Benitez reveals why he couldn't accept Ashley’s terms at United
Rafa Benitez has spoken about his enduring love for Newcastle United – and the club’s fans.
Benitez’s final game in charge was the 4-0 win over Fulham on the final day of last season.
Newcastle’s travelling fans at Craven Cottage implored Benitez to stay at the club, but he left when his contract expired at the end of June and joined Chinese
side Dalian Yifang. Benitez was succeeded at St James’s Park by Steve Bruce, who he has “wished all the best”.
"I still love the city, the fans and the players,” Benitez told FourFourTwo. “My last game as manager was emotional. We won 4-0 at Fulham, and the supporters were singing my name at the end, trying to convince me to stay.
“I have a lot of very good memories. I wish them and Steve Bruce all the best. But I couldn't stay there just trying to survive for another year."
The 59-year-old said: “My idea was to grow, to compete and to be sure we could challenge. But there was another vision, and that was it.
“If you see the profit of the team in the last few years, we did what we needed to do to be successful. And that, it's up to him.”
Meanwhile,Ex-Newcastle and Sunderland frontman Michael Bridges has posted a cryptic message online as talk of him getting the vacant Carlisle United job rumbles on.
Bridges has emerged as the bookmakers’ favourite for the post in recent days, following the sacking of Scot Steven Pressley last week. And the Geordie, who enjoyed three successful spells at Brunton Park, has poured yet more fuel on the fire with his latest Instagram post.
Tagging “Newcastle” as a location, Bridges’ post appears to show a view out of a plane window.
The former England under-21 international currently lives in Australia, having finished his career with stints playing for Newcastle Jets.
Bridges is rated as a 2/1 favourite to replace Pressley.
The 41-year-old had three spells at Carlisle in his career – one on loan in 2005, sealing a permanent move in 2006 before returning back on loan in 2008/09.