‘Talk, talk, talk’ - Rafa Benitez fires brutal Mike Ashley dig to highlight how far Newcastle United have come

Rafa Benitez has taken a swipe at Mike Ashley for the lack of ambition at Newcastle United.

While discussing his recent managerial jobs, the Spaniard brutally slammed expectations that modern-day owners have despite the lack of investment. Benitez famously managed the Magpies for three-and-a-half years, helping the club achieve an instant Premier League return before staying afloat for two seasons on a shoestring budget.

He left in 2019 after publicly bemoaning Newcastle’s ambition under Ashley - heading to the now-defunct Dalian Professional in China. Unsuccessful stints at Everton and Celta Vigo followed, with Benitez also having little funds to spend.

Speaking on The Overlap, the former Toon boss criticised how the game has evolved, with trigger-happy owners neglecting club infrastructure. PIF, the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund that bought Newcastle from Ashley in 2021, have made this a top priority, with sporting directors, commercial officers and performance analysts being appointed since their arrival.

“I want to keep coaching,” Benitez said. “But I have seen, I made a mistake because I went to another level. The owners, you can’t increase the level if they don’t increase the time. The owners talk, talk, talk but they don’t give you time because social media is going so fast.

“I want to compete. When a team isn’t winning for years, they either don’t have the money, the players or the staff. Sometimes, you trust the people, they are nice people but not capable of going to the next level.

“To go to the next level, you need the best physios, the best doctors, the best in the kitchen. If you don’t have that, you lose something compared to the others.”