Rafa Benitez 'not a mircale' worker according to ex-West Ham & England star

The comments came a day after the Tyneside club announced Benitez would leave St James’s Park when his contract expires on June 30.

Ashton, a one-time England international, was appearing as a pundit on radio station talkSPORT and claimed he was not on the Benitez ‘bandwagon’.

“I think Newcastle have always had a half decent squad of players,” Ashton said. “If you look at individual players, he’s got as good a squad as probably half of the Premier League.”

“What has he really brought the club? “He’s definitely ticked the box of playing in the Premier League and that’s all that absolutely matters to that football club, the 35-year-old added.

The former Norwich striker then admitted to occasionally changing channel when Newcastle were playing on television.

“Tactically, he’s excellent. There’s no doubt about that. But his style of football, for me, is extremely hard to watch. I’m bordering on boredom when I watch Newcastle. There hasn’t even been one glimmer of hope in the cups which is what I’m sure a lot of the fans would want.”

Ashton, who had to retire aged just 26 due to injury, added: “I don’t see Rafa Benitez as this miracle worker. I think somebody else could come in.

“It’s only the end of season runs in the last couple of seasons which have made Newcastle look a lot better,” he concluded