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I Want To Be Part Of The Future, Says Rafa
Written by Newcastle Utd
After committing to Newcastle United, manager Rafa Benitez has stated his desire to make his mark on the Club's future
By Tom Easterby - Newcastle United Club Reporter
After extending his stay at Newcastle United until at least the summer of 2019, manager Rafa Benitez has stated his desire to make his mark on the Club's future.
Benitez signed a new initial three-year deal at St. James' Park on Wednesday, halting speculation surrounding his next move.
In an exclusive interview with nufcTV, the former Real Madrid boss explained that he had felt "the love from fans" since his arrival in March - something which swayed his decision to stay on Tyneside.
And the 56-year-old wants to lead the Magpies with distinction over the coming years as he looks to put his stamp on the Club.
"I'm a football man, and I'm really pleased to be here. I could from the first day the love from the fans, the people, the staff - everyone here was very supportive, and my family is here in the UK," said Benitez.
"I think that the fans were always a big part of my decision, (especially) at the last game, with the fans singing all the time.
"And everything I have seen, working with Lee Charnley all the time, I was comfortable (with), so there were a lot of positives.
"The fans were so good, and the size of the Club, I think that it's a fantastic opportunity to bring back the club to where it can be.
"I can see the size of the challenge, I can see how big the club is and I want to be part of the future."
Benitez led United on a six-game unbeaten run at the end of the season just gone, which culminated in a sensational 5-1 final-day victory over Tottenham Hotspur at a packed St. James' Park.
And he revealed that seeing the way the Magpies faithful backed him and their team on that day had also made a big impression on some of those close to him.
"I had some friends coming from Spain and Italy, and they couldn't believe that a team that were already relegated, the fans were supporting the team in this way," he explained.
"They could see the stature of the Club - how big the Club is - and the main thing is because the fans are supporting this Club. It was a major point of my decision, that day, but I was already thinking about what I could do and talking with my family, it was obvious that that was the best decision that we could take."
With the start of the Championship season just over two months away, the Spaniard has pledged to get to work straight away on masterminding a promotion push.
And Benitez, who took charge of the final ten games of the season just finished, is hopeful his charges can continue to develop under his tutelage as he prepares for his first pre-season in charge of the Club.
"I think it's crucial for us, as a coach, to have time to train the team in the way that you want to do things, so the players will have an advantage. They know what we want, and now we have more time and we can fix things. I'm sure the players will improve in a lot of things," he said.
"I am sure that we can do it, but again I will say that we can do it, if we work together, if we stick together, if we do the right things and we make the right decisions. It's not easy, but we have confidence that we are strong enough to do it.
"Now we have to start working. We have been monitoring players and watching players that we know we want, but now we have time and we will continue working together trying to sign the right players and make the right decisions."