In Mike I trust

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport...benitez-with-more-cash-at-newcastle-1-8698865

Charnley reporting in to Rafa?

 

Surely then Rafa knew all this at the beginning?

 

"It’s Newcastle United. It doesn’t have a £40million-a-year stadium naming rights deal, it doesn’t."

you're right Mike it doesn't and never will have whilst you're in charge
you pay jack **** for all the advertising in the ground as well

 

HaWay Lads, at least wait till Kane is celebrating his hat trick before all the Fat Mike stick !

 

yeah you're right, but I'm not waiting all week
we could all **** off the same time as the makems do, round about the 60th minute

 

I'm sure he did - which is why I think he'll be sticking around

I guess people saw the "every penny" quote and assumed that meant we had all the money from the PL etc in one go - which we don't

Think the biggest of Rafa's frustrations relates to not getting bodies out of the door to free up funds and wages, however people want to dress it up , we need to shift players before we can bring them in.

Think there will still be 3 in before the window closes - even if loans, but would imagine that money will be available in Jan as more of the money from Sky , TV games, attendances etc comes in.

 

Kind what I said yesterday. If Rafa does his thing and Ashley stays out of it and lets him have all the money then the club will progress over the next few years. This year is the hardest though with the well documented cash problems. If we get through it the future will be bright IMHO.

 

Exactly - at the start of the window, Rafa said it was going to take 3-4 transfer windows to get the team/squad to where he wants it.

If he can be patient and is confident the money will be there to let him build and develop, then why the hell can't we??

 

He tried to sell off naming rights and nobody wanted it. Not to mention there were quite a few disgruntled fans and citizens. Maybe SD should start paying for the advertising but it wouldn't make a lot of difference to who the club could afford to buy.

 

All true.

 

do you honestly believe that no one wanted it ??
could it be that Ashley set the bar too high so no -one would pay the asking price leaving him free to do want he wants and has

 

Somebody would pay if it weren't for the history of the place and the toxic PR it would generate if their name were blazoned across the stadium. Even if they did sell it off it would be for what? a few million? It wouldn't make that much difference. Decent players are going for £40-50m ffs. Fans almost to a man don't want naming rights sold off so I'm not sure what there is to complain about.

 

Given the amount of negative press calling it the Sports Direct Stadium (or whatever the hell it was) - from fans, media etc - yes, I can honestly see a lot of companies not wanting to touch it with a bargepole.

Dead easy for say, Emirates Airlines to go into the new Arsenal stadium - imagine the difference if they'd rocked up and offered to rename Highbury?

 

Yeah, but he'll claim the money he doesn't take from his loan is worth far more than any advertising SD doesn't pay for. You don't get that rich by being super-dumb.

As for his wealth; he paid £134m for the club, yeah? Outstanding debt is - I believe - £110m. So he could write a cheque for £244m, but not a penny more? That said, he's right about it being a club against an entire country (and a damned wealthy one).

 

Why should he keep putting more money in? It is bascially flushing it down the toilet and the club would always want more and more. Yes, wouldn't it be nice if we had someone like Abramovich writing blank cheques? We don't and probably never will. Is that what so many fans are so sore about? That a handful of clubs basically won the lottery and we didn't? Life's tough.

 

I am actually going to defend him. Can't believe that I am saying that. He is a pauper compared to other owners. The TV money is the key - 17 of the current 20 are reaping the benefit of the TV wealth. But, the transfer market is out of hand. As a result, only a few can buy real quality now. Ashley simply does not have the wealth to compete. We need to stay up and get the TV money so that Rafa can improve the side.

 

Newcastle fans aren't renowned for their patience unfortunately.

 

The proven top-tier quality, yeah. I'm still hopeful we may have snapped up a few gems in Merino, Lejeune and Murphy.

 

Funnily enough I think all three are. I also think that Kennedy will be a good signing too. I am just hoping we go for Perez.

 

He's called it as it is. Plain and simple.