Liverpool FC Forum

by **Bruno Zidane!** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 6:23 pm

For the first time since arriving at Anfield manager Rafael Benitez addressed the club's shareholders during last night's AGM. Here's his speech in its entirety.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Although I've been in Liverpool now for nearly six months, this is my first opportunity to speak to the shareholders. To start with, I want to thank you for the way you have made me, my family and staff feel so welcome since we arrived in England.

"Liverpool is one of the great names of European football and I saw how special Anfield was during my visits here with Valencia. But to actually stand on the touchline as Liverpool manager and hear the fans behind your team is a fantastic experience. I'm proud and privileged to be working here and want to say a few words on why I came to Liverpool and my plans for the future.

"I enjoyed some great successes with Valencia over the past three years and have many happy memories. But Liverpool is a huge club with fantastic support and I was excited by the challenge of bringing back honours to Anfield. I was aware of the reputation of the club, but that was an inspiration, not a burden to me.
Great things have been achieved here in the past and I'm hungry to repeat that in the future. I feel confident we can, because the stable structure of the club allows me to focus on football.

"When I was first able to sit down with David Moores and Rick Parry to discuss the job, I understood these were responsible people undertaking a serious project. We spoke honestly about the size of the challenge we faced and the resources at our disposal. Both the strength of the squad and the financial realities we would be operating under.

"But what has struck me as a Spanish manager operating in England is how everyone at the club respects you and supports you. They always want the best for you and the team. The kind of people I am now working with at Liverpool - from the Chairman and Board of Directors down - give me total confidence in this new project I have undertaken.This club exists to win trophies. It's what the great managers here have done before me and I'm determined to do the same. The target is obviously the Premier League title, but I am not going to make promises about timescales.

"My idea is to prepare the squad to win trophies and play good football. That means instilling a winning mentality. That will be the foundation stone for the future progress we make. It is easy when you win, but we need to be as strong when we lose. We are fighting against clubs with greater resources than us, so we need everyone - the Board, the staff, the players and the supporters to be fighting together.

"Our target is always to win the next game and worry about the League table at the end of the season. We know what we have to do and how we intend to do it and I am confident we will achieve success.

"But success does not just come from spending huge amounts of money. Hard work, proper planning and good coaching are very important. The players need to understand that they must always play as a team for the good of the team.

"We also need to ensure that good young players are being developed and brought through the ranks and I'm pleased so many of them have had the chance to show what they can do in the Carling Cup this season. I was proud of them last night at Spurs. We will continue to work closely with Steve Heighway and his staff at the Academy to make sure the young players have the best possible chance to succeed.

"Always we want to do things in the right way. The performance against Arsenal in the first half was a reference point and the atmosphere in the ground incredible. When you do things right, then everyone connected to the club - those who work here and the supporters everywhere are happy.

"I understand the level of expectation here and fully accept it. I wouldn't want it any other way, which is why I am here for the long term. It will take time and patience will be needed, but I believe we have already made progress this season. However, our work has only just begun.

"Thank you for your support."

Absolute quality from Rafa,
Best line "This club exists to win trophies"
That has to go down in history

Source:Liverpoolfc.tv

by **Santa** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 6:25 pm

This was already posted elsewhere in this forum...no need to start another new thread!

by **Bruno Zidane!** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 6:28 pm

Where???

by **Ciggy** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 6:38 pm

Nice one rafa

by **Bruno Zidane!** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 6:41 pm

Santa think u got this one mixed up with parrys, Rafas aint anywhere to be seen on the forum

by **Igor Zidane** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 6:52 pm

Bruno Zidane! wrote:Santa think u got this one mixed up with parrys, Rafas aint anywhere to be seen on the forum

Rick parry at agm talk page 7 ace.

by **kenco** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 11:14 pm

seem's he was the only person at the a.g.m. who was talking sense.

by **zarababe** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 12:53 am

The boss has spoken nothing but sense since joining the club... Respect to him in every sense... what a guy ..

by **greenred** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 2:33 am

Fantastic speech by the boss.The bloke gets more impressive by the hour.

by **Ciggy** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 8:35 am

kenco wrote:seem's he was the only person at the a.g.m. who was talking sense.

well said totally true :cool:

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Rafa at the agm - Quality talk from the gaffer

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