MarcoG
Striker
Who was it? Benitez approached Newcastle about the role, dealt with Charnley, was signed off on by Ashley.
It's not like Ashley's scoured the planet looking for the right man and then convinced him to join us. This is the same bloke who signed off on Keegan, Kinnear, Shearer, Hughton, Pardew, Carver and McClaren.
He could have said no and appointed someone on a massively inferior wage to what Benitez is on or a bloke who wouldn't rock the boat like another Pardew and be happy to go along with it if Ashley gave him no money.
Bit odd that you can't give him credit for it.