Newcastle United legend Malcolm Macdonald worryingly suggested that Rafa Benitez was being pushed towards the exit door and that relegation was a real possibility for the club this season.
The retired forward, who was prolific for the Magpies in the 1970s, raved about the Magpies manager’s ability but revealed he thought that the senior man appeared to being getting punished for being successful.
“I feel really sorry for Rafa because this is a great manager who is just being used and abused. It’s almost as if he is being punished for the success he has brought to the club,” shared Macdonald in an interview with the Daily Mirror.
“In my eyes, Mike Ashley is not bothered about the club, the team, the supporters or anybody. What he really wants is for Newcastle United to keep supplying him with the money.”
“I think he’s (Benitez) being shoved towards the door. He doesn’t deserve it. He’s done an absolutely terrific job. But he’s getting no support from above.”
Macdonald then added that he wasn’t sure how the club were going rack up enough points in the league this season to avoid relegation and revealed that he wasn’t even confident that the club would instantly recover after dropping into the Championship.
“I’m looking at the fixture list until the end of December and I’m not sure they will even get into double figures,” continued the retired footballer.
“The club has been relegated twice while Ashley has been the owner. Each time they have come straight back. But if they get relegated again and things stay the same – it hurts me dreadfully to say this – I can’t see them coming straight back. I think the spirit in the club has been broken over these last few weeks.”
OPINION
Macdonald hasn’t held back in his recent interview as the 68-year-old is clearly worried about what the future holds at St James Park. If you’re a Magpies supporter than the club legend literally shares that he thinks the worst case scenario is afoot as not only does he envision relegation and Benitez’s exit, he doesn’t see the club being able to bounce back. It will be a potentially painful summer if Macdonald ends up being right as if Benitez leaves than fans will lose hope that the club are about to experience the good times. The managerial genius seems ambitious with his ideas for the Magpies but Ashley simply doesn’t want to play ball. It would be fantastic if the owner managed to sell the club but with no mention of another serious or suitable buyer in sight then who knows how long the businessman will keep the Magpies in his pocket.Hopefully Macdonald is wrong to feel so pessimistic about his former side but then again it’s hard to find a fan currently who wouldn’t understand his current thoughts.
