It looks like he is on his way back.
The Daily Mail are tonight reporting that Newcastle are edging closer to sacking Steve McClaren and announcing Rafa Benitez as his successor. McClaren met with the club's hierarchy this afternoon - and in typical Newcastle fashion - they failed to actually dismiss McClaren, but are understood to be closer to doing so.
When McClaren is finally put out of his misery, the Mail are reporting that Benitez will succeed him at St James' Park. Benitez, as expected, will want full control of all matters at Newcastle. McClaren is currently operating under the title of Head Coach, and does not have control of transfers.
Should matters accelerate as expected tomorrow, Benitez' first game in charge will be against Leicester City, live on Sky on Monday night.
That would be quite the debut game for Benitez as few managers are as adept at channelling a passionate crowd to help cause a massive upset than Benitez.
He is also rather good value for us folk interested in talking about the game, see his feud with Alex Ferguson or this perversely heroic riposte to the Chelsea fans who booed him for qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Europa League:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzcVT6TN2Zg
Should Benitez keep Newcastle up - as you would fancy him to do, taking quite a bit of joy in relegating his old foe Sam Allardyce with Sunderland- next season we will face a Premier League with Benitez, Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, Arsene Wenger and if not Louis Van Gaal, then probably Jose Mourinho. Oh, and Alan Pardew.
Oof.
