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Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez says that going on far-flung trips during pre-season makes little sense for a team looking to hit the ground running in the Premier League.

The Magpies have just been promoted from the Championship and are preparing for their opening game of the season against Tottenham Hotspur at Carton House just outside Dublin.

But as many Premier League sides travel on pre-season tours across the globe, the Champions League-winning boss feels staying close to home will leave his side better prepared for the rigours of a new season.

(Image: KBA)

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It's the second year in a row that Newcastle have trained at Carton House during pre-season, and the famously meticulous Benitez took time out to praise the facility for its excellent standards.

The former Liverpool boss said: "We were happy with the way everything was organised, the pitches, the staff, everybody was helping.

"Sometimes you want to go to Australia to make money - that makes no sense when you have to settle down in the Premier League.

"You have to be sure and in control of everything from day one, and then you can work in a way that will improve the team, not just having a team travelling around the world."

Despite staying in Ireland, Newcastle will not be joining British sides such as Hearts, Charlton Athletic, Burnley, and Celtic in playing pre-season games against League of Ireland sides.

But Benitez says his side's lack of fixtures in Ireland was simply an issue of bad timing, with their opening game against Spurs less than a month away.

"We couldn't come earlier", he said.

"I think Burnley were here, and we have to organise everything in the best way possible for us.

"The number of games and the level of the opponents, all of these you have to control when you're trying to be the best you can be against Tottenham.

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"We couldn't manage too many more games."

Benitez was also quizzed on the futures of both Daryl Murphy and Rob Elliot, two Irish players who have been linked with a move away from St. James' Park this summer.

Murphy has been the subject of interest from Aston Villa, among others, and the Newcastle boss confirmed they had been listening to offers for the former Ipswich Town man.

"A lot of teams, they are interested", Benitez said.

"We have been in contact with some of them - he has also, we're aware of that.

"We will see what happens."

(Image: ©INPHO/Donall Farmer)

He added that he wants to keep former Charlton stopper Elliot around to increase competition for his goalkeeping spots, after admitting he will let long-standing number one Tim Krul leave the club.

"He's a good keeper, he's working very hard", he said.

"I'm trying to bring in another keeper to compete.

"In any team, you have to compete with someone else, and I think he knows that's the idea. He's training well and I've a lot of confidence in him."

Rafa Benitez was talking during a recent visit to Sports Direct’s new flagship Irish store at North Earl Street in Dublin today. NUFC’s new third kit is available at all Sports Direct stores and sportsdirect.com.

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