Phil Thompson raved about Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez after the experienced boss shared he was in talks over his future.
Benitez during his press conference on Friday revealed he had been in “contact”, as quoted by Sky Sports, with the Magpies’ mangering director Lee Charnley about a possible contract extension.
Thompson revealed that Benitez’s remarks gave Magpies fans hope he would stay and took his hat off to the manager staying at St James Park as long as he had, as he thinks the manager is one of the best coaches in the world.
“What he has done there is absolutely phenomenal, quite unbelievable, he has squeezed the last drops out of this football club all the time,” said Thompson on Sky Sports’ The Debate (Friday March 29th, 23:01).
“This is Newcastle which is do demanding, and this guy Benitez is one of the best coaches in the world, not just Europe but in the world and people want him, for him to stay at Newcastle this long, I think fair play to you Rafa.
“There’s something about that football club that he must actually love, and listening to that (Benitez’s latest press conference), it’s a good thing for Newcastle fans as that’s the first time I’ve heard him talk and not cut anyone short by saying we haven’t discussed anything, he is saying that they have been talking and for them it must be… it sounds good, it gives you a little bit of hope if you’re a Newcastle fan.”
OPINION
Thompson just kept gushing and gushing about how great Benitez was on Friday to such a degree, that it was like he took a dig at the Magpies in the process. The pundit seems confused as to why the manager has opted to stay at the club so long, given that they are so demanding and that he likely has other options. While this comment is on the negative side, perhaps even Newcastle fans can understand Thompson’s remarks that can be perceived as insulting. This is because the Magpies have more often than not steered away from spending big in the transfer market under owner Mike Ashley, and this has led to Benitez’s squad not being among the strongest in the Premier League. The experienced manager guided the Magpies to a 10th place finish in England’s top-flight last season and if he gets any where near replicating that finish this season, then no one should question that he is among the best coaches in the world.
