‘Every game can be the crucial one’
ver saw the Magpies battered 4-1 in Cardiff, as they lost an FA Cup semifinal against Man United.
If brushes with success have been bad, then United have been no better at coping with the intensity of relegation fights in the Mike Ashley era.
A political storm in 2009 resulted in four managers trying to steer a sinking ship to safety, before the last day disaster at Aston Villa proved to be the final nail in the coffin.
And while Rafa Benitez almost guided Newcastle to survival last season in the last 10 games the damage had already been done.
Indeed, the second half of the year involved a bitter power struggle on the recruitment front as Steve McClaren ultimately failed to influence the “football board” effectively enough to avoid some disastrous January signings, such as Seydou Doumbia and Henri Saivet, and the Magpies crashed back into the Championship.
In short, Newcastle haven’t managed pressure very well during their recent history.
With something huge at stake once again, Benitez has this week urged everybody connected with the club to keep their cool and help the team get through the last eight games.
Transfer talk and discussions on new contracts have been banned and focus on the “eight-game miniseason” has been demanded by Benitez.
The Spaniard wants to see no nervous energy at St James’ Park and a rocking stadium to roar his team on to a victory that will take them another step closer to promotion.
Before the game, Benitez said: “The fans have been so good during the season. It’s now eight games and a mini league.
“The fans just have to support the team and give everything, help us win the league and we’ll be up.
“They understand that. It’s very clear and what we have to try to do.”
Benitez insists work goes on behind the scenes at Newcastle on the recruitment front.
But he knows that preparing a list of players for the Premier League will be pointless if the Magpies don’t keep their eye on the ball.
He said: “We continue working and thinking about the future. But the priority for us is we’re sure we do what we have to do on the pitch.
“I can be talking and telling people whatever I have to say but the main thing is to be sure that the players and staff, and everyone gives everything.
“To do that the fans are crucial. If they push in the right way and support the players they can help us do a bit better and it makes a big difference for the five games at home.”
Were Newcastle to win their five games at St James’ Park it would net 15 points that would almost certainly take them back to the Premier League.
Benitez reflected: “We know that our away form has been really good but at home, we have won 11 games.
“We have five games to do well, improve and make the difference. I am sure that everybody will give a bit more. If something is wrong at the beginning of the game they will be even more important.
“They support the team and afterwards we can analyse what’s wrong and what’s right. We can’t do things we know we’ll regret.
“People like to give their opinions but we will have time to do that later.” Chief Sports Writer RAFA Benitez admits he’d rather be looking beneath him than frantically glancing up the table as the promotion run-in reaches a crucial stage.
The Spaniard stayed cool after Newcastle United’s stalemate at Birmingham City two weeks ago with the point banked on a weekend when both Huddersfield Town and Brighton lost before the international break.
As he prepares to take on Wigan, Benitez said: “In the last game when we drew with Birmingham some people said, ‘Oh it’s a bad result.’
“But we had one more point and one fewer game than the rivals. It is important to understand that every game can be the crucial game.
“We must be sure we do the right things from the beginning. The first game of the sequence is the most important.”
Brighton face Blackburn at home while Huddersfield take on Burton Albion at the John Smith’s Stadium.
But Benitez said: “We’re at home with 51,000 fans behind the team. It’s very difficult for us to do badly.
“I know football can be tough and we did lose against Fulham but if you have the fans pushing and pushing these players have enough character, personality and commitment to win games like this.”