Former Newcastle No1 Shay Given has revealed the full frostiness of the current relationship between the two top men at St James Park.
Speaking on the Mirror Football podcast - which you can subscribe to on iTunes - the Irish keeper offers his insight into the growing problems between Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez and Newcastle owner Mike Ashley.
Having spent 12 years at Newcastle, Given still has contacts at the club. And, with news growing that the Spanish boss is increasingly frustrated at a lack of big money signings, Given has been told that the two of them no longer speak.
"Rafa and Mike need to get their heads together and move the club forward," the Toon Army cult hero tells our podcast host Sam Matterface.
"By my accounts, people are telling me that they don't even speak any more. Lee Charnley [Newcastle's managing director] is now the go-between, between Ashley and Rafa. That's not an ideal situation.
"You don't want to hear those things as a player.
"The squad can feel undermined if the club are always linked with other players. Rafa is saying they're not good enough to stay in the division, so it seems as if all is not going accordingly up there."
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