As you’re probably aware, Mike Ashley took Rafa Benitez and the Newcastle first team squad out for a pizza on Wednesday night in an attempt to build bridges with those at the club. Then yesterday in The Daily Mail, a story surfaced claiming that Mike Ashley had promised to take the squad on holiday if they avoid the drop and provide funds for Rafa Benitez in the January window.
MA also insisted to the players that the Spaniard was going nowhere and he needed him as manager for the team to be successful on the pitch.
To that end, he said that plans were being made for January – and it is this what would have been of interest to Benitez. #nufc— NUFC360 (@NUFC360) October 4, 2018
The three-hour meeting between Benitez, Ashley and the Newcastle squad seems to have been a productive one. Ashley has vowed that he won’t be selling the club this season, that he will make resources available for Benitez in the January window and that he will take the entire Newcastle squad on holiday if they are able to avoid relegation at the end of the season, something that is frankly unheard of from Ashley.
Despite these promises, The Magpies aren’t buying it and have a feeling of deja vu surrounding the words. It seems all too familiar that Ashley is promising that funds will be made available and that things will get better. The summer just gone saw Ashley promise Benitez ‘every penny the club generates’ and that seemed to go out of the window pretty quickly when the opportunity to sign players came about, leaving the Geordies far from optimistic about the upcoming January window despite Ashley’s words.
You can read The Magpies’ thoughts on Ashley’s comments here:
All lies
— Richard Symonds (@RichardSymond12) October 4, 2018
I feel like we’ve heard all this before it’s just more excuses to try and calm people down il believe it when I see it
— James Girdlestone (@Jamesgirdy1989) October 4, 2018
I think we have heard it all before.
— Chris Dixon (@MightyShearer) October 4, 2018
Copy and paste. Heard it all before
— Lee Monaghan (@LeeeMonaghan) October 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/CoachRayson/status/1047818496380428289
Honestly saying what was happening regarding a potential sale was the only positive that could have come from the meal, and as much as I want him to sell, I'm happy he cleared it up so that there is no distraction.
Also we know Benitez won't believe it unless he actually sees it
— Matthew (@JB4t00n) October 4, 2018
Why does this sound familiar…..
— Pete Clarke (@Peteclarke85) October 4, 2018
The fans are refusing to budge in their protests of Ashley and won’t believe any of his words about funds being made available until they’ve seen it.
