GIVE THE MOANING A REST, RAFA!

THE domestic season looms large and everything changes, but nothing changes.

If you are anything other than a passionate Newcastle United fan, the sound of Rafa Benitez complaining about transfer policy is a wonderfully reassuring clarion call, like the school bell for playtime.

Rafa’s unhappy/on the brink/at end of tether/demanding action/at loggerheads with owner or anyone else in power… yippee, that’s the sound of football kicking off again.

The Benitez strop is becoming a traditional curtain-raiser to rival the Community Shield.

This year’s vintage came after he fielded a decent-looking team against Braga in a friendly, only to see them cuffed four-nothing.

“Things are not going well off the pitch and you can see a reflection of that on the pitch,” said Benitez.

On the pitch was a starting line-up valued higher than their Portuguese counterparts and certainly paid considerably more.

If those players are actually bothered by what or what isn’t going on away from the football pitch, that is Rafa’s problem, no one else’s.

Maybe Benitez was referring to the suggestion of another impasse over bonus payments, the type of which marked the build-up to last season.

This from a Newcastle squad that is already among the best-paid in the Premier League.

The last complete set of accounts for football clubs was for the 2016/17 season when Newcastle United were getting promoted from the Championship, but their £112million salary bill was one topped by only seven Premier League clubs.

Since then, it is hardly likely to have dropped significantly.

The average player wage at St James’ Park during that Championship-winning season was £54,000 a week.

In terms of wages paid, even the Newcastle faithful would be hard-pressed to suggest Mike Ashley is not competitive.

The case against Ashley not backing him in the recruitment process is far easier to make.

Including the business so far this summer, Benitez has shown – or has been compelled to show – a net profit over the five windows he has gone through as Newcastle manager. You can only presume he was promised far more backing and, for that reason, supporter ire against Ashley is entirely understandable. Time and again, Benitez has proven himself an outstanding manager and coach, one of the elite. It goes without saying that Newcastle United are lucky to have him. Presumably, though, the big names of European football have not been plotting a path to his door over the past year or so. There are obvious reasons why being offered one or two of these posts would be highly unlikely, but the Arsenal and Chelsea jobs have come and gone, as have the PSG and Real Madrid jobs, to name but another two.

Within the Newcastle nation, he is, almost without exception, revered and those within the Newcastle nation are easily the best positioned to judge. So no arguments there. Yet to the outside world – and even to the many of us who consider him a world-class coach – the repetitive strain of Rafa’s unsubtle railing against the lack of investment is becoming a little tiresome.

“You see the teams that have been promoted, the money they are spending. Put it all together and you understand why the fans need to be concerned,” he went on.

No. Maybe Benitez “wants” Newcastle fans to be concerned because they don’t “need” to be concerned.

Newcastle might sign a couple more before Thursday night, they finished 10th last season, Rafa’s magic might get some improvement out of his well-paid squad, they have a crackerjack of an opener against Spurs (er, who have spent nothing this summer), they have a great stadium and they have wonderful supporters. Oh, and it’s still sunny. Now, if only Rafa could lighten up…

In terms of wages, Toon fans would be hard-pressed to suggest Ashley is not competitive