Awards

Benitez named November 2018 Barclays Manager of the Month

14 Dec 2018

Newcastle United manager claims award for the seventh time after three consecutive wins in November

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Rafael Benitez has won the Barclays Manager of the Month award for November.

The Newcastle United manager oversaw three successive victories in November, beating WatfordAFC Bournemouth and Burnley, which lifted the Magpies out of the relegation zone. 

It is the seventh monthly managerial award claimed by Benitez

Only five men have won more: Martin O'Neill, Harry Redknapp (both eight), David Moyes (10), Arsene Wenger (15) and Sir Alex Ferguson (27).

"It's always good to win trophies," Benitez said after Barclays had presented him with the award.

Extra motivation

"Obviously I would like to win more manager-of-the-months then we would be in a better position in the table. But it's always positive and it is good also for the staff. Everybody is helping you and it is an extra motivation."

The Spaniard always felt that a positive result was not far away as the team entered November.

"We were very close," he said. "We needed the first win and as soon as we won the first one, everybody was playing with more confidence.

"The monkey was off the back and then we started winning."

Of the three victories last month, Benitez says beating Burnley away 2-1 was perhaps the best.

Staying united

"The third one against Burnley was quite good because we were playing away against a difficult team," he said.

Newcastle have tasted success since that victory at Turf Moor but Benitez is confident that with the Geordie fans behind them more joy is not far away.

"To stay in the Premier League means that we have to stay united," he said.

"It's a great message because as soon as you can hear the fans supporting the players, hear the fans behind the team, they play with a little more confidence and they run the extra mile that you need sometimes."

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