Rafa Benitez refuses to answer transfer questions at Newcastle

Rafa Benitez has banned himself from talking about transfers.
Rafa Benitez.Rafa Benitez.
Rafa Benitez.

Newcastle United’s manager, tellingly, refused to talk about incoming transfer business in his pre-match press conference for this afternoon's game against Watford at Vicarage Road.

Benitez had admitted to being “worried” ahead of the January transfer window after the club’s 4-0 Boxing Day defeat to Liverpool.

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The defeat left the club 15th in the Premier League, and five points above the relegation zone, ahead of a tough run of games.

Asked why he didn’t want to discuss the window, Benitez said: “I don’t want to talk about that.

“If I don’t talk about it, then you wont need to analyse every single word I say.

“I was talking to Lee (Charnley, United’s managing director), and talking about the transfer window.

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“I prefer not to talk too much, that’s it. It’s my decision.”

Asked how he felt about the window, Benitez said: “I’m not going to talk about that.”

Benitez had to sell to buy in the summer, while Newcastle’s rivals invested heavily in their squads.

Speaking after last weekend’s goalless draw against Fulham at St James’s Park, Benitez said it would be a “miracle” if the club stayed in the Premier League.

Asked if he stood by that assessment, Benitez said: “Yes.

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“I have had the conversation with the players after the game, and the main thing is they understand what’s going on, and the main thing for me is they do understand what’s going on.

“We have to be really concentrated and focused on every single game.

“We cannot make mistakes. If we make mistakes, we can lose against anyone, and against the top sides it makes it even easier to lose.

“For us to get points, every thing has to be right, and we can’t make mistakes.

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“The only way to make sure is that we are so focused and so concentrated on every single game, that we don’t allow the other team to exploit our weaknesses.

“I continue saying, it will be really difficult, tough. Do I have confidence we can do it? Yes. But if we do it will be because everything is right. It will be a miracle.”