OPINION
Newcastle United might be in a bit of a mess right now, but that will not stop some fans from having that tiny inkling of hope that success is only just round the corner.
Optimism is great now that the club find themselves in a dire situation, but comments from one pundit about what is in store for United this season will soon cause that optimism to fade.
BBC pundit Chris Sutton told BBC 5 Live’s Monday Night Club that he thinks that Rafa Benitez has not been getting the best out of his players recently, and that it does not look like things are going to change for Newcastle any time soon.
“Is Rafa Benitez getting the best out of this side? We know the answer, he isn’t. It’s carnage at Newcastle because the fans only want one man to leave the club and that certainly is not Rafa Benitez – it’s Mike Ashley,” he said, as transcribed by the Chronicle.
“I don’t think it’s going to get too much better for Newcastle this season. It’s negative, negative, negative. The season hasn’t started well, you feel it isn’t going to get much better and things don’t seem like they’re going to change and Mike Ashley can not and will not – I say will not – should not sack Rafa Benitez.”
Newcastle fans have more than a right to be rather concerned after these comments – after all, why wouldn’t they remain positive that their luck will change?
There is every chance that Benitez could turn things around, but Sutton does not seem to agree – and his remarks will leave for some rather worried supporters.
The grim reality of relegation could almost be certain after Christmas with the way that things are going, and the fact that he thinks that not even Benitez can get the best out of his players does not bode well in the slightest.
If Benitez is not up to the job, then it is almost certain that nobody else will be either.
Nevertheless, Newcastle fans will definitely be sweating buckets after Sutton raised these fears.
