Liverpool FC Forum

[lakes10]

Rafael Benitez walks alone at Liverpool


Graham Chase
Rafael BenÍtez, having put his future as Liverpool manager at the centre of the agenda by revealing a breakdown in talks over his contract extension, has rejected any suggestion that the continued off-field strife at Anfield will affect his players in this evening’s derby game with Everton.

A week after BenÍtez launched a scathing attack on Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, he publicised his decision to reject the offer of a new deal because he has not been given total control of the club’s transfer dealings.

“I am only talking about working within a budget, not controlling everything,” he said. “I wanted to finish with the speculation because there is no sense in talking about the contract from now until the end of the season.”

Liverpool have let slip a seven-point lead over United and trail the Barclays Premier League champions by a point. But BenÍtez has defended his behaviour and is adamant that it will not disrupt his team’s push for a first title since 1990. He has even suggested that by bringing his concerns about Ferguson and his own future into the open, he has diverted pressure from his players ahead of the 209th Merseyside derby.

“I am 100 per cent sure that the players are focused on games and on football,” he said. “They are concentrating on their training, nothing else, and that is how it should be.

“It will take some of the pressure off players. I am only thinking about the best for my team and especially now, because we are title contenders. I was really pleased to see the TV cameras following Mr Ferguson and referees at Old Trafford last week.” BenÍtez has also taken a swipe at the club’s hierarchy over the delay in an extension to Daniel Agger’s contract, leaving Liverpool open to a bid from AC Milan. “The club has been too slow on Agger’s contract and he is now in the papers because we were not quick enough,” BenÍtez said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol....072.ece

[Ciggy]

Ciggy whats bothering me is yet again just before a big game Rafa is talking about somthing other than the game and taking the players minds off of it.

My mum reckons there is only one agenda here with the Fergie rant and this contract malarky, is for the soul purpose of the heat being taken off gerrard. Instead he has been getting the headlines instead of our captain.

Maybe shes right maybe shes wrong we will see after this week is over.

[lakes10]

a bit strong lakes

rafa likes his blackmail?? thats total bollox mate

well i am not too sure its a bit strong,

when he found out that G&H had met another manager he come out in the press and said if he left a lot of our players would leave.

dont forget this friend of Raffa that called the press and gave them lads of info, some reporters still feel that "this friend" was Rafa himself, Rafa like talking to the press and let then let the feedback get back to the owners.

now it seems that he will not get a new contract till the end of the  season

" no sense in talking about the contract from now until the end of the season"

I think the owners have been in contact with Rafa and told him to shut up or he is out, any owner in their right mind would not let the manager keep saying stuff about contract talks in the press.

[lakes10]

Ciggy whats bothering me is yet again just before a big game Rafa is talking about somthing other than the game and taking the players minds off of it.

My mum reckons there is only one agenda here with the Fergie rant and this contract malarky, is for the sole purpose of the heat being taken off gerrard. Instead he has been getting the headlines instead of our captain.

Maybe shes right maybe shes wrong we will see after this week is over.

well its has done that in a way as that women that was on BBC and then ITV asking for Gerrard to get 3 years inside has not been seen for a few days, she is trying to stop all pub and club fights and thinks Gerrard is going to get away with it.

[lakes10]

see this is what i dont like, jusy hours before we play Everton, the Liverpool v Everton thread has not been posted in since  "Jan. 18 2009,14:24". and that is due to Rafa not beeing able to keep thing in the club. years gone by that thread would have been the most posted in thread in weeks..........yes i know i could go and post something in it, but i am just making a point that our minds have been taken off the game and so must our players minds.


Liverpool v everton (Pages 1 2 3 ..8 )

Ciggy 143 4360 Jan. 18 2009,14:24
Last Post by: Rorschach26

[Judge]

a bit strong lakes

rafa likes his blackmail?? thats total bollox mate

well i am not too sure its a bit strong,

when he found out that G&H had met another manager he come out in the press and said if he left a lot of our players would leave.

dont forget this friend of Raffa that called the press and gave them lads of info, some reporters still feel that "this friend" was Rafa himself, Rafa like talking to the press and let then let the feedback get back to the owners.

now it seems that he will not get a new contract till the end of the  season

" no sense in talking about the contract from now until the end of the season"

I think the owners have been in contact with Rafa and told him to shut up or he is out, any owner in their right mind would not let the manager keep saying stuff about contract talks in the press.

still not blackmail

[account deleted by request]

a bit strong lakes

rafa likes his blackmail?? thats total bollox mate

well i am not too sure its a bit strong,

when he found out that G&H had met another manager he come out in the press and said if he left a lot of our players would leave.

dont forget this friend of Raffa that called the press and gave them lads of info, some reporters still feel that "this friend" was Rafa himself, Rafa like talking to the press and let then let the feedback get back to the owners.

now it seems that he will not get a new contract till the end of the  season

" no sense in talking about the contract from now until the end of the season"

I think the owners have been in contact with Rafa and told him to shut up or he is out, any owner in their right mind would not let the manager keep saying stuff about contract talks in the press.

still not blackmail

No its not ..... blackmail is more like when you forced Lando to perform certain unnatural acts by threatening to release "certain photos" of him 

[lakes10]

a bit strong lakes

rafa likes his blackmail?? thats total bollox mate

well i am not too sure its a bit strong,

when he found out that G&H had met another manager he come out in the press and said if he left a lot of our players would leave.

dont forget this friend of Raffa that called the press and gave them lads of info, some reporters still feel that "this friend" was Rafa himself, Rafa like talking to the press and let then let the feedback get back to the owners.

now it seems that he will not get a new contract till the end of the  season

" no sense in talking about the contract from now until the end of the season"

I think the owners have been in contact with Rafa and told him to shut up or he is out, any owner in their right mind would not let the manager keep saying stuff about contract talks in the press.

still not blackmail

threatening negative consequences if you dont get what you ask for is blackmail in my view, if it was being done by any other manger you would also say the same.

[stmichael]

I agree with most of your post Ciggy, I just get sick of the threats of him leaving. It can't help the players, and after last seasons disruptions with the owners the last thing we needed was this starting the whole ball rolling again.

There is no need imo to play out every problem and argument in the media and if we do have a prolonged bliiip he will take the blame for distracting the players focus whether infact he has or hasn't.

I honestly can't see what the urgency to sort his contract out is. He has 18 months still to run, and its not like with a footballer in his last year either. The only reason I can see for trying to force the issue now rather than at the end of the season is that we were top of the league ....... and we might not be come the end of the season. 

Surely if he has confidence in the team he realises that IF we win the league he will get a much better contract...... ffs he will be able to write it himself if he brings home the league.

There is one thing niggeling me, and it might just be me being paranoid but its a niggle all the same, its Real Madrid with Ramos only in the job till the summer and Calderon gone.
Is Rafa looking for a way out to go there?

You just dont know and anything can happen in football escpecially these days there is no loyalty anymore and it wouldnt even come as a shock if it did happen.

This is whats bothering me.

Me too.

I'm just praying that Arsenal fail to finish in the top 4 and they go for Wenger. Hopefully he'll take that little runt Fabregas with him aswell.

This whole farce over the contract is just another confirmation that that numpty Parry should have been booted out long ago.

[bigmick]

Rafa isn't going to leave to go to Madrid, not in a billion years. He's on too much of a good thing at Liverpool, and I can totally understand why he likes it at the club. He's a certainty for Champions League qualification every year (although Man City may in future make it less so I suppose), from there as the manager of an English club he is a certainty to get out of the group, the club and fans will stand us finishing on average 19 points behind the league winners, and he's able to develop a long term project.

Seriously, he's got the best job in the World to be manager of Liverpool, he isn't an idiot and he isn't going to chuck it in to go to Real Madrid. Had he been manager there and the club performed like we have in the league, he'd have lost his job 3 and a half seasons ago.

DISCALIMER-I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULD HAVE SACKED HIM 3 1/2 SEASONS AGO, I'M MERELY MAKING THE POINT THAT HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT HE HAS DONE/IS DOING AT LIVERPOOL.

[stmichael]

Just on Rafa having complete control of transfers, what would our squad look like if Rafa actually got the players he wanted and DIC had come in? We'd probably have Alves, Villa, Simao and maybe even Vidic. I'd say Rafa has only got his first choice signing 4 or 5 times in the time he's been here. Those would probably be Alonso, Reina, Torres, Mascherano and maybe Skrtel.

[Judge]

a bit strong lakes

rafa likes his blackmail?? thats total bollox mate

well i am not too sure its a bit strong,

when he found out that G&H had met another manager he come out in the press and said if he left a lot of our players would leave.

dont forget this friend of Raffa that called the press and gave them lads of info, some reporters still feel that "this friend" was Rafa himself, Rafa like talking to the press and let then let the feedback get back to the owners.

now it seems that he will not get a new contract till the end of the  season

" no sense in talking about the contract from now until the end of the season"

I think the owners have been in contact with Rafa and told him to shut up or he is out, any owner in their right mind would not let the manager keep saying stuff about contract talks in the press.

still not blackmail

No its not ..... blackmail is more like when you forced Lando to perform certain unnatural acts by threatening to release "certain photos" of him 

since you sent the photos to me thru internal banking post, i did say i'd ive you a share of the blackmail money. Lando didnt pay up as the unnatural sex acts agreed were with you and you pet shiatzu




if lando does pay up, you'll get nowt now. Lando needs stitches so he says, since his unnatural encounter with you

now stop spoiling footy threads with your needless gibber

[account deleted by request]

How come no one mentions Babel or Kuyt when it comes to Rafa's picks

[lakes10]

How come no one mentions Babel or Kuyt when it comes to Rafa's picks

or
Fernando Morientes

oh and

Antonio Nunez

[Judge]

i think its to do with saturation s@int

like when you smell an awful wiff but for a constant period of time, your nose becomes accustomed to it and you stop smelling it. same thing here