Benitez to credit for my development says Palace’s Townsend

He may have only spent a matter of months under his tutelage in the North East but England winger Andros Townsend believes his spell under Rafa Benitez at Newcastle United improved his technique and his performances.

Townsend, who this week replaced Raheem Sterling in Gareth Southgate’s England squad, moved to St James’ Park to sign for Newcastle last January from Tottenham.

However, following Newcastle’s relegation to the Championship in May, he sealed a £13m deal to join Crystal Palace in the summer.

The flying winger initially struggled with life in South East London as the Eagles suffered a stuttering start to the new Premier League season but in recent weeks it has been all change for Alan Pardew’s Palace.

(Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Townsend has flourished for his club as Palace have gone six games unbeaten in the Premier League but the winger has credited some of his career resurgence to his former boss, adding that he was in constant contact with Benitez prior to his move to Palace this summer and has been since too.

“He texted to congratulate me on my England call-up,” Townsend said.

“He understood and all is well there. I became a better player under him.”

He continued: “[At Newcastle] it was the first time in my career that I actually did feel loved, and did feel right.

“The fans were great with me, everyone loved me, on the last game of the season against Spurs, the standing ovation when I got subbed off… the ovation I got was incredible, and it made the hair on my arms stand up.

“It was extremely difficult to leave that but football is a short career and sometimes you use your head as opposed to your heart.”