For the first time, Rafa Benitez has refused to guarantee that he won’t walk before the end of the season – suggesting he could quit THIS week if no signing arrive before Thursday’s 11pm deadline.
Not only that, the Spaniard felt he could not even give season ticket holders reason to renew – and I don’t blame him.
Here’s what he’s had to say when asked if he could guarantee that he would not quit – with it now confirmed that he can walk for free after a £6m clause expired:
“No, I cannot guarantee anything. We will wait until Thursday and see what happens,”
“I guarantee I will be focussed and try to do my best every minute…”
“I want to do things well. Again I will say, if I decide to stay in the Championship to do my job and to finish my job in the way that I like to do things. I have some principles.”
Here’s what he then said when asked why the club have been left in this predicament with no signings and just 48 hours of the window left:
“It’s not a question for me,”
“The way things are going on here, I can say yes or not to the proposals that I receive. I can give some names but I don’t do any negotiations, anything. In the end I can say yes or not so you give me this or that I can choose one or the other one. That’s it. I can say yes if we need that.”
This really does feel like a massive moment – the first time Rafa has practically given in and suggested he can’t cope working under these conditions anymore. He’s never broken a contract in his career, but who would blame him if he did?
This now creates a big dilemma for fans heading to the game tonight. There’s a feeling that we must sing our hearts out for Rafa, just incase this is his final game at St James’ Park, but the need to up the pressure on Ashley feels just as vital.
This article is offensive, Olly. Shame on you. It is a baltant misrepresentation. Rafa has always said he would not walk out on the fans or the city. Clearly he wouldn’t be re-signing with Ashley still in charge, and Ashley’s ‘attempts’ to sell were always bogus, so the writing has been on the wall for well over a year. But, Rafa won’t be resigning because of Ashley, either. He has said as much in plain clear English (some feat for the Spanish born). He has even said why he won’t walk out – respect for the fans and ‘principles’ as a professional football manager. I would add, principles as a decent human being, the polar opposite of Ashley.
(You could well do with some principles too, Olly, and stop writing what amounts to an insult to Rafa’s professionalism and humanity.) 👿
Peter(Quote)
He didnt say or suggest he would quit after the Man City game at all. He was asked a question and said he would give no guarantees to anything. He also said ‘If I decide to stay in The Championship its because I want to finish the job properly”.
End of the day, and I despise the cockroach that is with Mike Ashley, Rafa should not be above critism. He knows what kind of person Ashley is yet his game playing is constant. Not playing players like Murphy, Lazaar, Mitrovic, Gayle, Hanley, Sels amd instead loaning them out (or trying to in Muprhys case).
Complaining to the press when £20m+ targets like Jorgenson and Sandro dont come off….whilst those players turn out to flop big time proving to be a massive bullet dodged.
Look at Brighton….their squad on a whole isnt a level above ours. Yes they have a few stand out players but so do we!
Was Rafa right to swap Mitro for Joselu?
Was he even right to swap Daryl Murphy for Joselu?
Rafa says he has final say….
So why spend £12m on Jacob Muprhy then not give the kid a run of games to get going?
Rafa’s success has been finding cheap gems like Dubravka, Schaar, Lejuene, Fernandez…
Ashley being the parasite he is will just point to that success and what happened to the likes of Sandro and Jorgenson….and Sturridge, Abraham etc as to why he wont change policy.
Also negative tactics and writing your current players off as being so bad it would be a miracle if they stay up hasnt helped.
Probs one of the best goalies in the league, spoilt for choice at CB, Solid midfielders in Ki, Shelvey, Longstaff and Diame, good young wingers like Murphy, Atsu, Roberts, Kenedy who all love to attack. We lack strikers….
Mitrovic? Gayle?
Rafas fault
Miller(Quote)
Good luck at Leicester rafa never be forgotten at newcastle get the feeling Ashley doesn’t like legends ******
Harrogate mag(Quote)
Highly likely we are heading for the drop anyway followed by more years of even more torture, and NUFC value will drop considerably and fat greedy t**t loses out (he he), all things being considered, we have been lucky to have Rafa this long.
Don’t recall any manager having to endure the torture Rafa has had to contend with.
Geordie exile(Quote)
Oh yes the torture, wish I had his £4m per year salary !!!
Get real he is a football manager paid well and yes not had any support from Ashley but hardly torture !!!
Try working for minimum age in **** conditions that’s torture
David(Quote)
So Rafa does not have to pay the big fat guy £6m not his contract has come to an end.
Expect resignation announcement on live TV tonight, along with BT scanning the hospitality seats to view our next manager.
It’s got to be Big Sam.
Ed(Quote)