Alan Shearer has followed his two articles in the Sun with a personal thanks to Rafa Benitez. He also reiterates his stance, and that of the entire Toon Army, that Rafa Benitez is perfect for Newcastle.
This is what Alan has tweeted earlier today:
A world class manager. A manager who performed so well in very difficult circumstances. A manager who understood the fans. Thanks and good luck @rafabenitezweb you were brilliant for the Toon. #SHAMBLES
— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) June 24, 2019
Alan will be as shocked as the rest of us with the developments of yesterday and has taken the mantle of being a spokesperson for this club and it’s fans. This is a display of leadership that is befitting of the club’s former captain.
Alan had remained silent until his Sunday night article imploring the club to give the fans an update on the situation with Rafa’s contract.
It was not long after that the silence was broken in what appears to be a spurt of anger by the club’s owner.
Further reports have suggested that Rafa was unaware that this statement was being released. Could he have maybe been waiting on a twelfth-hour negotiation breakthrough?
He may have even just been waiting it out with the hopes of signing but using a delay tactic to signal his dissatisfaction at the progress of the talks.
We may never know the full story of how we have gotten to this point. Maybe there is a sliver of hope that both Ashley and Rafa can still mend this.
Can they still come together for the sake of the club after a few days of realizing what they both will lose?
Or is the more likely scenario that this relationship is beyond repair?
I know it sounds absurd to even think of a last-minute reversal of fortune but the situation the club finds itself in at the moment is also an absurdity.
110 comments so far
geordietom
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:44 PM
Comment #41tony … i dont get why there has been a news black out from the club …
magscar
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:45 PM
Comment #42OO
it’s easy for folk to come and blast ST holders in general and it of course starts a bandwagon effect.
I have named those ST holders I recall and don’t see them as first on to moan at all.
They can of course speak for themselves to avoid being tarred with a broadbrush or ignore comment thinking he doesn’t mean me whilst loads of posters are thinking the opposite
Can only have respect for posters lambasting ST holders anonymously in interest of not causing Blog tensions and in doing so allow others to gleefully blame others you didn’t mean.
Sorry but it’s a Cop Out the accusatiom itself causes Blog tension
Optimistic Oryx
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:45 PM
Comment #43Mund
I didn’t see what you posted, I gather something about a meeting.
I dont believe the majority of stuff posted on here (they’re all nuts) but it makes for interesting tracts of thought.
geordietom
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:47 PM
Comment #4400 …
girls pigtails not my style …
Mund
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:47 PM
Comment #45Tony
It’s every man or woman’s right on here to ask questions when anything like I posted gets posted. I expected it and the hate but like droppy said I did it in good faith.
Tony Baloney
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:47 PM
Comment #46My NUFC predictions are iffy but my cricket predictions usually are close. Said India and Aussies were favourites from 1st day on here. Still think so and would be best final as long as they are not drawn together in the semis.
jon
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:48 PM
Comment #47I love living in cloud cuckoo land, miles better than living in doom & gloom land.
After the last 6 years we’ve had, it’s the only way.
🙂
geordietom
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:48 PM
Comment #48just had a loverly big donner kebab plenty chilli the works …
Tony Baloney
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:49 PM
Comment #49Mund: I don’t think I gave you any hate and apologize if it came off like that.
Return of the Geordi
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:50 PM
Comment #50Take away Rafa’s contract/leaving fiasco, journalists who are in the dark and keep churning out click bait, ITK gossip some of which is shared in good faith but is unsubstantiated and others who claim stuff wind us up, what do we actually know:
The Bin Zayed Group a real business entity who have released 2 unequivocal statements
BZG claim they have provided proof of funds to Ashley’s solicitors and the Premier League on 17/Apr/19.
Heads of Agreement were signed between the two parties which included Non Disclosure Agreements
The club released a statement confirming they were in discussions with BZG
Pinsent Masons are the solicitors acting for BZG and are listed as one of the top law firms specialising in this kind of takeover
A new company Monochrome Acquisitions Ltd has been registered with Companies House. The company address is given as Pinsent Masons offices and that Sheikh Khaled and Midhat Kidwai are listed as the only directors.
SJP Holdings have removed St James’ Holdings Investments, Newcastle Strawberry Limited, Newcastle Star Limited, Newcastle West Development Limited and SJH Investment Limited from the Companies House register.
I’m with Captain Amerimag the sale will happen,
Tony Baloney
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:50 PM
Comment #51I think the Aussies have won like 5 world cups and the bookies still had England as favourites. Will take a miracle but still a chance to get to semis.
Mund
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:52 PM
Comment #52Not you Tony some others it’s all good tho it didn’t bother me. To be fair you haven’t been at all bad fair questions and points
chancel be a fine thing
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:53 PM
Comment #53https://twitter.com/Ohheynathanwe/status/1143558081974099969?s=20
Fella in this tweet saying some interesting stuff.
Dubs Left Glove
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:53 PM
Comment #54https://twitter.com/Ohheynathanwe/status/1143558081974099969
ChicoUSA
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:54 PM
Comment #55Return of the Geordi
Add to the lack of any transactions, incoming or outgoing player movements, including the statement indicating Joselu transfer awaiting some sort of “business hold” at NUFC.
Tony Baloney
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:56 PM
Comment #56Cheers Mund. I didn’t think I went too far. Tell the blog policeman who thinks he needs to stick up for people who are perfectly capable of sticking up for themselves.
Optimistic Oryx
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:56 PM
Comment #57Magscar
Look at my posts today or ever.
Not once do I blast ST holders, you’ve just made that up, total BS…
I said ANYONE who goes to games but doesnt protest in some way has no right to moan, no where do I blame ST holders
I couldn’t give a toss what you think is a cop out, it looks like you’re just a shit stirrer anyway.
How many magpie group meetings, Ashley out etc etc did you get involved with?
How many emails have you sent or petitions have you signed?
Dubs Left Glove
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:57 PM
Comment #58Test Post
Return of the Geordi
Jun 25, 2019 at 5:59 PM
Comment #59ChicoUSA #54
The Joselu transfer is a bit of a red herring, the Spanish transfer window opens on July 2 while in Italy and Germany it will be on July 1.
jon
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:00 PM
Comment #60Chancel, that is interesting, & unsurprising from cr@pheads lot.
Mund
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:01 PM
Comment #61Chancel
That is an interesting tweet and believable. If this all goes tits up and to be fair keeps going in that direction I think we will find out if that’s true or not and if it is and he has managed to fcuk this all up again is just unfathomable
Mund
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:04 PM
Comment #62Plus it might line up with that other tweet from earlier someone put up where apparently they where on WhatsApp with Midhat and he said it will be done in a different manner
ronaldo aarons
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:07 PM
Comment #63If anyone rubbished mund and what he said it was me. Nobody else. I would hardly call it aggressive and laid my cards on the table, for want of a better term, in my first post to him.
People believe what they want on here, any slight hint of a positive and it’s taken as pretty much fact it should be happening. Someone posts something negative and not what they want to hear, oh that’s rubbish, doesn’t add up etc.
Maybe mund being a new poster and coming on saying things that don’t add up got my spider senses tingling but I’m in the same position as I was before. Either mund is talking rubbish or is just passing on what he has heard, which is still rubbish at the end of the day.
If you want to post on here, whether tactics, signings, player opinions, hearsay, itk business, whether negative or positive. Expect someone to respond, in a good way or a bad way.
droppy in Wallsend
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:08 PM
Comment #64Ok I’m going to share something.
It’s not Rafa/takeover related.
Just heard two lads in the park talking about how to get back at MA.
One of the says “why don’t we buy crickets, like the ones for feeding snakes and lizards and realease them in his shops?”
Made me chuckle and it’s quite clever.
Mindshaft
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:10 PM
Comment #65Mund – it is indeed mate … All rather depressing (
Mund
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:11 PM
Comment #66Ronaldo Aarons
All good mate I didn’t take it in a bad way. Every one will and always will have an opinion with whatever we say
Tony Baloney
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:13 PM
Comment #67So now everybody even half famous has an opinion on NUFC. Dean Ashton, cricketers, Lee Ryder… Just waiting for Little Jimmy Krankie’s take on it now.
Mund
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:13 PM
Comment #68Mindshaft
Certainly is mate. Still clinging on to some hope tho till we hear otherwise
toon22
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:17 PM
Comment #69Business as usual
😉
hibbit
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:18 PM
Comment #70droppy in Wallsend
was in the denton at diner time and the conversation turned to very much the same sort of topic only the chosen weapon was white mice , i laughed then but now i’m starting to give it a lot of thought !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Champagne Charlie
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:18 PM
Comment #71For some reason I can’t help thinking of ‘The Little Waster’ when geordietom is on.
Tony Baloney
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:21 PM
Comment #72I reckon England might scrape the semi-finals but there has been an arrogance from being number 1 in the world and at home. The selections have been terrible. 4 right arm seamers, no variation. Rashid cannot bowl against top players. Well he can, once every 8 games, but that is not enough. Vince! Rashid and Ali are not all rounders on current form. Why wasn’t Alex Hales in the squad?
Hail Wor Ashley
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:24 PM
Comment #73It won’t be so bad if the new manager is an up and coming talent or at least interesting with a bit of pedigree.
Gerrard manager.
Brings in Rondon and keeps Gayle. A good signing which would get fans back on side with a better backup than Joselu. Stronger in attack than start of last season.
Sell Atsu, Joselu, Lazaar, Saivet, Colback, Elliott for £10m and we’ll still have £45m to spend.
Get Harry Wilson in on loan to challenge Perez.
Get another CM, RB and LB and we’re good to go.
GK: Dubravka, Darlow, Woodman
RB: ??????, Yedlin, Manquillo
CB: Lascelles, Schar, Lejeune, Fernandez, Clark
LB: Dummett, ???????
CM: Shevey, Hayden, Longstaff, Ki, ??????
AM/WF: Perez, Almiron, Ritchie, Wilson
ST: Rondon, Gayle, Muto
Honestly, when I lay it out like that and considering such positives like:
Almiron arriving and our 2nd half of the season form with the front three looking great and no reason to dibelieve they cannot at least continue that way with Almiron adding a few goals.
Longstaff only going to get better. Hayden’s emergence.
The possibility to have two tried and tested winning formulas to hand – 2nd half of last season and the option of the previous season’s Shelvey/Gayle show.
Defensive continuity only strengthening them collectively.
I’m surprise Rafa isn’t up for it despite the boundaries he would be working in.
Suppose its a confluence of factors, including what he could get elsewhere in terms of both salary and freedom.
Bills Son Is Back
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:25 PM
Comment #74BlacknWhiteBarmy,
You have missed my point completely.
My ambition is for NUFC to win everything every year and dominate Europe into the bargain.
But… is that realistic? No.
My expectation is that, unless we spend a few hundred million in fees and wages over the next 2/3 years, we’ll do well under any manager to remain comfortably in the Prem, have a good cup run and pray win one.
Any fan who doesn’t agree with that last paragraph is mixing ambition with delusion.
hibbit
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:26 PM
Comment #75Tony Baloney
not many on here are that bothered if Hales is in the squad or not
Return of the Geordi
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:26 PM
Comment #76How about cockroaches in his shops because that’s what he is
peterk3
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:27 PM
Comment #77Tony Baloney
I’m not interested in cricket and probably 99% on here aren’t at this time. We are only interested in this $hit situation our beloved club are in again.
Hail Wor Ashley
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:27 PM
Comment #78Think Hayden would be gone by now if he was going. His situation well publicised, his agent would surely have been sounding out options months back, but very few clubs meet his geographical criteria really and none seem to be making moves.
Think Brighton who registered an interest in Jan would have come back in had Hoots still been there.
Bills Son Is Back
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:27 PM
Comment #79And, re my point above, that last paragraph also includes any owner other than a billionaire buying real top class players.
Any team in the Prem, bar the top 6, could get relegated next season.
jon
Jun 25, 2019 at 6:28 PM
Comment #80Because he was s naughty boy!