The Demon of Carthage wrote:Mole, honestly, do you really think having someone like Rafa in charge is a good thing? His disastrous stints with us, Napoli and Inter didn't even make you a little bit skeptical?

Disastrous due to expectations ( well Inter less so but still ) looking at it from a Newcastle point of view it doesn't seem so bad.

Those clubs are successful and demand to win so when you don't it seems like a disaster, we on the other hand are not and haven't been since Ashley bought the club sadly.

Just having someone who genuinely could manage a CL club is amazing considering who we have gone through since we sacked Bobby Robson.

I'm having a hard time trying to process it, i understand he failed at those clubs but putting yourself in a Newcastle fans shoes and it's a bit nuts tbh. Ever since Bobby Robson was wrongly sacked we have been hiring managers who have been sacked at lower league levels.

Honestly, it would be an incredible "coup" if Newcastle actually hire a UCL winning and two time La Liga winning manager. But wouldn't he have the same issues like everyone else?

Of course he would, i don't expect much to come out of it if i'm being honest because we are not ambitious and our team is a mess.

I'm just shocked that this is even a possibility considering the last 12 years of history. Having said that it wouldn't even surprise me if it doesn't happen and the media jumped the gun as per.

As i write this.....

@PeteGravesSky

Work to do, backroom staff to finalise, job 'title' to consider. But Rafa Benitez certainly moved a step closer to #nufc hotseat today.

I'm expecting this shit now, it better *bleep* happen.

Is McClaren fired at all?

He's going to be, that seems pretty obvious from what i can gather. It's more of a question of who replaces him.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

The Demon of Carthage wrote:Mole, honestly, do you really think having someone like Rafa in charge is a good thing? His disastrous stints with us, Napoli and Inter didn't even make you a little bit skeptical?

Disastrous due to expectations ( well Inter less so but still ) looking at it from a Newcastle point of view it doesn't seem so bad.

Those clubs are successful and demand to win so when you don't it seems like a disaster, we on the other hand are not and haven't been since Ashley bought the club sadly.

Just having someone who genuinely could manage a CL club is amazing considering who we have gone through since we sacked Bobby Robson.

I'm having a hard time trying to process it, i understand he failed at those clubs but putting yourself in a Newcastle fans shoes and it's a bit nuts tbh. Ever since Bobby Robson was wrongly sacked we have been hiring managers who have been sacked at lower league levels.

Fair enough. I still think you'd be better off without him. The guy is still living off that one CL title he won 11 years ago and the league titles he won with Valencia back when Napoleon still walked among us. Doesn't matter how big or small your expectations are, a guy like him shouldn't be in the top flight.

I think it does when you consider that him taking us to a top 10 finish next season would, ( assuming he takes it permanently) no one is going say anything against him.

We are that bad, i think expectations matter really as we are so shit right now that he doesn't have to live up to his Liverpool/Valencia days to be considered a success.

The Demon of Carthage wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

The Demon of Carthage wrote:Mole, honestly, do you really think having someone like Rafa in charge is a good thing? His disastrous stints with us, Napoli and Inter didn't even make you a little bit skeptical?

Disastrous due to expectations ( well Inter less so but still ) looking at it from a Newcastle point of view it doesn't seem so bad.

Those clubs are successful and demand to win so when you don't it seems like a disaster, we on the other hand are not and haven't been since Ashley bought the club sadly.

Just having someone who genuinely could manage a CL club is amazing considering who we have gone through since we sacked Bobby Robson.

I'm having a hard time trying to process it, i understand he failed at those clubs but putting yourself in a Newcastle fans shoes and it's a bit nuts tbh. Ever since Bobby Robson was wrongly sacked we have been hiring managers who have been sacked at lower league levels.

Fair enough. I still think you'd be better off without him. The guy is still living off that one CL title he won 11 years ago and the league titles he won with Valencia back when Napoleon still walked among us. Doesn't matter how big or small your expectations are, a guy like him shouldn't be in the top flight.

Yeah, he only won league and UEFA cup with Valencia, Cup and Champions League with Liverpool, the UEFA Cup again with Chelsea and the Italian Cup with Napoli in the last 15 years.

This loser shouldn't be anywhere near a top flight team
3rd division coach at best

You 'argument' is skilfully constructed and quite compelling. I'm convinced now that Rafa is truly world-class. I really hope you'll get him right after Carlo, stay with you for 30 something years and shower you with Europa league cups.

I didn't make any argument. I only mocked yours.

Great. Then, next time, if you're going to defend the undefendable, make sure to come up with at least one argument.

I hate Benitez but he would be huge for the Mole people. Madrid, Napoli and Inter had other expectations and success. To be fair to the most unlikable coach in football, he wasn't disastrous at Napoli, he just did 'Ok'. Worse than Mazzarri and Sarri, but no crisis or anything.

rincon wrote:I hate Benitez but he would be huge for the Mole people. Madrid, Napoli and Inter had other expectations and success. To be fair to the most unlikable coach in football, he wasn't disastrous at Napoli, he just did 'Ok'. Worse than Mazzarri and Sarri, but no crisis or anything.

Yep, not hard to see why either all things considered. Hell Moyes would be huge for us probably.

It's not that we can't get big name managers it's that for the last 10 years we have flat out refused to do so, which represents a shock to me.

Obviously his success will determine how much control he is given over building up the club and how much the owner allows him to spend and all of those things are skeptical at best but it's something.

Rupert, I am excited for you and I probably watched 2 Newcastle games and more than likely by accident. It also helps that you're the only Newcastle fan I know but technicalities shan't be gotten into.

DoC is thinking like a Madrid fan and hasn't adjusted expectations to suit a club like Newcastle. I being a West Indies fan understand suffering so I totally get Mole's optimism and of course, would totally empathise the eventual pain and suffering he would "endure" when either it never materializes or everything goes south.

Tbh i don't think i have watched much more than that

I don't know is Rafa tough enough for relegation fight, but would be a fascinating appointment.

Please, wait after the Leicester game to sack McLaren. We need 3 points from that game. Go Leicester!

Marca and AS are reporting it now

Marca calling us a prestigious english club

@BTSportRob 6m6 minutes ago
BREAKING: McLaren to be sacked & will NOT be in charge against Leicester on Monday. Newcastle ARE in advanced talks with Rafa Benitez
#NUFC

What amazes me is how can one go from "we need u to win us 11th CL" to "we need u to avoid the Relegation". Reminds me of Sansa Stark, you are all excited to marry the king of seven kingdom and next thing u know ur being raped by some psycho. Don't know which ones more cruel though.

ES wrote:@BTSportRob  6m6 minutes ago
BREAKING: McLaren to be sacked & will NOT be in charge against Leicester on Monday. Newcastle ARE in advanced talks with Rafa Benitez
#NUFC

That's disgraceful. Surely a backstabbing Arsenal or Tottenham funded move in order to get Leicester to drop points.

free_cat wrote:

ES wrote:@BTSportRob  6m6 minutes ago
BREAKING: McLaren to be sacked & will NOT be in charge against Leicester on Monday. Newcastle ARE in advanced talks with Rafa Benitez
#NUFC

That's disgraceful. Surely a backstabbing Arsenal or Tottenham funded move in order to get Leicester to drop points.

^This. I'm surprised they didn't just send Carlo as an interim manager for the leicester game.

#JusticeForLeicester

free_cat wrote:

ES wrote:@BTSportRob  6m6 minutes ago
BREAKING: McLaren to be sacked & will NOT be in charge against Leicester on Monday. Newcastle ARE in advanced talks with Rafa Benitez
#NUFC

That's disgraceful. Surely a backstabbing Arsenal or Tottenham funded move in order to get Leicester to drop points.

We could get Guardiola in and we are not beating Leicester lol.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdMZES_XEAAc8TH.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdMZEQfXEAArqPp.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdMZERMW0AADzlH.jpg

wtf