Rafa Benitez on his time as Newcastle manager & the plans he had for the team | MNF

SUBSCRIBE ► bit.ly/SSFootballSub
PREMIER LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS ► bit.ly/SkySportsPLHighlights
Rafa Benitez discusses his tenure as Newcastle United manager, the plans he had for the team before he left, his feelings towards their current success and whether he'd ever return to manage the club.
Watch Premier League LIVE on Sky Sports here ► bit.ly/WatchSkyPL
►TWITTER: / skysportsfootball
►FACEBOOK: / skysports
►WEBSITE: www.skysports.com/football
MORE FROM SKY SPORTS ON KZbin:
►SKY SPORTS FOOTBALL: bit.ly/SSFootballSub
►SKY SPORTS BOXING: bit.ly/SSBoxingSub
►SOCCER AM: bit.ly/SoccerAMSub
►SKY SPORTS F1: bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1

[@ciggybuttbrain7367]

Absolutely love Benitez, he was sooooo good to us (Newcastle). Gem of a man, gem of a manager.

[@jamese4109]

Or should that be gemager of a manager?

[@beniteztheconman]

You were good to him...he didnt deserve such a big club after his disasters at inter and napoli and madrid.

[@beniteztheconman]

11th and 13th is not top half... and he only just got them out of the championship with the most expensive squad ever to play in it. Lost sooo many games that season. He had to take newcastle as no one else would touch him after his disasters at inter and madrid and napoli.

[@maxthrust88888]

@@beniteztheconman you have a point pal. I'm a Newcastle fan but Rafa is no messiah in my eyes. Always seems to be problems where ever he goes. Was disappointed he ran off to china but as it stands at the moment we aren't missing him.

[@maxthrust88888]

@That SriLankanGuy yes he did. We offered numerous contracts that Rafa rejected. Where have you been....this is all common knowledge.

[@MrSupasheva]

I've always liked this guy. He's a proper gentleman

[@bmarley5723]

True. I wish I could carry myself like him.

[@rob8311]

"FACTS"

[@derekmmmm]

When you see him at the Hillsborough anniversary at Anfield and the reception he gets and the effect it has on him you realise there's something truly decent about him.

[@HorizontalLifestyle]

Proper owner and Rafa on board Newcastle could have actually done something again.

[@forza223bowe5]

Rafa was too stubborn for ke

[@cridarkness7741]

@@forza223bowe5 what do you mean

[@benthomas703]

😏

[@Bloodbane15]

What a gentleman. Wish we had been able to keep him at Newcastle. Nothing but respect.

[@ayej_8862]

I’ve never seen him mention the fans about any other club as much as Newcastle fans.

[@Harisankar-ce2vd]

*Carra and Rafa* *Liverpool Legends*

[@shamwrestler123]

It’s always interesting when they have a top manager like Rafa or Mourinho on the analysis and just letting them talk tactics

[@beniteztheconman]

Benitez is nowhere near mourinho class

[@davetherave1564]

@@beniteztheconman Your right, benitez is a class above

[@beniteztheconman]

@@davetherave1564 no benitez is a conman...fails at every club and then blames the owners.

[@davetherave1564]

@@beniteztheconman You should go and educate yourself 🤦‍♂️

[@Tridentus]

@@davetherave1564 Don't bother with some people. Would you debate with a child? No, you'd say "it's a child he's not going to know anything, that would be a waste of time.". That's kind of the attitude you need on the internet with a lot of people.

[@BigBadRyRy1]

He admits it himself he gave us hope as a lifelong toon fan I thank you Rafa because you gave us hope and those 3 years under you where some of the best

[@lfcspectre4335]

Here's a fact about Rafa Benitez, He's only manager in history to win every European and worldwide titles. * Champions League winner 2005 * Uefa/Europa League winner 2004 and 2013 * Uefa Super Cup 2005 * FIFA Club World Cup 2010

[@beniteztheconman]

Last 2 are not real trophies.... many managers have won the other 2.

[@bert9744]

Yes I support him to Newcastle instead of Everton

[@RafsanS15]

he won CWC at Inter but most of his squad at Inter despised his rotation policy.

[@s0uthyuk649]

People who believe he left for all the money is an idiot or an outsider, Rafa wanted to be the manager, he wanted his say on signings he wanted new training facilities, he wanted to push the club forward. he saw the potential and that scared Ashley as he just wants a yes man who will keep us up every year and accept he has no say in transfers or on the facilities etc

[@lukejohnson640]

s0uthyUK It seems like everyone in Newcastle knows this is the case but anywhere else in the uk thinks it’s all about the money, so annoying

[@just.for.the.downshifts]

Newcastle fans will forever have utmost respect for this man. Not just a great manager but a great person and gentleman through and through. How fans from all his previous clubs love him is testament to that.

[@murder13love]

He knows that the guys at the top wanted these signings, he didnt and bruce inherited them.. rafa is a great man and manager.. thanks for everything.

[@johansegura2469]

He literally saved us of turning into another sunderland, thank so much, Rafa 🤍🖤

[@BorgusBingo]

Class man, class manager, legend

[@atourdeforce]

2:52 that wry smile on his face tells me he knows something we dont.

[@Stueyy00]

atourdeforce nothing we don’t know already - Rafa didn’t want Joelinton

[@atourdeforce]

@@Stueyy00 No I'm trying to say he knows even more than we already know. I'm an NUFC supporter too lad.

[@paulie-g]

@@atourdeforce Don't think Ashley sanctions that spending if Rafa stays, on the basis that Rafa could keep them up without it.

[@atourdeforce]

@@paulie-g Ashley was buying Joelinton all along with or without Rafa, there is something sketchy up with that deal imo. Very very odd that he would offer Rafa 20M of his own money if he went along with buying Joelinton, that would leave Rafa with an extra 20M to buy players. There is far more nefarious things going on behind the scenes than we are led to believe. But on the converse on that, I do think a lot of supporters have managed to convince themselves of things that just arent true.

[@behappy-kn6xl]

Rafa was amazing. Thank you very much for all you did at Newcastle

[@rikmukherji]

This is the stuff we need on football shows. He explained the 'liberatador' concept so simply. We are starved of genuine class on these shows normally.

[@user-op8uw9iz2c]

How did Ashley let this guy go🤦🏻‍♂️

[@JoeLisle]

TheGamingShed because he’s an idiot.

[@spinzo457]

JoeyLisle ✔️

[@ronrichardson3103]

Ashley is a greedy man and had too many irons in the fire .a lot of shops to keep financed at the same time. quite scary realy. that Newcastle sometimes had to take second place . But when the takeover happens who knows mabey a chance for RAFA to pick up again where he left off .

[@davidevans6644]

I will always love this man! Long live rafa! NUFC!!

[@Chez114]

I really love this man. Oozes gentlemanly class whenever he refuses to be drawn into bitter conversations about his past. Newcastle misses you

[@captaincharisma1631]

Rafa Benitez was just amazing for Newcastle and Liverpool and I just respect him a lot for what he has done especially when he was managing Liverpool and they were 3-0 down against a world class ac Milan side and still won the final against them was just incredible

[@danielwheatley5523]

Notice how he didn’t say Chelsea fans 😂😂😂

[@joncooke671]

Why would he? He did a good job there and still got abuse every game from his own fans!

[@Muttey2024]

FSW was not welcome at Chelsea

[@TB-bj4dq]

@@joncooke671 As a Chelsea fan the abuse Rafa got was embarrassing. He's a class manager and we did not deserve him for the way we treated him

[@Gio-mt3lb]

and Real Madrid too they hate him.

[@Chigz10]

Well obviously not cos they didn't like him lol

[@frantisekvtelensky820]

What a legend! Always loved Rafa. Class thru and thru!

[@interyanan5562]

We love you up in Newcastle Rafa. Youre almost at Keegan/Robson levels with a lot of fans. Your only fault was the power given to you by the fans over Fat Mike. We hope to have the honour of being managed by you again one day.

[@beniteztheconman]

He shd be grateful to you not visa versa.

[@ewanholding7466]

Stanley13 no he shouldn’t he gave everything for this club and didn’t get treated well

[@interyanan5562]

@@beniteztheconman i believe there is a mutual respect there. i assumed that neednt be said

[@MrBernad09]

Appreciate the job Bruce is doing but I'm rafa guy he started all this good work off and got results. I just wish we had him to finish the vision he had for our club. Love and miss you rafa xx

[@beniteztheconman]

Ask inter and napoli and madrid and intelligent liverpool fans what they think about the fat conman

[@ashutoshsingh7016]

He had 4 million to spend at Newcastle in 3 years and got them promoted and to 10th in the PL. If you can't see what am amazing job that is, you are deluded. And, no Liverpool fan blames Rafa, the owners were garbage who took the club to near administration. In 2006, he wanted David Villa, David Silva, Dani Alves and Nemaja Vidic. He was given Peter Crouch, Craig Bellamy, Martin Skrtel instead.

[@sama2086]

As decent as bruce is doing I still miss you rafa, forever a geordie ❤

[@liamhudspith8691]

Just shows how much a tactical genius this bloke is

[@jorgecastro6126]

Classy manager. It would be interesting to see him back at Newcastle someday

[@bengejuknowit3048]

Such a diplomatic guy, he could stand there slating Mike Ashley etc but just doesn't, he's such a great example of class behaviour!

[@MechaMeister]

this guy almost 30 years managing, his hair still not completely white

[@patricksantino4131]

Means that he's never stressed...He's just a happy man win or lose he was tactically calm

[@JohnSmith-sw6uv]

Hair dye

[@beniteztheconman]

3 major trophies in that time...none in the last 15 years.

[@thedays7422]

patrick santino except from when he had to watch Joselu play every week

[@djsilversun]

Stanley13 he was managing Newcastle ffs stop it with the "only trophies define a great manager" nonsense. Not every teams goal is to win a major trophy

[@LegoMad1604]

Hes a genius, and hes coming back home⚫⚪⚫⚪❤❤

[@alexrobson4321]

Thank you for everything you did for us Rafa

[@philtate1029]

Miss you at Newcastle my good man. Please come back when Ashley's gone!

[@winkles2314]

Classy man

[@headboy]

Good man.

[@cmdell4693]

WE LOVE YOU RAFA, TOON TOON. MY GAFFA

[@cianelliot1183]

The best manager we’ve had in a long long time absolute gent

[@AshtonPillay1981]

Our best manager class act.

[@alexwilson7252]

miss you da xx

[@cloudstrife206]

As an arsenal fan I hope we get this man

[@HiimFieldy]

Cloud Strife we won’t get him for a while if we do he said he ain’t leaving his contract in China which ends in two years, he’s a man of honour and respects his obligations

[@simplythebest286]

him and ancelotti are very very good choices but rafa has a contract in china while ancelotti is free !!!!

F RNG bro shut up. It’s a shitty chinese club no one cares about he’ll leave without struggle.

[@matthewdempster9885]

Anyone here after the 3-0 defeat to Arsenal

[@TrooperLFC]

In the long term, Rafa would have been fantastic for Newcastle! YNWA Rafa lad!

[@liamhudspith8691]

I personally think he holds Newcastle and Liverpool close to his hearts I can’t see him managing Liverpool again because of Klopp but give him Newcastle with a good owner who would back him

[@mk7967]

Thanks for everything at Newcastle rafa and I was very sad to see you go. But I couldn't be happier about being wrong about Steve Bruce he is elite and will take us to the champions league

[@j.b.2263]

You what?

[@helenwhittaker]

Love you Rafa ⚫️⚪️⚫️⚪️

[@DandizzleUK]

Class act Rafa. He's probably the only manager I'd welcome back to Newcastle with open arms!

[@Mister_Superfly]

Still breaks my heart. :(

[@oliviabutler4890]

To this day not sure how Payet's Free kick flew up and then came back down lol 😂

[@CD-pf5sv]

Rafa Benitez, RAFA BENITEZ!!

[@MatthewSmith-ow4te]

Please come back Rafa

[@henners1574]

Legend ⚫️⚪️

[@jonnyscott8910]

Rafa please come back please please

[@JoeLisle]

I would love Rafa back once this takeover finally happens. He definitely deserves a proper go at Newcastle how he was treated by that big fat sports direct bastard.

[@leigh7507]

In fairness, he is right. All the fans of those clubs do like him. Quite rare in football.

[@Aaron_French]

We miss Rafa!

[@MrSoma77]

Rafa, Rafael, Rafa, Rafael, Rafa , Rafael , Rafael Benitez!!!

[@freaker126]

well, Rafa did himself justice there. Yeah, people might say this and that about him but he knows it's just part of the job as being a manager of a football club. Everywhere, you go, you do your best and when your time is up you go without bad feelings. kudos, to Rafa for wishing well to steve bruce and Newcastle.

[@youngiegacal9845]

Benitez naming Us- Everton. Massive respect, man I’m backing you now.

[@trevorshittman991]

Always think of Darren Farley now

[@jaycdaley1844]

We need Rafa back

[@EnlightenedTurtle]

YNWA Rafa lad!

[@Barth78]

Rafa he a good move for arsenal

[@savage6131]

He was building something at Newcastle and the only person who didnt see it was Ashley.

[@deadman7627]

id hate to see it happen as a liverpool fan but i think rafa would kill it at arsenal. give him 2 years there and they'd be challenging

[@samezaber2618]

who came here to know that saudi king take over newcastle. Really like to bring him back at newcastle

[@mags9140]

Come back please⚪️⚫️⚪️⚫️⚪️⚫️😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@anthonyfromrockstargames8727]

Absolute genius, we didn’t deserve to have him for 3 years Ashley deserves everything that is coming to him, a relegated team that will be stuck there for years knocking 150 million off the value of the club:) congratulations Mike Ashley on killing this club

[@uchuabaya]

The manager Arsenal deserve and needs. He will bring balance to the team no doubt.

[@mashu1766]

Nufc messed up when they let this guy go without any protest.

[@joshpickard8825]

We all protested against Ashley for years but he wouldn’t budge when Benitez wanted to leave because of Ashley we all protested by boycotting matches after that

[@mashu1766]

@@joshpickard8825 seems like Ashley has the support of majority Newcastle fans. The club has become a joke the way its run. Ashley uses the money made by NUFC to by other businesses. NUFC has become Ashley's cash cow, he aint leaving till he's rinsed the club dry. Lol

[@devanman7920]

What were Newcastle thinking letting him go :/

[@hom3r]

I mean bouncing back from championship into EPL isn’t easy thing to do.

[@RS-vk3ub]

Madddddd

[@maxandspencers8998]

Hi

[@HuckleHound]

Imagine Steve Bruce talking through his tactics and why he has players playing in certain positions lol 4.51 of drivel no doubt

[@andytoon11]

I did like rafa but was disappointed he went to China and it was obvious it was for the money. I wouldn't of minded if he went to another Premier league club or a club in Europe. But to be fair Steve Bruce has done a good job so far in fact he's had a better start than rafa did with us.

[@paulie-g]

Rafa went to China because it was a project, backed by owners who aren't d-ckheads for once. Hicks/Gilette at LFC, Ashley at NUFC, that clown at RM, De Laurentiis at Napoli, Abramovich at Chelsea. All great clubs (apart from Chelsea), all with terrible owners who treated him like sh-t. I'd say Rafa deserves an easy ride with good pay and the resources to do the job he's been asked to do for a couple years. Steve Bruce is a likable fella, but you should realize that he's profiting off the defence that Rafa put together. No way can he do that from scratch.

[@techh9171]

Well Benitez said dont buy joelinton and I guess he was right cause hes not worth 40 million

[@Chaimmankoff]

He didn't cost anywhere near 40m

[@techh9171]

@@Chaimmankoff he did they bought him for 40 million

[@Chaimmankoff]

@@techh9171 No, that wasn't his transfer fee. That amount includes agent fees and wages, as far as I understand. The transfer fee was considerably less. The media don't seem to be aware of this though.

[@techh9171]

@@Chaimmankoff ok but still whatever the price would be he hasn't proved yet though hes good but still he gotta prove his worth

[@Chaimmankoff]

@@techh9171 True. I think he'll come good, he's just taking a lot of time to settle in. I also think he's not really a centre forward.

[@mroldskool8720]

Carnt believe they let him go ⚪️⚫️🙋‍♂️

[@nimay13]

He's a manager who can work wonders with limited budget.

[@Jurgen-klopp2024]

Imagine he was there now with money they got

[@johnbruce5107]

The thing is Rafa, we are not doing well now are we.

[@ulas1458]

PREM gonna soon have Ancelotti Benitez Mourinho Klopp Guardiola Rodgers all in one league. Us spectators are all go8ng to become top coaches

[@ashutoshsingh7016]

Benitez in 3 years at Newcastle had a net expenditure of 4 million. Yes, you read it correct. FOUR MILLION in 3 years. How he got them 10th is beyond comprehension!

[@jasonmaddison6148]

rafa should still be the gaffa .nufc

[@HiimFieldy]

Everyone saying Rafa for Arsenal he literally said he’s sticking with his contract in China why wouldn’t he? He is getting paid something like 12 million for 2 years

[@beniteztheconman]

Not bad after failing so badly at so many clubs.

[@HiimFieldy]

Stanley13 the mans earned himself 13 trophies and is proven to be defensively sound also the Chinese just chuck money around for fun so I say good on him

[@beniteztheconman]

@@HiimFieldy he has won 3 major trophies in 25 years. 13 my asss... 2 la liga with someone elses squad and 1 lucky CL won inspite of him not because of him. Zero major trophies since 2005.

[@paulie-g]

@@beniteztheconman So he didn't win a Europa League with Chelsea? You should alert UEFA.

[@beniteztheconman]

@@paulie-g oh you mean with the same squad that dimatteo won the champions league with 12 months earlier? He did that for his cv while just scraping top 4 from a close 2nd place when he took over. I have shits that could have done a better job.

[@georgedixon5577]

Imagine not supporting rafa with his ideas for new players, and then bringing in Bruce 😂 don’t forget Mike Ashley said he’s never selling until he wins something. Looks like never.

[@tonylawlor8833]

Raffa for Arsenal.

[@matthewgrech7131]

Shots fired at Inter and Chelses fans hahaha

[@PissG]

Inter thought they're better than they actually were on the pitch. They got the treble in 2010, fact. But they also burned out with aging squad, fact. Bale schooled them in UCL, fact. Their squad was aging, needed some replacement and fresh tactics.. but some primadona "superstars" in the club refused to obey the manager. Look at the result.. 10 seasons of trophy drought after winning Copa Italia. Inter (both the players and the fans) forgot that the reason their club won so many trophies was because both Milan and Juventus were still recovering after getting punished. Similar to AS Roma in 2001, just because they won the league doesn't mean they're automatically big club. They got swatted right and left in European football. as for Inter, long trophy drought between 2011 to 2021 is the prove of Inter's stubborness. Conte ended their trophy drought but they refused to back him in defending the league title. Inter = Good club, crap management, deluded fanbase.

[@nathanhawkins9149]

If only Rafa hadn’t joined Everton

[@Lubo44005]

benitez made best buy for newcastle. Dubravka....

[@Scott-zo5xk]

And now we have Steve Bruce 😪😪😪

[@scholarlycat8180]

Class manager. If only Ashley’s incompetent selfish ass was willing to make good investments in the club, Rafa could’ve turned us into top four competitors.

[@danielreilly5378]

Way cry

[@LVPictures]

hows the pie or dim sum in china? Is it better than the pie in England?

[@daedralord1]

Does sky realise that the formation table is sooooooo boring to watch? We want conversation not boring formation nonsense

[@nehalcm]

why did he say he beat man united when he didn't?

[@pe3497]

He did I think, last season at St. James' Park, don't know, not sure. Or is it a draw?

[@AttackerNumberTwo]

He did. 1-0 in Feb 2018.

[@nehalcm]

He did but he didn’t play a back 5 when he beat man united like he said he did

[@deanlatimer2323]

imagine Bruce explaining systems like this...no chance because he is a fraud.

[@CaptainMacbeth]

Balencia

[@juliancollins8162]

steve bruce is showing that rafa was actually not that great last year

[@savage6131]

No he's not. Hes using Rafas formation, rafas tactics and rafas players and the one time he tried to change it we conceded 5 you fool.

[@juliancollins8162]

@@savage6131 so going by what you have said he is doing everything rafa did and the players are playing better for steve bruce?

[@RahulKhan-jf7bj]

You still stand by that statement??!!! I think not!!

[@ants80]

Bruce had it all set up everyone knows Bruce is a crap manager

[@ben192]

Had what set up?😂

[@will5723]

S we scored two goals??

[@ants80]

@Stuart Cumings he is total garbage

[@will5723]

S we were drawing before their keeper spilled hence we weren’t being dominated also possession isnt the sole determinant for winning games therefore just because saints dominated the ball doesnt mean they were the better side

[@beniteztheconman]

If benitez was called ron brown and not rafa benitez... you wd say the same abt him. English fans are so gullible. Benitez is a laughing stock in italy.

[@Harisankar-ce2vd]

Have to feel sorry for Rafa.. Great fans & shitty owners at Liverpool... Great fans & shitty owners at Newcastle...