Simon Jordan has blasted Rafa Benitez, claiming that the Spaniard manipulated Newcastle United fans during his time at St James’ Park.
Benitez left St James’ Park at the end of June and has since been announced as the new manager of Dalian Yifeng, earning himself a widely-reported pay rise in the process.
The former Liverpool boss has been one of the most popular managers on Tyneside in a very long time and his exit was met with a lot of anger from the supporters towards owner Mike Ashley.
However ex-Crystal Palace chairman Jordan believes that Benitez was never at Newcastle because he felt any affinity towards the club and instead was just there to wait and see if something better came along.
“I know Newcastle fans will say ‘shut up you Southern whatever, you don’t know what you’re talking about’. I’m of the mentality that Benitez would use Newcastle for a stepping stone if a better opportunity came in the Premier League, he would have gone out of the door and wouldn’t have looked back,” Jordan told talkSPORT, as shown via their Twitter account on Tuesday.
“The only reason he’s gone for China is because he’s gone for money.”
Jordan added: “Benitez has conducted the choir and has been very clever doing it.
“All the time, you and I both know, if a better opportunity came for Benitez inside the Premier League, all of this would be washed away. It would be gone.”
When told to read what Benitez wrote about Newcastle in his parting message to fans by Shaun Custis, Jordan said: “I’ve seen it. I think he’s very clever and very manipulative. I can just see those words pouring out of his Spanish mouth.”
“I’m not a fan of Rafa Benitez.” 😡
“I don’t subscribe to the view Newcastle fans have that he walks on water.”
“He’s gone because he can’t get what he wants when he wants it. News flash!”@SJOpinion10 blasts Benitez and clashes with #NUFC fan Shaun Custis. pic.twitter.com/ZKCRBVRrkF
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) July 2, 2019
OPINION
Yet again, we have another talkSPORT pundit talking a load of rubbish just to gain some attention. How can Jordan be so sure that Benitez would quit Newcastle to take another job in the Premier League? If he did, the lack of support from Ashley would have been the main reason behind it and he would have more than likely earned himself a pay rise in the process. Benitez wanted to stay at Newcastle, if he didn’t want to stay then why did it take until the final week of his contract for him to decide that he was going to leave the club? Not many clubs are without a manager at the moment and that may be why Benitez has headed to China. Obviously the money factor cannot be ignored and who doesn’t want to earn more money? But it’s also a new and exciting challenge in an improving league and is also something that he can do while he does what for a better opportunity to come up.
