JOSE Enrique has warned the Premier League to expect a more focused and determined Newcastle United when they return to the top flight next season.
United are expected to clinch their deserved promotion over the Easter weekend, an achievement that will go some way to banishing the memories of their ignominious relegation.
Having dominated the division from the start of the season, they fully merit a place in the Premier League next season – but Enrique admits that the players responsible for taking the club down need to make their mark on the top flight to fully rehabilitate their reputations.
While admitting it will be a huge step up for United, Enrique believes the players will be better equipped to take on the cream of English football.
“Yes, I hope you will see a different Jose Enrique next season in the Premier League. But I think it is not just me – it is the whole team who are better,” he said. “We have a very good team for the Championship, we work hard, we are together as well and we can do that in the Premier League.
“In the Premier League, we know the teams are a different level. The teams have more ability and I know that it is a bigger challenge.”
While it was a chastening experience for the players involved, Enrique believes the players have taken the lessons of last season’s failure on board – and used it power their promotion charge.
“It was important for us to remember not only that we were in the Championship but why we were in the Championship,” he said. “We had to remember the reasons.
“It was the players' own mistakes and the fact we did not play well last season. We kept saying to each other to remember why we went down. That made us so determined to go straight back up. We always knew what we were capable of but it was important to remember the bad times to make sure they did not happen again.”
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