Rafa Benitez is reportedly “fuming” at Mike Ashley’s suggestion that talks between the Spaniard and Newcastle United broke down because a potential new buyer didn’t want him at the club, according to The Sun.
Benitez left his role as Toon manager on Sunday after three years at the club, and it has been claimed by the controversial owner that his departure was a result of the Bin Zayed Group’s wish to see him go, as reported by the Mirror.
But the 59-year-old is believed to be furious with that notion, with The Sun describing him as “fuming”.
OPINION
You can’t ever imagine Rafa Benitez fuming at anything. The Spaniard is so level-headed and softly spoken that the idea of him flipping out over something just doesn’t really compute. That being said, if there is one man who can anger even the most patient of temperaments, it is Mike Ashley. For three years, Benitez was fobbed off with fans promises and shoestring budgets, and it is little wonder that he has decided enough is enough. No manager should have to deal with the nonsense that Benitez has, but now that he has gone, it is frankly shameful that Ashley is trying to pass the blame on to somebody else. The Bin Zayed Group still don’t have exclusivity in their bid to buy the Toon Army, which means that unless Ashley is seriously naive, there is no way that they should be able to influence decisions like who is in the dugout. To try and wriggle out of this one is another low for the controversial owner.
