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Interest levels in the rumored Newcastle managerial candidates

By Carson A Merk

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur speaks to Rafael Benitez, Manager of Newcastle United prior to the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on February 2, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur speaks to Rafael Benitez, Manager of Newcastle United prior to the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on February 2, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) /
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We look at the managers linked with the Newcastle United job and which ones we would prefer.

As we get reportedly closer to the Newcastle United takeover, new names continue to circulate on who could be the manager as the Magpies enter a new era. Steve Bruce is still under contract and there is an argument to be made that he should at least get a chance. But, the likelihood is that he will be replaced by a more highly-touted manager. We look at some of the men that have been linked to the Newcastle job and how interested we would be in them taking over. (Our interest level is from 1-10, one having minimal interest and ten being someone that we’d love to see on the St. James’ Park touchline)

Rafa Benitez

One of the most beloved managers in the club’s history, Benitez departed before this season after his contract expired. He has experienced an up-and-down run with Dalian Yifang in the Chinese Super League since leaving Newcastle.

Interest level from Newcastle Toons: 10
Rafa’s CV speaks for itself and we’ve already had the chance to watch him manage the Magpies for years. Without the financial restrictions and deception that came with Mike Ashley’s reign, Rafa could do special things for a club that he is clearly passionate about.

Mauricio Pochettino

Comfortably the youngest manager on this list, Pochettino is arguably the most frequently linked to the Newcastle job. His managerial career kicked off with Espanyol before cutting his Premier League teeth from 2013-14 with Southampton. As we know, his major experience and accomplishments came with Spurs. He has been a runner-up twice: 2016-17 in the Premier League and 2018-19 in the Champions League. There were also back-to-back semifinal appearances for Spurs in the FA Cup during his reign.

Interest Level from Newcastle Toons: 8

As we mentioned, Poch is the youngest on this list of potential new managers by a good margin and that’s definitely a positive. He has high potential, has managed in big matches, and is familiar with the Premier League. For the new ownership at Newcastle, you would be hiring a manager to grow with the club as expectations continue to rise.

Massimiliano “Max” Allegri

He is the only manager to win four straight doubles in the big five European leagues, which he accomplished in 2018 with Juventus. He won five Serie A crowns with the club and two second-place Champions League finishes. Allegri also has a Serie A title with Milan. He departed Juve after last season and has not taken a new job since.

Interest level from Newcastle Toons: 7
He’s definitely a quality manager and has the trophies to prove it. There’s also the link that his arrival would convince star midfielder Arturo Vidal to follow him to Tyneside. The only knock on Allegri would be that he doesn’t have Premier League experience and that most of his success came with the biggest club in Italy. Still, he would definitely be an exciting hire for the Magpies.

Next. A reunion with Andros Townsend this summer makes sense. dark

Luciano Spaletti

The former Serie A Coach of the Year is currently out of a job after being sacked by Inter in 2019. He’s spent almost his entire career, as a player and manager, in his native Italy with clubs like the aforementioned Inter, Roma, and Udinese. His venture outside of the country was a successful run with Zenit in the Russian Premier League, where he won the league’s title twice.

Interest level from Newcastle Toons: 4
Like Allegri, he would be testing himself in the Premier League for the first time. But, he hasn’t won at the highest level like his compatriot. The rumors that he would bring Radja Nainggolan with him are definitely intriguing, but I would like to see the new manager as either young with more potential or a consistent high-level winner.