Former Newcastle United player Kieron Dyer has claimed that the club is merely “stepping stone” for boss Rafa Benitez and he is likely to soon leave.
He says that managing the Magpies is just filling time for the Spaniard until one of the “big jobs” comes his way as he is one of the “top tier managers”.
Dyer adds that Benitez will never be able to fulfil his potential as a coach while Mike Ashley is still the owner of Newcastle – but said that if Ashley was able to sell to the “right people” who could invest a lot of funds in players, then Benitez could definitely be a major success.
"With Mike Ashley in charge Newcastle will never fulfil their potential"
Former Magpies midfielder Kieron Dyer says his club is now only a stepping stone for manager Rafa Benitez.
?? – https://t.co/WUEo0yZvh7 pic.twitter.com/K53SaPrPR5
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) November 9, 2018
“No disrespect to Newcastle, but I feel like it is a stepping stone for Rafa until one of the big jobs comes available,” he said on BBC 5 Live Sport.
“He is that good a manager, he is in the top tier of managers. If Mike Ashley could have sold the club to the right people who would invest a couple of hundred million pounds in players, then that has got the massive potential.
“If Mike Ashley is owner, then [Benitez] is never going to fulfil his potential.”
OPINION
This claim that has been made by Dyer is sure to anger Newcastle fans up and down the country, The fact that he could suggest that the club is just a stop gap for Benitez would have no doubt got them rather worried, because if a big job did come around, there is always that risk that an experienced manager like him will get shortlisted for it. Unfortunately, the supporters just need to recognise that this is a very realistic possibilty – after all, it is not like Benitez is going to stick around at St James’ Park for the rest of his career. He still has a lot to achieve, and by the looks of things at the moment, he is not going to do that with Newcastle. Managers like him should not be in charge of clubs who are threatened with relegation – it should be the other way around.