There
are 10 more important 90-minute periods to come, but as far as starts
go it was ruthless and decisive – the exact opposite to the team he
inherits.
Compare
that to Joe Kinnear's arrival in 2008 when he immediately gave his
squad two days' holiday. In fact, they never returned and were duly
relegated.
Highly-rated manager Rafa Benitez has joined Newcastle United on an initial three-year contract
Magpies defender Steven Taylor controls the ball in an impromptu training session held on Friday
The players were summoned to the club's training ground just 90 minutes after Benitez's appointment
Former Real Madrid and Liverpool boss Benitez puts the players through their paces on Friday
Benitez
knows the scale of the challenge that awaits in escaping the bottom
three, but measured against that is the potential of the club he has
chosen, for the Spaniard wanted Newcastle as much as they wanted him.
Why?
Think of Liverpool – where he won the Champions League in 2005 – and
the working-class values of a fan-base for whom football is a way of
life, not just a pastime.
On
Tyneside, that passion, obsession and fear is every bit as intense. It
is no surprise the likes of Kevin Keegan, Peter Beardsley and Terry
McDermott are legends at both clubs.
The
rhythm of the week beats in anticipation of Saturday at St James' Park.
Tap into that and give the followers a team they can be proud of and, as
one of those close to Benitez said, 'you can be a God up there'. And
boy do they need someone to worship.
Benitez
is arguably the most ambitious appointment in the club's history. There
was Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson, yes, but they were coming home.
Benitez
started the season at Real Madrid, no less, and among the world's
elite-level managers. Newcastle, in fairness, have pulled off an
almighty coup.
Relegation battlers Newcastle have pulled off a massive coup by appointing such an acclaimed boss
Newcastle winger Andros Townsend leads his team-mates in a drill during Friday's training session
Newcastle midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has been one of his side's few bright sparks this term
And this, Benitez stresses, is no 10-game mercy mission.
He's
here to rebuild a football club, not fight a fire. But first he must
tackle those flames which threaten to send their top-flight status up in
smoke.
The
55-year-old Spaniard was confirmed as manager on a three-year-deal at
2.30pm and by 4pm the squad were training at their North Tyneside base,
having earlier been enjoying a day off.
The
fight to stay in the Premier League starts with a daunting trip to
league leaders
Leicester on Monday, where anything will be a bonus.
Beyond that, a Tyne-Wear derby awaits at St James'.
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The last four Sunderland managers have all enjoyed victory over Newcastle in their second game in charge.
Cunningly,
the Magpies have sought to reverse that strange quirk of footballing
fate.
That could well prove a masterstroke in ending a six-game losing
run against their regional, as well as relegation, rivals.
For
when Benitez is unveiled before that game a week on Sunday, the
negativity which has descended like a toxic smog in recent months will
be blown away in one almighty black-and-white roar.
Taylor prepares to play a long pass upfield during Benitez's first training session as Newcastle boss
Toon midfielder Henri Saivet joined the club during the January transfer window from Bordeaux
Benitez is tasked with keeping Newcastle in the Premier League this season, with 10 games left to play
Magpies midfielder Jack Colback is put through his paces during training at the club's Benton base
Newcastle goalkeepers Karl Darlow (left) and Rob Elliott train ahead of Monday's game against Leicester City
Newcastle are second from bottom in the league
With
Benitez in charge at least they stand a chance of survival, for had
Steve McClaren stayed they would have been relegated, make no doubt
about that.
Crucially, Benitez arrives as a 'manager', insisting that the club scrapped their ill-fated 'head coach' model.
Benitez
insisted his own staff join him. Coaches Paul Simpson and Alessandro
Schoenmaker, as well as psychology guru Steve Black, were shown the
door. Fabio Pecchia, Francisco de Miguel Moreno and Antonio Gomez Perez
now join Newcastle.
The Magpies have spent £80million this season, and, via a transfer committee, have spent it badly.
Already
Benitez has discussed summer budgets and will insist that he alone
chooses where to invest the club's riches, should they escape the drop,
of course.
He
signed off from the statement which confirmed his arrival with a
somewhat bizarre rallying cry – it probably was not written by him
personally – but the sentiment was correct.
'C'mon Toon Army! The club and I need your total involvement!' it read.
Benitez and Newcastle, it seems, need and want each other right now. They can only hope their relationship extends beyond May.
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