We were hoping we could have beaten Crystal Palace yesterday and taken the pressure off Newcastle a little in the relegation stakes.
But we ended up losing to Palace by a goal in the 81st minute through a penalty given away sloppily by DeAndre Yedlin.
We had hoped we could turn our full attention to having Rafa Benitez sign up for at least the next three years, but that will need to wait although discussions have started up again.
Yesterday Rafa told local reporters the two parties were not close to coming to an agreement.
Former Newcastle star Chris Waddle thinks that Rafa will stay at Newcastle as long as Mike Ashley gives him the transfer funds.
Rafa Benitez – needs funds to build Newcastle into a top team
Rafa needs money to be able to fight in the top half of the table and not against relegation every season – as he’s done over the last couple of years.
Waddle worked on the commentary of the Newcastle game yesterday for BBC Radio 5Live, and this is what he said about Rafa:
“I honestly think he wants to stay here.”
“But I think he now thinks, ‘I don’t want to be in a relegation fight'”
” I think he has ambitions to make this club a top-six club if he gets the right budget, the right backing and the right players in.”
“I’m sure he can get a crack at what Watford, Everton, and teams around that top-six or seven are doing.”
“He believes he can do that with the support he has set up. It’s all about money and who he can bring in.”
“At the end of the season, he’ll sit down and think ‘where are we going’ – if they are going to back him, I’m sure he’ll be happy to stay.”
This is all up to Mike Ashley – Newcastle have the money to give to Rafa – it’s now a question of whether the owner is willing to actually give it to him to bring players in.
Does he want to support Rafa to build a top Newcastle team in the future?
The club will be worth a lot more than £300M if Rafa is successful in doing that.
Why wouldn’t Mike Ashley support Rafa fully for two or three years and then sell the club at a lot more than the £300M he’s asking for it at the moment.
If Newcastle are a top-eight or a top-six club in three years it could be worth more than £600M.
That’s a good return on investment (ROI) in three years.
What do you think?
Loading ...Comments welcome.
215 comments so far
Jib
Apr 7, 2019 at 2:55 PM
Comment #1At 30 years of age Séamus Coleman is twice
the right back that DeAndre Yedlin is !
ronaldo aarons
Apr 7, 2019 at 2:57 PM
Comment #2He does want to stay but I’m guessing that he doesn’t even want one more year of being shafted by Ashley. So it is a case of if he thinks he will be given the backing to make the necessary wholesale changes he needs to do. No just the minimum attitude or make do jobs will suffice.
So it’s a case of if Rafa thinks he can get this from Ashley.
My opinion… hello David Moyes.
Lindisfarne
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:02 PM
Comment #3repost
Not necessary when playing essentially a game.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/apr/06/derby-wigan-northampton-alleged-racist-abuse
NY Mag
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:36 PM
Comment #4Ronaldo,
The backing that Rafa wants is important – but I think what’s more important is the timeline in which he wants to do things…..that is likely to be the sticking point
ronaldo aarons
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:37 PM
Comment #5https://mobile.twitter.com/AdamNUFC_/status/1114865227772964865
Ben Arfa at it again.
ronaldo aarons
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:38 PM
Comment #6Ny mag
Good point. Another factor why I don’t see us getting Rafa ‘over the line’.
ronaldo aarons
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:41 PM
Comment #7Who you all wanting to win between Watford and wolves?
I think I’m wanting Watford to win with ideally boly getting a couple unpunished elbows to the face.
Ron Knee
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:41 PM
Comment #8@6
Crikey!
NY Mag
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:46 PM
Comment #9It would be poetic justice if Boly were to score an own goal in the 92nd minute gifting the game to Watford 🙂
ronaldo aarons
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:49 PM
Comment #10What’s crikey lol?
Ny mag
Here’s hoping 🙂
9
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:52 PM
Comment #11It seems to me our owner has much bigger fish on his hands than NUFC at the moment, so I wouldn’t expect Rafa s contract will be a priority for MA at the minute
Ron Knee
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:53 PM
Comment #12Sorry. I meant @5!
9
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:58 PM
Comment #13Can I also disagree with the accepted wisdom on here that no sensible proper manager would take the manager s job once Rafa (inevitably) leaves. Wagner, Dyche, H owe.
9
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:05 PM
Comment #14When everybody whines that MA won t release funds to strengthen the team, which is perfectly true, which positions do they see as our weaknesses? RB? Ritchie? What d you reckon.
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:20 PM
Comment #15Our big crunch game is now looking to be the Southampton one (if we get nowt on Friday)
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:32 PM
Comment #16Was mildly optimistic about Rafa staying before the weekend but now I’m wondering if there’s more to his enquiries re. the French connection.
There appears to be flights from Liverpool to Paris, Nantes, Nice, Bordeaux and Lyon so getting back and forth wouldn’t be a problem for him.
Ron Knee
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:34 PM
Comment #17Two winnables and one “should” win left, I think.
NY Mag
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:37 PM
Comment #18Bill,
I thought Rafa himself had dismissed the French links?
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:40 PM
Comment #19NY Mag
It did look that way but that may be him being “diplomatic”
Jib
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:40 PM
Comment #20Wolves / Man City
could be one of the best cup finals for years
DaveD1000
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:43 PM
Comment #21Wolves looking sharp the last 10-15 miins
NY Mag
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:44 PM
Comment #22Bill,
We don’t have to wait too long to find out…….
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:46 PM
Comment #23I think a lot of people are being a bit harsh on Shelvey, the hollywood passes he might have been trying may have been what Rafa told him to do.
I thought he was putting the effort in but given the short time he had on the pitch it was never an easy ask for him.
Needs to start a game imo.
Tsunki
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:46 PM
Comment #249 – proper, sensible managers? Maybe not. But top class managers with a proven trophy-winning record? I doubt it.
Even to bale out an owner with loads of fish on his hands ha ha .
Tsunki
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:47 PM
Comment #25Rolando @ 5 that doesn’t help. Its just heart breaking 🙁
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:48 PM
Comment #26NY Mag
Aye, very true! 😉
lochinvar
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:48 PM
Comment #27Ronaldo
Crikey !
I say old chap that’s a surprise
Gosh
What a surprise
Take your pick really
Tsunki
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:49 PM
Comment #28Essex unfortunately allowance needs to be made for the Weapons – Grade nuggetry at match time. Nobody in their right mind strikes Shelvey off as a lazy, selfish showboater.
Tsunki
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:52 PM
Comment #29“9
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:05 PM
Comment #14
When everybody whines that MA won t release funds to strengthen the team, which is perfectly true….”
Everybody “whines” about this FACT! Do they? Thats apalling, 9 it really really is isn’t it?. Whining about truly disgraceful things is absolutely out of order. How could we all?
NY Mag
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:54 PM
Comment #30Weapons – Grade nuggetry…….you do have a way with words ;D
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:59 PM
Comment #31Tsunki, very good, lol.
jane
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:59 PM
Comment #32Rafa knows he can send a negative sounding message about his contract negotiations knowing there are lots of Tsunki’s out there that will bite and latch on to it which is the intended purpose.
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 7, 2019 at 5:00 PM
Comment #33I don’t whine, I weep! 😉
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 7, 2019 at 5:03 PM
Comment #34We’ll probably have Sam making a return! 🙁
NY Mag
Apr 7, 2019 at 5:07 PM
Comment #35Jane,
Has Rafa sent out a negative message? Last thing I heard (from fridays press conference) I thought was quite positive
Jib
Apr 7, 2019 at 5:07 PM
Comment #36Jane # 32
that’s very catty for a Sunday
Jib
Apr 7, 2019 at 5:09 PM
Comment #37I guess someone has to fill in as blogbitch
seeing that Jail is M.I.A.
jane
Apr 7, 2019 at 5:10 PM
Comment #38“Has Rafa sent out a negative message?”
the bit about he is waiting to hear.
9
Apr 7, 2019 at 5:10 PM
Comment #39Tsunki@29 I reckon a failure to spend beyond your means isn’t the worst thing going. I understand this is a totally unacceptable view here, so I ain’t going to be surprised by your, and others’ reactions.
NY Mag
Apr 7, 2019 at 5:13 PM
Comment #40Jane,
I don’t consider that negative…..but, each to their own