trooper

It's hard to enjoy when the writings on the wall & there's a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. One off them needs to back down can you see that happening ?(

i know moneys tight but were linked with someone from Iceland now

wouldn't be surprised if we sold Gayle at 10:55 PM on thursday

What a bummer

If he'd been allowed to follow his project through within a couple of seasons we could have seen European football again or have won the league cup or fa cup but because the owner doesn't share Rafa's ambition (he said he did to get Rafa to stay) i feel he's surplus to requirements he's done his bit promotion thats all Ashley ever wanted. Now he's done that he's getting nudged out the door. In reality there was probably no "Project" in Ashley's eyes & he probaly told Rafa what he wanted to hear with no intention of helping him make it happen the premiership & big money was all was interested in it makes me sick.

I just can't see it ending well mate we'll never get a manager of Rafa's calibre again if he goes. The job will become a poisoned chalice.

May 2008: A lengthy meeting in London involving manager Kevin Keegan, Mike Ashley and Dennis Wise concluded with civil handshakes rather than final farewells. Keegan had been summoned to the Fleet Street offices of the international law firm Freshfields - where Chris Mort, Newcastle's chairman remains a partner on indefinite leave of absence - by Ashley, the club's owner, after making some provocative comments. While Newcastle's manager had made it clear he would not resign there were suggestions that he could possibly be sacked but, instead, Keegan, who is believed to have offered Ashley an apology, emerged still in charge and with a truce negotiated. Nonetheless it is understood that there were flashpoints and moments of real tension between Ashley, Wise and Keegan and that Mort's renowned diplomatic skills proved essential to procuring a satisfactory outcome. Ashley was reportedly angered by his manager's sarcastic assertion that their relationship was good because they never spoke.... Now sensitive topics including transfer targets, funding and the division of club duties are said to have been "mapped out" for Keegan...

Just reading an article .com Rafa was paid a visit by Lee Charnley, Keith Bishop & Justin Barnes after the West Ham game. They apparently turned up on Ashley's behalf & told Rafa he has to stop talking about the transfer budget in the media. If this is what it's got too it's never going to end well no matter how much Rafa loves the fans, players etc. Again if its true what a way to treat a 11st class manager this really is looking like the Keegan fiasco all over again. Will the fans accept it this time ?

Absoloutley crazy when you think Ashley wouldn't pay £15 million in January

De Jong to Ajax for £4 million*

Another one Rafa wanted gone Andros Townsend to Leicester for £27 million

Eh

i think you'll find quiet a few didnt think we could get a manager given the calibre of the last set i.e. Carver ,McClatren & Pardew

How many said that before he joined us ?

Just been reading an article on NO by Pete Groves could there be anything in this also Ashley could make £5 million for someone who he see's as a pain in the arse for have the cheek to stand up to him "Rafa has always maintained privately that he feels indebted to West Ham and would have to consider any approach from the Hammers if it should ever materialise and here's why; In 2015 Benitez was on the brink of becoming West Ham's manager. He'd spoken with the owners and was planning for life at Upton Park. However at the eleventh hour Real Madrid offered him the opportunity to move to the Bernabeu and it was too good an offer to turn down. What impressed Rafa so much was the way the West Ham board accepted his decision. They understood that the opportunity to manage Real Madrid was too much for a Spanish manager to disregard and they gave Rafa their blessing and subsequently appointed Slaven Bilic. The rest as they say is history and now we are where we are... Bilic on the brink and Rafa in their thoughts"

I think we have an interesting few days coming up. Will we make anymore signings? will Rafa stay ? & is there anything in the West Ham rumour ?

MIRROR EXCLUSIVE: Rafa Benitez ordered to stop moaning by Newcastle hierarchy as transfer tensions mount.

4231 or 4411 it's still the same 1 up top it doesn't work in this league with these players

i think we'll get found out by a lot of teams this season. One up top against Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal etc is a daunting task

As someone on another forum said we have a match on saturday that could potentialy decide the future of either manager.

The next 7/8 days could be crucial Saturday's game has just become very important

Benitez: 'This proved that we have to improve in some areas'. Rafa Benitez blames missed chances for tonight's defeat, and says he "had to use the squad" with two games so close.

Delaying the inevitable.

Cheers Meenz

"these things have a way of getting around" p.a's secretarys etc