Who can't be proud to back Rafa after this result

[ex_pat_magpie]

Surely only the dimwits who are always on his back only because.

a) He wanted to consolidate the team and make them safe rather than flamboyantly losing matches.

b) He's looking long term rather than short term and building for the future.

c) Despite the difficulty of working under Ashley's penny pinching constraints he has shouldered criticism from uninformed and impatient detractors who would have seen us fighting a relegation battle rather than the comfortable position we have finished in now.

[Jammy89]

Aye.

He's done a great job.

Hopefully he'll be backed and allowed to continue it next season.

[HughieG]

Surely only the dimwits who are always on his back only because.

a) He wanted to consolidate the team and make them safe rather than flamboyantly losing matches.

b) He's looking long term rather than short term and building for the future.

c) Despite the difficulty of working under Ashley's penny pinching constraints he has shouldered criticism from uninformed and impatient detractors who would have seen us fighting a relegation battle rather than the comfortable position we have finished in now.

Those three main points are spot on, ExPat. Can I add to that the fact that as a side we improved over the course of the season in spirit, together and (from the end of January) ability in going forward.

[Geordie1974]

The fact players are improving speaks volumes for Rafa.Any manager that improves players is worth hanging onto.I know it's their job but how many players go back over under certain managers.In 40yrs of supporting Newcastle,the effort and the way they work as a team is up there with the best I have seen.
They are by no means the best team.They are nowhere near.But effort and desire is unbelievable.

[trinitoon]

But effort and desire is unbelievable.

I'd question the strength of this. Unbelievable?

These players are generally good players that we should be looking to build on instead of flogging. I don't care about talk of signing new players (except our keeper ASA-muddafo'kin-P because he is IMMENSE) until the most important member of the team is locked down: RafaDaGaffa.

I'm left rubbing my eyes in disbelief about the tormented Joga Bonito striker's soul that body-snatched Perez. He is literally a different player. A player who has had trouble completing passes and catching up a rolling ball is now doing deft flicks and peppering the goal with a wide variety of shots that are often weak but often on target. I am not wearing rose tints here because today's result doesn't change my opinion that Perez has come on leaps and bounds from the useless flea that he used to be. He's definitely repaid Rafa's faith with effort. And an increasing number of goals.

Any potential we have will be flushed down the porcelain pedestal unless we sign up Rafa and somebody buys the fu'cking club.

[Sclox]

Sometimes players look bad - very bad. They try things that go wrong, look unfit, slow, are out of position, look clumsy, make silly errors, don't seem to understand or be comfortable with the system. But then suddenly a switch flicks - they turn the corner and it all clicks into place and suddenly they look very good. Wonder if this has happened since Christmas with some of our players. ie Diame, Perez and Shelvey?

Dunno, maybe I'm talking shiite.

[Geordie1974]

The loan signings in January gave everyone a lift and we never looked back.We ended up 10pts off Burnley for a place in Europe.That was with losing 4 of the last 5 and someone put up how many we lost 1 nil the other day.
If only we had the players Rafa wanted in the summer.Oh wait.Been said by a couple on here that Rafa was backed last summer.My mistake..

[tinostongue]

The loan signings in January gave everyone a lift and we never looked back.We ended up 10pts off Burnley for a place in Europe.That was with losing 4 of the last 5 and someone put up how many we lost 1 nil the other day.
If only we had the players Rafa wanted in the summer.Oh wait.Been said by a couple on here that Rafa was backed last summer.My mistake..

As my form teacher used to say "stupid boy" If Ashley doesn't realise just what hes sitting on here, and back rafa then he never will. That was the best display this season I reckon, fair enough Chelsea were rubbish first half. If I was a Chelsea fan travelling here today I would be disgusted b their first half show. Better second half though.I reckon it might have been a "going away" present from Conteh to abramovitch, apparently they never got on.If he wasn't leaving before that game, then he certainly will be now!