Benitez not frown 'n out
RAFA BENITEZ has hit back at claims his negativity is to blame for Newcastle’s nightmare start to the season.
The Toon boss has come under fire from pundits after back-to-back Premier League defeats, with Jamie Carragher and Phil Neville critical his downbeat approach.
Ex-Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton joined in the Benitez-baiting, telling the Spaniard to stop moaning after owner Mike Ashley failed to live up to his transfer window promises.
But Benitez, who dismissed speculation he could be in line to replace West Ham boss Slaven Bilic, said: “Our approach to games doesn’t depend on if I’m smiling or not.
“We can win or we can lose, but whether I’m smiling won’t change that. It’s not a question of
whether I’m happy or not. The main thing is what the players do on the pitch.
“You can’t be happy if you lose your first two games, you have to be upset. If we win, I will be happy and a couple of wins would make everything more positive.
“I’m quite confident and positive the players can do what they need to. The key is to do it sooner rather than later.
“We had a similar start last season with two defeats and I have confidence like I did then that things will improve.”
The 57-year-old has spent £35m on six players this summer and hopes to bring in at least two more before next week’s deadline.
Ahead of Nottingham Forest’s visit in the Carabao Cup tonight, Benitez added: “We’re working on moving players out and bringing others in.
“We have players who we know will leave in the coming days, but at the moment they’re still here.
“The window has been so difficult.”