Liverpool FC Forum

[rocky29]

your rite we need to swap one of our wingers 4 diamanti from west ham. what a player hes gona be. the sweetest left peg ul ever see. anyone agree?

[The_Rock]

So i am not the only one who thinks Real Madrid wants Benitez..... 

But i still hope Madrid proves me wrong and takes benitez... As big mick said....we owe them a dodgy deal or 2... (long over due )

[Greavesie]

well this is bloody awful timing

This is the part of Rafa I dont understand. Riera is EASILY our best option on the left and the lads barely played, why not. Does Rafa just choose a player to freeze out for a while or something?

I hope this has been taken out of context I really do. I dont like the idea of discontent in the dressing room

[Kharhaz]

No surprise really. We have known for so long the bad points of rafa. His personal preference of the kind of player he wants is crippling the team. Riera is all but gone. He sounds fed up but lets be honest, just look at the attitudes of our players this season, he is not the only one.

[Penguins]

Well, it helps not to put you head into the sand and treat every player as a robot.

[Sabre]

Riera wants out



Albert Riera has indicated that he wants to leave Liverpool after revealing that his relationship with Rafael Benítez has deteriorated to the point where he thinks the manager has something against him.

In an outspoken attack on Benítez, Riera said the manager "turns a deaf ear" to his players and described Liverpool as a "sinking ship". He also questioned whether his fellow Spaniard was suited to the Real Madrid job because his style of football is not attractive enough.

Riera has played only twice for Liverpool since the end of January, making one start and one substitute's appearance in the Europa League, and the midfielder is giving serious consideration to asking for a transfer in an effort to earn a place in Spain's World Cup squad.

"When the coach doesn't say anything to you and you are in good shape with no physical problems and training well, you have no choice but to think [the fact you are not playing] is personal," Riera said. "The team's playing badly and needs changes. If I'm doing something badly and you're my boss and you trust in me, then you would tell me what I am doing wrong and what I have to do to play. [The fact that Benítez has not said anything] is what most hurts.

"Right now the only market open is the Russian one. I have offers from two clubs and, given my situation, that has made me reflect a lot ... My objective is to go to the World Cup and for that to happen I have to play."

Riera said he was not alone in having communication problems with Benítez. "He thinks he is in charge and he just turns a deaf ear to everyone else," he told Radio Marca in Spain. "The dialogue with the players is practically non-existent. There is a lack of tact."

Asked about Benítez's credentials for Madrid, where Manuel Pellegrini is not expected to be in charge next season, Riera said: "At Madrid they ask you to win and play lovely football. We are effective, sure, but we don't play brilliant football."


Dosent sound too good does it? I expect we will hear a lot off stories come out like this when Rafa dose eventually go, we know his man management isnt the best. Riera describing Liverpool as a sinking ship dosent fill me with hope

Yes it sounds bad, and in Spanish it doesn't sound much better.

When he talks about the sinking ship though, he's not talking about Liverpool as an institution, but about the team's form.

It's a rant against Rafa, with pretty much the same arguments that Alonso said about the manager, but without diplomacy.

What do I think about it? 2 things:

a) I don't usually believe there's a major problem when I read these things, but Riera is only the last of a list of players who's had problems with Rafa's lack of personal relationship. It's clear to me now (I know it's late, but that's how I work) that Rafa needs to change that approach to man management, no matter if he remains here or he goes somewhere else.

Too many Pakos, too many Alonsos, and too many Rieras.


b) All that said, I think Riera's attitude is selfish, he's only thinking of being in the World Cup, and he has gone to the Spanish microphones on purpose to give to stick to Rafa in a very bad moment of the team. I don't want players like that in any team.

And a last thing, Rafa doesn't favour the Spanish I don't think, he's equally frustrating to all nationalities

The English article hasn't translated a bit in which Riera says that Torres and Reina do cheer him up. Apparently they tell him to be patient, and that if he plays like he knows to play he'll eventually enter the team.

[Sabre]

And a last comment. While I don't like whatsoever this attitude of the player I understand his frustration.

It's really difficult to understand why Rafa sticks to players like Lucas for ages, and players like Riera do a couple of bad matches and they go missing forever.

If to that you add that you're not told what you've done wrong... you get a problem. But certainly it's not the same to deal with the problem like Alonso did, or go to Marca and deliver a rant.

[Boocity]

Its quite a common theme with Rafa, Riera, Alonso, Crouch, Keane. His communication skills must be poor and instead of having a one to one with the players and discussing his concerns or issues he just freezes them out.

I don't undersatnd why most of the time it seems to be the 'flair' players that get this sort of treatment and why being able to run all game without contributing much gets the thumbs up.

[redmikey]

i would have a moan if babel was keeping me out of the team as well........... i can run in straight line and on a rare shot  i do hit them sweet as a nut

[account deleted by request]

ALBERT Riera has revealed how determined the senior Spanish players at Anfield are to make history with Liverpool.

The winger has recently returned to the team after injury to help the club in their current run of six league games without defeat and he told LFC Weekly that he, Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina are desperate to be successful in England.

“It isn’t in the character of any of us (Torres, Reina and Riera) to turn our backs and run somewhere else when times are tough,” said Riera. “All of us would like to look back on our Liverpool career and say it was a success.

“I think exactly like them. It is clear how happy Pepe and Fernando are at the club and I have no doubt they will both be here for a very long time no matter what happens.

“They have both said to me that they want to make history with Liverpool and I share that ambition. I understand I haven’t enjoyed quite as big an impact on the club as them (Torres and Reina) so far but I intend to.

“For me, if the club offered a five, six or seven year contract right now, I’d sign it with my eyes closed. Where else is there to go? Being anywhere else would be a step down. I have everything I need in Liverpool.”

[url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/lfc-weekly/lfc-weekly-magazine-previews/2010/02/02/lfc-weekly-february-2-riera-on-senior-spanish-players-staying-with-lfc-plus-free-lfc-stick


er-album-this-week-100252-25742753/]http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpo....5742753[/url]

[Sabre]

i would have a moan if babel was keeping me out of the team as well........... i can run in straight line and on a rare shot  i do hit them sweet as a nut

Well we've seen Babel moaning on Twitter and in the press, and doing live broadcasts after a Liverpool defeat.

And we've seen that unpunnished.

That's when a player like Riera takes note of that, and think it's a good idea to go to the press for a rant.

None of the attitudes are forgiveable, but the second is a consequence (I think) of an unnpunnished attitude of Babel.

Riera must have thought that if moaning worked for Babel and he's playing, it could work for him. Note that I don't like it, I'm just interpreting his mood, which seems a bit bitter.

[Bad Bob]

a) I don't usually believe there's a major problem when I read these things, but Riera is only the last of a list of players who's had problems with Rafa's lack of personal relationship. It's clear to me now (I know it's late, but that's how I work) that Rafa needs to change that approach to man management, no matter if he remains here or he goes somewhere else.

Too many Pakos, too many Alonsos, and too many Rieras.

Agree mate.  There's a trend of this kind of thing with Rafa I'm afraid and the volume of fall-outs he's had is telling.  I think it's definitely time for him to go.

[tonyeh]

Albert Riera has indicated that he wants to leave Liverpool after revealing that his relationship with Rafael Benítez has deteriorated to the point where he thinks the manager has something against him.

In an outspoken attack on Benítez, Riera said the manager "turns a deaf ear" to his players and described Liverpool as a "sinking ship". He also questioned whether his fellow Spaniard was suited to the Real Madrid job because his style of football is not attractive enough.

Riera has played only twice for Liverpool since the end of January, making one start and one substitute's appearance in the Europa League, and the midfielder is giving serious consideration to asking for a transfer in an effort to earn a place in Spain's World Cup squad.

"When the coach doesn't say anything to you and you are in good shape with no physical problems and training well, you have no choice but to think [the fact you are not playing] is personal," Riera said. "The team's playing badly and needs changes. If I'm doing something badly and you're my boss and you trust in me, then you would tell me what I am doing wrong and what I have to do to play. [The fact that Benítez has not said anything] is what most hurts.

"Right now the only market open is the Russian one. I have offers from two clubs and, given my situation, that has made me reflect a lot ... My objective is to go to the World Cup and for that to happen I have to play."

Riera said he was not alone in having communication problems with Benítez. "He thinks he is in charge and he just turns a deaf ear to everyone else," he told Radio Marca in Spain. "The dialogue with the players is practically non-existent. There is a lack of tact."

Asked about Benítez's credentials for Madrid, where Manuel Pellegrini is not expected to be in charge next season, Riera said: "At Madrid they ask you to win and play lovely football. We are effective, sure, but we don't play brilliant football."

Poor Albert. Must be serious, if he's moved to put something like that out there and frankly I'm not the least bit surprised. It's only confirming what many fans have known all along.

Benitez is destroying Liverpool.

I can't wait to be rid in the Summer. They need to rebuild and rebuild without Benitez to screw things up.

Riera's words above highlights appalling deficiencies in the so called "management" of the team. If he's like that, there's no wonder at all that the team don't want to play for him.

In a few years time, there'll be a lot of nasty words in player autobiographies about Raphael Benitez.

[stmichael]

maybe if he'd actually stood out or done anything of note when he's had the chances this season he'd be getting played more often.

anyway i'm sick of this "rafa's got poor man management" nonsense. these same methods worked brilliantly last season so what's changed now. he's not there to be best mates with people, he's there to manage. i doubt ancelotti is matey matey with anybody at chelsea either. he comes across just as cold as rafa to me.

this is where the number 2 should be doing a job in terms of keeping a rapport within the squad and sammy lee is obviously not doing his job properly.

[NANNY RED]

maybe if he'd actually stood out or done anything of note when he's had the chances this season he'd be getting played more often.

anyway i'm sick of this "rafa's got poor man management" nonsense. these same methods worked brilliantly last season so what's changed now. he's not there to be best mates with people, he's there to manage. i doubt ancelotti is matey matey with anybody at chelsea either. he comes across just as cold as rafa to me.

this is where the number 2 should be doing a job in terms of keeping a rapport within the squad and sammy lee is obviously not doing his job properly.

Is fecking right Mike,
An another thing that upset me about that interview it looks like hes only ar,sed about getting to the world cup. Liverpool come first and foremost , feck off with using us as a side line to get to the world cup.