Rafa Benitez

[adios 717]

 

1 hour ago, ewerk said:

 

Edited May 10, 2017 by adios

[trooper 940]

2 hours ago, TheGingerQuiff said:

 

No point in criticising Ashley now over things that happened a decade ago

Not changing the sig mate 

[Howay 12496]

Actions speak louder than words but it's still nice to hear positive statements like that.

[The Fish 10972]

Such an exciting time, Benitez committing his future, Ashley committing his support. 

 

I almost want the 17/18 season out the way so we can see where we are aiming for after a season of what will likely be fairly boring consolidation.

[Rayvin 5319]

So Ashley has said that Rafa will get every penny the club generates. How much have we generated? We could be talking very little here...

 

I mean, whatever it is, it sounds like Rafa is happy with it. Which is encouraging.

[David Kelly 1260]

11 minutes ago, Rayvin said:

So Ashley has said that Rafa will get every penny the club generates. How much have we generated? We could be talking very little here...

 

I mean, whatever it is, it sounds like Rafa is happy with it. Which is encouraging.

I think that's the key point.  If Rafa is happy enough with it then he must think it's enough to make us competitive.  

[The Fish 10972]

58 minutes ago, Rayvin said:

So Ashley has said that Rafa will get every penny the club generates. How much have we generated? We could be talking very little here...

 

I mean, whatever it is, it sounds like Rafa is happy with it. Which is encouraging.

 

Depends what is counted as generated; player sales, prize money, sponsorship deals, tv money?

[Happy Face 29]

I think Rafa's concern will be more about how money is spent rather than how much.

 

In January he provided targets after a £30m transfer surplus in the summer and Charnley, Carr, Ashley, Moncur between them couldn't bring in anyone.

 

The only statement that would placate me would be that Rafa has full discretion to decide how far we'll lift a bid and he alone will decide when we walk away, as long as he is within the available money.  If he decides we need one £60m stiker and that's it in the summer, he should get it.  Club can't insist he buy 6 £10m players because the profitability is better.

 

There's little tangible action they can take to assure fans or Rafa that this will be the case.  They were telling Keegan that they were bidding more than they really were within minutes of talking to him and the selling club, so their promises on that front aren't worth shit.

 

I think Rafa knows this and wants to constantly keep them on edge, threatening his departure at the end of every season unless they have talks, but I think it'll wear thin for him with Ashley who hasn't actually done anything.  hasn't resurrected the training ground improvements.  Has blocked any stadium expansion for his own personal gain.  Has risked our promotion by not investing in January.  Has reiterated his commitment to the years old Transfer policy and Graham Carr. Has not made Sports Direct pay the club despite a 15 month old promise.

 

I'm not as negative as this post ended up sounding.  But I'm sticking to single tickets on the assumption it's 50/50 whether it will go tits up.

 

 

[The Fish 10972]

1 hour ago, Happy Face said:

But I'm sticking to single tickets on the assumption it's 50/50 whether it will go tits up

 

Is it still cheaper to do that?

[Park Life 71]

Every year it's the same old shit. Will Ashley pull a fast one etc? Long past caring tbh.

[wykikitoon 20868]

I read or heard somewhere, might have been from Carragher that Rafa seems to enjoy conflict and it keeps everyone on their toes.

[Park Life 71]

4 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

I read or heard somewhere, might have been from Carragher that Rafa seems to enjoy conflict and it keeps everyone on their toes.

Yeah that was Carrah.

[Happy Face 29]

2 hours ago, The Fish said:

 

Is it still cheaper to do that?

 

Aye. I get sports bar tickets for £15.

[Howay 12496]

3 hours ago, Happy Face said:

I think Rafa's concern will be more about how money is spent rather than how much.

 

In January he provided targets after a £30m transfer surplus in the summer and Charnley, Carr, Ashley, Moncur between them couldn't bring in anyone.

 

The only statement that would placate me would be that Rafa has full discretion to decide how far we'll lift a bid and he alone will decide when we walk away, as long as he is within the available money.  If he decides we need one £60m stiker and that's it in the summer, he should get it.  Club can't insist he buy 6 £10m players because the profitability is better.

 

There's little tangible action they can take to assure fans or Rafa that this will be the case.  They were telling Keegan that they were bidding more than they really were within minutes of talking to him and the selling club, so their promises on that front aren't worth shit.

 

I think Rafa knows this and wants to constantly keep them on edge, threatening his departure at the end of every season unless they have talks, but I think it'll wear thin for him with Ashley who hasn't actually done anything.  hasn't resurrected the training ground improvements.  Has blocked any stadium expansion for his own personal gain.  Has risked our promotion by not investing in January.  Has reiterated his commitment to the years old Transfer policy and Graham Carr. Has not made Sports Direct pay the club despite a 15 month old promise.

 

I'm not as negative as this post ended up sounding.  But I'm sticking to single tickets on the assumption it's 50/50 whether it will go tits up.

 

 

Good post HF.

The risk in January was something I found particularly worrying, Rafa likely wanted one team to get promoted and another for the Prem. A few of my mates saw a few of the players out on Sunday night and he was saying a few of them were basically saying they're looking for Championship clubs. Maybe that's what put Ashley off spending, thinking he could hold off in January and still see the club promoted, while it worked it's something that has the potential to see Rafa walk which would have us back to Charnley pulling out his Panini sticker book from 1988 to see if any of those players are now shit English managers and giving them a ring.

 

They also saw Danny Graham in FYEO btw  hours after Blackburn were relegated.

Edited May 11, 2017 by Howay

[David Kelly 1260]

10 minutes ago, Howay said:

Good post HF.

The risk in January was something I found particularly worrying, Rafa likely wanted one team to get promoted and another for the Prem. A few of my mates saw a few of the players out on Sunday night and he was saying a few of them were basically saying they're looking for Championship clubs. Maybe that's what put Ashley off spending, thinking he could hold off in January and still see the club promoted, while it worked it's something that has the potential to see Rafa walk which would have us back to Charnley pulling out his Panini sticker book from 1988 to see if any of those players are now shit English managers and giving them a ring.

 

They also saw Danny Graham in FYEO btw  hours after Blackburn were relegated.

Which players was this?  I could imagine the likes on Hanley and Murphy as well as some of the younger ones who have been here for years without making it (Vukic and Sammy spring to mind) but it would be interesting if there's some of the ones who played more regularly.

 

 

[Howay 12496]

12 minutes ago, David Kelly said:

Which players was this?  I could imagine the likes on Hanley and Murphy as well as some of the younger ones who have been here for years without making it (Vukic and Sammy spring to mind) but it would be interesting if there's some of the ones who played more regularly.

 

 

One of them was Hanley, but it was actually Gayle who my mate said was saying that. I'm not as down on Gayle as some people (and I guess himself if my mate is to be believed) as I think if we have the creativity around him he could hit double figures in the PL, the thing that worries me about him is the amount of games he missed.

[Happy Face 29]

Seems a strange thing for Gayle to say he's looking for a championship club specifically.  You'd think he'd be courting other premier league clubs if Rafa told him to find another employer.

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

I honestly believe Gayle will score goals for us next season, he is a natural goalscorer whatever league he is in. He reads the game, not in the same mould as Shearer obviously but he puts himself in the goalscoring positions to put them away. You can't teach that. Some of those goals he scored this season were just pure instinct.

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

I think we'll be signing a striker so Gayle will probably end up back-up at best. Rafa won't go into the season with uncertainty over whether Gayle can cut it at that level because if he doesn't we'd be fucked

[The Fish 10972]

4 minutes ago, Anorthernsoul said:

I honestly believe Gayle will score goals for us next season, he is a natural goalscorer whatever league he is in. He reads the game, not in the same mould as Shearer obviously but he puts himself in the goalscoring positions to put them away. You can't teach that. Some of those goals he scored this season were just pure instinct.

He's a poacher and for a team creating loads of chances he can be prolific, but I'm not convinced he can do it for a team where we won't be in control of games as much.

[Howay 12496]

21 minutes ago, Happy Face said:

Seems a strange thing for Gayle to say he's looking for a championship club specifically.  You'd think he'd be courting other premier league clubs if Rafa told him to find another employer.

Aye my mate didn't say that Gayle had mentioned Rafa saying owt about looking for another club, he just (apparently) said that he sees himself as a Championship player and is more just keeping a look out but that he loved this season and would love to stay. I agree he'd surely get PL clubs interested, either way I doubt he's going anywhere.

I just meant it more as it gives a hint that even the players seem to feel this squad was for the Championship and that Rafa is likely eyeing a somewhat fairly large overhaul over the next 2-3 windows.

Edited May 11, 2017 by Howay

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

Time will tell lads, no doubt he was instrumental in our success this season. His goals won us some very important games this season.

 

[David Kelly 1260]

23 minutes ago, TheGingerQuiff said:

I think we'll be signing a striker so Gayle will probably end up back-up at best. Rafa won't go into the season with uncertainty over whether Gayle can cut it at that level because if he doesn't we'd be fucked

I think this might be a fair point.  I don't necessarily think it would mean Gayle would be on his way but it could certainly mean he won't be first choice.  That being said, Rafa could be certain that he will score goals.

 

As Howay says though, it's very interesting if this how the players (especially our top players) are thinking.

[The Fish 10972]

25 minutes ago, Howay said:

even the players seem to feel this squad was for the Championship and that Rafa is likely eyeing a somewhat fairly large overhaul over the next 2-3 windows.

Good. 

 

I'd be more worried if they thought this squad was good enough for the top flight and felt assured of their places.

[Dr Gloom 22187]

Rafa staying means we can expect some quality signings from abroad. I'd be very surprised if Gayle is first choice next season