Interesting Torres article - Times 5/7/08

[GWistooshort]

Interesting insight into Rafa's approach.......

 

The Times

July 5, 2008

 

Fernando Torres: Rafael Benitez pushed me to greatness

Russell Kempson

 

Few foreign players have adapted better - or as quickly - to the unique demands of top-flight football in England than Fernando Torres. In his first season, after arriving at Liverpool 12 months ago, he scored 33 goals in all competitions.

 

Yet as the prolific Spain striker ponders how he can improve next season, having set the bar so high, he is swift to pay tribute to the part that Rafael Benítez played in his rapid and spectacular progress. Without the intense guidance of the Liverpool manager, Torres maintains, he might not have made such an immediate impact.

 

“There are days when you think: ‘My God, this guy [benítez] doesn't let you breathe',” Torres, a £20.2million buy from Atlético Madrid, said. “At times like that, you don't realise that all he wants is for you to improve.

 

“When you are in a team where things are going mostly well, players tend to relax. But you must always push yourself. Never become complacent; you try to do your best every single day. At a club like Liverpool, you can't sit back after scoring 20-odd goals and say: 'Well, that's it.' After you score 20, Benítez is at you during the next training session and stays on top of you all day, all week.

 

“He tells you to go off on your own and do new exercises. I want to progress in life, not relax, not be complacent, and you need someone close to you telling you to keep at it. It is impossible to do it otherwise. We don't always fancy someone that close but, in the long term, I am sure that everybody will thank him for it.”

 

Torres, 24, carried his form into the international arena this summer, scoring two goals as Spain were crowned European champions. His second goal - a trademark effort embracing power and pace - was enough to see off Germany 1-0 in the final in Vienna.

 

If Benítez's influence has been great, Torres has also reaped the benefit of playing alongside Steven Gerrard, the England midfield player. He has watched Gerrard closely - on and off the pitch - and used the Liverpool captain as an example of how to deal with life in the goldfish bowl that is Merseyside.

 

“I really admire Steven,” Torres said in an interview in Champions, the official magazine of the Uefa Champions League, said. “I know the pressure he is under every day, everybody talking about him all day long. In the changing-room, in the pubs, in the stadium. I've heard people say he should be stronger, have a stronger personality. I know by experience how difficult it is to deal with that because Liverpool is a huge club. And he's at another level, of course.

 

“People look at you from a distance and challenge you with their eyes. All that happens to Steve every day and he copes with it, everything that is expected of him all the time. He's always under tremendous pressure to perform and everyone looks to him to show leadership, to lift the team.

 

“He's a great example, and those of us who have been in a similar situation know how difficult it is to handle. It's incredible the way he carries himself regardless of what is going on around him. I'd love to be captain of another team one day and Steve has shown me how to be a great leader.”

 

During a career of many highs, Torres has had to endure his lows, too, particularly before his move to Anfield. He would turn to Olalla, his girlfriend, for sympathy and advice. “She has had to suffer much disappointed ranting and moaning, especially when I was at Atlético,” Torres said. “Now, she is also having a good time herself.

 

“She knows how to calm me down when I haven't been able to see the way out of the tunnel or wake me up when I've been sleeping. She pushes me when I need to be encouraged. The person that lives with you is sometimes the only one capable of helping you up when you don't realise how down you are.”

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle4272547.ece

[Benitez]

Interesting! Thanks for posting.

 

The Spanish lads we have here always come across as so much more intelligent than many 'home grown' players don't they? When you hear or read the gormless cliched rubbish the likes of Ferdinand, Terry and Rooney come out with (and maybe one or two of our own ), it's nice to read interviews with somone like Torres, who always seems so bright.

[Kahnee]

Crackin' little read that

 

And I agree with Benitez's comments

[kop205]

Touch of the Ronnie Moran mentality about Rafa - 'well done, you've scored 20 goals, now go out and score another 20'.

 

Very important to have that attitude in my opinion, even if there are times when the players might find him a tough taskmaster. This is where Pellegrino could have role to play as a bit more of the 'good cop' - definitely need that balance.

[fred]

Interesting! Thanks for posting.

 

The Spanish lads we have here always come across as so much more intelligent than many 'home grown' players don't they? When you hear or read the gormless cliched rubbish the likes of Ferdinand, Terry and Rooney come out with (and maybe one or two of our own ), it's nice to read interviews with somone like Torres, who always seems so bright.

 

Not saying that Torres is on the same level as Ferdinand & co, but I'd bet he spoke through an interpreter which probably makes him sound better than he might in Spanish.

[The walters step over]

Interesting! Thanks for posting.

 

The Spanish lads we have here always come across as so much more intelligent than many 'home grown' players don't they? When you hear or read the gormless cliched rubbish the likes of Ferdinand, Terry and Rooney come out with (and maybe one or two of our own ), it's nice to read interviews with somone like Torres, who always seems so bright.

 

I just think it's down to the way kids in general are brought up in this country,we don't start learning other languages until we're 12 and in the cases of talented footballers there's no incentive for them to stick at it in school so many of them say things like "I've never read a book in my life" as though it's something to be proud of. Of course, there are always exceptions - Lampard,Owen and David James seem to have a bit of intelligence whereas Ronaldo isn't the brightest and Reyes apparently was the dumbest person anyone could wish to meet.

[Guest Ant]

Brilliant read

[Herbie von Smalls]

I just think it's down to the way kids in general are brought up in this country,we don't start learning other languages until we're 12 and in the cases of talented footballers there's no incentive for them to stick at it in school so many of them say things like "I've never read a book in my life" as though it's something to be proud of. Of course, there are always exceptions - Lampard,Owen and David James seem to have a bit of intelligence whereas Ronaldo isn't the brightest and Reyes apparently was the dumbest person anyone could wish to meet.

i've always found owen to be dull and inarticulate in interviews - press or tv. i can't recall him ever giving any kind of insight into the game or indeed himself. and i haven't heard such a monotonous voice in football since bryan robson. maybe he's different out of the limelight and just playing the media by being guarded, but he doesn't appear to have much charisma.

 

lampard is someone whose confidence in speaking belies his lack of intelligence. someone who's had a good education, without actually taking much of it in.

[The walters step over]

i've always found owen to be dull and inarticulate in interviews - press or tv. i can't recall him ever giving any kind of insight into the game or indeed himself. and i haven't heard such a monotonous voice in football since bryan robson. maybe he's different out of the limelight and just playing the media by being guarded, but he doesn't appear to have much charisma.

 

lampard is someone whose confidence in speaking belies his lack of intelligence. someone who's had a good education, without actually taking much of it in.

 

I meant more in terms of GCSEs really, I read somewhere that they both have ten and therefore stood out amongst the usual left school without anything,never read a book innit,listen to RnB stereotype of a British footballer.

 

 

I'll concede the point that they're both dull as f*ck though I do believe the press (and by extension, us - the people that buy the papers) plays a big part in that they know that their words do get twisted so they end up saying banal statements that cannot be used to kick start any "Lampard attacks X shocker/sensation" type stories.

[Billy Dane]

I'm sure Spain has it's fair share of "thick" footballers as well, but like ours probably don't have the imagination to travel and play football abroad.

[StevieC]

I'd love to be captain of another team one day

 

 

Sell the little turncoat b*****d.

[allawee]

I'm sure Spain has it's fair share of "thick" footballers as well, but like ours probably don't have the imagination to travel and play football abroad.

 

 

That implies the most recent and expensive English football export (Beckham) followed closley by Jonathan Woodgate! I don't agree with your statement..I just think that English footballers are thick, boring and dull! Even when the try to be contreversial, e.g. Joey Barton!

[Billy Dane]

Woodgate certainly doesn't help the argument, however Beckham does have some clever people behind him which makes up for any deficiencies he has.

[The walters step over]

Woodgate certainly doesn't help the argument, however Beckham does have some clever people behind him which makes up for any deficiencies he has.

 

After all his time in Madrid he STILL couldn't speak fluent Spanish when he was explaining why he was leaving! That's an absolute disgrace.

[Guest keygone]

After all his time in Madrid he STILL couldn't speak fluent Spanish when he was explaining why he was leaving! That's an absolute disgrace.

 

To be fair, after all his time in England, he still can't speak English with any degree of fluency.

[trowie]

Touch of the Ronnie Moran mentality about Rafa - 'well done, you've scored 20 goals, now go out and score another 20'.

 

Very important to have that attitude in my opinion, even if there are times when the players might find him a tough taskmaster. This is where Pellegrino could have role to play as a bit more of the 'good cop' - definitely need that balance.

Somehow feel that Pellegrino will be just as tough a task master. Being 'freindly' won't detract players/coaches from the drive to perfect and achieve.

[Guest Sabre]

The full interview is on Balague's site now