Benitez sets out blueprint for Academy

RAFA Benitez has outlined the Academy improvements he is looking for at Newcastle United if he is to commit to a new deal at the club, writes MARK DOUGLAS.

Benitez is looking for clarity on the size of his budget and how it can be spent, the club’s medium and long-term ambition, capacity to improve the training ground and also Academy upgrades.

However, he has specified he wants investment in coaching and also to bring in more more young players to improve competition in the various Academy groups.

The emergence of Sean Longstaff – who has been excellent since being handed a chance due to injuries – has proved the point the Academy can be a real asset for the club.

Benitez thinks it is “the future” for United as market prices inflate.

He said: “It is for everyone, not just for us.

“The prices in the market are now crazy and you will need players coming through the system if you want to keep balancing the books, so you will have the passion but at the same time you will not need to spend £50m on a player. You already have the player there.

“So I think it is crucial for everyone to understand the Academy is the future of the club.”

Benitez appeared to suggest the facilities at the club’s Little Benton Academy base are “more or less” fine.

When pressed on what kind of upgrades he is looking for, he added: “It is just to be sure they have the facilities they already have, more or less, but also that they are coached properly so you can bring through some players.

“It is very difficult to just bring local players into the first team if you don’t also bring someone else in to give them more competition.

“It is not just because you are here you deserve to be in the first team. You have to be good enough.

“To create this competition at youth level is really important. In England, the very young lads do not have the competition.

“You have to compete. It is not just about coming into the Premier League after two or three years and then you realise what competition is.”

Benitez continues to refuse to be drawn on his own future, despite sayingt plans are being made for next season.

He said: “We have people in different departments who are working on that. For me, it is about concentrating on what the first team needs to do.”