by Igor Zidane » Wed Apr 07, 2010 4:09 pm
Stay for gods sake . Why ? This is Why ?
Valencia CF
2001–04 – Twice champions of Spain and UEFA Cup triumph
In 2001 Benítez was appointed coach of Valencia, replacing Hector Cuper. The club had previously approached Javier Irureta, Mané and Luis Aragonés and had been turned down by all three. However the club director Javier Subirats recognised the potential of Benítez and campaigned for his appointment. Despite the loss of Gaizka Mendieta, he inherited from Cuper a team brimming with potential. Santiago Cañizares, Roberto Ayala, Rubén Baraja, David Albelda, Vicente and Pablo Aimar provided the backbone of an already formidable side.
Valencia CF fans were soon won over by Benítez as he introduced a more attacking style of play. He also made good use of both Mista and Curro Torres and Mista went on to become top goalscorer for Valencia with 19 goals in the 2003–04 season and Curro Torres became an established international. In 2002, these tactics saw Benítez lead Valencia to their first La Liga title in thirty one years, winning it by a seven point margin over second placed Deportivo La Coruña.
However the following season 2002–03 was a disappointing one as the club failed to follow up on their title success, they finished only fifth in La Liga, eighteen points behind Champions Real Madrid. The season saw Benítez make his debut in the UEFA Champions League. Valencia CF reached the quarter-finals before losing to Internazionale.
The 2003–04 season was a different story. Valencia won La Liga with three games to go and beat Marseille 2–0 in the UEFA Cup final. Despite this success, Benítez fell out with Jesus Garcia Pitarch, the club's director of sport, over control of new signings and the club's failure to reinforce the squad with the players he wanted. These differences of opinion saw Benítez resign as Valencia coach in June 2004. He famously said "I asked for a table and they bought me a lampshade" in reference to the players he wanted the club to sign.
Liverpool FC
2004–05 champions of Europe
One of Benítez' first tasks at Liverpool was to convince club captain Gerrard not to move to rivals Chelsea.[3] He was unable, however, to convince Michael Owen to extend his contract, and he was sold to Real Madrid. Benítez signed several players from La Liga, most notably Luis García and Xabi Alonso, both of whom drew immediate admiration from Kopites. Benítez also gave new life to existing Liverpool players, transforming Jamie Carragher from a utility player to one of Europe's top centre backs[4] alongside Sami Hyypiä.
During his first season Benítez failed to improve the club's form in the Premiership. Key players missed much of the season through injury and Liverpool failed to challenge Chelsea and Arsenal for the league title, finishing fifth. However, Benítez did reach his first English domestic cup final, losing the Carling Cup final against Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium 3-2 after extra time.
In the UEFA Champions League it was very different, despite a poor start. Liverpool began their campaign with an unimpressive 2–1 aggregate win over Grazer in the qualifying rounds and were minutes away from going out of the competition in the group stages before an 87th minute goal by Gerrard defeated Olympiacos 3–1 and saw the club progress to the last sixteen on goal difference. Bayer Leverkusen were beaten 3–1 home and away followed by Juventus who were beaten 2–1 on aggregate after Benítez' bold selection of Anthony Le Tallec and Scott Carson in the home leg had, to some degree, worked.
In the semi-final Liverpool faced José Mourinho's Chelsea, who had beaten Liverpool twice in the Premiership as well as highly rated Barcelona in a previous round. After a goalless first leg at Stamford Bridge, a controversial early goal from Luis García saw Liverpool win 1–0 on aggregate and reach the final against Milan. In a classic final, Liverpool came from 3–0 down at half-time to level the score at 3–3 in the space of 6 minutes and eventually triumphed 3-2 on penalties, with the assistance of Jerzy Dudek. Benítez's calm methodical approach at half time was said to give the players the belief they could pull off an improbable comeback and win Liverpool an historic fifth European Cup.[5]
The Champions League win made him only the third manager, after Bob Paisley and Mourinho, to win the UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions League in successive seasons and the second Liverpool manager (after Joe Fagan) to win the European Cup/UEFA Champions League in his first season in charge. Benítez' tactics were credited as a key factor in Liverpool reaching, and winning, the final, despite an unimpressive squad of players.[6]
2005–06 – FA Cup winners
For the 2005–06 season Benítez further reinforced the Liverpool squad by signing Peter Crouch, Mohamed Sissoko, Pepe Reina, Boudewijn Zenden and Daniel Agger, as well as former Liverpool player (and fan favourite) Robbie Fowler in the January transfer window.
It is notable that Dudek's heroics in the Champions league final were not enough for him to stay as first choice keeper, as Reina replaced him in goal right away. Benítez also quickly discarded unlikely heroes Vladimír Šmicer and Igor Biscan, who played key roles in the European success but seemingly did not figure in Benítez' long-term plans. Benítez also quickly sold two of his first signings in English football, Josemi and Antonio Núñez after they failed to establish themselves.
The improvements saw the club's Premiership form improve considerably. Liverpool finished third in the league, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League and only narrowly missed out on second place by one point. Liverpool also won the FA Cup beating both Manchester United and Chelsea, as well as a thrilling 5-3 win against Luton in the third round, on the way to the final against West Ham Utd. History repeated itself in the final as they then went on to lift the trophy after a penalty shoot-out, following a dramatic 3-3 draw. Liverpool came from 2–0 down and were losing 3–2 in stoppage time when Steven Gerrard scored a dramatic late equalizer. This time Pepe Reina saved three penalties during the shoot-out to secure the silverware.
In winning the FA Cup, Rafa became the only manager in the history of Liverpool Football Club to win major trophies in both of his first two seasons at the club.
2006–07 – Another Champions League Final
The English Press were predicting Liverpool would challenge Chelsea for the Premiership crown after Benítez addressed Liverpool's perceived weaknesses in the transfer window by signing strikers Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt as well as wingers Jermaine Pennant and Mark González, a belief reaffirmed after his side won the Community Shield with 2–1 victory over Chelsea.
Although Liverpool had qualified for the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League with two games to spare (a new record for the club), and then going on to win the group with one game still left, Benítez's future at the Liverpool was called into question after poor away results in the league: his agent was quoted as saying he would consider offers to manage in Italy.[7] Benítez swiftly issued a statement through the club's website re-affirming his desire to remain with Liverpool for the long term.[8]
Although the team's league results improved, their defence of the FA Cup lasted just one game as they were knocked out by Arsenal at Anfield; and four days later they were knocked out of the League Cup, also by Arsenal losing 6–3 at Anfield, Liverpool's heaviest home defeat since 1913. At the end of the league campaign, Liverpool were on 68 points, beating Arsenal to third place on goal difference but their poor away form had prevented the title challenge many were expecting - they did not win away in the League until December.
Liverpool's 2006–07 Champions League campaign proved more fruitful. They were then drawn against defending champions Barcelona in the first round of the knockout stages. Benítez's side did not have ideal preparations with a reported altercation between Liverpool players Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise days before the winning the first leg 2–1 at Camp Nou.[9] This was seen as a major test of Benítez's man-management at the time and he subsequently fined both players.[10] Remarkably, Riise and Bellamy combined to score the second goal of a 2–1 victory in the first leg and Liverpool held Barca to just one goal in a 0–1 loss in the return at Anfield, thus progressing on the away goals rule.
After beating PSV 4–0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals, Liverpool draw Chelsea in the semi finals. In the first leg, Liverpool lost 1–0 at Chelsea, but won the return leg 1–0, and then ultimately winning 4–1 in a penalty shoot-out after extra time. After the game, Liverpool's new co-owner George Gillett said: "Rafa has been tremendous ... We knew of him but I don't think we realized how good he was, and not just as a coach. Not only was he a brilliant coach but he is a very sharp, savvy businessman. He knows what he wants and how to get it. The more we have seen of him the more impressed we have become."[11] During the penalty shoot out, Rafa was noted for sitting down cross-legged in his technical area. He later explained that it was because fans behind the dug-out were complaining that they could not see.
Liverpool contended with Milan for their sixth European Cup in Athens, Greece on 23 May 2007, in a repeat of the 2005 final but lost 2–1. Following the defeat Benítez insisted his club's new owners had to back him in the transfer market in order for Liverpool to progress.[12] It was reported Benítez did not feel he had the complete support of the new owners, a thought that was compounded by Liverpool's initial lack of activity in the transfer window, although the club played these rumours down.[13]
2007–08 – Cash flow and crisis
Benítez in 2007.
Benítez moved on several players in the summer, including fan-favourites Robbie Fowler, Luis García and Jerzy Dudek as well as Djibril Cissé and Craig Bellamy, who was notably phased out of the first team following his altercation with Riise. Benítez also lost his long-time right-hand man, Ayestarán, who quit after a reported disagreement, which Benitez admitted "hurt" him and arguably Liverpool's titles hopes.[14]
Liverpool's new owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett provided Benítez with transfer funds for the new season to attempt to bridge the gap to Premiership rivals Manchester United and Chelsea. Benítez broke Liverpool's transfer record when signing Spanish striker Fernando Torres from Atlético Madrid as well as signing young Dutch forward Ryan Babel, attacking midfielder Yossi Benayoun, Brazilian player of the year Lucas Leiva and Andriy Voronin. Benítez also had one eye on the future, investing in a number of young foreign players including Hungarian starlet Krisztian Nemeth and Dani Pacheco from Barcelona.
Liverpool made a good start to the new league season and topped the Premier League table for the first time under Benítez after a comprehensive 6–0 win over Derby County. Despite this, poor results in the Champions League and a disagreement over future transfers lead to a public falling-out with the club's owners, played out in the media at the end of November. It was suggested that Benítez's position was now under serious threat. The resulting coverage resulted in an overwhelming show of support by fans in support of Benítez which culminated in a fans' march in support of Benítez ahead of the critical Champions League home tie with Porto, which they won 4–1.[15] It has since emerged that at the time Jürgen Klinsmann was offered the Liverpool job, before accepting the post of Bayern Munich manager. Such a revelation damaged Benítez' relations with the Americans and he was constantly linked to Real Madrid.[16] However, Benitez insisted his future was at Liverpool and signalled his long-term intentions by appointing Sammy Lee as his new assistant.[17]
Benítez was unable to win any trophies, Liverpool's domestic campaign faltering in the winter months - including a shock FA Cup exit at home to Barnsley - and his side this time lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals. Despite the lack of silverware, the main talking points were off the pitch, with Benítez in the middle of a power struggle between the Liverpool board[18]
2008–09 – League runner-up
Benítez was reportedly close to quitting Liverpool in the summer of 2008 over the Liverpool board's failure to back him in his bid to purchase Gareth Barry from Aston Villa.[19] Benítez had reportedly intended to sell Xabi Alonso to fund the purchase of Barry, a decision that did not meet with unanimous approval from The Kop.[20] Benítez did however address what were seen as the weak areas of Liverpool's squad through the purchases of Robbie Keane, Andrea Dossena and Albert Riera, amongst others. Liverpool made an impressive start to the 2008–09 season including Benítez' first ever league win against Manchester United at Anfield on the 13 September and ending Chelsea's 86 match unbeaten run in the league at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool's early season form won Benítez the Barclays Premier League Manager of the Month award. Benítez also broke Bill Shankly's record of 65 European matches as Liverpool manager and matched Bob Paisley's European record of 39 wins after a win over Marseille.[21] Liverpool finished the calendar year top of the Premier League for the first time since 1996, despite Benítez requiring an operation to remove kidney stones in December. Benítez was not present at the Emirates Stadium for Liverpool's 1–1 draw with Arsenal, although he did pass instructions over the phone to assistant Sammy Lee, who also took charge for the next two matches, with Benítez watching from the stands.
Poor results on the pitch in the New Year, including losing in the FA Cup to local rivals Everton, and an attack on Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in the media lead some pundits and opposition supporters to suggest Benítez was "cracking up" under the pressure of a title bid. Benítez still appeared to be at odds with Liverpool's owners, publicly turning down a contract extension and demanding more control over transfers. It is believed that Benítez prioritised the signing of Barry over Keane during the Summer, but Liverpool Chief Executive Rick Parry instead chose to first pay £20 million for Keane and then pulled the plug on the Barry deal, causing tension between the two.[22] In the January transfer window, Robbie Keane was sold back to Tottenham with some analysts claiming he was a "pawn in a power struggle" between Benítez and the club's owners.[23].
In March it was announced that Parry would stand down at the end of the season, although he insisted this was not related to any disputes with Benítez.[24]
Nevertheless, on 18 March 2009 Benítez signed a new five-year deal with the club. Benitez said "My heart is with Liverpool, so I'm delighted to sign this new deal, I love the club, the fans and the city and with a club and supporters like this, I could never say no to staying."[25] Prior to this, at one point rumours of Benítez quitting or possibly being sacked became so great that bookmakers had to suspend betting on the subject.[26]
A fine end of season run included a 5-0 aggregate win over Real Madrid in the Champions League First Knockout Round and a first league win at Old Trafford for Benítez, beating Manchester United 4-1, during which Liverpool fans ironically chanted that Rafa was "cracking up", in reference to Manchester United chants earlier in the season. Liverpool were also involved in two successive 4-4 draws, first against Chelsea in the Champions League Quarter Final, losing 7-5 on aggregate, and then against Arsenal in the League. These high-scoring games late in the season were in contrast to a succession of low-scoring draws at home to lesser teams earlier in the season that Benítez admitted cost his side the chance of the title[27]. With 10 wins in their last 11 games, Liverpool finished the season on a high, finishing second in the league for the first time under Benítez, four points off champions Manchester United.
UP THE PURPS !!!

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