Alan Shearer has let rip after it was confirmed that Rafa Benitez would be leaving Newcastle when his contract expires on June 30.
Writing in his column in the Sun, Shearer said he was “devastated” by the news and fired a big warning to fans that Benitez is worth between 10 and 15 points a season.
“Newcastle were fortunate enough to have a world-class manager who was doing a very good job and they have just allowed him to walk away for nothing,” Shearer wrote.
“It is a shambles and a travesty. It doesn’t make any sense.
“For Newcastle, he was probably worth ten to 15 points a season. With him in charge, there was no way they would have been relegated.
“Now, you have to fear the worst.”
OPINION
This is a very real warning from Shearer, a player who knows Newcastle inside and out. Newcastle finished last season with 45 points, 11 above the relegation zone. And they finished the 17/18 season with the same buffer from the drop zone. What Shearer is saying is that without Benitez, Newcastle might have just survived in both seasons, but would likely have been relegated. And he’s fearing the worst for next season. It’s all going to come down to the next few weeks and three big questions need answering. Firstly, who is Mike Ashley going to get in to manage the club? An experienced name who knows how to steer a club like Newcastle away from the drop zone, or a yes man who will do as he’s told? Secondly, who is the club going to sign to strengthen the squad? Finally, are existing players going to leave? A Football Insider report has said that Ayoze Perez is going to head an exodus of players after the exit of Benitez. That’s a lot to get right and, at the moment, there’s no-one in charge.