Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez says he is fine with the Magpies coming second in the Championship this season as it would secure promotion back to the Premier League.
Benitez’s side trail Brighton & Hove Albion in the table, and when asked before today’s game against Ipswich Town about whether he minded not being promoted as champions, the Spaniard responded:
“Going up in second? That would be fine with me.”
Considering the challenges that Benitez faced in the summer, having to effectively transform a team in the space of a few months, selling and signing a whole host of players to put together a squad capable of making an instant return to the Premier League, the Magpies boss has performed admirably.
You only have to look at a side like Aston Villa who have spent millions in the transfer market to show you that it isn’t easy to escape the clutches of the Championship. The fact that the team have not run away with the title will provide Benitez with some evidence for the board that more investment is needed in the summer to ensure they can compete in the Premier League.
