£40M TAG ON GUEYE
Rafa will play weakened team and says: We have more important things to worry about
RAFA BENITEZ has admitted top-flight teams are ducking out of the FA Cup early... because a Premier League place is worth £130million.
The Newcastle boss reckons that even if Toon went on a long Cup run, the chances are they would be beaten in a later round by one of the elite.
Benitez’s comments on the eve of Newcastle’s third-round replay with Blackburn tonight are another blow to the FA Cup.
In 25 of the last 28 years the winners have been Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City or Liverpool. Only Wigan (2013), Portsmouth (2008) and Everton (1995) have bucked the trend.
Chelsea (seven wins) and Arsenal (nine) have dominated the Cup, weakening the argument that mid-table Premier League clubs should target it.
Newcastle have not gone beyond the fourth round in any of the last 12 seasons.
Benitez, who led Liverpool to the Champions League final in 2005 four months after losing to Burnley in the FA Cup third round, said: “People talk about the FA Cup but a lot of teams (fighting for Premier League survival) went out in the third round
“Cardiff, Fulham, nearly Southampton – why are these teams out? Because the Premier League is massive.
“You have £130m guaranteed if you are there. So everyone is trying to manage the situation. “Also, you have to be realistic. “Who is in the final of the Carabao Cup? One of the top sides. And who can be in the final of the FA Cup?
“Now it’s even worse because even the reserve team of one of these top clubs can beat most opponents.
“I want to win a trophy, of course I do. Can we do it? It depends if we can beat Blackburn and then on to the next one with the squad that we have at the moment.
“After that, we will see where we are.”
Benitez, who will field a weakened team at Rovers tonight, expects criticism if Newcastle lose and miss out on a fourth-round clash at home to Watford. “That’s fine, it happens every time you lose a game. But everyone should understand the context,” the Spaniard said.
“Teams in the middle of the table can have a go because they are safe. Then you look at Liverpool and Manchester City, who have spent £500million over the last three years. Everybody praises them. Well fine, that is football now. It’s about money.
“The other teams have to manage it really carefully.”
When Toon were chasing an equaliser against Blackburn in the first match at St James’ Park, Benitez threw on Jonjo Shelvey, only to see the midfielder (left) get injured again. Pundits Rio Ferdinand and Richard Keys suggested at the weekend that Benitez, rather than under-investment from unpopular owner Mike Ashley, was to blame for Newcastle’s struggles. But the Toon boss said: “I think it is always positive to realise what they think. Then you say ‘listen, they are wrong’ and then the best way is to stick together. Our fans know that for us to do well and to stay up, we have to keep working hard and stick together.”
A siege mentality? “Let’s hope so,” he said. “When we were finishing 10th we maybe did not need that but we definitely needed that mentality in the Championship and we need it now.” EVERTON have told Idrissa Gana Gueye only a massive £40million bid would make then listen to offers in the January window.
Paris SaintGermain have made the midfielder a target.
Gueye (above) is one of a number of players on the radar of the French super-power – and the Everton player is thought to be interested in a move to Paris.
But so far no bid has been received by the Blues at Goodison.
They have made it clear to the player’s representatives the club will refuse to sell unless any deal becomes too good to refuse – understood to be an offer approaching £40m.