Liverpool FC Forum

[Paul C]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/3776857.stm

Fingers crossed sooner rather than later 

[anfieldadorer]

About a week ago many sources reported he would officially be installed within 48 hours. Is an hour there in spain equals to 60 minutes?

[begintoend]

48hrs to walk from his house to the airport
Another 48hrs to flap his wings to England.
More 48hrs to ask for directions to anfield.
Another 48hrs to say hello in English to Parry.....

[blind]

About a week ago many sources reported  he would be officially installed within 48 hours. Is an hour there in spain equals to 60 minutes?

no 1 hour is equal to 1 day roughly some times more some times less (not usually though) and if it can be put off untill three weeks next tuesday then it will be 8 weeks on thursday thay have no concept of Urgency

[stmichael]

just heard on the radio that benitez is on merseyside and will be unveiled at a press conference later today.

[anfieldadorer]

Fortunately stevie is currently in portugal, if he wasn't, he must have run for his life...

[Paul C]

Which radio station did you hear this on?

[Paul C]

Found this on the Sky Sports website:

http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,7-1139611,00.html

[stmichael]

i heard it on talksport but they claimed to have heard it from reports in liverpool. we wait and hope!

let us pray!

[Paul C]

Also found this on icliverpool:

Benitez expected to sign today Jun 16 2004

Exclusive By Alan Weston, Daily Post


RAFAEL BENITEZ was setting the seal on his move to Liverpool Football Club during talks in the city last night, the Daily Post can reveal.

Barring any last-minute hitches, the 44-year-old former Valencia coach, (left), is expected to be officially unveiled as Liverpool's 16th manager at a news conference today.

The 15 days' notice period Benitez was required to honour, when he resigned from his post at Valencia before he was contractually free to take a new job, expires today.

Benitez, who led the Spanish club to a league and UEFA Cup double, has been top of Liverpool's shopping list since they parted company with Gerard Houllier at the end of last season.

Last night, he was in talks with Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry at an exclusive boutique hotel in the city centre. Parry refused to comment on developments and Benitez was being kept away from waiting journalists.

The club is expected to formally confirm the appointment on its website today, before calling a news conference this afternoon, at which their new manager will answer questions about his challenge.

Liverpool will be anxious to maximise the impact of their high-profile signing, and will not want to wait until tomorrow when England's second Euro 2004 match against Switzerland would divert much of the attention from Benitez.

The Spaniard will be bolstered by yesterday's news that the involvement of a Thai music company appears to have put Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's £60m bid to buy into Liverpool FC firmly back on track.

Much of that money is likely to be handed to Benitez to begin the task of rebuilding the club into a team capable of challenging at the summit of English and European football once again.

His immediate priorities are likely to include securing the services of England striker Michael Owen on a new contract and trying to halt the speculation linking Steven Gerrard with a move to Chelsea.

Benitez has already been strongly linked with bringing Valencia goalkeeper Jose Canizares with him to Anfield as his first signing.

The appointment of Benitez will end one of the worst-kept secrets in football, with the club having been confident of getting its man since before his resignation from Valencia. It was unclear last night if he would bring his Valencia assistant, Francisco Ayestaran, with him to Anfield, as he did when leaving Tenerife for Valencia.

Such an appointment could affect the future of Liverpool assistant manager Phil Thompson, who has not been guaranteed a job under the new manager.

Parry declared at the outset that quality and not nationality would be the deciding factor in the search for a new manager. "We have to determine who is most likely to make us become challengers again," Parry said after Houllier's departure.

"We'll think British and we'll think foreign, but we'll pick who we think is best."

[Boocity]

About time too, we need him to also squash these rumours about SG going to Chelski asap

[stmichael]

About time too, we need him to also squash these rumours about SG going to Chelski asap

couldn't agree more. his first job should be to persuade steven gerrard to stay. i don't believe the rumour that stevie wanted alan curbishley as manager but i am concerned that he may be lured by chelsea. benitez also needs to try and get michael owen to sign a "long term" contract.

[Boocity]

You gotta wonder if Lampard, Cole and Terry are pitching Chelski to Stevie G and trying to pursuade him to move, they might be on commission