Bye, Bye Benitez?

[mrtoad]

Benitez renews attack on owners

Source:BBC

Benitez has refused to back down in his dispute with the owners

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has again risked the wrath of the club's American owners by openly questioning their transfer policy.

The Spaniard was told by club co-owner Tom Hicks to "quit talking about new players" after suggesting they were holding up his transfer plans.

But Benitez ignored that plea, saying: "They don't understand what the transfer window means in Europe.

"They need to understand how difficult it is to sign players."

The rift between Benitez and Liverpool's American owners is now considered to be so deep that a report in Sunday's News of the World suggests the Spaniard will be sacked imminently, with Jose Mourinho in line to replace him.

We need to talk to the agents now, if not we will lose targets

Benitez himself admitted that the relationship had soured since a meeting after the draw with Arsenal on 28 October.

"We had a meeting which was really positive. After this something changed," he said.

"They told me to be focused on coaching and training because Rick Parry will be looking after signing players."

In a bizarre press conference ahead of Saturday's win over Newcastle, Benitez answered a series of questions with the words: "I am focused on training and coaching my team."

He even went as far as suggesting he could be a candidate for the England post.

That led Hicks to tell the Liverpool Echo: "We told him to concentrate on the games coming up. I guess he didn't like it.

"We will come over in December. That is the time to talk about other issues."

But Benitez insists December will be too late to discuss plans for the January transfer window.

"It's clear Mr Hicks wants the best for the club. So do I," he said.

"It's not a draft system. We have free players available now. I'm not talking about players that cost money.

"We need to talk to the agents now, if not we will lose targets.

"In the summer, the players will be more expensive. I have not been talking about spending but doing the opposite.

"We have brought money back. We brought in £26m this year and you can see the value of the squad."

Benitez made a similar plea to the owners after the Champions League final in May.

The owners responded by spending close to £45m on the likes of Fernando Torres, Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun.

Benitez is now keen to tie up a £17m permanent deal for Javier Mascherano.

But his position could be further weakened if Liverpool fail to beat Porto on Wednesday - a result which would see them almost certainly eliminated from the Champions League.

I'm not really sure what to make of the nonsense that Beitexz is spouting at present. he has had plaenty of money and signed a numdber of players over the last couple of years. It looks like he's starting to get his excuses in, just in case they fail in the Champions League. At present, Liverpool have the strongest squad that They have had for a number of years, but maybe it's some of the tactical changeS that have been theIR biggest draweback. Does Benitez rweally know is best team? Or does he just like playing with his players .

Benitez for England?

[KhaoNiaw]

Benitez is not spouting nonsense. The point is not about the money that has been spent but the fact that the owners, who don't have much idea about how these things are done, are undermining a lot of work that he's already put in on his January transfers (including 2 Bosmans which will have no transfer fee and tying up Mascherano to a permanent deal).

He's not looking for a move, no. Whether or not the owners, or one half of them, are trying to get him out remains to be seen.

[EastSaxCol]

Benitez may go. Who want's Hicks and the suchlike, who know nothing about football, and care even less running the show - any show ?

But Mourihno, forget it. He won't take another job in England for a while. Even if his contract termination hadn't a clause stating that he can't go to another Premiership team this season.

[mrtoad]

Benitez may go. Who want's Hicks and the suchlike, who know nothing about football, and care even less running the show - any show ?

But Mourihno, forget it. He won't take another job in England for a while. Even if his contract termination hadn't a clause stating that he can't go to another Premiership team this season.

It's that time of he year, when the papers need to crank up the stories before the transfer window opens. I still think that Benitez may well go, and I agree HH, the corporate boys that now run the clubs are not exactly good for the game, but look at most of the clubs in the premiership, and how many good chairman are there really? I'd say maybe one, who actually has an inch of feeling for his club, and yhat's Gibson at Boro. The rest of them are a bunch of biz sharks.

[spot]

I'm not really sure what to make of the nonsense that Beitexz is spouting at present. he has had plaenty of money and signed a numdber of players over the last couple of years. It looks like he's starting to get his excuses in, just in case they fail in the Champions League. At present, Liverpool have the strongest squad that They have had for a number of years, but maybe it's some of the tactical changeS that have been theIR biggest draweback. Does Benitez rweally know is best team? Or does he just like playing with his players .

Benitez for England?

I don't think he's spouting nonsense Mr Toad, he's right in putting his foot down. Even the supporters who complain about his team selections don't want him to go.

He's also right in saying that the owners have no idea about how transfers work in Europe. They are thousands of miles away, living in a football (soccer) free culture, relaxing playing golf, watching baseball (rounders) and counting in cents and dollars.

If Rafa is made to go, there will be a backlash from the fans....If.

The news of the screws and other rags survive on hyperbole. Lets see what happens over the next few days....

[chavy]

How many more players does he want to rotate week after week ??

[mrtoad]

How many more players does he want to rotate week after week ??

Yeah, he has enough as it is.

I can understand that he wants the Owners to back him, but they did that back in the Summer. He has signed plenty of players since he arrived at the club and to me it appears his biggest problem is that he tinkers with the team he's got too often. In theory Liverpools squad is certainly capable of winning the title this year, but they do need to remain a little more consistenet.

I'd be interested to know who the two other players are that he wants to bring in on Bosmans. I understand he does still need to tie up the Mascherano deal, which he really does need to do as he is a quality player.

Scouse and the other Reds here, who is it he actually wants to sign?

[KhaoNiaw]

He wants a centre-back - Hyppia is the only serious cover, (great player but his limitations are fairly obvious these days). I think he's after Garay (?) from Santander. Tell me one manager that won't be looking to bring players in. It's quite normal to look for Bosmans and minor deals in Jan with the main business in the summer. But you can't start talking about your January deals near the end of December.

These Americans came in talking big, literally waving wads of money in front of the media, and tearing up the new stadium plans for something spectacular. In the sumer, they put transfer money up but quite a lot of money came in from sales too. I think they've been hit by the value of the dollar and the American credit crunch. It's given them problems with the stadium financing and obtaining the necessary credit.

In previous seasons, the rotation policy has been vindicated in the second half of the season in the players' fitness and results. They have been scuppered by poor starts. This season, despite a very poor spell, Liverpool are right up there, still unbeaten. A lot of fans don't like the rotation but some criticism is simply repeating what the media know-nothings say - and they needed something to latch onto after Benitez showed them up on zonal marking.

Benitez has been told to concentrate on coaching, Rick Parry will deal with transfers. Any Liverpool fan can tell you what a joke that is. The Yanks want to do this the Yank way. They don't seem to understand the role of the manager in England - not just a coach like the American sports. There will be a lot of ill-feeling towards Parry if it comes out he's been securing his position while undermining Benitez.

Unfortunately after welcoming these clowns with open arms at first, Liverpool fans are finding that they've been well and truly shafted. Let's see how things pan out

[chavy]

Benitez for England......he apparently is god

[KhaoNiaw]

Benitez for England......he apparently is god

No, he's not God. He's made his fair share of mistakes. And I wouldn't say he's exactly covered himself in glory in the past week.

But he is currently one of the best managers in Europe and he certainly knows much more about football than these American gentlemen.

[chavy]

he certainly knows much more about football than these American gentlemen.

Then again , who doesn't ?

[kopite]

He wants a centre-back - Hyppia is the only serious cover, (great player but his limitations are fairly obvious these days). I think he's after Garay (?) from Santander. Tell me one manager that won't be looking to bring players in. It's quite normal to look for Bosmans and minor deals in Jan with the main business in the summer. But you can't start talking about your January deals near the end of December.

These Americans came in talking big, literally waving wads of money in front of the media, and tearing up the new stadium plans for something spectacular. In the sumer, they put transfer money up but quite a lot of money came in from sales too. I think they've been hit by the value of the dollar and the American credit crunch. It's given them problems with the stadium financing and obtaining the necessary credit.

In previous seasons, the rotation policy has been vindicated in the second half of the season in the players' fitness and results. They have been scuppered by poor starts. This season, despite a very poor spell, Liverpool are right up there, still unbeaten. A lot of fans don't like the rotation but some criticism is simply repeating what the media know-nothings say - and they needed something to latch onto after Benitez showed them up on zonal marking.

Benitez has been told to concentrate on coaching, Rick Parry will deal with transfers. Any Liverpool fan can tell you what a joke that is. The Yanks want to do this the Yank way. They don't seem to understand the role of the manager in England - not just a coach like the American sports. There will be a lot of ill-feeling towards Parry if it comes out he's been securing his position while undermining Benitez.

Unfortunately after welcoming these clowns with open arms at first, Liverpool fans are finding that they've been well and truly shafted. Let's see how things pan out

great post.

wasted on these boards though.

[mrbojangles]

wasted on these boards though.

[kopite]

wasted on these boards though.

yawn

[mrbojangles]

wasted on these boards though.

yawn

So why come out with daft comments like that. Are we not football educated enough for you?

[kopite]

wasted on these boards though.

yawn

So why come out with daft comments like that. Are we not football educated enough for you?

no, didnt mean that fella. its just that when things start going wrong at anfield, certain people come in the threads sniping.

the athens fiasco as a prime example.

its boring. but 99% on here are sound. didnt mean anything other than that

[mrbojangles]

wasted on these boards though.

yawn

So why come out with daft comments like that. Are we not football educated enough for you?

no, didnt mean that fella. its just that when things start going wrong at anfield, certain people come in the threads sniping.

the athens fiasco as a prime example.

its boring. but 99% on here are sound. didnt mean anything other than that

Oh, "sozza" then

"Sozza" is a scouse word isn't it ? Or is it just "Soz"