BENITEZ PLANS LIVERPOOL DYNASTY
Ambitious Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez aims to win the Champions League and start his own Anfield dynasty to match those from the club's illustrious past.
The Spaniard, who has taken the club to their sixth European Cup final against AC Milan in Istanbul, knows he has a massive legacy to match if he is to emerge from the shadows of Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan.
The Anfield boss believes victory in the Ataturk Stadium will put him on the road to one day being spoken of in the same breath as Liverpool's greatest ever managers.
Benitez points out in his three major jobs in Spain, at Extremadura, Tenerife and Valencia, he achieved the best spells in all three club's history.
He accepts at Liverpool he is moving up to a different level but the 44 year-old believes beating Milan will be the start in Turkey.
"In all the clubs I have worked at people talk to me about statistics but I like to leave them to the end of my time there," he said.
"Normally, I have very good records wherever I go. I was at Extremadura, then Tenerife and then Valencia and we had the best statistics in the history of each club when I was there.
"I have done it at three clubs. Now I will try and do the same here. It will be very, very difficult I know because the history of this club is so big.
"I have 20 years of my life as a manager yet and I have four more years left on my contract here and that is a lot of time.
"I am very confident and I want to win things. I know there are good teams in Europe and here, but if you don't believe in yourself, it will be impossible."
Benitez, who has no injury problems in his squad, insists there will be plenty of trophies for Liverpool to follow the one he believes his underdogs will win in Istanbul.
"We have played a lot of difficult sides in the tournament but after beating Juventus I think the players started to feel they could win the Champions League," he said.
"And we have played better in the Champions League because it is another style of football.
"Some teams play better in league and some in cups. We do well in cups."
And Benitez is not concerned by the claims coming from the Milan camp that Liverpool are defensive and are lucky to have reached this stage.
"It's not important what people say about us. We will just work really hard at our preparation and game plan and not listen to anyone from outside," he added.
"What is said doesn't motivate me, I don't need any more motivation. I already have a lot of it."
And although he is aware the final could go to penalties, Benitez insists he does not believe in practising them.
He said: "You can work on a training field but then when you have to take one in a match with the crowd and noise, you can still make a mistake.
"The most important thing is that players want to take penalties, that is the only thing I will need from them."
Great attitude, great "mentality" by the boss. Certainly looking forward to next season.
and disgruntled supporters i think we will come good it's just a matter of faith.
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