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Opinion

Some forward planning at Newcastle United?

5 years ago
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The talk of the Newcastle United takeover/fakeover has subsided for the time being and we are looking to July 1st for everything to come to a head after Rafa Benitez sees his contract expire.

It is maybe worth pointing out the obvious lack of forward planning that we have found ourselves in with the club.

It may be slightly off track from the contract of the manager or the supposed takeover, but this shameful lack of planning is actually a very calculated plan concocted by Mike Ashley, aided by his PR stooges and chief poodle Lee Charnley.

Regardless of Rafa Benitez staying or going, it has been frighteningly easy to get halfway through a transfer window without ANY incomings (or outgoings) to improve the playing staff at Newcastle United. It would be insane to flog players for megabucks while there is no manager to give his approval or disapproval (although under this regime, it wouldn’t surprise me) but allowing other clubs to steal a march on us (again) is quite criminal.

Now let’s say Mike Ashley had a sudden Road to Damascus moment and climbed down on July 1st and gave Rafa say £100m to spend, as well as abandoning the age restrictions on players coming in.

In fact, say he even broke the wage budget and decided to give players like Salomon Rondon £100k a week to boot. It’s a stretch I know but go with it.

What sort of backwards regime though, allows so much time to pass without any sort of active planning?

It all points to the manager leaving, as I honestly can’t see Rafa Benitez staying because the summer has gone so far without said forward planning.

That said, it could always be rectified even at as late a stage as July 1st. Ashley could back down and hand over substantial funds and we could push on with recruitment, not much harm done and we go again for next season in a much better state because Rafa has been given the assurances (and required funds). Everybody wins.

That’s where the fantasy ends boys and girls.

No right thinking owner would allow the current state of affairs to develop unless it was by design. Why would they? In normal circumstances, the best way to go about business is to get things done early, identify targets a week or two after the last ball has been kicked on the previous season and the manager’s targets actively pursued and signed.

then if a silly bid comes in for a player late in the window a la Andy Carroll, it can be weighed up and accepted or rejected depending on what replacements can be brought in. You know, just how normal football clubs work.

Sadly, this club don’t do ‘Normal circumstances’. Heck, we are going to be in in July with no manager at this rate and what kind of joke is that? A deliberate one is what it is.

What better plan for not spending money?

You can’t realistically expect to sign players without a manager right? This is why I’m betting the plan all along was to string Rafa Benitez (and the fans) along for as long as possible and then see who blinks first in July. Like I said, Ashley could have a complete comedown and admit that the only option is to fully back Rafa or he could continue the charade and simply see what develops. If Rafa walks it’s not a problem, a new manager won’t get massive funds anyway so it’s a win/win for the owner.

So as it stands, there are two paths we can go down on the 1st July.

The first is Rafa walks and the search starts for a cheaper, poorer quality manager who will work without fuss, backed by minimal funds, and will highly likely have to sell before he can buy, which in turn leaves assets like Sean Longstaff, Martin Dubravka, Jamaal Lascelles and Miguel Almiron very vulnerable. If you think Del Boy and Rodney could make a quick buck, just wait until Rafa goes.

The second is the Ashley Damascus option where Rafa signs and gets a few players of real quality, probably costing £20m+ each, and we go into the season a little under prepared, late, but otherwise ok. Is that roaring laughter I hear from the audience?

Now bearing in mind this regime has a history of leaving things to fester and stew until the last minute, before inevitable crisis occurs, I know where my money is going. It’s all part of the plan to allow the current system to continue, pocket the TV money, survive on a shoestring and laugh in the faces of those gullible Geordies who will renew their season tickets regardless, something which if you have already done so, take it from me, you are mad.

Trotters Independent Traders had more forward planning than this calculated, greedy oaf at the helm does. At least Del Boy said ‘This time next year, we’ll be millionaires…’

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