If Ashley (as has been widely speculated/reported) actually wants to move the club off his hands, how on earth can he think that NOT having one of the games most successful and respected managers at the helm improves either the chances of selling the club, or the price he could expect to make from it? If Ashley thought he was reviled by large portions of Newcastles fanbase yesterday, he hasnt seen nothing yet. The Geordies will lose their minds.
The thing with people who've made their fortune in big business is they generally dont like the person on the other side of the negotiating table having more leverage and their ego makes it hard for them to accept any situation where they dont feel like they've won. Mike Ashley knows whatever he pays Benitez is worth it because he'd have to spend a lot more on players with a lesser manager to be certain of staying in the PL. But I reckon Rafa had gotten to the stage where surviving wasnt enough,knows he could earn as much elsewhere and has never been shy to use the leverage he has to try and get what he wants from an owner. When you get to the point where theres no compromise that doesn't seem like a defeat for either one or the other of those guys,its only ending one way.
Stories bouncing around that Rafa's been offered a job in China, or had that offer on the table while "negotiating" with Ashley or whomever does his nattering. 12m a year would soften the blow significantly. Fancy he will end up back in Italy though. Think the style of football suits him to a tee. Newcastle are reminding me of our bad old days. Huge fanbase of diehard fans. Owners the fans hate with no light at the end of the tunnel whatsoever. No manager with any ambition other than a pay cheque is going to want to work there, knowing Ashley makes Scrooge look like a philanthropist.
Id say Rafa made his mind up a while ago that he wouldn't extend unless he got assurances on more funds to compete. It's clear Ashley is not going to put any more major money in and is waiting for the right deal to sell the club. Arsenal should have gone for Rafa last year
Looks like Rafa wanted big money to spend and Ashley figured spending 30% or 40% of that should be enough to stay up. In many ways I can understand Ashleys logic, he could give Rafa or anybody else 100m for the next 3 years and still not make the top 4. Utd could spend the guys of 150m on James, Bisaka and Maguire do well to improve on 6th.
According to a Newcastle buddy of mine, mark hughes is in line to take over. Apparently Rafa not only wanted a bigger contract but wanted investment in the academy too, Ashley didnt want either, so bye bye rafa. The story a few wks ago of the shiek investing in them is apparently false too.
Big job on his hands considering the calibre of managers who have found it tough to work there, one thing though id imagine he will get the respect in that dressing room again.
I don't agree he's blessed at all. Ashley is taken as a mug by lots of the media but he's super smart. He has figured that Rafa with 17th best squad is the league is all they needed to survive. He has equated that spending 100m to get the 10th best squad is a waste of a 100m. The next guy will need a couple of players alright but it wasn't luck that the 3rs or 4th beat manager in the league kept up the 17th best squad.
If Lampard does go back to Chelsea, as seems likely if Derby have given him permission to talk to them, he'll already have Cech there, talk of Drogba going in , in some capacity, and I wonder if he'll be giving Terry a bell to see if he can get him to chuck in Villa and join him at Stamford bridge? I dont know if I think its a good idea, or a bad one bringing in the 2,3 or 4 of them. One the one hand, (lets say 4) you now have 4 of the most successful players of their recent history running the show, and you would think they'd have a certain amount of prestige and respect from the squad (certainly the younger members) and could very well be the ticket to whip that squad into shape. Also Hazard is gone, so there isnt what you'd call a "superstar" for them to deal with. The fans are going to give their returning heroes all the benefit of the doubt you could hope for, and I cant see them clamoring for a managerial change unless things go completely pear shaped on the pitch. Also the story runs that Roman is going to give Lampard 4 windows to get the squad into shape - which means he gets a free punt at his first year managing there with the transfer ban for the first 2. On the other hand.... Hazard is gone - hands down their best player. Also the general consensus over the years on Chelsea is it was and is a very cliquish dressing room, and you have the original clique coming in to take over. Personally I never had much of a problem with Lampard - always thought he was a very good player, who didnt do a lot of yapping. Terry and Drogba on the other hand.....hard to imagine life has mellowed them much in the last few years. What Roman will expect from Lampard is the main question, granted they won a cup last year, but finished 26 points behind City. Now they have no Hazard. How many points was he responsible for in the league? I know he scored the winner in at least 2 of their Europa league run. Could be a poisoned chalice for Lampard who by all accounts is highly regarded at Derby by fans and management alike (just not as highly as Romans millions) and has a good thing going there as he builds his career and reputation just out of the limelight - something like what Stevie G is doing at Rangers in a way. But (Gods forbid) if Klopp left, would any sane Liverpool fan want Stevie to take over with 1 year managing on his CV?
HeHe - didnt see it live but just saw the pics going around of Luis suarez claiming a peno in the copa America last night. The keeper had the nerve to save his shot at the near post with....wait for it....his hand. Cue Luis jumping up and down slapping his arm claiming hand ball.
Took Lampard 1 year to get a bigger job than his uncle Arry ever got Just like OGS getting the Utd job I think it's a massive gamble by Chelsea and says more about the state both clubs are in than the managers quality. Ole got Cardiff relegated and Lampard took Derby from 6th to 6th in Championship. Sarri was booed and disliked by the fans and he got the 3rd and Europa League win, can't see Lampard improving on that over next few years. Top 2 next season same as this. Then Spurs. And then fight out for 4th between the other 3 teams.
No one is smart enough to think they can spend fuck all and actually make a profit on transfers with the base squad Rafa had and think it’s enough guarantee to stay in the premier league , he has got lucky and it’s Rafa where he got lucky . Interesting to see can he get somebody in to make a profit on transfers and stay in the premier league , does that and Then right he is more than lucky
I think Bobbys point was that spending sod all on players and getting one of the best managers in the game wasn't exactly luck, it was a strategy that Ashley figured was the best value way of ensuring they stayed in the PL without having to spend big on money on players.
I'd have to agree,Ashley knew exactly what he was doing and its worked out how he expected. Even with the squad they had they were never going down with Benitez managing it. Spent big on Rafa so he didn't have to put real investment into the squad.
I agree it’s is plans to Spend as less as possible but still think he has got lucky to stay in the league .
Glazers, Woodward and OGS are the most important figures at that club. Utd could lose all the above in the morning and a lot of their fans would be delighted.