Newcastle legend Rob Lee feels that players ‘dont want to play’ for the club anymore after watching the Magpies scrap for loan signings in the January transfer window.
Rafa Benitez was provided with just three temporary additions, two of whom were fringe players at Premier League clubs, and Lee believes the days are gone when Newcastle could attract big names to St James’ Park.
And Lee feels the lack of ambition and financial support from owner Mike Ashley has hindered Rafa Benitez’s chances of keeping Newcastle in the top-flight.
“There is no point in Newcastle getting into the Premier League then keeping the same players that got them there,” he said on BBC Newcastle in an interview reported by BBC Sport.
“Sometimes you need better players; Bournemouth and Watford have both spent more than us. Newcastle is a huge club but it does not feel like that anymore, people don’t want to play for them anymore.”
Lee, who played over 400 games in black and white between 1992 and 1997, took a further swipe at Ashley for consistently holding Newcastle back in his 11 years as owner and urged him to sell the club after he ended talks with Amanda Staveley last month.
“It is a shame. The club has been in decline for such a long time,” Lee said. “Mike Ashley takes one step forward and then three giant steps backwards.
“It is time now for change, we need change, we need someone else to take the helm.”
