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New report has league table of satisfaction with manager – Interesting Rafa Benitez placement

5 years ago
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How satisfied are you with Rafa Benitez as manager of Newcastle United?

A new report has produced a ‘satisfaction index’ table of Premier League managers.

The idea being not where the 20 clubs are currently in the table with only six weeks of the season to go.

Instead, the ‘satisfaction’ of job each manager has done in their own personal circumstances.

From The Guardian:

‘The criterion here is improvement, both at a club level and a personal one.

Which managers are sitting prettier now than they were at the start of the season, in other words.

Obviously some were sitting prettier than others before a ball had even been kicked, but here is a stab at a satisfaction index for the season so far.’

This is the Guardian write-up on Rafa Benitez and then from 1-20 the manager who is highest in terms of ‘satisfaction’ right down to the lowest:

Rafa Benítez

‘No silverware in sight, obviously, but at least the long-suffering Newcastle fans are reasonably confident of avoiding relegation.

‘That counts for something in the context of the Mike Ashley years.

‘Benítez is one of the few reasons for cheerfulness on Tyneside, and let’s not forget Newcastle beat Manchester City in January.’

Premier League Managers satisfaction index as per The Guardian:

Pep Guardiola (Man City)

Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Man Utd)

Nuno (Wolves)

Mauricio Pochettino (Spurs)

Unai Emery (Arsenal)

Javi Gracia (Watford)

Rafa Benitez (Newcastle United)

Marco Silva (Everton)

Ralph Hassenhuttl (Southampton)

Manuel Pellegrini (West Ham)

Maurizio Sarri (Chelsea)

Eddie Howe (Bournemouth)

Brendan Rodgers (Leicester)

Neil Warnock (Cardiff)

Chris Hughton (Brighton)

Roy Hodgson (Palace)

Sean Dyche (Burnley)

Jan Siewert (Huddersfield)

Scott Parker (Fulham)

Before we get to thoughts on our own manager, I would actually question Pep Guardiola’s position at the top. Man City fans rarely, if ever, seem capable of being happy these days and so many empty seats at so many games, despite their success, is proof of that.

They probably even deem being second to Liverpool so late in the season, despite a game in hand, as being a bit of a disappointment.

I have no personal liking of either club but I would hazard a guess that if asked, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would have a much higher approval rating from Man Utd fans, that Guardiola with Man City supporters. He (Solskjaer) has come from nowhere and got them playing good football and winning again, in the Champions League last eight and a realistic chance of top four.

As for Rafa Benitez in eighth???

Newcastle fans well and truly recognise what he has had to put up with Ashley and the job that he has managed to do, despite such a lack of support. To have Unai Emery at Arsenal two places higher is a bit of a joke, they struggled through the  last round of the UEFA Cup and are in the middle of a four club battle for the last two Champions League placings, I can’t see Arsenal fans very happy/satisfied with that.

The same with Sarri at Chelsea, I know he is only 12th in this satisfaction list but with the expectations of Chelsea fans, sixth in the Premier League and 19 points off the top, out of the FA Cup and only the UEFA Cup to keep them interested, he would probably be down in the bottom few in terms of satisfied Chelsea fans.

Spare a thought as well for Chris Hughton, fifth bottom of this satisfaction list and yet only a win or two off safety and an FA Cup semi-final to come.

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