OPINION
It’s really not rocket science, is it?
If you have a squad as blatantly underprepared for life in the Premier League as Newcastle United’s is, you need a good manager.
If you already have a good manager, say for instance, Rafa Benitez, you would, therefore, want to keep him.
And if that manager’s contract was coming to an end, it would make a lot of sense to tie him down to a new deal as quickly as possible.
Or so you would think.
But as is so often the case on Tyneside, things are not that simple.
According to the Times’ journalist George Culkin, Benitez has not heard anything from the board in three weeks, despite upholding his end of their preliminary bargain and submitting his wish list for next season.
In a piece on Wednesday morning, he said: “Rafa Benítez has had no response from Newcastle United three weeks after telling the club’s hierarchy what it will take to keep him at St James’ Park beyond the end of this season.
“At Newcastle’s request, the manager submitted a wishlist in the week before their Premier League fixture at Arsenal on April 1, in the expectation that they would form the basis of contract negotiations.
“As of last night, he was still awaiting a reply, causing Benítez to seek clarification from the club; with only four games still to play, the clock is ticking.”
This is typically shambolic of the Magpies under Ashley, and will no doubt have supporters biting their fingernails with worry.
It really shouldn’t be this difficult. Benitez is a reasonable man with an obvious passion for the club, and with time running out on his current deal, the board are really playing with fire.
You get the impression that Benitez is as desperate as anybody to get the ball rolling, but there will be no shortage of suitors should things go awry and he walks away from the club
Honestly, if this keeps up, you wouldn’t blame him. He’s too good for this nonsense, but if Ashley let him get away, there would be mutiny at St. James’ Park.