RAFAEL BENITEZ has rubbished the theory he will not be able to hack it in the Championship by insisting a lack of experience at that level will not diminish his track record and approach to management.

A hectic Football League schedule, which sees more midweek fixtures than Premier League clubs encounter, has been cited as a reason why the Spaniard might be unable to gear the Magpies up for a promotion push.

But Benitez, who has worked at the highest level for decades, does not think that should come into play, having experienced what it is like to cram two fixtures into a week throughout his career because of his success at European level.

Rather than worry about the extra strains which Championship football will place on his pool of players when the action restarts in August, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid boss believes the mentality he instils in the players will be far more important.

Benitez said: “Obviously I know some people will say that, but still I was starting in the second division or in the youth teams in Spain, then the second division in Spain and two promotions. Then we played the teams here in the FA Cup, the Capital One Cup, so we know the league.

“We have seen a lot of games and we have some players who have played in the Championship before. So we have information and obviously we have to perform, and then you will say: 'Hmm, maybe.'

“If we win the first game then you will say we have a good team, if we lose you will say it's because I have no experience in the Championship. But that is football.

“I think we have enough information, enough people with experience – we will talk with them, and maybe we will bring in players were experience in the Championship. The main thing is to do the right things and to work hard every single week.”

Benitez has been assured he does not need to sell any of Newcastle’s players if he doesn’t want to, although the reality is that there will be changes during the close-season.

He is likely to allow a few players to be sold on so he has the finances available to make his own adjustments to a squad he inherited from his predecessors’ time in charge.

Even though Graham Carr will remain chief scout, his power will be more restricted enabling Benitez to have full authority on what happens in his squad; managing director Lee Charnley will still be responsible for officially signing financial deals off.

But Benitez is actually looking forward to the challenge of trying to oversee a promotion charge, having been persuaded to stay on and sign a new three-year deal at St James’ Park because of the support from the fans.

He said: “A few weeks ago I was convinced we were going to stay in the Premier League, but these things happen. So that when you are in the Championship, you have to decide and I say that I am really pleased because I can see that I will have a lot of things that I was looking for.

“It will be very positive for everyone and, if next year we are in the Premier League, then we will enjoy the whole season but we have to start doing things well from day one.

“For example, the pre-season we will do a pre-season thinking with the priority. Lee asked me what do we want to do and it has to be football, the priority has to be football.

“My relationship with him is simple and quite easy – whenever I ask about football, it's fine. His priority is to make sure that the football decisions are fine, because then it will make sure we are in the Premier League next season.”

Regardless of the division Newcastle are in – or which players come and go – Benitez will be just excited to hit the training ground in July and attack the Championship for the first time in his career.

He said: “I am a football man; I am a coach and I like to coach. I have seen the evolution, the progression of our players during these weeks.

“I am quite confident that they will do an even better job during a whole season. So I am quite excited to see how they will do across a whole season after we have spent more time working together. And I hope we will go up, of course!”