Having sacked Steve Bruce, the Magpies are currently without a full-time manager and are looking at multiple options from across the world. Ex-Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson, however, believes they must look back at a former boss for this role.
Rafael Benitez, who was in charge of the club from March 2016 to June 2019, is a man, according to Merson, who can keep them up in the Premier League. Newcastle are currently 19th in the table, with just four points to their credit. Having completed a sensational takeover from Saudi’s Private Investment Fund on October 7, many predict big things in the future for the Tyneside club.
That said, for a lot of their ambitions to transpire, they must surpass an initial barricade of surviving a relegation battle. After Bruce was sacked, the board appointed Graeme Jones in an interim role, as the hunt for a long-term successor continues.
A lot of names, including Paulo Fonseca, who was in charge of AS Roma until the end of last season, are linked with succeeding Bruce. Having led them to the Europa League semifinal, the Portuguese has a decent CV to find a good job in the current market, but Merson did not express much confidence in the Italian manager.
“I’ve said before. They are in trouble. They need a firefighter who knows the league and can keep them up – and Benitez would do that.
They’re talking about Paulo Fonseca? Wow. He just got the sack for Jose Mourinho. How long would it take him to get to know the players and the league? Benitez knows them all already – and is massively popular with the fans,”
Merson said.
As it stands, the Jordie club are without a full-time manager and the 2-time first division winner with Arsenal reckons that the club must go and pay whatever money it requires to Everton, to get hold of Benitez.
The club are currently considering other options like Lucien Favre, Steven Gerrard, Gennaro Gattuso, and Frank Lampard. Newcastle have a couple of tricky fixtures before the international break, where they face Chelsea at home and Brighton away.
