[Archived] Premier League 2015/16 Thread

[Stuart]

I don't think Benitez is all that good of a manager. More flops than successes in recent times imo. (Napoli, Inter, Real Madrid).

Could be an inspired choice. Benitez is a cup manager and Newcastle have the equivalent of a cup competition as the season ends. The 'cup' is safety.

Given the abundance of candidates for qualification yet dearth of tournament ones, I'd have loved to have seen Benitez take the England reigns at a World Cup. He has managed in England long enough to be a candidate IMHO - certainly more than Capello ever was.

[Salgado Is Still A Hero]

£2 million if they stay up and a clause in his contract that means he's free to leave if they go down apparently. Nice work if you can get it.

He might not have been a success everywhere but he's clearly a good manager imo.

Hopefully he won't be at Newcastle though.

[davulsukur]

First game away at top of the league and then they play Sunderland, then Norwich. 2 massive games for them.

I hope they lose them all.

[K-Hod]

Signed and sealed-http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20160311/rafa-benitez-confirmed-as-newcastle-manager_2281670_5411873

[J*B]

Thats Newcastle down IMO. Rafa Benitez vs. Sam Allardyce in a relegation battle? Only one winner.

[sambo]

Thats Newcastle down IMO. Rafa Benitez vs. Sam Allardyce in a relegation battle? Only one winner.

Should be a good battle. Recently read Big Sam's autobiography and he's certainly not a fan of Rafa. Even claimed their CL final win was 'lucky'.

[chaddyrovers]

If I was Mike Ashley, I'd get Nigel Pearson on a contract until the end of the season and then address the situation in the summer. Newcastle desperately need a bit of the team spirit that Leicester had last season when they performed a minor miracle.

Mike Ashley doesnt really get involved in that side of the football club. He leaves that to Lee Charnley, Bob Moncur and Graham Carr to sort out. Those 3 people of the Football board.

I would have gone for Harry Redknapp until end of the season then look at it again in the summer depending on which division there in tbh.

But I think Charnley is looking at this long term and looking at Benitez to get them into the top 6 and winning a cup.

Plus Benitez has been appointed as manager not as a head coach like McClaren or Pardew was. So thats a change in policy and means that Graham Carr who is Chief Scout will have less of a say on players coming in.

[Baz]

Think the relegation release clause shows that he's not that commited to be honest, Id be worried how that translates over to the players and fans.

[Salgado Is Still A Hero]

Can't be expecting a manager of Benitez's calibre to be managing in the Championship.

I'm sure he'll be 100% committed to this season.

I think it will pay off to be honest.

[chaddyrovers]

Berstein joins the Villa Board. Former FA CEO and City CEO.

Plus Former Villa Manager Brian Little joins the board as an advisor

[JHRover]

Villa need to be more worried about getting a manager and team in place that will be able to hit the ground running in the Championship.

Unless Brian Little is that man in waiting. Other than Nigel Pearson there aren't many sensible proven managers available. At least if Sunderland go down they will have Allardyce to get them back up.

[Neal]

Benitez is an absolute dogger of a manager, was the right man at the right club at Liverpool but the rest of his career since has proven that he's a load of garbage. I have absolutely no idea how and why Madrid chose him as manager and his time there proved how much of a dislikable character he is seeing how most of the players the reacted so positvely to his removal.

I hate his guts since the way he disrespected us at Anfield, I hoped Allardyce was going to smash his stupid fat, smug, arrogant face in. And that goatee makes him look like a pervert.

Can't wait to see him fail... Again.

[47er]

All I remember of Benitez' time at Liverpool is him spending bucket-loads of money for lttle reward.

[VinjayV4]

He's got a better record than Ranieri so maybe he might "surprise" a lot of people. Some things just can't really be explained like Leicester's form this season or past occurrences like Rovers losing 6 games in a row in 91-92.

[imy9]

Benitez is an absolute dogger of a manager, was the right man at the right club at Liverpool but the rest of his career since has proven that he's a load of garbage. I have absolutely no idea how and why Madrid chose him as manager and his time there proved how much of a dislikable character he is seeing how most of the players the reacted so positvely to his removal.

I hate his guts since the way he disrespected us at Anfield, I hoped Allardyce was going to smash his stupid fat, smug, arrogant face in. And that goatee makes him look like a pervert.

Can't wait to see him fail... Again.

disagree Neil. He won the Spanish league and European cup with Valencia. He has won a cup and stabilised Chelsea as well doing a very good job at Napoli. his flops came at Inter and obviously now at Real. He will do very well at Newcastle and can see Sunderland being relegated.

[dave birch]

At least the geordies will have a Spanish waiter to look after them....

[roverandout]

Benitez is too good a manager for those Geordie barstewards, he was treated shabbily at madrid

[Norbert Rassragr]

Rafa is good at benefiting from the work of other managers. He picked up from Ranieri and Cuper at Valencia, and won the CL with Houllier's Liverpool. And Mazzari started the upturn in Napoli's fortunes.

[philipl]

I was looking for Real Madrid at the bottom of the La Liga table.

Couldn't find them anywhere....

Actually they are third, close to second and in the last eight of the Champions League.

I'd settle for a disastrous manager who could do that at Ewood.

[VinjayV4]

Rafa is good at benefiting from the work of other managers. He picked up from Ranieri and Cuper at Valencia, and won the CL with Houllier's Liverpool. And Mazzari started the upturn in Napoli's fortunes.

Yeah and unlike those 2 notorious losers he took them to the title.

[Dean]

I was looking for Real Madrid at the bottom of the La Liga table.

Couldn't find them anywhere....

Actually they are third, close to second and in the last eight of the Champions League.

I'd settle for a disastrous manager who could do that at Ewood.

All relative though, isn't it?

Accrington Stanely would love to be the going nowhere mid-table Championship club that we were under Bowyer.

[Ribble Rover]

And to think we had Josh King and Mo Barrow not even making our matchday squad last season. Bowyer is being proven a complete no hoper the longer he's gone. Imagine PL with JK, RG, JR, MB at his disposal.

[Tom]

Mo Barrow was this season but the point stands

[Dean]

And to think we had Josh King and Mo Barrow not even making our matchday squad last season. Bowyer is being proven a complete no hoper the longer he's gone. Imagine PL with JK, RG, JR, MB at his disposal.

Absolutely gutted about King. He was the best striker we had and he never played. Worth millions now.

[yoda]

At least the geordies will have a Spanish waiter to look after them....

Pity the Spanish City has closed, he might have got a start there after it goes pear shaped at the gallows