Former Newcastle United Defender Hits Out at Rafa Benitez for His Failed Stint on Tyneside
Former Newcastle United defender Jesus Gamez has taken a swipe at Rafa Benitez after claiming the Magpies boss 'didn't contribute anything' to his development during his two-year spell on Tyneside.
Gamez, 33, switched Atletico Madrid for St James' Park in 2016 in what was a highly anticipated move. However, injuries and the form of DeAndre Yedlin derailed his chance to break into the first team, and he went on to only make 10 appearances for the club.
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The full-back is still without a club after being released by Newcastle earlier this year and while he showered praise on his former teammates and the club's fan base, there was little room for positives surrounding his time under Benitez's management.
“Yes, it got complicated at the beginning with an injury, then I broke my collarbone. I struggled to get back," Gamez told the Malaga Hoy.
“At the family level, the experience was very good. At sporting level, the fans and the teammates were sensational, but the coach did not understand the situations that happened and also the deal was not the ideal one.
“He [Benitez] is a person that I do not like talking about because he didn’t contribute anything to me in these two years and I have nothing to say about him.
“When someone is so selfish…They do not know how to read situations and understand that things are not always the same.
“You can not distrust everyone. I showed him my professionalism. Time proved me right. I had an injury, I was not fooling anyone at all. The physios and the medical services of Newcastle knew how to understand the situation.
“You cannot talk or argue with him [Rafa Benitez] because he always wants to be right. It is normal that you [players] do not speak well of him. I have nothing more to say,” he added.
The versatile defender who has vast experience in La Liga and in the Champions League made only three Premier League starts during his time in England has been subject to interest from clubs in Turkey but is said to be holding out for a return to former club Malaga - who are currently in Spain's second division.
