Rafa Benitez issued a blunt message to Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley as the manager claimed he couldn’t work miracles every season.
The experienced manager has all but officially guided the Magpies to Premier League safety this season after some impressive results, and revealed what Ashley needed to reassure him about in order for him to stay at the club.
“If they [Ashley’s representatives] want to talk to my people [about a new contract] they can talk,” Benitez said, as quoted by The Guardian.
“The main thing is to be sure we share the same ambition.
“We have to be sure to have all the tools to compete and achieve what we want to achieve because Newcastle is a massive football club and we want it to reach its potential.”
Benitez continued speaking about his ambition to bring trophies to St James’ Park before making himself very clear about what needs to happen for the club to improve by stating that experience players needed adding to his squad.
“I cannot do miracles every year, you need the tools to be sure you can do your job, to be sure you can win,” stated the Spanish manager.
“It’s not just ‘oh, the manager is calm, he has vast experience,’ because I don’t play.
“We need experience on the pitch, we can improve a lot of things.”
Benitez’s side are set to face Everton at Goodison Park on Monday and the Magpies could move 15 points clear of the relegation zone with victory.
OPINION
Ashley needs to reassure Benitez that there is money to spend in the transfer market as that’s the only way the Spanish manager is going to have his ambitions met by the club. Unfortunately for Magpies supporters, it’s unlikely that the current owner of the club will stump up the cash needed to keep Benitez happy. The best case scenario, which would lead to the Spanish manager staying at St James’ Park, is if Ashley is able to quickly sells the club to enthusiastic new owners in the summer. With a new head honcho controlling the transfer budget, Benitez could realistically be handed the tools needed to keep him happy and see the Magpies climb the table over the next few seasons.