Why the latest announcement on Rafa Benitez is both good and bad news for NUFC fans

Simon Riddlesden

There was finally some good news on the future of Rafa Benitez yesterday, even if it wasn’t the new contract we are all hoping for. It looks like a long summer ahead of speculation ahead for Newcastle fans but at least there is something positive to report.

‘Positive talks’ and the promise of a  ‘competitive budget’ have reportedly resulted in Benitez saying he will stay next season but a new contract beyond that is still in doubt and yet to be agreed. So just where does that leave us?

The good news

Initially, I think there is just some relief that he isn’t going to West Ham, of all places. Pellegrini looks set for the role after strong rumours last week that Benitez was ready to leave Newcastle to move to the Olympic Stadium.  Newcastle fans would not blame Rafa if he walked, it’s a minor miracle he is still here considering the constraints of working with Mike Ashley. If he does leave it should be for a Champions League club and West Ham securing an alternative manager is another piece of the jigsaw in Rafa hopefully staying this summer.

The fact talks have taken place and there is some form of breakthrough is a massive positive. It is big step forward and must mean Rafa has heard some things he likes or some of his demands on funding and infrastructure will be met. It is also worth remembering that Rafa is a master politician, just as he says he wont sign a contract now it doesn’t mean he wont; he realises having 1 year left on his deal is the best bargaining chip he has to demand more cash for new players. He wont commit until he gets what he wants and in writing no doubt after failed promises previously.

So the fact that Rafa looked likely to join West Ham a week ago and now looks likely to be in the dugout for us come August is good news. We just need further progress to made in the coming weeks so common sense can prevail a new contract signed.

The bad news

Although this is a breakthrough of sorts, it only secures Rafa as manager for next season – not for the future. It also shows that issues still amazingly persist from Ashley. The Chronicle state ‘positive talks’ were held, but they still mustn’t have been positive and reassuring enough for Rafa to sign a new deal. Why he won’t commit the funds to Rafa and the control over transfers he wants just seems bizarre and is so frustrating to watch history repeat himself time and time again under the Ashley tenure.

Rafa rightly will not sign a new contract until everything is right and if it is taking this long you have to question whether the club will ever back him with the resources he needs. We could not have hoped for better than a 10th place finish and it meant maximum prize money. Takeover talks look to have failed with a high asking price putting buyers off and while Ashley is here we will always lack ambition.

You get the sense the love of the club and the area continues to keep Benitez here and he is determined to use his success on Tyneside to force Ashley’s hand. He is the only manager to consistently question Ashley while staying at the club  – Rafa knows Ashley needs him. The bad news is that while he is owner, the future of a top class manager like Rafa will always be in doubt and this latest news just confirms that. Things are never straight forward with Ashley.

What do you make of the latest twist in the future of Rafa Benitez? Will he sign a new contract and stay beyond next season?

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Simon Riddlesden

Lifelong Newcastle United fan and East Stand season ticket holder. Observations from a supporter who has followed NUFC during Champions League participation and through relegation, taking me from Milan to Scunthorpe.

View all posts by Simon Riddlesden →

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201 thoughts on “Why the latest announcement on Rafa Benitez is both good and bad news for NUFC fans”

  1. Oh my god, what a **** up by the keeper.

    Get in Mane lad!!!.

    I’ve decided I want Pool to win now coz I fucking hate Ramos & I’m Messi over Ronaldo

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  9. What a goal that was from Bale… stunner. Cannot see pool coming back again now.

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  15. I feel for the keeper like. Loose to that Bale overhead kick and the quality wins out – to be loose to 2 keeping errors is harsh.

    Mind you, I’d be checking his kit bag for betting slips like ?.

    Ramos didn’t need to take Salah out after all ?

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  16. I think Karius has played his last game for Liverpool… oh deary deary me… ??

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  18. Karius. Oh dear. Did not matter how well his team played because whatever they did, he would have ****** it up for them anyway! What a clown.

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  19. You can see Gareth Bale is still not really accepted at Madrid. Not many players rushing over to him at full time. Ronaldo nowhere to be seen congratulating his amazing overhead kick. BT Sport first to interview him presumably because Spanish TV have gone to Ronaldo first.

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  24. Just read L/Pool fan board,one fan after another calling their keeper is a disgrace wishing him and his kids and family every kind of disease under the sun turned my guts didn’t think anyone could wish stuff like that on any one,should be banned from the human race never mind footy

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  25. Icedog:
    Just read L/Pool fan board,one fan after another calling their keeper is a disgrace wishing him and his kids and family every kind of disease under the sun turned my guts didn’t think anyone could wish stuff like that on any one,should be banned from the human race never mind footy

    Small minded fuckwits mate. I’m not saying they should wish that on anyone but if I was a Pool fan I’d be more angry at Ramos. He done a real number on Salah there and has ended his and Egypt’s WC

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  27. Eric, I’m not really sure how he can be employed as a impartial pundit when he goes around doing things like this. But then again, it appears it’s a small market Sky pundits. You’ve got to be either ex Liverpool or Man Utd.

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  28. Dortmund are wanting to sign Batshuayi for £50m!!! I guess it will be another summer of bs for us then! Who’s the new Joselu?

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  29. Henry is having his money cut in half by Sky they say he’s not up to the job to be on full money (1.5 mil)

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  30. I have seen comments that it is Neville’s personal twitter account and his personal time and he can do what he wants. I am not so sure. He is the public face of Sky football and they portray him that way. Same with Carragher who they will probably employ again. That spitting incident was a disgrace but they will probably take him back.

    Luckily, we don’t get either of them that often in the US. We get mini-me Neville who yaps on about Man U even when he is not commentating on their game. But we also get Chris Waddle and Clive Allen who are very passionate about the teams they played for but do not act like dicks about, say, Arsenal or Nice.

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  31. When does the first tranche of the sky money come in? Similarly with Season Tickets?

    Basically the way I see it we might just be able to afford Dubravka before the money comes in, and we might be able to sell one or two minor players before the WC. But I can’t see us selling Mitro until after the world cup where he may double his value. So any real incoming players will not be until after we get money in.

    Which probably means Christmas

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  32. PremAndUp:
    When does the first tranche of the sky money come in? Similarly with Season Tickets?

    Basically the way I see it we might just be able to afford Dubravka before the money comes in, and we might be able to sell one or two minor players before the WC. But I can’t see us selling Mitro until after the world cup where he may double his value. So any real incoming players will not be until after we get money in.

    Which probably means Christmas

    We can’t buy from European clubs until June 8.

    There is no risk in waiting until after the WC for Mitro as Fulham will buy him for 20 million anyway. The only problem would be that Fatman doesn’t want to front the money for players before Mitro is sold.

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  33. Apparently the Sky cash comes in July. That’s one of the problems Rafa has with the club. A normal business would just borrow it for 2 months from a bank but not NUFC…By the time we get it every other club will have taken the players we wanted I don’t doubt.

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  34. Icedog:
    Henry is having his money cut in half by Sky they say he’s not up to the job to beon full money (1.5 mil)

    Ice – well if that’s the criteria I hope they don’t just stop with Henry!!

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  35. Stuart79:
    Apparently the Sky cash comes in July. That’s one of the problems Rafa has with the club. A normal business would just borrow it for 2 months from a bank but not NUFC…By the time we get it every other club will have taken the players we wanted I don’t doubt.

    Stu – to be fair though, that isn’t going to delay negotiating with clubs, players and agents. If we get that bit done before July, then we just agree with deal from that date. Other clubs will then know that money is on its way so it also won’t stop them from being able to negotiate on bringing in the replacement or new players for themselves.
    Alternatively, the money we bring in from player sales will be available.

    If Rafa is looking at free transfers or loan players – like Abraham, then he can still get cracking with that.

    I know what you mean, it’s not how a normal business would function, but this this the toon under Ashley ??‍♂️. But at least it shouldn’t stop us from getting cracking on bringing people in.

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  37. Sharpy17: Stu – to be fair though, that isn’t going to delay negotiating with clubs, players and agents.If we get that bit done before July, then we just agree with deal from that date.Other clubs will then know that money is on its way so it also won’t stop them from being able to negotiate on bringing in the replacement or new players for themselves.
    Alternatively, the money we bring in from player sales will be available.

    If Rafa is looking at free transfers or loan players – like Abraham, then he can still get cracking with that.

    I know what you mean, it’s not how a normal business would function, but this this the toon under Ashley .But at least it shouldn’t stop us from getting cracking on bringing people in.

    Sharpy – Clubs won’t ignore bids from other clubs just because we’ve agreed to pay them in July. If another club came in and offered to pay cash immediately they’d take it. The only reason they wouldn’t would be if the player had his heart set on playing here. Unlikely… Clubs are business’ and if one club wants a player but can’t pay until July and another club wants the same player and will pay now, they’ll take the best offer which is getting paid now.

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  38. So Salah says Ramos done his shoulder on purpose pulling his arm down and putting his whole weight on his shoulder,if that’s the way Real try to win games I never want to play for them

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  39. Icedog:
    So Salah says Ramos done his shoulder on purpose pulling his arm down and putting his whole weight on his shoulder,if that’s the way Real try to win games I never want to play for them

    He meant it Icedog. Ramos has the most red and yellow cards in La Liga history. He is a great player but is a dirty ******.

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  40. Stuart79: Sharpy – Clubs won’t ignore bids from other clubs just because we’ve agreed to pay them in July. If another club came in and offered to pay cash immediately they’d take it. The only reason they wouldn’t would be if the player had his heart set on playing here. Unlikely… Clubs are business’ and if one club wants a player but can’t pay until July and another club wants the same player and will pay now, they’ll take the best offer which is getting paid now.

    Stu – I agree with you mate. For me, if I were Ashley the money would come out of my own pocket and I’ll have it back July if it were the difference of making a signing Rafa or not.
    I could be wrong, but I don’t see it being a major issue. But if it did result in missing out, then all Ashley is doing is harming the club – the club he still owns.

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  41. Icedog:
    So Salah says Ramos done his shoulder on purpose pulling his arm down and putting his whole weight on his shoulder,if that’s the way Real try to win games I never want to play for them

    Ice – good on Salah coming out and saying that. I think it was obvious for all to see he did it on purpose, but usually there is a reluctance to say things like that – I say that coz the pundits, particularly Rio Ferdinand was claiming at half time that Ramos didn’t mean to do it – bollocks!!.
    What angered me more was the way he showed no remorse and was laughing with the linesman. Not only did he end his CL final, he could ended his WC.

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  42. I’m sad and glad at the same time that it’s not just the establishment in this country that’s that so pro EU that they ignore an elected government’s wishes. RIP Italy

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  44. Memorial Day. Yet another time for America’s obsession with its flag and National Anthem. Then there is labor Day, 4th of July, Chicago Air and Water Show, Thanksgiving. It goes on and on. At every baseball game and there are 30 teams that play 162 games a year each so that is 4,860 renditions of star spangled banner alone. And that’s not including the playoffs. Or basketball.

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  45. It really is crazy. I could walk out now and see 10 American flags on my street. It is not even a royal wedding or last night at the proms. So, you know that John Wayne said in 1976 that America had done more in its 200 year history than all of the other countries in the world put together.

    I live here, but sometimes you have to wonder about the arrogance. And then they go and elect Donald Trump.

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  47. PremAndUp:
    https://www.euroclubindex.com/

    Interesting table 94th well below palace and the like

    Prem – we’ve only had 1 season back in the premier league mate, all be it a decent one. But if we have another like that then we will shoot up that league. Southampton are up that league and they have been ***** the last few seasons

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  49. The papers are giving Karius a hard time. He knows he messed up. Leave him alone.

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  50. These 2 new Sunderland owners are total tw@ts. It will be a pleasure to watch them go down in flames. And take Lee Cattermole with you.

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