Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot does not believe manager Rafa Benitez will be leaving the club in the summer despite concerns he may depart the Magpies if owner Mike Ashley does not match his ambitions.
When asked about whether he will be at the club next season after last night’s 4-1 win over Preston, Benitez responded with a cryptic answer saying “you never know.”
Talking to Talksport (quotes via the Shields Gazette), Elliot said he would be very surprised if the Spaniard left as he thinks the Magpies boss is in it for the long haul:
“I don’t think he’ll stay just to keep us up. He’s not that sort of manager. He sees this as a long-term project. The connection back with the fans, with the manager and the players is just brilliant. Hopefully this is the start of something special and we can look back and see this as the catalyst that pushes us forward.”
Elliott started ahead of Karl Darlow in yesterday’s victory at St James’ Park, helping Newcastle to clinch promotion back to the Premier League. It was his first start of the season after spending the campaign recovering from a serious knee injury which he sustained in March last year. He had been on the Newcastle bench since early February but hadn’t been picked to play by Benitez.
