Benitez has left Dalian

[Exile 1968]

@What A Waster
That's fair, I asked to be corrected and was. Apologies for the errors.

The context matters though, and whilst Newcastle were indeed 19th when Rafa arrived, they were only 1 point from safety, and had a game in hand on everyone else. They also had Sunderland (finished 17th), Norwich (19th), Aston Villa 20th), Crystal Palace (15th) and Swansea (13th) to play. And you failed to beat Sunderland, Norwich or Villa. So he took over 1 point adrift, with 10 games to play, a game in hand, and all of your relegation rivals still to play, and you were relegated with a game to spare (4 points from safety after 37 games, after we beat Everton) and finished further from safety than we he arrived...

'Hanley was only signed as a backup in the Championship, and we spent 57m, not nearly 100m'
- Got the figures wrong, but the point stands. How many teams who get relegated have the luxury of spending 6m on back up CB? Most teams have their better players flogged, and have to cobble a team together from what's left, and some shrewd signings. Rafa bought half the Championship.

You spent about 80m the year you went down (McClaren spent it mind), sold about 2 players (Sissoko and Wijnaldum) and kept everyone else that you wanted to keep, and then spent 57m. It wasn't exactly a stunning achievement to win promotion with that.

You also didn't touch on the like-for-like performances in the PL for Benitez and Bruce. Bruce last season, was as good as anything under Benitez, and got an identical points tally. It is not as though there is a massive stylistic shift either, you weren't exactly playing champagne, free-flowing football under Rafa. Some games I watched you had literally 15-20% possession, 10 behind the ball and welly it.

What I'm saying is that, whilst Bruce is a limited manager (we know) and has a limited shelf life before things become turgid and the results stop, his record at Newcastle is similar to Rafa's. Yet lots of Newcastle fans want Bruce gone (that's fair enough) but want him replaced by the previous manager, who also bored the tits off everyone and was barely better (if it all).

It's purely and simply that Rafa made them think they were a European super club because he won stuff elsewhere. That's it. With their self entitled deluded minds they cling on to about 4 good years under Keegan not looking at the fact they've been shite for nearly 70 years apart from this time. Its f***ing madness

 

[Wearside Wanderer II]

You must be logged on to see media items

 

[Brett]

You must be logged on to see media items

Look at the photo he picked

 

[Bears Beets]

Really!??!

Practically in tears when he left the mags

 

[Biffo The Bear]

This is brilliant. The mags will be in f***ing melt down now, wanting him back and Bruce sacked. Bruce will get sacked, FSW will go elsewhere, meltdown on the toon and Parliament being stormed because the mags are revolting

I would accept Bruce gone and Hughes in. Prefer Howe but trying to be realistic.
Not Benetez though. Would also take the Wolves gaffer if they are daft enough to let him go.

 

[Mr Redknapp]

This is brilliant. The mags will be in f***ing melt down now, wanting him back and Bruce sacked. Bruce will get sacked, FSW will go elsewhere, meltdown on the toon and Parliament being stormed because the mags are revolting

How the fuck people can take a football club and a manager that seriously deserves their heads looking at

 

[Pete the Pirate]

He was finished when he was at the Mags

The fact that he has winded up at a medicore Chinese super League club is evidence of that.

The mags seemed to think him becoming their manager was evidence they were up amongst the biggest of clubs and like Real Madrid

In reality, the move was a step down for him because he was finished at all the top European clubs.

However he's still using his past glories to gain huge salary packets. My bet is that he will next wind up at a Middle East club.

 

[Keith S30S]

You can't really blame Rafa. There's no waiter jobs going with the restaurants shut through covid...

 

[hank williams]

He’d relegate Celtic if he went there

 

[Scunny Dan]

You can't really blame Rafa. There's no waiter jobs going with the restaurants shut through covid...

I concentrate on the project of managing, and motivating, my bar staff.

 

[Fletch]

He’d relegate Celtic if he went there

Think it’s a scam / wind up

 

[hank williams]

Think it’s a scam / wind up

be playing the scum or other clubs for more money

Celtic have offered me so much you treble it

 

[Fletch]

It’s a wind up by rangers fans , the 1872 on
Phone number is when rangers formed

 

[Ale taster]

It’s a wind up by rangers fans , the 1872 on
Phone number is when rangers formed

This.
Phone number doesn't exist.

 

[Northumberland Rocks]

You must be logged on to see media items

Look at the photo he picked

Careful he knas gangstas (as well bsing shit hot at AMDRAM).

 

[OohBaldyBally]

I would accept Bruce gone and Hughes in. Prefer Howe but trying to be realistic.
Not Benetez though. Would also take the Wolves gaffer if they are daft enough to let him go.

You prefer Howe but you’re trying to be realistic ....... then in the next sentence you’re saying you’d take the Wolves gaffer?

 

[sessafc]

And Seire A champions, 7th when he left ? Also took Napoli backwards before somehow getting the Madrid job

You must be logged on to see external links

That's Ronaldo gone right up in my estimations

 

[vinegar hill]

But...but...but...wor...wor...wor...massive man.

 

[Scunny Dan]

That's Ronaldo gone right up in my estimations

Not for me. Benitez is bizarrely overrated but that's a really narcissistic and disrespectful way to act. Unsurprisingly. Too busy ordering the right ice cubes to rub in to his cheek bones perhaps.

 

[Maravilla]

And Seire A champions, 7th when he left ? Also took Napoli backwards before somehow getting the Madrid job

You must be logged on to see external links

His time at Napoli absolutely destroyed any notion that he was still a top class manager like. Somehow contrived to not even qualify for the Champions League in his last season with a squad containing Callejon, Jorginho, Higuain, Mertens, Hamsik, Insigne and Koulibaly.

Just for contrast the now much-maligned Maurizio Sarri turned pretty much the same squad into title contenders in each of his 3 seasons there whilst being one of the most entertaining sides to watch in Europe.