Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez has hit back at pundit Jamie Carragher.
Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez has told the Daily Mail that he doesn’t think he is being too negative amid criticism from his former player and current player Jamie Carragher.
The Magpies won promotion back to the Premier League by winning the Championship title last season, but their start to the season has been unconvincing to say the least.
After losing 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur on the opening weekend of the season, Newcastle then lost 1-0 to Huddersfield Town on Sunday with another limp and lifeless display.
With two defeats and no goals scored, this isn’t quite what Newcastle boss Benitez was hoping for to start the Magpies’ return to the Premier League, even if he did have a frustrating summer.
Jamie Carragher
Benitez was hoping for considerable backing from owner Mike Ashley, but he has not only missed out on targets, but has also been forced to bring in players such as Javier Manquillo and Joselu, who have flattered to deceive in the Premier League with former clubs.
Benitez’s frustration with the club’s transfer situation has been evident in recent weeks, and his attitude has received criticism from pundit Jamie Carragher, who Benitez managed at Liverpool.
Carragher has told Sky Sports earlier this week that he thinks Benitez is being too negative, and that downbeat attitude is rubbing off on his players, who struggled to match up to an energetic Huddersfield side on Sunday afternoon.
Some have agreed with Carragher, and others have suggested that he is off-base with his comments, as Benitez has every right to criticise owner Ashley for not spending cash on new signings – and ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup clash with Nottingham Forest, Benitez has offered his response.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Benitez suggested that it’s ‘very easy’ to suggest that he is unhappy, but having lost two games in a row, it’s natural to be unhappy, playing down suggestions that the squad are unhappy because of his attitude over transfers rather than just the performances on the pitch.
“No, it’s because we didn’t win, that’s it. If you win, everyone is happy. If you lose, everyone is not happy,” said Benitez. “The main difference is what the players do on the pitch. If you think the approach of the first game against Tottenham will change if I am smiling or not, it will be the same. We can lose against Tottenham and I am smiling or we can win against Tottenham and I am smiling. So it is very easy to do this analysis. It’s not a question of whether I am happy or not, sometimes football is like this and you lose.”
“Last year we were not expecting to lose and I think that we were worse than these first two games,’ he said ahead of Wednesday’s League Cup second round tie at home to Nottingham Forest. Obviously we lost, which at the end is what counts, but in terms of the organisation of the team and the work-rate, then we are fine. So I don’t think it was that bad,” he added.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
