NEIL MOXLEY Rafa inherited a rabble at Newcastle... now he’s leading a third revolution
WHEN Kevin Keegan and the late Sir Bobby Robson agreed to manage Newcastle United, they boasted first- hand experience of the club.
Keegan, the man nicknamed ‘Mighty Mouse’, had revitalised St James’ Park as a player. Robson (right), the son of a miner from down the road at Langley Park, Durham, had been weaned on tales of that black and white shirt.
They knew about the enormous pull of the Magpies. They also knew the punters were being short-changed. And boy, were they able to do something about it.
Keegan (below), through a potent mix of a winning personality and clever transfer-market dealings, lit a fire under it with the help of Sir John Hall following the dark days under Ossie Ardiles.
Robson’s job was far more simple, taking over from Ruud Gullit who had alienated almost all of a strong dressing-room led by the likes of Alan Shearer, Rob Lee, Stuart Pearce and Warren Barton.
He merely had to point them in the right direction. And u p w a r d s Newcastle rocketed.
Once the combustible mixture of goodwill, drive and ability was ignited, like an oil well in the desert, it took some putting out.
Keegan’s energy took him to the brink of the Premier League title before the foundations began to crumble.
Robson lifted Newcastle back into the Champions League. Made them a force to be reckoned with again.
It may be halfway through a Championship campaign, but the similarities with what is now happening on Tyneside cannot be ignored.
Never mind a second coming, Rafael Benitez is engineering a third.
Ten months ago, Newcastle were a rabble. Your correspondent witnessed a five-goal battering at Chelsea that was an insult.
Players such as Georginio Wijnaldum and Jonjo Shelvey wandered around. Steven Taylor in his first game back from injury was run ragged. Up front, Aleksandar Mitrovic just wanted a fight.
This was the Newcastle that Benitez inherited. Those on the outside will point to a wage bill few can match in THE LA ST WORD ... the Championship. And a significant transfer spend – although it was heavily underpinned by the £55million brought in by selling Moussa Sissoko and Wijnaldum last summer.
Few clubs in the second tier could have splashed £10m on Dwight Gayle. Or persuaded Matt Ritchie that dropping down a division from Bournemouth was a good idea.
But then, Benitez has assumed control of the transfer spend. He has been granted the authority to go out there and do the deals. And because of that freedom Newcastle have prospered.
Owner Mike Ashley has been persuaded to give the former Real Madrid boss the purse to play with. And, for once, his faith is being repaid.
Interestingly, Benitez has done it with a heavy emphasis on domestic players who understand the division they are fighting in. Gayle and Ritchie are two. Ciaran Clark from Aston Villa and Grant Hanley from Blackburn were also recruited. Jamaal Lascelles has prospered. Likewise Karl Darlow in goal. Even Shelvey, after a spell on the sidelines, showed signs of fitting in before his mouth got the better of him.
If Ashley wants to ensure this momentum continues, and turns into the third Black and White revolution, he needs to allow the Spaniard to work as he pleases.
With a nine-point gap over third-placed Reading going into Christmas, the promotion target should be hit. But Benitez did not freefall into the Championship only to have his hands tied once he returns to the Premier League.
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