The Rafa Benitez Thread | Page 45 | Vital Football

The Rafa Benitez Thread

keggy_keagal said:
Huge tactical error from Ashley . Rafa has been his greatest ally whether that's unwittingly from Rafa is up for debate but unimportant. If it brings more pressure on Ashley in the short term, great. Ultimately though there may well be a bit of noise in the here and now but how many are honestly cancelling season tickets ? How many will go back with a new manager and a few signings ? Why are some people only bothered now ?
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To me, Rafa has done what many of us do, the best job that we can, given resource limitations. We don't intend to work for arseholes but sometimes it works out that way. It doesn't stop us getting on with our customers and in my roles, for patients.

I can't cancel a season ticket. I haven't been for years. I felt bemused when I did the open top bus protest and was the only one on the bus not to attend the game after, despite a nearly 200 mile round trip.

My own hope is that finally, some more will boycott and hit the revenue streams. A couple of my golfing mates who worked overseas and are now retired go through the purgatory of attending because they missed out on it for years and in a way I can understand that. Many more mates have also just given up.

I note that the flags group have committed to not draping the flags!
 
keggy_keagal said:
Huge tactical error from Ashley . Rafa has been his greatest ally whether that's unwittingly from Rafa is up for debate but unimportant. If it brings more pressure on Ashley in the short term, great. Ultimately though there may well be a bit of noise in the here and now but how many are honestly cancelling season tickets ? How many will go back with a new manager and a few signings ? Why are some people only bothered now ?
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Aye it's a point that has my interest keggy.

On the surface it looks like Ashley has messed up,if we are to believe the figures bandied about in the media for the sake of an extra 50 odd million he could have secured the services of his greatest ally which in turn would have afforded him more hassle free looting.

This is Ashley though and the one thing we have learned over the period of his ownership is that he will make money from our club.

Benitez's replacement will obviously go a long way in revealing his real plan for us over the next year or two.

I cannot see beyond more of the same or oblivion as far as options go but as stated previously this is Ashley.
 
Well Benitez was not that bothered about staying close to his family near Liverpool and opted for big bucks instead.
No progress on a new Manager indicates the possibility of a takeover being close, as does no transfer news.
You would have thought Benitez would have hung around if takeover was close but maybe potential new owners have their own ideas who they want.
Mourinho maybe.
Dawson and Redfearn raking pre season does not fill you with much hope so let's hope Fans stay away until this mess is sorted or permanently if it's not.
 
It's all gearing up to a Dawson, Redfearn and Ameobi dream team! Simply because they're cheap and kiss Mike's arse. It's going to cost fuck all to replace them in the U23 set up, hell of a lot cheaper than finding a new manager/head coach.

Expect one or more of Ashley's weasels to come out kissing his arse in the press again soon. Obviously the fakeover will be used as an excuse as well.
 
Rexn said:
We don't intend to work for arseholes but sometimes it works out that way. It doesn't stop us getting on with our customers and in my roles, for patients.
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Quite right we don't but Rafa knew full well what Ashley was (unlike say Keegan) before choosing to work for him.
 
The Owl said:
Well Benitez was not that bothered about staying close to his family near Liverpool and opted for big bucks instead.
.
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In his defence he's been ditched by quite a few top clubs and now even lowly Newcastle.
I'm not sure he had the choices some would have us believe.

I can't find confirmation of how long his new contract is for but hopefully it's long.
 
BREAKING NEWS : On the club website! "Our search for a new head coach has been resolved, MD Lee Charnley has finally found his glasses and has realised that he used to play LMA manager on his PS2. Owner Mike Ashley will now hand first team affairs over to Mr Charnley with assistance from Ben Dawson, Neil Redfearn and Shola Ameobi. Mr Charnley commented "I am thrilled to have been given this opportunity by Mr Ashley, I managed to get Peterborough United promoted three seasons in a row on LMA manager. I am looking forward to working with Ben, Neil and NUFC legend Shola. I will be able to delegate certain tasks to them when it is necessary for me to engage in club business in my other role as MD. I feel I am the best person to achieve Mike Ashley's vision for the club. We hope to be able to cut the grass at Benton by offering school children the chance to meet the players if they come with scissors. It will ensure the grass is kept at a suitable length without spending any money"
 
PieMag said:
In his defence he's been ditched by quite a few top clubs and now even lowly Newcastle.
I'm not sure he had the choices some would have us believe.

I can't find confirmation of how long his new contract is for but hopefully it's long.
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I wouldn't say he was "ditched". Didn't he just leave at the end of his contract because he didn't like the terms of the new one which was offered, and in light of a far more lucrative offer from China? I wonder what he would have done if the China offer hadn't been on the table? We will never know of course.
 
As much as I didn't like his style of play benitez wouldn't have been out of a job very long if this China job didn't come up.
 
It doesn't bode well for the takeover that Rafa has gone for a new job. You would expect an incoming party to at least have indirect contact through agents but what do I know, I thought he would be off to PSG if he hadn't for us, either that or wait in the wings for a new owner here.

On the other hand, with what he is worth already and can pick up on a 3 year contract in China, he could buy his own Championship club.
 
wasn't it reported that this Arab group weren't that keen on benitez.maybe they wanted fatty to deal with the fallout of him leaving.
 
billybobcat said:
wasn't it reported that this Arab group weren't that keen on benitez.maybe they wanted fatty to deal with the fallout of him leaving.
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There are reports both ways, some that they wanted to keep him, some that they wanted Mourinho.
 
crooktownmags said:
I wouldn't say he was "ditched". Didn't he just leave at the end of his contract because he didn't like the terms of the new one which was offered, and in light of a far more lucrative offer from China? I wonder what he would have done if the China offer hadn't been on the table? We will never know of course.
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You could well be right CT,
My statement was based on the reports of him being angry and upset to learn of his departure from the news.
Aye would have been interesting to see what he would of done without the Chinese offer.
 
billybobcat said:
As much as I didn't like his style of play benitez wouldn't have been out of a job very long if this China job didn't come up.
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History states you are indeed correct BB,mind it also states he would not have lasted long at the new job either :grinning:
China is the best place for him.
 
Nothing we didn't know about the situation although there's some nice sentiments there from Benitez. 'Talking with the architects about redesigning the training facilities, 3 years later they painted the walls.'
Sums up that cheap, ill mannered ****.
I've just finished reading Paul Ferris's book and Ashley and Llambias were behaving like this then, no contact, ignorant, rude, the man has no common decency, just who the fuck is going to be able to stomach him and his sycophants long enough to actually negotiate a deal to buy the club. This prick's going nowhere.
 
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Well its over to those that go to grow some balls and stay away or will they just carry on as normal, i know what my money ison.
 
Bruce68 said:
Well its over to those that go to grow some balls and stay away or will they just carry on as normal, i know what my money ison.
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I'm starting to think that Ashley might actually be good for me.

I save money through not going to games, play more golf and my handicap has come down by 5. Every time I imagine the golf ball as Ashley's head, I drive it 20 yards further.

Thanks Mike.
 
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