys some success and enriches the lives of its supporters to some degree it has to be become “massive”. I didn’t know that, so than you.
The overrated Frenchman
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:28 AM
Comment #17“Thank you” that should have been
Jib
Aug 25, 2018 at 9:39 AM
Comment #18Nope
You still don’t get it Frenchy
We ARE a massive club already
operating at about 30% of where we could be
with the right investmen
ArtyH
Aug 25, 2018 at 12:16 PM
Comment #19The guys who were knocked back buying Liverpool should buy NUFC which would prove more profitable and save them £1b. Buy the club for £400m and spend £500m, saving £1.1b and have a club which will take off in the next year, they should look at the Keegan adventure for proof.