Haydnator

Except "leaked" fixture lists are always bollocks.

Meanwhile Wolverhampton Wanderers are offering €40m for a full back whilst Ashley won't fork out more than £12m for a striker.

Looking like it's certain to be Pellegrini.

Their owners are cunts as well mind. I too have seen West Ham fans saying it's all the club putting stories in the press about how much they want Rafa, so they can claim "we tried" when/if they don't. A mantra we're quite accustomed to actually. Everton did it this season: claiming Simeone was "on their list" yet ending up with Lardiola.

Can't believe some would question Rafa if he went to West Ham. Whilst I don't think he'd join that shit tip of a club, it's down to Ashley for allowing fucking West Ham United, the club whose fans fight amongst each other in their athletics stadium during 0-3 home defeats to Burnley, to sniff around and tap up our manager because he wouldn't give him what he wanted, which isn't a lot. The fact that Rafa's contract talks didn't start after the Arsenal win where safety was secured and the fact that the "talks" are still ongoing shows us Ashley is just doing what he's always done, not giving a fuck. The size of the budget I don't think is an issue, it's whether hypothetically if he wanted spend all of a, say, £80m budget on 1 or 2 players, would he be allowed to do it? Would the club dither on deals like they did on Caballero and Abraham in the summer? Trust is eroded. If a new contract is signed then Rafa has full control assured in writing; if he's fucked around again he can sue for constructive dismissal. I don't think he'll leave us for West Ham btw, but the fact it's been allowed to get to this point shows the leopard never changes it's spots. Though we knew that already, didn't we.

I don't think it's extreme as the Hegelian dialectal synthesis a few have came to in some posts over the course of the season: no takeover equating to Rafa leaving. The word compete everyone saw in most of his interviews in the summer, his views on the season and future when away on the training camp in Spain. He wants the necessary funds to compete with your Burnleys, your Leicesters, your Evertons and your Bournemouths of the league. We've been able to do just that from January but with players who aren't ours; the total of money these players would cost is up for debate. But a budget of similar to what McClaren was given, £50m-£80m not including player sales which the club has already received or is about to receive via the windfall of TV money would allow us to compete with those clubs and most likely better them, I think most would agree on that. Although the market has changed post-Neymar, look at his Napoli signings and money spent there, Higuain aside. How far the club can go is just whether Rafa is allowed that amount of money. Caulkin put it beautifully after the Arsenal win as he always does: No one is expecting it, that "Newcastle [Ashley] would have the wit to recognise what they have at their fingertips". Read the word that Caulkin put just before that. Hope. That is what kills with NUFC.

A case can be argued for every position tbh. But, for me: Kenedy Dubravka 2 strikers (Slimani isn't ours, Joselu isn't good enough, keep Gayle as a squad player, if Mitro goes we probably need 3 strikers ) A #10 (no idea who, I'd trust Rafa's judgement) A winger (Murphy is young, unsure on Atsu, keep Ritchie as a squad player) A CB (if Lascelles gets injured/suspended we're a mess defensively) A RB (probably bin Manquillo or just keep as cover for Dummett on the opposite side, sign an upgrade on or better competition for Yedlin) Doubt Rafa will get the funds to get those. I'm convinced he'd turn us into a very decent side with a McClaren sized budget of maybe £50m-£80m, whether he'll get it is another conversation.

Anyone have any decent rivers for this?

Because he's an excellent manager who will cost Ashley less money in his eyes, as because he's so good a coach, he doesn't have to spend as much on higher quality players, hence the previous 3 windows. We'll see what the craic is in the summer, as I think we'll stay up. It's either a takeover, a kitty similar to what McClaren got or another pisstake.

I wouldn't say humiliated. Undermined yes. He wouldn't sign another deal I don't think but I still think he'll be here next season as he has 1 year left. The summer is going to be neurotic.

Rafa wouldn't be here if he hadn't have approached the club though. Ashley wouldn't have thought to go for Rafa Benitez. And he seems to be trying his hardest to act to Rafa and the club's detriment going by the previous 3 transfer windows.

What? What did I say in my post that was delusional? Mike Ashley has never done anything to benefit Newcastle United. To argue otherwise is really, really weird.

No he didn't, Rafa approached the club. Like adios said he fell into Ashley's lap and has so far actively refused to compete. We'll see what happens in the summer, it could be a takeover and everyone unites again like when SJH and KK came in, it could be irritating but bearable ie Rafa gets a similar sized transfer kitty to what McClaren got, or it'll be disastrous; similar to the previous 3 transfer windows.

We'll stay up, 3 wins or 2 wins and 3 draws should be enough imo. Trooper, never take anything Ashley says for granted, whatever he comes out I tend to believe the exact opposite. He's a liar, proven in court. We need to stay up to maximise the chances of a takeover and kicking on with Rafa. If Rafa left all the focus of the fanbases should be on protests/boycotts to force him out. But whilst Rafa is here, the club is worth supporting. Thread title trebled with the "sign on" and "stole my stereo" chants is pure btw.

The only logical explanation is he's gambling on Benitez' managerial ability to keep us up at minimal cost so he can top up PCP's offer with the money meant to be spent on transfers this season and sell at the maximum profit that he can. Whether that's wishful, I don't know. Apathy is starting creep in. Having new owners next season is far more important than what league we're in next season.

We strengthened last time in the PL in January. Nee guarantees for anyone but I see your point. The atmosphere amongst those clubs that have strengthened and their fanbases won't be as toxic as here. Ashley's gambling again. Hopefully should we stay up he finally fucks off. If he doesn't then go, all of the fanbase needs to be all out against him. More vitriolic than the McKeag protests hopefully.

Assuming it's not just out of pure spite, all I could suggest for the reason behind such a farce of a window is that Ashley's accepted he won't get what he wants in a sale and is therefore gambling that Rafa's connection with the fans keeps him here and his managerial ability keeps us up. We're just about coping so far, it's not like we're cut adrift at the bottom of the league and I don't think we've been in the bottom 3 since the opening weekend. So it probably seems like a decent bet. He then takes the unspent transfer and TV money to top up whatever he gets from the sale, cuts his losses and runs.

As long as Rafa is manager, I'll be going to games and vocally supporting the team. If he goes, I do too.

Nah, he'll "loan" the club that he owns money to get us back up, then not spend a penny to keep us in the league. Rinse and repeat. NUFC under Ashley.

Going to this. Expecting nowt, will remember nowt as I'm on the piss all day.

Happy with that, yesterday. Nothing else we could do really and we did it well despite losing. Proud of the lads. Sky shagging us off can fuck off. Saying the PL is now a joke due to the gulf in class? They're the ones mainly fucking responsible for it! Get to fuck. Prefer the siege mentality anyway.

Merry Christmas everyone. All the best.