The Spaniard is set to leave St James’ Park when his current contract expires, but Mick Martin believes there could be a route back to Tyneside
Rafa Benitez leaving Newcastle is a “disaster”, says former club captain Mick Martin, but a change of ownership could deliver a shock U-turn in the dugout.
As things stand, the Magpies are set to be without a manager on June 30.
That is because no agreement has been reached with Benitez to extend his contract.
The inability of Mike Ashley and Co to do a deal has been widely condemned, with Martin telling Love Sport Radio of a long-running saga: “Yes, it’s been a disaster, to be honest with you, and I have to say I didn’t think it would come to this, because Benitez seemed happy to be in his position at Newcastle.
“Other than the fact there’s a couple of issues that needed to be sorted out. He loves the crowd, he loves the area, he’s done great work with the team, and he just wanted a couple of things made clear to him.
“In other words, a couple more quid to invest, and control, and help with transfers. And on top of a few quid more on his wages, so I think he would have deserved all that, the crowd would have been happy. But unfortunately, it’s come to this stage where there’s going to be turmoil around here.”
While being braced for a parting of ways with a proven coach, Martin believes there is a chance that Newcastle have not seen the last of Benitez.
Takeover talk on Tyneside has dragged on for some time and it could be that a new regime look to bring the popular manager back if an agreement can be reached in the near future.
Martin, who spent six years with the Magpies between 1978 and 1984, added: “The problem you have facing you now, is an appointment of a new manager.
“Now a new manager comes in, straight away you have to hit the ground running, because if he doesn’t, results aren’t good, then the crowds are going to start booing him, booing Ashley, and everything is going to be up in the air.
“Whoever does come in has got to be strong and handle the pressure of replacing Rafa Benitez, because if he doesn’t he’s going to get buried up here.
“There is one little possibility that might happen, if there is a sale of this club prior to the season starting, it wouldn’t be beyond the new owners to go to Benitez if he hasn’t got a job by then to bring him back. I read that somewhere and thought ‘God, that’s a good idea’, and if there was a sale that could possibly be on.”
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