EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle make contact with 38-year-old coach to replace Benitez TEAMtalk understands Newcastle’s managing director Lee Charnley will interview a candidate to replace Rafa Benitez this afternoon. The Geordies are, understandably, wasting no time in looking for a successor to Benitez, who will step down at the end of his contract on June 30. In a statement released today the club claimed they had “worked hard” to try and agree a new deal with the 59-year-old and his representatives, but ultimately failed. Benitez’s coaching staff of Paco de Miguel Moreno, Antonio Gomez Perez and Mikel Antia will also leave with the Spanish boss, who has been linked with a job in China. TEAMtalk informed you months ago that the club were searching for a replacement, just in case they failed to agree a new deal with Benitez. Their number one priority was though to renew Benitez’s deal and that was their primary focus, but with no agreement in place they will now step up their hunt to replace him after he guided the Magpies back to the Premier League and kept them there for two seasons. And, according to our sources Charnley will speak to one head coach contender today via Skype and that man is Anthony Hudson. The highly-rated 38-year-old has recently left MLS club Colorado Rapids, before which he was head coach of New Zealand. Burnley boss Sean Dyche is understood to be keen, while Man Utd assistant and Wallsend-born Michael Carrick is the Geordie option, while former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has also shown an interest in the post. Newcastle are looking at the possibility of appointing a young head coach with a more experienced sporting director alongside the new boss. The bookies have named Garry Monk, Chris Hughton and David Moyes as contenders, as well as Jose Mourinho and Wenger. Sport Mediaset claim Mourinho could return to management with Marco Materazzi alongside him. The post EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle make contact with 38-year-old coach to replace Benitez appeared first on teamtalk.com.

TEAMtalk understands Newcastle’s managing director Lee Charnley will interview a candidate to replace Rafa Benitez this afternoon.

The Geordies are, understandably, wasting no time in looking for a successor to Benitez, who will step down at the end of his contract on June 30.

In a statement released today the club claimed they had “worked hard” to try and agree a new deal with the 59-year-old and his representatives, but ultimately failed.

Benitez’s coaching staff of Paco de Miguel Moreno, Antonio Gomez Perez and Mikel Antia will also leave with the Spanish boss, who has been linked with a job in China.

TEAMtalk informed you months ago that the club were searching for a replacement, just in case they failed to agree a new deal with Benitez.

Their number one priority was though to renew Benitez’s deal and that was their primary focus, but with no agreement in place they will now step up their hunt to replace him after he guided the Magpies back to the Premier League and kept them there for two seasons.

And, according to our sources Charnley will speak to one head coach contender today via Skype and that man is Anthony Hudson.

The highly-rated 38-year-old has recently left MLS club Colorado Rapids, before which he was head coach of New Zealand.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche is understood to be keen, while Man Utd assistant and Wallsend-born Michael Carrick is the Geordie option, while former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has also shown an interest in the post.

Newcastle are looking at the possibility of appointing a young head coach with a more experienced sporting director alongside the new boss.

The bookies have named Garry Monk, Chris Hughton and David Moyes as contenders, as well as Jose Mourinho and Wenger.

Sport Mediaset claim Mourinho could return to management with Marco Materazzi alongside him.

The post EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle make contact with 38-year-old coach to replace Benitez appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Matthew Briggs