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Latest piece of Rafa Benitez class – Revealed he persuaded Newcastle Coach to leave

7 years ago
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Rafa Benitez has yet again shown his class when it comes to Ian Cathro leaving Newcastle.

The last thing a Manager wants to happen is for disruption during a season, especially when it comes to key personnel leaving.

Speaking about his departure from St James Park, Ian Cathro has revealed that rather than worrying about any impact on himself or Newcastle United, Rafa Benitez was only concerned about whether Hearts was the right move for the young Coach/Head Coach.

Cathro says his now former boss said to him ‘If I felt it was right, then it was the right time (to leave Newcastle and progress his career)’.

The new man in charge of Hearts says that Rafa Benitez has also given him a lot of advice but says about it -‘I’ll keep to myself because it’s personal’.

Man-management is surely at the core of any great manager and this week’s actions have shown that doing the right thing is what it’s all about, even if it is a negative for yourself in the short-term.

We obviously already knew this about Rafa, only in June this year he showed the same selfless attitude (read what he said below), when Fabio Pecchia left him and Newcastle to take over at Hellas Verona.

Ian Cathro:

“Rafa Benitez was very supportive…

“His only thoughts were about me making sure it was the right place.

“If I felt it was right, then it was the right time.

“I feel this is the right place.

“There are lots of bits of advice (from Rafa Benitez) which I’ll keep to myself because it’s personal, the biggest thing was about going to the right place.

“To start as a manager is a big step but it was mainly about where.

“I’ve been ready for a while. I had an idea of what I wanted to work in.

“I’m not a valid option for a club where you sign your contract, they open the manager’s office, give you the key and then shut the door. If that is the scenario in a club then don’t appoint me – I am not right for that and I don’t want that.

“I want an infrastructure, I want support, I want to be able to grow with people.”

Rafa Benitez official statement when Fabio Pecchia left Newcastle – 1 June 2016:

“Today I would like to congratulate Fabio Pecchia who, until now, has been my ‘assistant ‘ in my recent managerial appointments at SSC Napoli, Real Madrid CF and more recently – Newcastle United FC.

“Fabio Pecchia has just accepted an offer from Hellas Verona and leaves us to return to Italy. To the football league we both fondly know as ‘Calcio’, he returns to head up an interesting and exciting project in Hellas Verona.

“For this reason, I’d like to highlight two points:

“First, I am sad to see him depart as he has been an excellent professional from the first day and until the last in the years we have worked together.

“Second and most importantly, I am pleased because he been considered for this new position, he leaves to face these new and exciting challenges, both personally and professionally. I wish you all the best, good luck and I can only say thank you for everything, Fabio.

“In my opinion, Hellas Verona are right in choosing Fabio and Filippo Fusco, another person close to me. Filippo is an individual who is professional, diligent, capable and equally qualified as Fabio is. This is another reason to be pleased for Fabio’s departure and subsequent journey.

“I wish them both the best of the luck, strength and encouragement for their new and future endeavours.”

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