NOWAY THE LADS
Rafa: I won’t throw my kids into the team yet... everyone expects them to be the next Shearer... they have no chance
RAFA BENITEZ will resist the temptation to throw Newcastle’s kids into their fight for Premier League survival.
Danish teenager Elias Sorensen has been banging in the goals for the second string, while Sean Longstaff impressed in a Carabao Cup outing in August.
But despite their form, plus that of Cal Roberts – who has also been earning rave reviews for the Under-23s – the Toon boss will no be turning to youth in search of a first win of the season.
Newcastle have back-toback home games against Watford and Bournemouth and while fit-again Salomon Rondon could start for the first time in six weeks, Benitez will rely on the players who have struggled so far this term.
He said: “Everybody wants to see the young players coming through from the academy into the first team.
“But when the team is in the Premier League, it is difficult and when you are at the bottom, it is even more difficult for them.
“You can put them in a very tough position. Everybody is expecting you to be the new Alan Shearer and then you have no chance.
“Do they have the character and personality to go straight into a team that isn’t winning? That is hard for any young player.”
But Benitez insists he is keeping a close eye on the Magpies’ next generation and is well aware of Sorensen.
The striker has scored 12 goals this season, more than the first-team squad has managed collectively. “We have been watching him and I had a conversation with his coach Ben Dawson this week,” added the Spaniard (above).
“Time will tell us when they are ready and if we have to give them a chance, we will.
“But now is the time to let them develop, let them gain more experience and hopefully, in the future, the first team will be in a more comfortable position, which allows us to give them more chances.
“We have to give confidence to them, but they must trust the manager too.”