Rafa Benitez is set to have more talks about his future at Newcastle United. The 59 year-old is out of contract at the Premier League club at the end of this month and his future is far from clear at present.
The Spaniard has long since been one of the favourites in the betting for the Celtic job. In March, his odds tumbled with Hoops fans seemingly keen to see a similar sized appointment to the one of Brendan Rodgers in 2016.
Asked about his future at his current club, Benitez told The Shields Gazette: “We’ve had conversations, and will have conversations in the next couple of weeks and then see where we are.
“It’s so simple. We have the potential. You can see the potential. You can feel the passion of the fans and what this club means to them.”
The St. James’s Park side are well clear of any relegation trouble this season, but sit just 14th in the table.
A change in direction
Benitez would be the biggest name ever to manage Celtic in all likelihood. He would also bring about a sea change in Celtic’s philosophy. He prefers a pragmatic approach to the game and wouldn’t set his teams up as fluidly as Rodgers.
Would this suit the Celtic dynamic? Controlling games and having tonnes of possession is the norm for Celtic in virtually every domestic match. There is an argument that the Hoops would be better suited finding another manager similar to Rodgers who could play the Celtic way.
Benitez’s record speaks for itself though, and if he became available Celtic would have to consider him.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
