Newcastle United legend Malcolm Macdonald has issued a warning to any manager thinking of taking on the Newcastle United job under Mike Ashley, claiming the owner wants a ‘yes man’ and ‘someone who does as their told’.
Rafa Benitez will leave the club on 30th June, and a flurry of managers have now been linked with Newcastle United manager role.
In the running for the hot seat are the same old names you’d expect, as well as some you might not.
Out of work managers David Moyes and Steve Bruce have been rumoured as possible, as well as more unusual candidates such as Mikel Arteta and Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
But given Benitez’s high profile and calamitous exit, why would any manager want the job?
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The situation at Newcastle is now more clear than ever, and the manager role is now surely one of the toughest in world football.
Any new manager now fully knows what they are taking on, and should expect little to no support in the transfer window.
And with most of the squad’s key players looking to jump ship, they can also expect an incredibly depleted squad.
To keep Newcastle in the Premier League under these conditions, a miracle is required. That miracle has been Benitez over the past two seasons.
Speaking to Sky Sports today, 70’s hero ‘Supermac’ spoke of the sort of calibre of manager that would take on this challenge.
And for many supporters, he’s got it spot on.
Supermac challenges eager managers
Commenting on whether Jose Mourinho would be a good fit for Newcastle United, Super Mac made his feelings on Ashley very clear: “He’s [Mourinho] not the kind of personality that Mike Ashley would want around.
“He’s very combative, Mike Ashley doesn’t want that, he just wants someone who does as their told, which is why Rafa isn’t around anymore.
“What is really being looked for to replace Rafa is a yes man. And so I say to the managers who are vying for this new position that’s opened up, are you a yes man?
“If you are, you’ll probably fit the bill well.”
In short, Newcastle fans can unfortunately expect a massive downgrade on Rafa Benitez.
The only managers who are going to want to take the job are those desperate for work, or those looking to establish themselves as a Premier League manager.
And to be fair to those vying for the job, you can’t blame them for wanting to be a part of Newcastle United. It’s still a massive club in many ways.
But how many more times can this sort of thing occur before the world’s football managers realise things are not going to ever change under Mike Ashley.
If Rafa Benitez can’t solve the club’s problems, it’s unlikely anyone else can either.
