DON’T LET TOON SELF-DESTRUCT
Legend Lee’s desperate plea to owner Ashley
NEWCASTLE owner Mike Ashley has been urged to tell worried Toon fans what’s going on at St James’ Park.
Magpies legend Rob Lee can sense a mood change among supporters and fears the worst if Ashley does not pull his finger out.
Just weeks after the promotion party, many fans suspect the club is pressing the self-destruct button once again.
Talk of Ashley selling up and Rafa Benitez becoming frustrated with the lack of transfer activity has been on everyone’s lips.
Lee, who played 303 games for the club in a decade when Newcastle were a major force, wants the controversial owner to break his silence.
Anxiety
“Optimism has been replaced by anxiety,” said Lee. “Just last month, Newcastle was in a very good place. Talks between Ashley and Rafa had gone well and it was all systems go.
“But the club has lost a bit of momentum. Everything seems to be cloaked in uncertainty.
“I don’t know if talk of this Chinese consortium is a smokescreen but suddenly no one knows what is happening.
“Is Ashley looking to leave? How disillusioned is Rafa? Why haven’t we signed anyone yet?
“Questions, questions when the fans want answers and a bit of clarity from the top. The longer this goes on, the more worried I’m getting.”
Lee was a cornerstone of Kevin Keegan’s side of entertainers and while he accepts the days of Newcastle challenging for the title are gone, he sees similarities between then and now.
“We have a world-class manager in Rafa who understands the club and the area like Kevin did,” he added.
“But so far he’s been unable to sign the players he wanted. The man even cancelled his summer holidays because he was so keen to hit the ground running.
“For one reason or another, no one’s coming in. No disrespect to Tammy Abraham, who’s a good young player, but when he goes to Swansea instead of Newcastle, it really does not bode well.
“Maybe the pull is not as big as we think it is.”
Lee (below) does not think Benitez will walk away, despite suggestions he is considering his position.
But he’s predicting a tough season unless the Toon break out of the starting blocks.
“It always seems to be one step forward, another one back,” he said. “Call me a cynic but I suspected Rafa wouldn’t get the players he wanted.
“He’ll get some funds but not as much as he wants and in today’s market, that means missing out on top targets, players required just to stay up.” Lee feels it’s time for Ashley to speak out.
He added: “I’m not asking him to spill any state secrets, just let the fans know if he is staying or going and why player recruitment is proving so difficult. “This should be a great time and a big season for my former club. I’m really praying they don’t blow this
opportunity.”