BBC pundit Garth Crooks has delivered a stark warning to the Newcastle board surrounding the future of Rafael Benitez and their squad.
Crooks insisted that if Newcastle do not tie Benitez down to a new deal in the summer then they could face a huge problem with half of their squad wanting to follow suit.
Writing in his column for his BBC Team of the week, Crooks said: “The problem for the Magpies is that if Rafa goes, so does half of that team. That team is nothing without Rafa’s leadership and inspiration. The quicker owner Mike Ashley can conclude contract talks with Benitez, the better for all concerned.”
Benitez has slowly become a hero in his three years at the club and talks reportedly look set to continue in the coming weeks.
OPINION
Garth Crooks is definitely right with his comments surrounding the current situation at Newcastle. The longer it goes on, the more farcical the whole thing becomes. There is no doubt that Benitez is the right man for the job and everyone involved at the club knows that. The damning recognition of the situation could be true, that players will want to leave should Benitez not be given the chance to lead the club forward after his stellar work in previous years. Whether or not this would be the case has not been decided yet but it would be a stupid decision to let the Spaniard leave with the players and everyone surrounding Benitez obviously being great fans of him. The progress made by the club in previous seasons under Benitez has been miraculous and that would all be for nothing if the club let the man behind that success pack up and leave at the end of June.
