Is Brendan Rodgers the top candidate to replace Rafa Benitez at Newcastle United?

Some media outlets are reporting that Brendan Rodgers is the top candidate to replace Rafa Benitez at Newcastle United if the Magpies continue to struggle.

Recent reports from the Mirror, Daily Record, Scottish Sun and the Scotsman are claiming that Brendan Rodgers is the primary candidate to take over managerial duties at Newcastle United if Rafa Benitez cannot earn some positive results.

The likelihood of this deal happening is very low after Mike Ashley recently stated that his primary objective is to keep Rafa Benitez and that he will invest in the club in January to avoid relegation. However, this rumor is worth analyzing because Ashley is known for making false promises. With that being said, if there is any truth to these rumors, would Rodgers be a good hire for Newcastle United?

Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has enjoyed primacy in Scottish football as Celtic continued to dominate the Scottish Premiership and compete in the UEFA Champions League year in and year out under his tenure. Prior to accepting his role at Celtic, Rodgers also managed Watford, Reading, Swansea City and Liverpool.

Rodgers is a solid manager with an impressive track record and he would be a good choice for the main role at Newcastle if Benitez leaves or gets sacked. The problem with Rodgers is that he has jumped around from one team to another quite frequently. Newcastle need a manager who has a long-term vision in order to transform the club from a mid-table side to top six regular.

One major advantage that Rodgers would have over his competition for this role is his experience working with a relegation favorite. Swansea City were relegation favorites after earning promotion to the Top Flight, but Rodgers led the Welsh side to an 11th place finish with 47 points.

Is Rafa Safe?

According to Mike Ashley, securing the services of Benitez for a few more years is the main goal for the club. Benitez enjoys the support of the players and the Toon Army, but if Newcastle cannot find sufficient points before the end of the year, it would not be surprising to see Benitez get sacked. As the Newcastle’s manager, Benitez should be accountable for the team’s form, but only to a certain extent. Everyone knows that the guilty party for Newcastle’s crisis is Mike Ashley for refusing to invest.

Newcastle will now have a favorable schedule and should climb the table rather quickly. For that reason, it is safe to assume that Benitez will stay on as manager and the rumors linking Rodgers to Newcastle will gradually fade away by December.