The owner’s controversial transfer policy has caused divisions with previous managers and the cracks are beginning to open up again at Newcastle United.
While it is almost certainly premature to consider Mike Ashley’s baffling decision to stick his oar into Newcastle United’s transfer business as the beginning of the end for Rafa Benitez on Tyneside, the Spaniard has quite clearly taken issue with his owners meddling, The Chronicle reports.
After all, a major factor in Benitez agreeing to remain at the helm of this sinking ship was the fact that Ashley had agreed to hand him a greater control of recruitment.
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And you could see why the former Real Madrid boss would make such a demand. Ashley had left his previous managers undermined and understaffed due to a transfer policy focused on signing young, unproven players based on their potential re-sale value rather than their ability to make an immediate impact.
Alan Pardew and Steve McClaren, though hardly blameless, both lamented their lack of say in the transfer market, leaving them with unwanted and unsuitable players.
And it’s surely no coincidence that after The Mirror claimed in mid-January that Ashley had reinstated his tyrannical, profit-seeking transfer policy, Newcastle failed to make another signing. Reported approaches for Andros Townsend, James McCarthy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and co were dead in the water.
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Although Benitez’s signings have been far from perfect, he has clearly not taken kindly to his reduced impact, as reported by The Chronicle.
“Yes [I’m surprised by the lack of transfers],” he said after the 2-2 draw with QPR. “I said before I am disappointed but I have to concentrate on the players we have and try to improve them.”
The last truly popular Newcastle manager, King Kevin Keegan, resigned sensationally after a disagreement with Ashley over his transfer policy. What are the odds of Benitez doing the same?
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