It’s not been a very exciting few years for Newcastle fans. With relegation, promotion and stagnation all coming our way in recent years, it’s high time that we started improving as a team.
Fortunately, that does seem to be happening under Rafa Benitez. The manager is turning the team into a formidable Premier League outfit once again, and it appears to be having a big impact on his players.
Benitez has recently been discussing the Newcastle squad, and his comments certainly highlight just how far the team has come.
As per the Chronicle, he said: “Two years ago in the Championship you could see the belief and togetherness in the team. Last season, to finish 10th was exactly the same.
He continued: “The players care; they work hard for the shirt and for the fans. [The Everton game] was another example. These players work really hard. Without that spirit, we wouldn’t have won [against Everton].”
Talent is only ever part of the equation. It’s meaningless if you’re a good player but you aren’t committed to the team and to a common goal, and Benitez’s words prove that the squad have desire and commitment in droves.
It makes it far easier to explain how we’ve got to our current position. Benitez has had a limited squad at points, and the lack of investment from the top has been a real problem. It’s no wonder, then, that we are not in a better position at this point.
However, the manager has made it work, and his hard work has helped to build him a remarkable team. Let’s hope that a few new faces can come in this season, and then the squad can go to the net level.
Thoughts?