TheGingerQuiff

How much are crowds up this season compared to our last championship stint? Rafa being here probably pays for itself

You think replacing Rafa with another yes man will take the flack away from Ashley? there would be fucking hell on man. Why would he want a worse manager ffs. Ridiculous. If anything he's getting less stick now than ever. Even after relegation he didn't get much

Get Rafa off the wage bill how? They'll have to pay him off either way. We don't know exactly what happened in January but I wouldn't be shocked if Fat Sam tried to exploit the position the club were in, i.e buy Townsend on his terms or risk Rafa's wrath. Premier League income is important to the club so why would they risk downgrading the manager? I can sympathise with your position of expecting the worst from Ashley but this one makes no sense.

I slept for about 13 hours last night

It wouldn't be very NUFC to need 1 win from 3 games and to do it at first attempt. 0-0

Queue etiquette aside he's an otherwise alright bloke. About 5 foot and in his late fifties. I'd feel like i was picking on him

There's two coffee machines at work and a one queue system that feeds both machines. This ignorant little baldy cunt always waltzes in and stands behind the person using the second machine and gets served before the entire queue. Every day as well. It's obvious that people haven't just decided to all queue up to use the one machine and left the second one without a queue. Pissing me right off

You're talking shit man. There's absolutely no way that it won't have been made 100% clear who pulls the strings on transfers when the club and Benitez were in negotiations for him to stay. Rafa held all the aces in those discussions and I'd be shocked if it wasn't put into writing for him. Your summer scenario would likely be constructive dismissal #2. How much would that cost? He won't be on Pardew or Hughton wages.

"Up your fucking game"

This is worse than Dummettgate

????

I don't think Hughton or Carver were ever told that they had control of transfers

Aye! And look how that season turned out!

Nah it was pretty well reported that Rafa was taking the job on a full control basis. Ashley isn't going to throw the club into jeopardy this summer. There wouldn't be any benefit in doing it. It'd be a gamble for little reward because he knows he needs to spend whatever happens. So why would he shaft Rafa, need to find a new manager and turn supporters against the club? Irrational.

And backed McClaren quite heavily... he isn't going to throw the club into disarray at this point. It just wouldn't make any sense. There'd be no benefit

The bloke hired Rafa Benitez to manage us in the Championship. That's the actions of somebody that didn't want any drama

I think so aye. Realistically he'll probably want to avoid looking like a cunt in public some more at a time when Sports Direct fury is dying down

Unquestionably? I think it's reasonable to question if he'd be willing to risk relegation and the sending the club into what would be undoubtedly turmoil. Why would he not just be upfront with Rafa about the transfer policy and get another manager in? To suggest he'll lead Rafa on into the summer and half arsededly chase his targets is irrational and daft

I think that last paragraph is bonkers like. He's got one of the top managers in world football managing his investment. He'll want to keep him.

I imagine there'll be up front discussion about budgets and who's spending it though. I think Ashley would care if Rafa fucks off. We'd be left managerless with an understrength squad. Which would probably be relegated again. Ashley's a loose cannon sure but I think it's a bit irrational to think he'd be that stupid

Come on, they know it'll be curtains if they mess him about. If January hasn't been resolved internally already then he's probably already planning to leave. If he stays he'll get backed

Steve McMannaman ffs. Ruining post game

I'd be concerned if he gets offered a top job somewhere though. Even a big budget might not be enough to keep him

I think they will back him, it'd be an outrageous business decision to not back him. Even Ashley isn't this stupid.

I don't know if I want him to stay as I don't like to see him taking the shit that he is. I'd like him to take a top job somewhere else and let them try to replace him