Former Newcastle United midfielder Rob Lee has voiced his serious concern over the future of manager Rafael Benitez as the Spaniard heads into the final two months of his contract.
There is still no sign of a deal being signed between the boss and the club, despite his current terms coming to an end at the end of June.
Lee, a cult hero at St James’ Park, has highlighted how owner Mike Ashley seems to have a problem with popular figures on Tyneside, and insists that while common sense would dictate the club keep Benitez on board, he is fearing the worst for the Toon Army.
He told the Chronicle: “It seems to be an issue that whenever somebody popular comes along Mike Ashley has a problem with it. It happened with Kevin Keegan, it happened with Alan Shearer and it’s happening with Rafa Benitez now.
“I’m pretty sure that Rafa does not want to go anywhere, I mean where else can he go in the Premier League? There are no bigger clubs in England for him at the moment. So this is a chance to get him tied down. He likes the club and can see the potential of it so why can’t the owner?
“Mike Ashley needs to be able to see that too, he can’t mess this one up surely. It really wouldn’t surprise me if Rafa went. I have to switch off from it a bit now for my own sanity.”
Opinion
Common sense and Mike Ashley just do not go together at all. The owner of Newcastle is lacking in footballing knowledge and has demonstrated that time and again on Tyneside. He is a businessman locked in contract negotiations with one of his employees – but that should not the approach taken by either party. Benitez is so much more than a manager – he is a leader, a confidant, a long list of contacts across the footballing world. What Ashley needs to realise is just how much of an asset he has on his hands and what he would be losing were he to let him go. Financially, Benitez brings a lot of value to Newcastle and with Ashley’s one and only thought being money, the Spaniard should be his dream manager. It makes no sense that a deal has not been done yet but that is what a club run by Ashley is like. All business sense, no footballing sense.