Liverpool FC Forum

[NANNY RED]

Nice little peice in todays mirror

I WONT CRACK!

UNDER-FIRE LIVERPOOL BOSS RAFA HITS BACK AT CRITICS Benitez sticks to his guns
By Ken Lawrence 28/10/2007
Rafa Benitez





Rafa Benitez insists he will not be driven into an intensive care unit by the first hint of crisis in his Liverpool career.

Benitez is adamant the pressures of trying to end Liverpool's 17-year wait for a title triumph, will never turn into the terrifying scenario that almost cost the life of his predecessor Gerard Houllier.

Houllier ended up on a life support partly as the pressure took its toll on his health.

And he always found the criticism of former Liverpool stars particularly hard to take.


After last week's dismal Champions League defeat by Besiktas some critics believe defeat against Arsenal at Anfield today could leave Benitez fighting fore his job.

But he insists he has a failsafe way to stay sane, and is certain that owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette are not likely to follow the example of the Tottenham board who booted out Martin Jol last week.

Benitez said: "I would be surprised if my job came under the kind of scrutiny that Martin Jol went through. You must analyse everything and look at the big picture.

"This week Tom Hicks was trying to be supportive. I have a good relationship with him and George Gillette. I have had good contact with them.

"Sure they want to win. I want to win. Everybody wants to win. But we have the same ideas.

"We talked about the plan that will be for the next four or five years before and we continue with the same ideas.

"I am really pleased here. I am happy. And if we make mistakes by reacting to what others say then we will have problems.

"But I don't have any problems. If I need to work harder to improve things, I will do it and if everything's OK I will enjoy.

"We have the plan. The directors are really pleased with the plan. For one day you don't need a plan. You need it for the next years and that is what we have."

Houllier always listened always to what he called the "enemy from within", but Benitez, who looks certain to be without injured Fernando Torres against the Gunners, claims he doesn't hear them!

Every time he looks at Liverpool video footage he turns the sound down so he can concentrate on what he wants and not worry about outside opinions.

He explained "This is how I work. I prepare for each game with four or five DVDs and the analysis the coaches give me.

"I prepare about one hour of tapes. But I see them without volume so I don't hear anything.

"I can't watch the games live because I am working. So I make clips. I keep the ones I want that are most important for the players. When I am working like that I cannot listen and work.

"And I don't like the players hearing anything because I prefer them to be focussing.

"Everybody has an opinion and I don't need to hear anybody else's opinion but mine."

Given the increasing flak Benitez has been taking over his rotation policy and especially his selection of strikers - blamed for last Wednesday's defeat in Turkey - the Anfield manager could be accused of sticking his head in the sand.

And there have been suggestions that skipper Steven Gerrard, hauled off 20 minutes from the end of the Merseyside derby win may be growing dubious that Benitez's methods remain the right ones.

But Benitez is confident is position is completely safe and insists there is no problem between him and Gerrard.

He said: "As for Steve Gerrard, we have been talking. He knows why I replaced him at Everton and he has told me he is ready to do anything for this team. Nothing has changed."

[Toffeehater]

Nice little peice in todays mirror

I WONT CRACK!

UNDER-FIRE LIVERPOOL BOSS RAFA HITS BACK AT CRITICS Benitez sticks to his guns
By Ken Lawrence 28/10/2007
Rafa Benitez





Rafa Benitez insists he will not be driven into an intensive care unit by the first hint of crisis in his Liverpool career.

Benitez is adamant the pressures of trying to end Liverpool's 17-year wait for a title triumph, will never turn into the terrifying scenario that almost cost the life of his predecessor Gerard Houllier.

Houllier ended up on a life support partly as the pressure took its toll on his health.

And he always found the criticism of former Liverpool stars particularly hard to take.


After last week's dismal Champions League defeat by Besiktas some critics believe defeat against Arsenal at Anfield today could leave Benitez fighting fore his job.

But he insists he has a failsafe way to stay sane, and is certain that owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette are not likely to follow the example of the Tottenham board who booted out Martin Jol last week.

Benitez said: "I would be surprised if my job came under the kind of scrutiny that Martin Jol went through. You must analyse everything and look at the big picture.

"This week Tom Hicks was trying to be supportive. I have a good relationship with him and George Gillette. I have had good contact with them.

"Sure they want to win. I want to win. Everybody wants to win. But we have the same ideas.

"We talked about the plan that will be for the next four or five years before and we continue with the same ideas.

"I am really pleased here. I am happy. And if we make mistakes by reacting to what others say then we will have problems.

"But I don't have any problems. If I need to work harder to improve things, I will do it and if everything's OK I will enjoy.

"We have the plan. The directors are really pleased with the plan. For one day you don't need a plan. You need it for the next years and that is what we have."

Houllier always listened always to what he called the "enemy from within", but Benitez, who looks certain to be without injured Fernando Torres against the Gunners, claims he doesn't hear them!

Every time he looks at Liverpool video footage he turns the sound down so he can concentrate on what he wants and not worry about outside opinions.

He explained "This is how I work. I prepare for each game with four or five DVDs and the analysis the coaches give me.

"I prepare about one hour of tapes. But I see them without volume so I don't hear anything.

"I can't watch the games live because I am working. So I make clips. I keep the ones I want that are most important for the players. When I am working like that I cannot listen and work.

"And I don't like the players hearing anything because I prefer them to be focussing.

"Everybody has an opinion and I don't need to hear anybody else's opinion but mine."

Given the increasing flak Benitez has been taking over his rotation policy and especially his selection of strikers - blamed for last Wednesday's defeat in Turkey - the Anfield manager could be accused of sticking his head in the sand.

And there have been suggestions that skipper Steven Gerrard, hauled off 20 minutes from the end of the Merseyside derby win may be growing dubious that Benitez's methods remain the right ones.

But Benitez is confident is position is completely safe and insists there is no problem between him and Gerrard.

He said: "As for Steve Gerrard, we have been talking. He knows why I replaced him at Everton and he has told me he is ready to do anything for this team. Nothing has changed."

This former stars and pundits are jealous of rafa sucess , i mean look at it souness was a screwed up manager , no whr ne

[Toffeehater]

i mean no whr near rafa standards and they just cannot accept the fact that he is better then all of them will ever hope to be ..

I know that most LFC fans including me will support whatever decison rafa makes as he has the team's best interest at heart and wants us to do well , i really hope that he silences his critics and wins the league or if we make it pass the group stage , the champions league , how many manges in 3 season or so can make it 2 champions league finals and win 1 , how many managers can motivate their team to come back down 3-0 and win the match ??
I don't think ferguson , wenger or mourinho have ever done that in a match , correct me if i am wrong

[EddieC]

S@int, can I ask where you're getting your transfer figures from mate?

You've got down that Mourinho only spent £21m in the last two seasons, he spent £30m on Shevchenko alone. And your figures say Utd spent £36m over the last two seasons, by my workings Hargreaves, Carrick, Nani & Anderson cost somewhere near the £65m mark?

[heimdall]

i mean no whr near rafa standards and they just cannot accept the fact that he is better then all of them will ever hope to be ..

I know that most LFC fans including me will support whatever decison rafa makes as he has the team's best interest at heart and wants us to do well , i really hope that he silences his critics and wins the league or if we make it pass the group stage , the champions league , how many manges in 3 season or so can make it 2 champions league finals and win 1 , how many managers can motivate their team to come back down 3-0 and win the match ??
I don't think ferguson , wenger or mourinho have ever done that in a match , correct me if i am wrong

So are you seriously saying that Rafa has been more successful than Wenger, Mouriniho or Red Nose?

the 3-0 come back was more to do with Stevie and incredible teamspirit than it was Rafa.

[Toffeehater]

well rafa must have said something

[LFC__2007]

I don't know why Crouch isn't getting any playing time, I would like to see him up front with Torres. Gerrard and Alonso in the middle, Pennant and Babel on the wings again, and the usual back four (and I hope Hyypia plays his brains out - he deserves a good game after the 2 own goals). I reckon the players will play out of their skin, they tend to in the bigger games. Am I disappointed with last night's result? Absolutely - too many misplaced passes and hopeful long balls. That being said, I support this team, and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.

Live Streams >

[Bad Bob]

I don't know why Crouch isn't getting any playing time, I would like to see him up front with Torres. Gerrard and Alonso in the middle, Pennant and Babel on the wings again, and the usual back four (and I hope Hyypia plays his brains out - he deserves a good game after the 2 own goals). I reckon the players will play out of their skin, they tend to in the bigger games. Am I disappointed with last night's result? Absolutely - too many misplaced passes and hopeful long balls. That being said, I support this team, and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.

Live Streams >

Assuming the identity and nicking the posts of our members in order to get people to follow links to your website is not on.  You have been terminated.

[account deleted by request]

S@int, can I ask where you're getting your transfer figures from mate?

You've got down that Mourinho only spent £21m in the last two seasons, he spent £30m on Shevchenko alone. And your figures say Utd spent £36m over the last two seasons, by my workings Hargreaves, Carrick, Nani & Anderson cost somewhere near the £65m mark?

As I tried to explain before about Torres, it goes off when a player is bought, ie. Shevchenko is included in the 2005/6 season.


Chelsea's transfers in 2005/2006

Players in

Player From Fee Date
Asier Del Horno Ath. Bilbao £ 8000000 22-06-2005
Scott Sinclair Bristol R Free 01-07-2005
Lassana Diarra Le Havre Signed 15-07-2005
Shaun Wright-Phillips Man City £ 21000000 18-07-2005
Michael Essien Lyon £ 24400000 19-08-2005
Michael Ballack B. Munich Free 15-05-2006
Salomon Kalou Feyenoord £ 8000000 30-05-2006
Andrei Shevchenko Milan £ 30000000 31-05-2006
Ben Sahar Hapoel Tel Aviv Signed 31-05-2006
John Mikel Obi Lyn Oslo Signed 03-06-2006
Total: £ 91400000



Man Utd's transfers in 2006/2007

Players in

Player From Fee Date
Michael Carrick Tottenham £ 18600000 31-07-2006
Owen Hargreaves B. Munich £ 17000000 01-07-2007
Anderson Porto Signed 02-07-2007
Tomasz Kuszczak West Brom Signed 02-07-2007
Nani Sporting Lisbon Signed 02-07-2007
Total: £ 35600000

So they are included mate, but unfortunately Nani is another player classed as signed rather than a fee.

I used soccerbase

If you know any better sites let me know.

[lfcwonderboy]

I don't know why Crouch isn't getting any playing time, I would like to see him up front with Torres. Gerrard and Alonso in the middle, Pennant and Babel on the wings again, and the usual back four (and I hope Hyypia plays his brains out - he deserves a good game after the 2 own goals). I reckon the players will play out of their skin, they tend to in the bigger games. Am I disappointed with last night's result? Absolutely - too many misplaced passes and hopeful long balls. That being said, I support this team, and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.

Live Streams >

Ta for the link!

[Ciggy]

Feckin sh.ite the clocks going back todays dragging.

[EddieC]

If you know any better sites let me know.

TBH I don't know any better sites, but thos figures can't really be relied on. No-one knows exactly what Nani & Anderson cost, but we can safely say it was at least £20m, whilst those totals have them down as costing nothing.

Fuck it anyway, my stupid fault for bringing up the transfer figures again when everyone else had moved on, let's leave it there 

[112-1077774096]

Feckin sh.ite the clocks going back todays dragging.

you are ok, its gone from 10pm to 11 pm here now for kick off today   

[Toffeehater]

just for ur info nani and anderson cost arround 33 million pounds

[Toffeehater]

Feckin sh.ite the clocks going back todays dragging.

u're right ciggy can't wait for the match but dunno if my dad will let me watch it seeing as i got exams tomorrow .. so stressed