Ashley has awful lot to answer for

AFTER A FRUSTRATING TRANSFER WINDOW, MARK DOUGLAS HAS 13 PRESSING QUESTIONS FOR OWNER

NEWCASTLE United have ended the transfer window with more questions than answers after the momentum behind Rafa Benitez’s so-called ‘Rafalution’ has slowed.

With Benitez frustrated, most fans now want to know what the owner Mike Ashley’s role in the summer has been – and where the club go from here after the Newcastle boss failed to secure the quality goalkeeper, left-back, midfielder and striker targets on his list heading into the final week of the transfer window.

Ashley gave a TV interview last month in which he spoke about his decade in charge and apologised to previous managers Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer.

He also spoke about a transfer budget which was – in his words – not enough. Yet in terms of specifics, there were still questions Newcastle’s owner did not address which have become all the more pressing following a disappointing deadline day.

So here are 13 pressing questions for the owner in the aftermath of a frustrating transfer window.

1 If survival is this year’s aim, what are the medium and long-term objectives for Newcastle United while you remain in charge?

Ashley hinted in his TV interview this year’s aim was solely to survive in the Premier League, having previously said he wanted the club to “win something” on his watch.

Yet the wider issue here is the decline of Newcastle on the owner’s watch - they have been involved in three relegation fights in the last four Premier League seasons and one was unsuccessful.

Of the six seasons which preceded his takeover, Newcastle finished in the top eight four times

They had not been relegated in the Premier League era.

They have gone from a stable, top-10 club before his ownership to a yo-yo club which flits between top flight and Championship. So what is the plan? Do Newcastle aspire to be a top-10 club again on his watch? How will they do that?

When Graham Carr was chief scout there was at least a plan: buy players from abroad on the cheap, sell some of them on to boost the transfer warchest and try and be the best they can be “pound for pound”, to borrow that horrible phrase.

Now they have a football man in charge who gets to pick his own targets – but is there a desire to follow through his vision? Where will that take Newcastle? How will they ever compete with such a disconnect?

2 What was agreed in the presummer meeting and what happened?

So much rests on what was agreed in that summit in May. Benitez clearly feels things which were agreed have not been followed up on so we need to hear Ashley’s side of things. He claimed Benitez was fully aware of what was on the table.

Now is the time to be open about the meeting – and what came afterwards.

3 Who is making the decisions at Newcastle?

Ashley says he has a minor role at the club and Lee Charnley is answerable to Benitez – but the mantra of ‘what Rafa wants, Rafa gets’ has disintegrated this summer. So who is controlling the purse strings and setting the strategy? Given Carr’s departure, who is now on the board? Is Benitez? Does Bob Moncur remain on the board?

4 What is the role of Justin Barnes at Newcastle United?

This appears to be a key question. Barnes is a lawyer who has worked with Ashley before and is now part of the hierarchy at Newcastle yet no announcement confirming his arrival has come from the club, there has been no clarification about what his job is or whether he is even on the permanent staff. Clarification is required.

5 Why did Newcastle spend less in the transfer window than Huddersfield and Brighton?

Ashley says Newcastle cannot compete with Manchester City or other sovereign-backed clubs. Yet United’s net spend was lower than two clubs who came up with them, suggesting they are struggling to compete with any Premier League side.

6 Why did you not speak to Rafa Benitez throughout the summer?

To have a manager like Benitez, who attended the elite coaches forum in Switzerland alongside some of the best coaching talents in the world, and not speak to him even when he is making noises about club business suggest little interest in

improving what is surely the key relationship at the club.

Do you not think this relationship is important?

7 Do you realise what will happen if Rafa Benitez leaves?

Ashley has seen turbulent times before – Kevin Keegan walking out in 2008 was a serious crisis, the boycotts of 2014 buffeted the club – but if Benitez walks or is sacked the club will be plunged into a crisis on a scale not seen before. Having asked everyone to buy in to what Benitez was leading, the club clawed back trust many felt could never be recovered. Those relationships would never, ever be repaired on Ashley’s watch and the result would be a depreciation in the value of his asset.

8 Why was news of interest from China reported in May – only for nothing at all to follow?

Is the club up for sale and if so, are you a reluctant or motivated seller? The stories linking Newcastle with a potential Chinese buyer appeared on TV and suggested things were at an advanced stage with several suitors – but nothing has happened since then. Many feel Newcastle’s lack of investment is tied in some way to Ashley being prepared to sell. If this was the case, fans may understand the owner getting his ducks in a row for a sale. Clarity is needed.

9 Will Newcastle United ever again be a stable, top-half Premier League club as long as you’re owner?

A simple, to the point question. Can Newcastle ever compete with credible Premier League clubs on your watch?

10 Why do you value the club at double the market value of Southampton?

Ashley has spoken about trying to emulate Southampton – who bring through fine young players, have financial stability and are an established Premier League club.

Yet when Newcastle have made available, Ashley has reportedly been looking for double the £210million Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng paid for an 80% stake in Saints.

There ARE people interested in Newcastle – but none will go the price Ashley wants for it, partly because it is acknowledged there will have to be significant investment in infrastructure and playing squad to get Newcastle back up to speed. With that in mind, it is an expensive investment.

11 If Lee Charnley reports to Rafa Benitez, who does Rafa report to and what is said person’s remit?

If it is Barnes, he has to adopt more of a public profile.

12 Why take the risk of not spending the money required to get proven quality players, when the risk and rewards are great at the end of the season?

Ashley implied he was desperate not to be carrying out another salvage job from the Championship again but this is the gamble by not giving Benitez backing – and risking the Spaniard stays.

13 Can you ever see Newcastle breaking their transfer record in your time as owner?

Newcastle’s transfer record is from 2005, some two years before Ashley took over. It is a long time since Newcastle fans last expected ‘marquee’ signings - but just an inflation-matching deal would make sense.

The mantra of ‘what Rafa wants, Rafa gets’ has disintegrated this summer. So who is controlling the purse strings?