Rafa Benitez wants FIFTEEN more seasons in top-level management.

The Newcastle boss has insisted he can work until he is 72 — a year longer than old rival Sir Alex Ferguson was when he retired at Manchester United four years ago.

Benitez believes he will have longevity because the pressure of the game “brings the best” out of him.

He is already a veteran of seven major managerial posts, winning the European Cup, UEFA Cup, Europa League, La Liga, Coppa Italia, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup in an illustrious career.

Benitez considers himself “a young” boss, and says he has a team around him who can share the work-load.

He's 57 now, but Benitez reckons he can go another 10 seasons — plus five more... (
Image:
Reuters)
...which would mean he'd be older than former foe Ferguson was when he retired (
Image:
Getty)

The Spaniard said: “I’m 57 now — I’m still a young manager. I was quite young when I started and I was winning trophies, so it feels like I have been there all my life.

“I am getting older but I feel like, as a manager, I have another 15 years that I can enjoy. It’s a profession that I like.”

The ex-Liverpool, Real Madrid, Inter, Napoli and Chelsea chief is known for his intense style and forensically-detailed work ethic.

He added: “Sometimes you like to switch off but I like to feel the pressure and it brings the best out of me. We have good staff and I’m not worried about the pressure. You can feel the pressure but normally I’m fine with this.”

Newcastle's season has settled down after summer transfer window ructions (
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

Benitez says some managers inherit great teams and are successful. But he sees himself as a boss who works hard to build his success.

He added: “Some managers are lucky because they have the best team possible and they win. But some managers have a career and work very hard. For me, that is the way.

“I like to see how my teams are improving; to create teams that can be competitive and you can win against everyone. It’s a frustration when you cannot do it but we try to do things in the best way possible and I like to do things really well.

The Spaniard's huge trophy haul includes, of course, the European Cup with Liverpool (
Image:
Liverpool Echo)

“Normally when managers are successful, it is because they live for football. But also some of them have great teams, so they go and enjoy it and they don’t need to do too much.

“There are different ways to win but if you want to win, especially at the stage when you are a young manager, and don’t have the best team, you have to work very hard.”

Benitez takes his Magpies, currently mid-table after a decent start to their first season back in the top flight, to Southampton on Sunday.

He described himself as “pragmatic” about his situation at St James' Park, where he was unhappy at the summer transfer activity.

Benitez hinted in September that Newcastle might not be a “long-term” project, however with a potential takeover on the horizon, the outlook could change.

Long term, of course, he could end up managing the Spanish national team.

“My future? I know people are talking about it, but we haven’t had any conversation,” he said.

“I talk with Lee Charnley every day and we talk about the issues we have to deal with during the week. I have a contract, so it is not an issue.

“The issue for me is that I prepare the team properly, then we will have plenty of time to discuss the future.

“My idea is always to think about the next game, but in terms of, 'Can we improve the squad, the club, the team in terms of football?' And I think so. So we will do one thing at a time and make sure the team settles down in the Premier League then after we can improve things.”

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