Ex-Newcastle midfielder Kieron Dyer has made a ridiculous claim about Rafa Benitez, stating that he is using NUFC as a ‘stepping stone’ until one of the ‘big jobs becomes available’.
Dyer himself had a turbulent career on Tyneside; a very good player blighted by off the field issues and often ridiculous comments.
His latest remarks are no different:
“No disrespect to Newcastle, but I feel like it is a stepping stone for Rafa until one of the big jobs comes available.
“He is that good a manager, he is in the top tier of managers.
“If Mike Ashley could have sold the club to the right people who would invest a couple of hundred million pounds in players, then that has got the massive potential.
If Mike Ashley is owner, then [Benitez] is never going to fulfil his potential.”
Whilst we can all agree on the last line, that while Ashley is here NUFC won’t fulfill its potential, claiming Rafa is only here to get a better job couldn’t be wider off the mark.
Benitez is a top tier coach as Dyer suggests but that is precisely why he doesn’t need a club to be a stepping stone; his pedigree is secure, he has managed Inter Milan, Liverpool and Chelsea -he doesn’t need to prove anything to secure a job with a Champions League club.
Benitez reportedly turned down advances to manage Spain the World Club and let’s face it, Real Madrid to Newcastle isn’t a well trodden path in football – Benitez came here to help the club and because he wants to be, not because he has eyes on elsewhere.
He may well leave in the summer because of Ashley’s lack of ambition and rightly so, but any other manager would have had enough by now. Rafa stayed after a £21m net profit in the summer. He continues to put his reputation on the line for the good of the club and it would be helpful if pundits realised that, especially former players.
Hes just another Ashley paid – off to55er…!
Peter henderson(Quote)