This season has taken its toll on Rafael Benitez. The strain of a relegation haunted campaign is chiselled into his face, the emotion that comes with carrying the hopes of a football-centric city has weighed heavily on his shoulders, the stress of dealing with an owner like Mike Ashley has drained him of the enthusiasm he had when he first become Newcastle United manager.

Yet, still the eyes sparkle when he talks about football, players and what needs to be done to improve. Benitez’s mind is constantly buzzing with ideas and thoughts in the quest to return Newcastle to the upper reaches of the Premier League.

The fire still burns. Football management was once described as a drug by one of his predecessors at St James’ Park, Sir Bobby Robson. Benitez is an addict with no interest in booking into rehab.

This is what he does, since he was just 13 years old, recording match details from his youth team on a Commodore 64 computer. Football has consumed him. It is a life he has endured, as well as enjoyed, for more than 40 years.

“I don’t want to say that I am always working because it’s ‘Oh, Rafa is just football’…. I have my family,” said Benitez, when asked, at the end of a training session during a warm weather training camp in Spain, if he is obsessed with his job.