Rafa Benitez may have only three games left as the Newcastle manager after spending just over three years on Tyneside.
Fans are starting to get just a little anxious that with Newcastle now safe in the Premier League there seems to have been very little if any progress made over the last week.
We beat the Saints last Saturday 3-1 at home, and the next day we were safe in the Premier League when Cardiff lost 2-0 at home against Liverpool.
We were hoping that would be the trigger for the club to start talking seriously about what Rafa wants and get the answers back to him on his requirements to stay at the club.
Rafa Benitez in training – is he staying or going?
He was asked to submit his requirements before the game at Arsenal on April 1st.
Come to think of it that was April Fool’s Day.
That’s about four weeks ago and nothing back to Rafa yet – as far as we know.
He will be asked again this afternoon by local journalists whether there has been any progress made.
We are hoping there may be some positive news today.
The club cannot go on much longer, and surely Mike Ashley wants to sign Rafa before the end of the season on May 12th, when we play at Fulham?
That’s two weeks on Sunday so let’s hope the Newcastle hierarchy will get off the fence and sign Rafa up to at least a three-year deal – more is (much) better in this case.
Comments welcome.
38 comments so far
lesh
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:23 AM
Comment #1Hierarchy get off the fence? It’s more like hierachy in the form of Humpty Dumpty sitting on the wall and not seeing the likelihood of coming a massive cropper if they don’t see sense and get Rafa signed up.
And from previous, ‘The report says that Newcastle are interested in the striker whether or not Rafa Benitez agrees to stay on at the club’. Oh yes, and who’s doing the scouting and assessment for Ashley? Of course the Wellbeck link might be a piece of Bishop spin to suggest that Ashley might be flexible on his under 26 policy?
Jib
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:26 AM
Comment #2Rafa being on the South coast over the weekend
is a perfect opportunity for a Benitez/Ashley face to face
Ron Knee
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:26 AM
Comment #3Mark Douglas@MsiDouglas
NUFC will absolutely not allow Rafa to spend the budget that was mentioned in the press last weekend exactly how he wants. They say no club in the @premierleague works that way.
No club in the Premier League has a manager so much better than their current status though.
Jib
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:30 AM
Comment #4https://www.ft.com/content/c12d39fc-67f6-11e9-9adc-98bf1d35a056
Jail for Ashley
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:33 AM
Comment #5Jib,
Ashley was at Stamford bridge once that would have been a great opportunity just to talk, he doesn’t want to speak to him on a one to one basis by the looks of things.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:34 AM
Comment #6Ron Knee,
Not every PL club has been in an almost constant relegation battle for 12 years either.
Ron Knee
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:37 AM
Comment #7True.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:39 AM
Comment #8Ron,
Give him what he wants, what have they got to lose?
Ron Knee
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:48 AM
Comment #9Loss of face for the Lard Mountain?
RobLeenio
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:51 AM
Comment #10I’d have Danny Welbeck in a heartbeat. He’s a proven Premier League striker, will give you goals whenever he’s on the pitch and will make space for others to do likewise.
You can’t always rely on him to be available, but if we have Rondon as back-up, that’s a massive upgrade on Rondon and Joselu.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Apr 26, 2019 at 10:55 AM
Comment #11“They say no club in the @premierleague works that way.”
No other premier league team just signs players under 26 !! They all have a balance and every other team that looks to improve every season not just stagnate!
Also no premier league has a PR guy and some other guy called Justin Barnes running the show by proxy!!
I am fairly certain if they approached Rafa with names of top quality young players I am sure he would be interested in signing them!We know you want a left back Rafa there is a boy in the French 2nd division available for 500k can you turn him into a 20 million talent in 3 years like you have done with Perez please?
Why should Rafa not demand full control? It has proven that these clowns don’t know how to run a successful sporting institution yes they can run a tat shop well but the main priority for a football team is how it does on the pitch!! Money will follow success!! So why should he put his reputation on the line and accept sub standard players when we have the money for so much more?!
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:00 AM
Comment #12@Robleenio
I would have Wellbeck as well Rafa seems to have sorted a lot of injury issues out for our players maybe our fitness team could get the most out of him !?
Rondon as first choice and Wellbeck when fit pushing on and overtaking him would sort us out for a few years to be honest while we get some young players involved as well!
Oldgit1
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:01 AM
Comment #13I think it will be Rafa lawyer and a representative of Ashley who will decide the outcome. Can’t see Ashley and Rafa sitting down in a room.
Didn’t Rafa sack his previous lawyer for agreeing the 6m severance payment.
ronaldo aarons
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:03 AM
Comment #14He’s gone.
Take this as guaranteed from this newly found, highly trusted and unbelievably handsome ITK guy!
ronaldo aarons
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:05 AM
Comment #15No I’d steer the opposite direction to welbeck. Average player imo and very injury prone.
toon22
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:13 AM
Comment #16Doubt MAs back from his hols yet
It’s what he does when there’s urgent matters to address at the club
hibbit
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:22 AM
Comment #17think folk are under estimating Welbeck’s wage demands,
he’s on £70k a week now and he’s going to be looking for at least a £100k and a large signing on fee as a free, plus very injury prone .
Jib
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:25 AM
Comment #18https://arseblog.news/2019/04/welbeck-linked-with-free-transfer-move-to-newcastle/
ronaldo aarons
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:29 AM
Comment #19I don’t think the creators of that website put a lot proper thought about the web address.
Oldgit1
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:37 AM
Comment #20Sorry to hear that Emilano Sala father died 3 months after the plane crash. RIP.
Jib
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:38 AM
Comment #21It was Mr Tuff found it originally
he was very disappointed it was about some footy team
lochinvar
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:43 AM
Comment #22Wonder why Fulham have blocked ticket sales for all the neutral Gateshead FC fans going tto London for a weekend staycation taking in a Premier League match at Craven Cottage ?
OneAlanShearer
Apr 26, 2019 at 11:47 AM
Comment #23I’d take carroll over wellbeck if we are going to risk someone who is injury prone.
However literally the only thing standing between us and a further decade of ashley stitching us up is Rafa. If he doesnt sign we can expect more of the same.
So right now all i am interested in is Rafa signing. Also as i understood it what Rafa wamts is the wage limit to be flexible and investment in the training facilities. Not seen or heard him mention wanting more control in terms of players ages the polar opposite was said in a recent interview he said he has no problem with it. So this is more about signing players of the quality he wants and quantity.
I’m hoping rafa is here in September.
Shoulders knees
Apr 26, 2019 at 12:23 PM
Comment #24Hoping for a modicum of good news from Rafa’s presser.
G
Apr 26, 2019 at 12:25 PM
Comment #25As much as I would love Rafa to continue as our manager, I have a niggly feeling that we won’t see him in charge of first team affairs here after this season. I hope I’m wrong, and I don’t have any insider info, it’s just a feeling I cant shake. I fully expect some dinosaur we had forgotten about to be in charge next season, not unlike Joe Kinnear.
simon376
Apr 26, 2019 at 12:26 PM
Comment #26One Alan Shearer
I know its highly unlikely because of the wage demands, but as they are both free and if we sign Rondon and maybe this kid from South America, could you imagine the forward line up of Rondon, Wellbeck, Carrol, Perez that kid and of course Almiron either behind or alongside?
simon376
Apr 26, 2019 at 12:31 PM
Comment #27Of course not all at once, just to choose from when fit. Mind the South American kid will probably be over £20 million so a no go
Jail for Ashley
Apr 26, 2019 at 12:36 PM
Comment #28G,
What time is the presser, normally one o clock?
G
Apr 26, 2019 at 12:40 PM
Comment #29I have no idea Jail. I usually just watch the Evening Chronicle Twitter feed for Live updates.
Jib
Apr 26, 2019 at 12:46 PM
Comment #3013.30
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Apr 26, 2019 at 12:56 PM
Comment #31I don’t think Wellbeck is really in a position to ask for more wages with his injury record most teams will be offering lower wages and pay as you play style contracts!
Get him for 50k a week on a pay as you play deal Charnley sorted !!
RobLeenio
Apr 26, 2019 at 1:00 PM
Comment #32Rafa is not likely to say anything new in his presser. Probably something like “We are talking and we will see if we can do something for the future. The club know what I want.”
Everyone will get up in arms about it, saying ‘Why is the fat chump still in Miami and why is Charnley so useless?’ whereas in reality negotiations are just ongoing.
This is the time to just chill a bit and not stress to much, let’s just concentrate on the match and let Rafa’s contract take care of itself.
At the risk of parroting the esteemed Mr Bobbybee, the time to worry about Rafa walking away is when it actually happens.
Jib
Apr 26, 2019 at 1:01 PM
Comment #33Welbeck has banked nearly £18M since becoming a Gooner.
So one would think spending the last years of his career playing
in the EPL would be his priority rather than accumulating more dosh.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 26, 2019 at 1:03 PM
Comment #34RobLeenio,
If you want to chill and not stress then that’s you’re decision, it’s not your place to tell people what to do, yes it’s out of our hands and nothing we can do about it but it doesn’t stop everybody from worrying about it.
Jib
Apr 26, 2019 at 1:05 PM
Comment #35Jail for Ashley
it’s not your place to tell people what to do
Oh the irony
Jail for Ashley
Apr 26, 2019 at 1:06 PM
Comment #36And if the club have no intentions of keeping him under his conditions and he knows that, then I fully expect him to let us know before the Lpool game so we can give him a proper send off.
DubaiMicky
Apr 26, 2019 at 1:09 PM
Comment #37Worry about something never changed the outcome.
Munster Mag
Apr 26, 2019 at 3:26 PM
Comment #38Jail, that’s rich coming from you, the bigest hectoring merchant on this blog.