Rafa Watch

[EwarWoo]

We screwed him on the latter with the Alonso/Barry summer

Sure, in hindsight switching Alonso for Barry would have been a master stroke

Come on, the thread was going so well, most of us like Rafa a hell of a lot, and we're proud of him taking a challenge, don't drag it back to that crap.

[Ben_Itez]

Strangely proud of Rafa for making this decision. How many other managers with a CV like his would be prepared to drop to the Championship?

https://twitter.com/CaulkinTheTimes/...25730117898241

Absolutely. They'll definitely be my team in the championship next year.

Let's just hope he doesn't balls it up!! Be very interesting to see the comings and goings there this summer.

[calvoboy]

Just occurred to me that in many ways he's got what he has always wanted. He's always believed that with control and a reasonable budget he could achieve anything. Most European clubs have screwed him on the first, denying him control of players coming in or out. We screwed him on the latter with the Alonso/Barry summer, when he had a masterplan for working on a tight budget only to get screwed over on even that tight budget.

At Newcastle it sounds as though he's now going to be given a budget to work within, and complete control of how he decides to work within that budget. Along with an adoring (if incredibly fickle and unsophisticated) crowd, he may turn out to be in his ideal job (outside LFC) as long as he can get them back up straight away.

[Fierce]

Strangely proud of Rafa for making this decision. How many other managers with a CV like his would be prepared to drop to the Championship?

I was going to say something similar

I wasn't a huge fan of our football in his later stages, but as a person I loved him and would have taken him back in a heartbeat (not now mind )

It makes me like him more that he's stayed on even after they've gone down, when he could blatantly have taken his pick of clubs

[Kenneth]

Every half baked manager in the division will be desperate to get the better of him every week so it's going to be a pretty intense season for him but they'll invest to go up while the parachute money is flowing.

[leo]

Read a story about him bringing Agger back to England.

[Fosterbloke]

I reckon they'll walk the first division and be more than ready for the Premier League.

Getting relegated gives then more reason to drop the dead wood from the team and replace with young hungry players that want to get into the Premier League.

[G]

Maybe there were no better offers and he wants to work in England?

This

He's wanted, the fans are over the moon. And after working at real with nearly no say in anything he's going to be attracted to being in charge of his own destiny. Fair play to him, and good luck to him.

But also this.

[Assassin]

Ashley isnt stupid, Fair play to Rafa for having the balls to take the job, reckon he has got everything he wanted and it will all be on him next season

Jepp he isnt stupid. He's desperate to get back in the PL and Benitez is his best option

[red g]

5/2 for next season...clear favourites.

[red g]

Ashley isnt stupid, Fair play to Rafa for having the balls to take the job, reckon he has got everything he wanted and it will all be on him next season

[labourRed]

Yup, good luck to him obviously. He's bound to bring them back again and I reckon he's had some assurances over money.

First sign of bull**** like Keegan alleges and he'll walk.

[Kenneth]

He's wanted, the fans are over the moon. And after working at real with nearly no say in anything he's going to be attracted to being in charge of his own destiny. Fair play to him, and good luck to him.

[Glenn Hysen]

Maybe there were no better offers and he wants to work in England?

[Shaggy]

Strangely proud of Rafa for making this decision. How many other managers with a CV like his would be prepared to drop to the Championship?

[ame]https://twitter.com/CaulkinTheTimes/status/735525730117898241[/ame]