Five years on from his arrival at St James’ Park, a bittersweet Rafa Benitez video has remerged to remind us Newcastle fans what it felt like to have hope.
After a superb 1-0 win at Leicester back in April 2019, the Spaniard spoke to Sky Sports duo Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville about his ambitions for the club – both on and off the pitch.
His inspiring interview saw him talk up the importance of a team that’s capable of competing and club that must push to reach it’s huge ‘potential’ – words that seem a million miles away from where we are now, with Bruce happy to get a point at West Brom and simply fulfil Mike Ashley’s remit of survival.
Here’s a reminder of Rafa’s brilliant words:
Almost two years on from this interview brimming with passion, hope and a plan for the future, we know sit one place above the relegation zone hoping Brighton and Fulham slip.
I say that because our current boss seems quite content to talk up our “unbeaten run” – which is nothing to brag about when our inability to beat any of Wolves, West Brom and Aston Villa could well be the difference between staying up and going down.
Benitez may be gone and a distant memory know we’re stuck with a manager who’ll happily settle for Mike Ashley’s low standards, but it’s difficult not to look back on Rafa’s rousing comments with such sadness and frustration when it wouldn’t have taken much to make his vision a reality.
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Absolutely Heartbreaking.
Nufc 11(Quote)
Rafa may have talked a good talk but from a results point of view he was no better than Bruce.
So what you are really saying is you need someone to talk us up? Lets not forget Rafa’s talk of “needing a miracle to keep this team up?”
BykerBill(Quote)
Why was Rafa talking about a miracle being needed?
It was he had an owner who let the team stagnate with no investment!
Bruce has been given £100 million and doesn’t know how to get the best out of the players he has got… that accusation can not be levelled at Rafa!
The owner is the problem along with his useless and clueless yes men he has hired.
Does Super Bruce still think there are 6 or 7 teams around him panicking?
There are only 1 right now Fulham!
We have shown a total lack of ambition going forward against Sheffield Utd, Wolves and Villa plus others.
That’s what will send us down, courtesy of Ashley and Bruce.
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Joseph(Quote)