As we previously wrote ... many of us expected a Mackem to replace Rafa ... simply because that's the way Mike Ashley thinks.
He must have thought to himself: "What is the BEST thing to wind them up even more? Appoint a MACKEM!"
The recent revelation is that Sam Allardyce turned down the job!
Former Sunderland manager Allarduce recently told TalkSport that he 'turned down' the chance to replace Rafa Benitez as Newcastle manager.