Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton has heaped praises on Rafa Benitez prior to their meeting with Newcastle United.
Following their improved last season where they finished 10th in the Premier League table, Benitez had hoped for a windfall but owner Mike Ashley failed to inject funds leaving the manager in the middle of a crisis.
Talks of a possible takeover of the Tyneside club has been held over the last few months but nothings have been made out from those meetings. They are currently submerged in the bottom three any mishap against the Seagulls would make it difficult for the Spaniard.
Hughton believes Benitez has done a wonderful work at the St James Park. “With regards to what they’ve spent in the summer, the reason why they haven’t spent perhaps what the other clubs have done, the only ones who are privy to that are the CEO, the chairman and of course Rafa,
“What I do know is that with the squad that he’s got, what they’ve recruited and what they’ve spent – which is less than most clubs and far less than a lot of clubs – then I think Rafa has done a wonderful job with the players that he has.
“What you always have to do as a manager is work within the boundaries of what you have, and if that means being allowed to go out and spend big, big money on players then that’s what it is and that’s what you’ll be judged on.
“If it’s working with a group of players and spending less, then it’s exactly the same, it’s what you’ll be judged on.”
