Benitez Article

[ZZZZ]

Good read from Sundays Irish Independent

 

 

AS a guiding principle, a manager who has as much interest in the Carling Cup as the Jade Goody family have in the collected works of Terence Rattigan won't go far wrong.

 

Yet Rafael Benitez has spent the week under pressure after his decision to find out how good his second-string side were in a match of no meaning brought the answers he may have suspected.

 

It brought the hungry pack out again, asking the kind of questions they must surely tire of one day. "Does Rafael Benitez understand the English mentality?" "Why doesn't he play his best team?" and "When will he play Steven Gerrard in his best position?"

 

Of course, they've dropped the last recently as Gerrard has been playing in what they call "his favoured central midfield position." But in the two matches against the Arsenal where he played in central midfield, he had what are, in the accepted written formation, "strangely quiet" games. These strangely quiet games keep happening and yet they are always reported as 'strange'. Not 'common' or 'disappointing again' but 'strange'.

 

At the forefront of the "Gerrard must be played where he insists he's most effective" campaign has been Sky's Andy Gray, who, in an internet column last week, put the question; "When Liverpool players sit down with their grandkids in years to come, will they want to show them a big box of medals or boast that they finished fourth three years in-a-row? I think we all know the answer to that one." Indeed.

 

Just suppose Liverpool had won on Tuesday night and gone on to claim the Carling Cup in 2007 - beating, say, Wycombe Wanderers in the final. Which story from the past few years would the grandchildren of this Liverpool side want to hear? The uneventful tale of a trip to Cardiff sandwiched between a two-legged glamour game against Barcelona or maybe, just maybe, the story of the most remarkable European Cup run of all-time and their victory, against all expectation, in the quarter-final, semi-final and then in Istanbul?

 

Things won't be what they used to be if the grandchildren want to hear about the Carling Cup, especially with Djimi Traore's grandkids down the road boasting with some incredulity that their doddering grandfather - as sturdy on his feet as he's always been - once won the European Cup.

 

Domestic trophies, it was repeated last week, insulate against the sack, but winning the last two domestic competitions - the Community Shield and the FA Cup - hasn't protected Benitez from calls for his dismissal.

 

The only shame was that Benitez felt the pressure after the 6-3 defeat and decided to blame the board for not being swift and extravagant enough in their transfer dealings. When you have lost out on Nemanja Vidic and Daniel Alves in the past 12 months thanks to your employers' tardiness, it is perhaps understandable, but Benitez would have been better off holding to his private conviction that the cup was meaningless and allowing the press to write what they like.

 

Those who have conducted the fundamentally cretinous campaign that Gerrard should be playing in the centre of midfield despite the best evidence, i.e. his performances against the best teams while playing in that position, should hesitate before deciding to have another swipe, especially over defeat in a competition desperate for patrons.

 

One reporter began her report on the Liverpool match with the words: "If Rafael Benitez needed confirmation of the benefits that winning the Carling Cup can bestow, he had only to look up into the directors' box at Anfield last night. There, his face burnished by a recent dose of Dubai sun, sat Steve McClaren, whose capture of the trophy at Middlesbrough went a long way towards securing him the England manager's job." Again, there is only one appropriate response: Indeed.

 

Benitez could have played the game last week, keeping the moronic Sky pundits happy and placating a media which appears to despise him for refusing to value their opinion. But he must be respected for refusing to play their game when it was the easier option.

 

Benitez again raised the bar, perhaps to an impossible height. Instead of taking the facile routeThe most dangerous thing for Liverpool is that Benitez may be too weak to sell Steven Gerrard

 

to success with a victory in the Carling Cup (a favoured path for his predecessor), Liverpool will now have to beat Barcelona or display the type of form which saw Benitez's Valencia win the first of their Spanish titles (it was around this time that his side became known as 'The Crushing Machine'). The most dangerous thing for Liverpool is that Benitez may now be too weak to conduct what may be the most decisive action of his management: the selling of Steven Gerrard.

 

The writers who once insisted that Gerard Houllier be given more time, during which he would have terminally affected the club, are now among those administering the beating to Benitez. There are many differences between the two managers - one was bad, the other is whatever the opposite of piss-poor and spoofing is.

 

But Houllier played their game. He cherished the reporters, he cared about them; he thought the post-match interview was the most important 60 seconds of the week. He called them on the telephone.

 

Benitez is different. He couldn't give a f**k.

 

dionfanning@gmail.com

[_00_deathscar]

Don't agree with all of it but is this one of the best endings to an article...ever?

 

Benitez is different. He couldn't give a f**k.

[alias75]

Really enjoyed reading that, it really does amaze me how ex pros with no record in management can constantly criticise a manager thats won the CL, UEFA Cup, La Liga and FA Cup, i just dont see the same level of absue aimed at Fergusson or Wenger when their teams are also having a bit of a bad spell. Rafa certainly doesnt get the respect his record deserves, even yesterday when the team was named you had average ex pros saying that he didnt know what he was doing! your talking about one of the most thoughtful managers there is, everything he tries may not work but to say he doesnt know what hes trying to do is so far off the mark its laughable.

 

Its also true how the Carling Cup has all of a sudden taken on this huge importance within the media, no doubt if we had won the Carling Cup this season and nothing else the very same media would be telling us how worthless a trophy it is.

 

I also think its a decent point about Gerrard, no doubt he plays well from the middle against most teams but you can count the number of huge games hes played from that position against big sides on one hand.

 

Top read that.

[live]

The most dangerous thing for Liverpool is that Benitez may now be too weak to conduct what may be the most decisive action of his management: the selling of Steven Gerrard.

 

 

why does everyone insist this is so? which club is going to sell arguably their best player? it's not like he is a pain in the a$$ and doesn't heed rafa's advice.

[AE]

Thought that was an excellent article.

Just sums up what we all think with one exception.

 

"Don't sell Stevie"

 

But you can play him on the right Rafa

[Stevie H]

good read that.

 

although isn't it quite unlikely that djimi traore will ever have grandchildren?

[hideNseek]

Why's he want us to sell Gerrard though?

[Rimbeux]

Why's he want us to sell Gerrard though?

 

 

Not one for me, but there are schools of thought that he's what is holding Benitez back from deploying the exact team and system he wants, and that £30m and his leaving would fix many things.

[hideNseek]

Not one for me either.

[Toe]

Stevie will make an excellent right back. Good cover for Finnan.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

I don't agree with his conclusion about selling gerrard, but any journalist who is willing to put some actual thought and observation behind their musings like this is well worth reading. Good article.

[aka Dus]

I knew he'd write this.

[smithdown]

 

 

At the forefront of the "Gerrard must be played where he insists he's most effective" campaign has been Sky's Andy Gray, who, in an internet column last week, put the question; "When Liverpool players sit down with their grandkids in years to come, will they want to show them a big box of medals or boast that they finished fourth three years in-a-row? I think we all know the answer to that one." Indeed.

 

 

 

Pity andy gray's poor grand-kids then.

[floyd]

Pity andy gray's poor grand-kids then.

Just goes to show cleberity status, can afford someone as afflicted in the facial department as him, can knob someone, a few leagues above him, as in Suzanne Dando. His natural level is probably Bella Emburg

Edited January 14, 2007 by floyd

[Romario]

Hang on a week ago after that game this forum was almost burst with people so so pissed off with the result. Since then people are searching long and hard for articles backing the manager left right and centre. Bit of revisionism going on.

[floyd]

Hang on a week ago after that game this forum was almost burst with people so so pissed off with the result. Since then people are searching long and hard for articles backing the manager left right and centre. Bit of revisionism going on.

 

Paul McCarthy in the People should satisfy your needs then, this morning.

 

http://www.people.co.uk/sport

MACCA - SHAME RAFA'S NOT MUCH KOP

 

FOR 180 minutes in the space of four days, Liverpool fans confirmed what most of us have suspected all along ... that they are the most passionate and fanatical of all supporters.

 

Their tribute last weekend to the 96 who died at Hillsborough was just about the most moving I have witnessed in a football ground.

 

The way they stayed loyal to a team who were being outclassed in the Carling Cup set a standard few will ever match.

 

Rafa Benitez does not deserve them. A man who sacrificed the last chance of domestic success in such a blinkered, confused and downright embarrassing way does not warrant their continued backing.

 

If Benitez was any closer to winning the League, he could be forgiven. But seeing as his side are still a country mile from that target, it just further insults fans who know exactly where the buck stops.

[Romario]

Paul McCarthy in the People should satisfy your needs then, this morning.

 

http://www.people.co.uk/sport

MACCA - SHAME RAFA'S NOT MUCH KOP

 

FOR 180 minutes in the space of four days, Liverpool fans confirmed what most of us have suspected all along ... that they are the most passionate and fanatical of all supporters.

 

Their tribute last weekend to the 96 who died at Hillsborough was just about the most moving I have witnessed in a football ground.

 

The way they stayed loyal to a team who were being outclassed in the Carling Cup set a standard few will ever match.

 

Rafa Benitez does not deserve them. A man who sacrificed the last chance of domestic success in such a blinkered, confused and downright embarrassing way does not warrant their continued backing.

 

If Benitez was any closer to winning the League, he could be forgiven. But seeing as his side are still a country mile from that target, it just further insults fans who know exactly where the buck stops.

 

My needs? I wasn't one sticking the knife in mate. I just find it bizzare the constant turn around.

[alias75]

Ill think you'll find the knee jerkers were in the minority even not long after the game had finished.

 

Most of them have admitted they got caught up in the moment and were wrong with their level of criticism.

 

Yet we still get mindless drivel from paid journalists, the level of football journalism really has nosedived the last few years and Rafa really does seem to targeted by these guys. For a manager thats achieved what he has in the game it really is out of order, no doubt had we won the Carling Cup this season the very same media would be pointing out how worthless that trophy is.

[Romario]

Ill think you'll find the knee jerkers were in the minority even not long after the game had finished.

 

Most of them have admitted they got caught up in the moment and were wrong with their level of criticism.

 

Yet we still get mindless drivel from paid journalists, the level of football journalism really has nosedived the last few years and Rafa really does seem to targeted by these guys. For a manager thats achieved what he has in the game it really is out of order, no doubt had we won the Carling Cup this season the very same media would be pointing out how worthless that trophy is.

Exactly so why get caught up in it. The fact remains that we are still no where near challenging for the league which is a big shame. If it wasn't for DIC I don't see how that would change so their is a ray of light on the horizon in that respect.

 

I'm gutted we are out of both cups as I thought that was where our chances lay regarding trophies this season. Can't blame Rafa for the FA cup defeat at all but he messed up in the league cup I believe. If he really didn't give a hoot about it then don't bloody play Gerrard. For a trophy he didn't care about it's cost us alot so far in Sissoko, Garcia and Speedy which is a big shame.

 

Rafa get's it in the neck right now cos he's an easy target and he's the manager who's fecked up the most right now out of the top 4 regarding the cups. This'll be taken over with Mourinho V Roman soon so no worries.

Ferguson is flying in the league.

Wenger's side is slowly coming back to form although he's taken hits big time this season as well.

Mourinho is begging the media as always to make sure he's all over the back pages but the journos are getting tired of him.

[Buzz]

 

Rafa get's it in the neck right now cos he's an easy target and he's the manager who's fecked up the most right now out of the top 4 regarding the cups. This'll be taken over with Mourinho V Roman soon so no worries.Ferguson is flying in the league.

You seen the Independent today?. Its already started.

[Buzz]

You seen the Independent today?. Its already started.

OOPS! Sorry! Scratch that, it was the Times.

ere

Edited January 14, 2007 by Buzz

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Paul McCarthy in the People should satisfy your needs then, this morning.

 

http://www.people.co.uk/sport

MACCA - SHAME RAFA'S NOT MUCH KOP

 

FOR 180 minutes in the space of four days, Liverpool fans confirmed what most of us have suspected all along ... that they are the most passionate and fanatical of all supporters.

 

Their tribute last weekend to the 96 who died at Hillsborough was just about the most moving I have witnessed in a football ground.

 

The way they stayed loyal to a team who were being outclassed in the Carling Cup set a standard few will ever match.

 

Rafa Benitez does not deserve them. A man who sacrificed the last chance of domestic success in such a blinkered, confused and downright embarrassing way does not warrant their continued backing.

 

If Benitez was any closer to winning the League, he could be forgiven. But seeing as his side are still a country mile from that target, it just further insults fans who know exactly where the buck stops.

 

Last chance of domestic success, maybe. But we're still in the EC - despite everyone having written us off

 

what a pile of s****. We're 3rd. If it wasn't for the pace being set by the Mancs & Chelsea, we WOULD be in with a shout of the League

[Guest Scot]

Plenty of good arguments for selling Gerrard

[Magic8Ball]

Plenty of good arguments for selling Gerrard

even more for keeping him

buying Mascherano, two great wingers one Left and one Right wing - a striker to replace Fowler (Bent) and winning the league next season

[Guest Scot]

even more for keeping him

buying Mascherano, two great wingers one Left and one Right wing - a striker to replace Fowler (Bent) and winning the league next season

 

Sell him, get all of those and play Momo and Alonso centrally and keep 10m in change.