Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Special One Jose’s becoming The Miserable One... and that will worry his United bosses
RAFA BENITEZ is another manager who wants to do things his way.
History appears to be repeating itself, with Rafa once again embroiled in a difference of opinion with the Newcastle United owner, Mike Ashley.
Like Jose Mourinho – but on a different scale – the former Liverpool manager believes he is being let down on player recruitment.
The same thing happened 12 months ago.
You would imagine that, if Ashley really wants Benitez to remain at the club, then he has to deliver. If that’s not the case, then it’s inevitable that Rafa (right) will eventually look elsewhere.
Knowing Rafa, he has ambitions of taking Newcastle up to the next level. That means investing in better players. If that money isn’t forthcoming, then the relationship will crack.
The one definite is that Newcastle are a long way away from the times I played against them in the Nineties, those thrilling 4-3s at Anfield when they were going for the Premier League title. They then had world-class players in their ranks. They are a million miles away from that right now.
One or two signings are not going to take them close to repeating those times – you need a good progression over a number of seasons.
In a way, I feel sorry for the Newcastle fans. They turn up in their numbers, home and away, and they certainly deserve more than they are getting now.