Rafa Benitez relishing Newcastle challenge, says Guillem Balague
Friday 11 March 2016 15:42, UK
Rafa Benitez is relishing the challenge of securing Newcastle's Premier League status and fulfilling the club's potential, according to Guillem Balague.
The former Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid boss has been tasked with preserving Newcastle's top-flight status following Steve McClaren's sacking on Friday morning.
The Spaniard has signed an initial three-year deal at St James' Park, with Sky Sports News HQ understanding the contract features an opt-out clause should the club be relegated to the Sky Bet Championship.
But Balague believes Benitez's vast managerial experience will yield a response from Newcastle's under-performing squad.
"Rafa wants to take over at Newcastle," Balague told his weekly Q&A. "The main condition for him is that he gets the control Steve McClaren didn't have.
"Without that, change will be difficult. As such, I'm pretty sure the negotiations have included that kind of conversation.
"Rafa will have asked if the position is a managerial role - that means having more control and authority than previous managers - to which Newcastle replied yes.
"Another part of the negotiations concerned the length of the contract, he didn't want just a few months at St James' Park.
"He believes in the potential of the club but will need time to work on it and take Newcastle where he believes they deserve.
"Once appointed he obviously has ten games in which to save. I am convinced that with the order he will bring, the authority he will have in the changing room - from his CV and importance as one of Europe's top ten coaches - the players will stand up and listen."
McClaren's stint at Newcastle was cut short just nine months after his appointment.
The former England manager won just seven of his 32 games in charge, six of which came in the Premier League.
He believes in the potential of the club but will need time to work on it to take Newcastle to where he believes they deserve to be.
Newcastle's owner backed McClaren in the transfer market with a host of big-money signings both in the summer and January.
Despite this, Balague believes McClaren's demise came from his inability to take full control of dealings at Newcastle.
"I feel sorry for McClaren because he was never given that control," he added. "Without that you cannot change the culture of a club that absolutely needs to be changed.
"Players think of themselves and not of the collective, that's a culture that has been bred by those at the top at Newcastle.
"Such a change will take longer than 10 games but, obviously, the priority for Rafa is to utilise the attacking quality they have and remain in the Premier League."
