The Times’ George Caulkin has made a telling admission regarding Mike Ashley’s lack of investment so far this summer, revealing that he’s unwilling to give Rafa Benitez money to spend as he could be ‘buying players his successor may not fancy‘.
With Benitez yet to sign a new contract, entering the final year of his deal which is due to expire next summer, it seems Ashley argument is now ‘why should I hand money to a bloke who won’t be hear next year?’.
Doesn’t this just sound like a perfect (yet pathetic) excuse from Ashley to justify yet another chronic lack of spending?
It’s been said that Mike Ashley will only release funds once Benitez signs a new deal, whilst Benitez will only sign a new deal if Ashley starts spending – suggesting the two have reached an impasse – however this latest rationale from Ashley is just completely self-defeating.
This approach up his time at Newcastle, so we shouldn’t be all that surprised, but this really does show the sort of rubbish Rafa is up against.
Here’s a snippet from his latest piece for The Times, revealing the club’s pathetic stance when it comes to giving him no money to spend this season:
‘The club’s attitude? If Benítez refuses to commit then why would they buy players his successor may not fancy?
‘Why stretch themselves financially if the manager is to leave?’
Laughable. Are you telling me Benitez would honestly sign players some yes man is going to say no to? Give me a break.
This approach is completely backwards and suggests that even Ashley himself may be resigned to losing Rafa – a manager any other owner would be busting a gut to keep happy.
It sums up his lack of ambition and total disregard for both Benitez and our club. If Ashley’s not prepared to back Benitez now he never will.
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I along with thousands of others wish Ashley would just go ,find some other bankrupt shop to buy out I hear Poundland needs a new owner but then you F@@k that up trying to get it cheap and then start to rip your customers off by selling everything for twice the price it’s worth. Horrible slug what you are
Jim Baty(Quote)
What’s the point and why bother, another year and the same story.. Wouldn’t blame Rafa leaving us. The man deserves better and so do the fans, very supprised he stayed so long… lies and deceit…no ambition, no point.. Ashley out.
Sir Bobby(Quote)
ashley is a buffoon a moron an idiot and that is an insult to all other buffoons morons and idiots.the only reason rafa will leave is he has to deal with this cretin and his minions. ashley needs to pack his sports direct carrier bag and do one now.
stu hunter(Quote)
Well I’ve said this all along that since the moment Ashley hired Rafa he’s been engineering a way to get rid of him , because he doesn’t like to employ anybody who he can’t control. That’s what it’s all about with him , and now he’s obviously made up his mind that Rafa is going , then come out with the lame excuse like this , to be quite honest and I don’t for one minute want to see Rafa leave , I hope he decides with one day of the transfer window to go to resign .It’s a lame excuse , because even if Rafa does leave at the end of his contract Newcastle still need players to survive another relegation. Because if they do go down because of lack of investment and Rafa’s contract is up , the **** will really hit the fan
Jack(Quote)
The two of them need their heads knocked together no thought to the fans not knowing what is happening. Rafa should just sign with a proviso that if no money come the contract is null and void, then put it back to Ashley who in this game cares about contracts anyway.
Disgruntled(Quote)
I think Benitez has no intention of signing a new deal. And why would he really want to?
Ashley treats him as if he’s one of his Sports Direct workers!
I wouldn’t blame him for running down his contract, infact I bet he wishes it had of ran down this summer.
Because then he could have scooted off to West Ham without harming his reputation.
Look at the way West Ham are spending this summer, Rafa must be watching in awe!!!
Neale Bertram(Quote)
Who would actually pay their employer to leave a job? 6 million reasons Rafa’s still here. He’ll be out the door the day his contract ends.
Toontaff(Quote)
Absolute twaddle… his would be the obvious excuse right now but does not explain the lack of investment in the previous two windows…
Rafa won’t sign because he knows once pen is on paper the powers at the club will continue to show the same lack of ambition…
No man in his right mind would sign given the same history and set of circumstances…
Mr Caulkin can attempt to come up with legitimate reasons all he wishes in an effort to blow smoke up the fat mans rear, however he must sincerely think northerners are like monkies but slightly dumber if he thinks this tripe will fly and that people don’t have their own experience and memory to draw from…
It’s either a lazy media offering or a regime sponsored spin offering…
Either way it should not be worthy of a wage!
Paul(Quote)