Benitez lays out demands to keep Newcastle safe
Manager insists January is key to club’s future Spaniard calls for cash to fend off relegation threat
Rafa Benitez has vowed to turn Newcastle United into a top-eight Premier League club if he is given the players he believes he needs to survive this season.
Newcastle climbed out of the bottom three and secured a first victory in 10 League games by beating West Ham United on Saturday.
But Benitez’s team host runaway leaders Manchester City tonight and the Spaniard remains adamant the club must spend to be sure of keeping their top-flight status.
With Amanda Staveley trying to buy the club from Mike Ashley, Benitez believes the future can be bright for Newcastle as long as they stay up this season.
“I think that this club still has great potential,” said the Newcastle manager. “If we do the things that we have to do now in January and we stay in the Premier League, it’s one of the teams that has to be in the top eight.
“Watching the table and the size of the other teams. But we have to be sure we understand that this is a crucial time for us.”
Asked how many January signings he wanted, Benitez added: “It depends. I know sometimes you have a target and you cannot get your target. You have to be sure that we have three or four positions and we bring someone that can give us something different. I think it will be positive.”
Financial Fair Play means it is unlikely a takeover can transform a club to the extent of City, but Benitez does not believe that should stop Newcastle dreaming of one day competing at the other end of the table. “If you talk about the massive money that has been spent in football in these years, maybe it is not easy,” said Benitez. “But you never know.
“To improve teams like Newcastle, if you do the right things it is enough to be stronger and bigger and compete. If you spend £200 million, £300 m every year, obviously even if you make mistakes you have a good team, but without spending so much money, you can still improve and do well. That is my idea if we are capable to stay in the Premier League.”
Despite constantly bemoaning the strength and quality of his squad, Benitez is confident the spirit among his current set of players has not been damaged.
“The players, they know,” said Benitez. “They know the quality of players. What they want is to bring players to compete and be better.
“You are the right-back, what do you want? You want strikers and midfielders and centre backs. If you are the left-back, you want a right full-back and a striker. Nobody wants a player in his position, but everybody knows and understands that we need players and the team will be better and then we can win more games together.”
Despite their record-breaking run of 17 successive victories, Benitez believes City cannot be considered one of the very best teams until they have won trophies on a consistent basis.
“It’s too early,” said Benitez. “We will have to see. It’s a great team, yes. If they continue winning and playing well, people will be talking about that. But the main thing is to be consistent for years, not just to win one or two years.”
Vincent Kompany has been giving his Manchester City teammates regular reminders of how Manchester United blew a seemingly unassailable lead in the title race in 2012 in a bid to ensure no one is lulled into thinking they have the championship wrapped up. United were eight points clear with six games remaining only to implode and enable City to win the title on goal difference in dramatic circumstances on the final day.
“I draw on that, I don’t know if everyone remembers, but with six games left we were eight points behind,” Kompany said. “That’s why I’m probably always the first guy to come in and say, ‘No guys, we can’t really say…’ I really don’t want that, so we push and push. No one has the right to let their performance and guard down. We have to keep it going.
“When you are on such a run you want to put it aside straight away and think about the next one, because you know how little it takes to lose that special feeling. We all have a role to say something [about complacency]. But the manager [Pep Guardiola] will have mentioned it many, many times.” Middlesbrough’s decision to sack Garry Monk on Saturday evening came too late for the club’s printers, who had gone to press with the match-day programme for the game yesterday with Bolton Wanderers. The result was Monk’s notes being printed in full, while his replacement Tony Pulis was already in place, watching from the stands. Jose Mourinho’s bright red scarf was an unexpected addition to his match-day attire, and it brought him little luck as his Man Utd team stuttered in a 2-2 home draw against Burnley. Obviously a Christmas present from his wife that was forced on him as he walked out of the door. We might not see it again.