Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot is hoping the squad that manager Rafa Benitez has put together is given the chance to develop and shine in the Premier League next season.
As one of the elder statesman in the squad at the age of 31, the Irish international says both the manager and the players deserve huge credit for their promotion to the top flight this campaign. He is quoted by the Shields Gazette as saying:
“For a group of players that young, that have just been put together, to a league that not that many of them know, to do what they have done, I think, is a brilliant achievement. Hopefully, this will just be the start and there’s a lot more to come from everyone.”
In words that echoed midfielder Isaac Hayden’s comments last week, the fact that the majority of Rafa Benitez’s first team eleven are 27 or under has been somewhat forgotten as Newcastle have sought to meet expectations, and gain promotion this season.
Karl Darlow (26), DeAndre Yedlin (23), Jamaal Lascelles (23), Ciaran Clark (27), Paul Dummett (25), Matt Ritchie (27), Jonjo Shelvey (25), Isaac Hayden (22), Ayoze Perez (23), Christian Atsu (25) and Dwight Gayle (26) have all been players that have played over 25 games this season while they have been supplemented by older players such as Mo Diame (29), Yoan Gouffran (30) and Vurnon Anita (28).
