Contempt: Benitez laughed off flak that has been aimed at him, vowing not to sell Torres
Rafa Benitez rounded on his arch-critics Graeme Souness and Jurgen Klinsmann yesterday and derided them as managerial flops who had no right to question his record as Liverpool manager.
After crashing out of the Champions League with their lowest-ever points tally in a group stage, Benitez had to contend with Souness warning of ‘meltdown’ at Anfield and one-time Liverpool target Klinsmann pointing an accusing finger over an apparent lack of progress.
It prompted an appraisal of the pair’s managerial careers, laced with heavy sarcasm, as Benitez reflected on Souness being sacked by a string of clubs, including Torino,
Benfica and Newcastle, and Klinsmann given his marching orders by Bayern Munich after less than a year in charge.
‘They have both got fantastic records as managers, haven’t they?’ he said. ‘The volume control on my Sky handset is a very good thing, because it meant I was able to switch it right down when they came on.
‘If someone chooses to talk too much, that is their problem. Just look at what they did as managers. Fantastic. People will look at that and know how to treat what they say. I honestly don’t bother to listen to comments like that. I will just concentrate on what I know and what I have done and let people make their own judgments.
‘I don’t know if there is any hidden agenda in Klinsmann being on Sky twice and us playing each time. Is he after my job? I really do not know. All I can be sure of is that these sort of things will still be coming out in four or five years and I still won’t be taking any notice.’
Under fire: Klinsmann and Souness felt the wrath of Benitez's tongue
Going nowhere: Torres is an Anfield fixture, says Benitez
‘When I signed my five-year contract, we knew that we had to work together so we will try to do the best for the club. Sometimes you can do it and still perform on the pitch and sometimes you have to wait a bit.
‘I think the people inside the club know what the situation is, when it comes to expectations. It is difficult to explain every single issue to the media and the fans, but we have to keep working inside and trying to do the best for the club.
‘Because we won the Champions League and the FA Cup, everyone assumed we would win trophies every single year. We got 86 points last season and people were expecting us to stay at the same level.
‘Sometimes it is difficult to keep this level and we are disappointed because we are in a bad position in the table. But it is still early in the season and we have time to improve. With Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres fit and available, we will do.
if gerrard and torres were to stay, rafael must go.
if rafael is staying, then im backing stevie to leave in order to pursue his epl medal.
torres and gerrard are world class, they dont deserve this.
I don't think the team is really that bad lah, they did came in 2nd didn't they with almost the same players... So only the manager to sort it out... Maybe its Rafa if given lots of time or someone else new where the players will all know that they will have to start playing hard and fighting for their places again to win the new manager's attention, no favouritism... Everyone starts fresh from zero...
Like at Chelsea, everyone saw Deco playing every match when he was not in form cos players feel he was Scolari's pet... But when changed to Hiddink, everyone start fighting hard again... Lamprd got his place back, Malouda got a new spring back to his legs, Drogba and Anelka starts scoring again... Even their defense became better...
Sometimes a new man is not a bad thing. But with an old man, players have to realised and accept that he is staying for the long haul then gives in and try to motivate themselves to play... Maybe like Alonso.
Originally posted by zocoss:I don't think the team is really that bad lah, they did came in 2nd didn't they with almost the same players... So only the manager to sort it out... Maybe its Rafa if given lots of time or someone else new where the players will all know that they will have to start playing hard and fighting for their places again to win the new manager's attention, no favouritism... Everyone starts fresh from zero...
Like at Chelsea, everyone saw Deco playing every match when he was not in form cos players feel he was Scolari's pet... But when changed to Hiddink, everyone start fighting hard again... Lamprd got his place back, Drogba and Anelka starts scoring again... Even their defense became better...
Sometimes a new man is not a bad thing. But with an old man, players have to realised and accept that he is staying for the long haul then gives in and try to motivate themselves to play... Maybe like Alonso.
No Alonso. No more the same liverpool. and the fact other team also strengthen alot in terms of management and new player added.
Actually , just sack ah ben la. A change of manager is hell lots of different. Look at Tottenham. From fighting relegation last year to now fighting for top 4.
Originally posted by zocoss:I don't think the team is really that bad lah, they did came in 2nd didn't they with almost the same players... So only the manager to sort it out... Maybe its Rafa if given lots of time or someone else new where the players will all know that they will have to start playing hard and fighting for their places again to win the new manager's attention, no favouritism... Everyone starts fresh from zero...
Like at Chelsea, everyone saw Deco playing every match when he was not in form cos players feel he was Scolari's pet... But when changed to Hiddink, everyone start fighting hard again... Lamprd got his place back, Malouda got a new spring back to his legs, Drogba and Anelka starts scoring again... Even their defense became better...
Sometimes a new man is not a bad thing. But with an old man, players have to realised and accept that he is staying for the long haul then gives in and try to motivate themselves to play... Maybe like Alonso.
the way liverpool finished 2nd was more of because of rivals like chelsea and arsenal slipping alot during the early or mid season.
nothing to do with the kop being great, to me, the great times of liverpool was the 70s to 80s, in the 90s liverpool is just like some mid table team.
if anyone had rmbed, when fellow liverpools fans are so excitied about the title chase last season, i said alot of times that i do not believe we have what it takes to win the title.
so what 86 points is a club record? a record is nothing without winning.
Alonso should not be made too big an excuse cos their last seaon's form definitely wasn't a one man performance... Was Alonso more influential to Pool than Ronaldo to United? No. Pool were only 4 points behind United last season. And this season, United only brought in 2 players for this. One, kind of a first team player and another a youth player... Pool went out to get 2 first team players at double the cost (although one just coming back)...
I feel its the lack of spirit among the players that is more concerning and not no talent in the squad. Play 12 games win 2? This is more like a mid table team's record than Pools'... This same squad played like crazy last season and if not for their Jan or Feb form, Gerrard might have already celebrated his first league winners medal.
I think a lot is down to men management... and not lack of talent.
Originally posted by Poignant:the way liverpool finished 2nd was more of because of rivals like chelsea and arsenal slipping alot during the early or mid season.
nothing to do with the kop being great, to me, the great times of liverpool was the 70s to 80s, in the 90s liverpool is just like some mid table team.
if anyone had rmbed, when fellow liverpools fans are so excitied about the title chase last season, i said alot of times that i do not believe we have what it takes to win the title.
so what 86 points is a club record? a record is nothing without winning.
But they got 86 points in total... And Rafa said you can usually win titles with this amount of points...
And yeah, I remembered you did said it openly but other pool fans felt otherwise to the point they even questioned if you are really a Pool fan at all... Some fans really had their hopes lifted before the Rafa rant moment and even after... Cos they were really playing well. You have to be impress with their form last season... I know i was... Cos they gave United a real hard time to the title...
if you ain't listening to them then why and how could you have responded to their comments???
Originally posted by zocoss:
But they got 86 points in total... And Rafa said you can usually win titles with this amount of points...And yeah, I remembered you did said it openly but other pool fans felt otherwise to the point they even questioned if you are really a Pool fan at all... Some fans really had their hopes lifted before the Rafa rant moment and even after... Cos they were really playing well. You have to be impress with their form last season... I know i was... Cos they gave United a real hard time to the title...
as a fan, i'm really delighted that liverpool had such a season and of course the run of wins last season was great, but i knew it wasnt going to last for long. liverpool depend alot on luck rather than beautiful football or tactics.
fellow kop loves to talk about istanbul, the fa cup final against west ham to make up for the lost of epl title, and also to cover up for rafael. but to me, both games were saved by gerrard rather than mr benitez.
Ah Ben should performed some media lock-out and focused on winning his game.
The media and the ex-Liverpool players are not his enemy.
His biggest enemy is himself and his tactics.
The fans will have some lessons for him to learn after every season.
Tinkering, Zonal Marking, Sticking player in wrong position, Sticking with medicore players, Inability to work with players who stand up against him.
Maybe he is like his pet, lucas.
The fans is expecting too much from him and he is max out liao.
yeh both klinnsman and souness are managerial flops.....how dare they comment about rafa lol. At least rafa has won the la liga twice, uefa cup with valencia and pool, and also the european cup.
Originally posted by Rock^Star:yeh both klinnsman and souness are managerial flops.....how dare they comment about rafa lol. At least rafa has won the la liga twice, uefa cup with valencia and pool, and also the european cup.
echo your thots, but felt that it was bad taste to try to pull the rug under rafa.
not too professional to attack each other like this leh.
No one complained about geylang united coach if the team dun do well.
Same for sunderland and spurs.
They do the most direct thing - sack the coach.
Liverpool dun sack any lousy coach.
For Liverpool, it was being examined as it is a great club and should not be infested with medicore players.
What they say is correct.
I viewed it as a comment for the club to improve.
They want Liverpool to be a CHAMPION and not a slaughtered lamb.
If they dun care any more, then it is a hopeless situation.
Originally posted by Rock^Star:yeh both klinnsman and souness are managerial flops.....how dare they comment about rafa lol. At least rafa has won the la liga twice, uefa cup with valencia and pool, and also the european cup.
I don't see Klinsmann as a flop. He did took a not fancied German side all the way to 3rd during the 2006 WC. And his attacking style would probably make Pool a better side to watch...
Souness on the other hand, probably have more than a right to speak about it having led them to success during the late 70s and early 80s... I guess he probably feel a lot more for Liverpool than the rest of the other clubs he played for... as it was during his prime years and also his most successful period as a player...
I think he helped them won quite a few European cups as well as league titles...
Actually, I saw the part how the comments were made... After the lost to Fiorentina, Richard Keys asked them the question about Pool's future... And Souness concern was, now that Pool are out of the CL this year and fighting for the 4th spot... there is a danger of players not wanting to join them next year if they don't qualify for the CL next year... Yeah, he did used the word "meltdown" which i guess Rafa isn't too happy with.
Later the question was turned to Klinsmann and he gave what he felt as a guest on the match discussion panel only... Rafa has blown it out of proportion I feel... The guy is a narrow minder fellow to me...
Sensitive flower: Benitez has bristled over every criticism
Rafa Benitez must be starting to feel a bit like Tiger Woods. That feeling one endures when you think it can’t get any worse and it does. In Tiger’s case, they keep coming out of the woodwork. In Rafa’s, they’re flying in off the woodwork.
But it’s nightmares all round. With no mute button to silence the doomsayers on this occasion, Liverpool’s manager had to listen to the sound of yet another defeat. The cries of joy from the away supporters. Not to mention a few cruel jibes.
‘Thursday night, Channel Five,’ they sang in reference to Liverpool’s demotion to the Europa League. Out of the Champions League, Benitez needs to now accept that his side are out of the title race, too.
That for all the second chances his side have been given by rivals also dropping points in this most unpredictable season, the last of them was probably squandered here when Andrey Arshavin unleashed a stunning right-foot shot that flew home via the inside of Pepe Reina’s right-hand post.
Six defeats in 16 Barclays Premier League games mean they have lost more matches than Stoke City, and that is not terribly encouraging for a team that had designs on the championship.
Title contenders need confidence to maintain a sustained challenge and only one team had it here. The team that responded not just to the absence of all their strikers and a desperate first half, but a few stirring words from a manager who thought it was time to question their right to wear the shirt.
The same accusation could be levelled at a few Liverpool players who simply crumbled when Glen Johnson scored the 50th-minute own goal that cancelled out the advantage that had been secured by Dirk Kuyt’s first-half strike.
While Arsenal overcame the absence of injured Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner with a committed, composed performance after the break, Liverpool had not a hint of that fighting spirit and only a fraction of the class.
Even Wenger identified the problem. ‘They do not have the confidence of last year,’ he said after watching a team that had dominated the first half and yet failed to manage a single shot on target in the second.
Body language
This Liverpool side has not been right all season and it owes much to the absence of the chap who just happened to be sitting at the back of the directors’ box.
The chap who made the team tick before leaving to join Real Madrid. Like Benitez, Xabi Alonso probably thought that his former colleagues deserved a penalty before Kuyt seized on a mistake by keeper Manuel Almunia.
But he must have been staggered by the decline of a team that pushed United so hard in the Premier League last season, by their inability not just to build on a lead, but also their failure to react when Arsenal somehow got their noses in front.
A cross came in from the right from Samir Nasri and, after taking a slight deflection first off Jamie Carragher and then Theo Walcott, the unfortunate Johnson guided the ball past a wrong-footed Reina.
If Johnson was feeling pretty wretched then, he must have felt even worse when his failure to control a cross from Fabregas suddenly enabled Arshavin to spin and score.
Great technique, appalling defending. A real horror show for Liverpool. That the Anfield team were so lame in their response made this all the more depressing for Benitez.
That Alberto Aquilani looked nothing like as impressive as that aforementioned chap in the stand would have only added to the sense of misery.
Afterwards Wenger said it was not a ‘three-horse race’ but ‘four or five’. Presumably he was not including Liverpool.