Rafa opens up on Toon pre-season progress
RAFA Benitez was a man in demand during a visit to Sports Direct’s new flagship Irish store at North Earl Street in central Dublin.
Just 100 lucky fans bagged wristbands to gain access to the store and earn themselves some time with the former Real Madrid and Liverpool boss - along with first team stars Dwight Gayle, Jonjo Shelvey, Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark and Isaac Hayden.
Benitez posed for pictures and signed balls for fans from Ireland before the Toon boss conducted media duties with both the English and Irish media.
Here’s a look at the questions Benitez was asked.
BENITEZ ON TRANSFERS
‘It’s important to have more additions. We need to improve the squad.
“We are not signing topclass players in the Premier League, we are signing the players we can and the players who can do a job for us.”
BENITEZ ON THE CURRENT GOALKEEPING SITUATION
“The main thing for Rob Elliot is to be fit and he’s training hard after playing the final three games of last season.
“He is a good goalkeeper but I want him to compete.
“You can’t have players that think this is easy because they are the only one in that position.
“Hopefully we can bring in a new goalkeeper, and this competition will be good for the team.”
BENITEZ ON THE FUTURE OF IRISH STRIKER DARYL MURPHY
“Murphy is different. We are talking about different things in the Premier League and we have some clubs asking about him.
“We have been chatting at training in recent days and he knows that if a club comes in, he will go on a permanent transfer, once the deal is best for him and us. “I was really pleased with his contribution last season, not just because he played games and scored goals but he led by example, both in the dressing room and training. “He was a positive influence on the team.”
BENITEZ ON IRELAND DEFENDER CIARAN CLARK
“We were following Clark for years before we signed him because he’s an experienced Premier League centre-back.
“There are not many centrebacks who are left-footed, can pass the ball well, compete in the air and are tactically good.”
BENITEZ ON NEW BOY FLORIAN LEJEUNE
“Lejeune will have to understand what the tempo and intensity of Premier League means.
“But he can compete with Jamaal Lascelles and with Ciaran Clark.”
BENITEZ ON STAYING AT NEWCASTLE AFTER RELEGATION
“Staying at Newcastle after relegation was a risky decision at the beginning but I was really pleased that it turned out the right decision.
“It was also my idea to stay close to my family in England because I had been travelling everywhere for the previous two or three years.
“The fans and stature of Newcastle helped me to stay too.”
BENITEZ ON SIGNING JAMES MCCARTHY
“He (McCarthy) is a good player but we now have a lot of them at this club.
“We have been linked with around 100 players – however he is not our first target at the moment.”