Rafa Benitez Can Rebuild ‘Zombie Club’ Newcastle, If Given the Power to Do So

Newcastle United were relegated on Wednesday evening, the 92nd anniversary of the birth of perhaps their most iconic player, Jackie Milburn. But although they ended up being undone by a minimalist masterpiece of escapology by Sunderland—never higher than 17th, fewer days outside the relegation places than any other club—the truth is that Newcastle relegated themselves, their demise brought about by the toxic spirit that pervades the club and for which the owner, Mike Ashley, must take responsibility.

New Magpies manager Rafa Benitez oversaw an upturn in form but, having only taken over as manager in March, he arrived too late to be able to inspire survival.

“You can’t blame him,” even his great rival Sam Allardyce acknowledged after Sunderland’s 3-0 victory over Everton. Nine games in charge have brought 10 points and, more significantly, Newcastle are unbeaten in their last five.

There’s fight and organisation where previously there was chaos. But there remain significant doubts as to whether he will stay to try to mastermind a promotion charge next season. After all, this is a manager who began the season in charge of Real Madrid. Burton, for all its charms, is not Barcelona.

Realistically, what might tempt Benitez to stay? He likes England: that is clear. His family has continued to live on the Wirral while he has worked for Napoli and Real Madrid. Newcastle are, without question, a big club. Even with all the frustration surrounding the club at the moment and the anger felt towards Ashley, they’ve averaged gates of more than 48,000.

As countless managers have said since the FA Cups dried up in the late 50s, there is enormous potential at the club. At some point, somebody will do what Kevin Keegan so nearly did in the mid-90s and win a trophy for the first time since 1969. Whoever does that will be loved and revered, and they will ink their name indelibly into the history of the region.

There is the possibility not just of being another name on a list of the greats, as Benitez is at Liverpool, but of being top of the list, of becoming the Bill Shankly or the Matt Busby or the Don Revie or the Brian Clough that all others must …

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