Rafael Benitez must be allowed to manage Newcastle, says Jeremy Cross

Rafael Benitez must be allowed to be the decision-maker at Newcastle if they are to survive in the Premier League, according to the Sunday Supplement panel.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid boss was finally announced as Steve McClaren's replacement in the St James' Park hotseat on Friday, and is tasked with steering the Magpies clear of the relegation zone.

Much of the criticism that has been levelled at Newcastle in recent years is the amount of boardroom interference from managing director Lee Charnley and owner Mike Ashley, and the Daily Star's chief sports writer Jeremy Cross believes attitudes have to change.

"What Charnley has to do if he is going to be successful is to let Benitez manage his way," Cross said

"I am sure Benitez has sat down and demanded certain things, but demands and what you get at Newcastle are totally different things.

"Let him get on with it, and not interfere."

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Despite an obvious liking for the Premier League, Benitez's decision to get involved in a relegation battle came as something of a surprise, and the Mail on Sunday's chief football writer Rob Draper believes the Magpies have got a manager of real quality.

"Benitez is the best calibre of manager since they had (Sir Bobby) Robson, you'd say," Draper said. "Alan Pardew did a very good job there, but he didn't have the record coming into the job Rafa has.

"They are in such a desperate situation, Benitez has been able to get what he wants. He can say that he wants money to spend if they stay up, that he wants to be the manager, he wants to have a big say in transfers.

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"They could have got him when Pardew left, and Benitez was at Napoli, but they weren't in the position to offer him these things.

"Now, they are desperate to stay in the Premier League, and they have given him those things.

"Benitez's relationship with Mike Ashley is the fascinating one. This will decide if this is long term or something that ends quickly."