Two wins in 10 games not enough to keep Newcastle in the Premier League.
Sunderland’s 3-0 win over Everton yesterday saw Newcastle United condemned to the second tier of English football – despite spending vast amounts of money and a last-ditch attempt to stay up by newly promoted boss Rafa Benitez.
Now the attention must swiftly switch to the future – and that of Benitez.
The Spaniard has an exit-clause in his deal with the club meaning he can leave in the event of relegation.
It is not yet clear what he will decide but it is clear that Newcastle United fans would love for him to stay.
Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd told talkSPORT (12/05/16) that he would be very surprised if Rafa Benitez remained Newcastle boss for next season and also made it clear that a portion of the blame does lie with the Spaniard for their relegation:
“There’s two things here.
“One he lives in Liverpool, the Wirral, and that’s going to be an attraction to live here with his family, if he doesn’t get another club.
“One is money. All managers are the same, they don’t want to work for nothing.
“I think it will be difficult keeping him there. But, two wins in 10 games? I think he has got to look at himself as well.”
He makes a fair point regarding the amount of games Newcastle win but in reality the dye was likely cast when Benitez took the job.
With more time to change things perhaps he could have kept Newcastle in the Premier League but the club stuck by Steve McClaren for too long and it cost them.
Benitez may have only two wins from 10 games in charge but the club are currently unbeaten in five games – their longest unbeaten streak since 2014.
So he has certainly done something right.
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