Rafa’s 10-year Premier League plan

UNITED BOSS WANTS TO MANAGE IN TOP FLIGHT FOR ANOTHER DECADE BUT WILL IT BE ON TYNESIDE? – HE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO WORRY ABOUT THAT JUST NOW

RAFA Benitez has reiterated his desire to stay in the Premier League for another decade – now it will be up to Newcastle United to make sure it is with them.

The Toon boss has been speaking in-depth with Spanish daily sports paper AS, and says he is immersed with life on Tyneside so much he doesn’t have time to think about his time at Real Madrid.

However, it will be his stance on his long-term future that will interest Geordie fans the most.

When asked how long he saw himself remaining in the dugout as a top-flight boss, he replied: “For another 10 years at least.

“And mostly in England, where you can work as a manager.

“The main thing is to have energy and enthusiasm, and I have both.”

Benitez was also asked what his perfect project would be as manager. He said: “I’m talking about an ambitious project for the future with the possibility, at the level that you are at, of competing and winning.

“When you have won titles you want to carry on fighting for that goal.

“I enjoy my job, my people take care of the technology very well and we want to get back to competing for titles if possible.

“It depends mainly on those in the boardroom, on how those that make the decisions allow the professionals to do their job.

“In that respect, every club is different.

“All of the teams that are successful have a stamp of identity or a way of doing things.

“Almost without exception success comes from hard work, but sometimes luck plays its part or the skill of individual players makes the difference.

“But when someone wins in three different countries, with different cultures and standpoints, it means that they’re doing something right.”

Benitez was then asked directly about his decision on whether to stay.

He said: “I don’t want the fans or the players to waste any time thinking about that.

“The main thing is to make sure we stay up and then we’ll talk about projects.”

But Benitez feels that things have not panned out the way he anticipated on Tyneside.

He said: “After winning the Championship and getting promoted, the level of investment [in the squad] wasn’t what I had hoped it would be and that’s why we haven’t been able to close the gap on those teams above us.

“We couldn’t keep the team up. But we took a risk, which was to stay and take Newcastle back up from the Championship and then to put together a competitive side to challenge for the top eight... that was the idea.”

Benitez was asked about his time at Real Madrid continually during the interview and what the problem was with the Spanish giants.

He said: “There wasn’t one because now I am focused on Newcastle.

“I’m concentrating on what’s ahead of me, not on what is in the past.”

Benitez was then asked if he’d rated Ronaldo and Gareth Bale at the same level.

He replied: “I’m so focused on Newcastle that I don’t even remember that.

“Whatever I say about Real Madrid, there will always be someone who will take my words out of context.”