Liverpool FC Forum

[shanklygates]

must be hard to motivate yourself as in stevie's case when your surrounded by absolute dross.

[woof woof !]

must be hard to motivate yourself as in stevie's case when your surrounded by absolute dross.

The same "dross" that came within a whisker of winning the prem last season ?   

No mate, Stevie's obviously disenchanted and downhearted with the way things have gone this term but now more than ever he needs to lead by example and pick himself up, maybe (just maybe) the rest of the team (and fans) will respond.

[Scottbot]

must be hard to motivate yourself as in stevie's case when your surrounded by absolute dross.

The same "dross" that came within a whisker of winning the prem last season ?   

No mate, Stevie's obviously disenchanted and downhearted with the way things have gone this term but now more than ever he needs to lead by example and pick himself up, maybe (just maybe) the rest of the team (and fans) will respond.

I'd go along with that, everyone is a body language expert when it comes to Gerrard. He always looks pis..ss..ed when we're losing and it's always plain to see. Take how we're all feeling and multiply it by 10 and i'm guessing that's how pi..ss..ed he's feeling.

[NANNY RED]

get in Rafa lad ,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go....904.stm

[redhayesy]

brilliant interview, thanks for posting it nan. wtf has anything connected with LFC got to do with klinsmann anyway! feck off you kn0b- he's propably still upset about not getting a job he's no where near capable of anyway. as for souness, it upsets me when the likes of him attack our manager an club, cause an opinion is one thing people may think he's entitled to, but anyone who was a regular goin to the match like me when he was our manager- then you will know where i'm coming from- he's in no posistion to give opinion's like he did, when he record as manger was nothing to shout about etc..

principles aswell go along way for me in the way former LFC manger's conduct themselves an souness failed big time in that dept, for me raffa has far better principles in his approach than souness ever had, so his tongue in cheek remarks where brilliant, well said raffa.

[NANNY RED]

Best p.iss take by Rafa in ages,

The fans know you know   FANTASTIC

[Emerald Red]

Rafa said that he turns off when people like souness and klinsmann speak on sky and said they both have fantastic records as a manager and the fans know this - very tongue in cheek .

Class. How can you hate the man.

[tubby]

Great interview that Nan.

[Owzat]

Liverpool's worst Premiership runs*

1. 02/03 : P11 W0 D5 L6 PTS 5
2= 98/99 : P9 W1 D3 L5 PTS 6 (games 5-13)
2= 98/99 : P9 W1 D3 L5 PTS 6 (games 25-33)
4. 92/93 : P11 W1 D5 L5 PTS 8 (games 20-30)
5= 92/93 : P8 W1 D3 L4 PTS 6 (games 3-10)
5= 99/00-00/01 : P8 W1 D3 L4 PTS 6
7. 96/97-97/98 : P8 W1 D4 L3 PTS 7
8. 01/02 : P9 W1 D5 L4 PTS 8

*minimum eight games and no more than one win.

We have spent more than pre-Rafa so you would expect there to be less poor runs with the increased spending which is why we haven't had a run of one win in eight or worse since Houllier. This should put a run of two league wins in eight into perspective, not the worst run but certainly not clever.

[maypaxvobiscum]

but the thing is Owzat, it doesnt matter. rafa just has to give another "fantastic" interview and its all rosy again.

[Ben Patrick]

I think the interview is funny and Rafa is right about Kilnsmann and Souness.
BUT....it shouldnt mask the fact that what he is being criticised for is actually true.
Its the people who are making the criticism that shouldnt be based on their own poor records.

Still doesnt get away from the fact that the gist of what they are saying is spot on imo though.

[Ciggy]

Rafael Benítez admits debt has affected Liverpool's title hopes

• Financial constraints hit manager's plans
• Owners to attend game against Arsenal

    * Andy Hunter
    * The Guardian, Saturday 12 December 2009


Rafael Benítez has conceded that Liverpool's title prospects were undermined this summer due to pressure to reduce the debt loaded on to the club by the owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett. In a frank admission ahead of tomorrow's game at home to Arsenal, the Liverpool manager also suggested the club are burdened by unrealistic expectation given a transfer budget that is unlikely to improve without new investment.

Benítez had until now steadfastly refused to blame Liverpool's financial predicament for the failure to build on last season's second-placed finish, despite spending only what he raised through player sales in the summer, after the American owners were ordered to lower the club's debt from £310m to £250m in their latest refinancing deal in July.

He departed from that policy yesterday, spurred by Graeme Souness's criticisms following Wednesday's Champions League defeat to Fiorentina, when the former Liverpool manager spoke of fears the club could follow Leeds United into "meltdown". Benítez delivered a considered assessment of Liverpool's finances rather than an outright attack on Hicks and Gillett, who are expected to attend the game at Anfield, but confirmed supporters' suspicions that debt has impacted on the pitch.

"I don't see Liverpool in the same way as Leeds," the Liverpool manager said. "One of the priorities this year was to reduce the debt so the club is working very hard to do this and I think that our position will be much better. We were doing a very good job this year trying to reduce the debt.

"It was one of the most important things that we had to manage. Along with football issues we had to manage them together. When I signed my five-year contract [in March] 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 little bit. Sometimes you have to think about the big picture and the future of the club and that means you have to do your best on both sides."

Benítez is assumed to have spent around £38.5m on new players this summer and raised a similar sum through the sales of Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa, Sebastián Leto and Paul Anderson. Liverpool did not actually pay out £38.5m, however. Roma revealed on their website they received only a first instalment of £5m on the £18m transfer of Alberto Aquilani, and Glen Johnson's £17m arrival from Portsmouth comprised writing off monies owed by the Fratton Park club for Peter Crouch and a loan fee for Jermaine Pennant.

The Liverpool manager also wanted to sign Stevan Jovetic from Fiorentina, before the Montenegro striker scored twice against his team in the Champions League, and Matthew Upson of West Ham, only to discover both were out of the club's financial reach. Asked if his net spend was nothing this summer, Benítez replied: "Yes."

Liverpool's managing director, Christian Purslow, has stated there was a net spend of £20m but that includes the new long-term contracts awarded to Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Daniel Agger. "I think that we have to accept our situation and then try to do the best in the conditions that we have," Benítez said. "Can we improve with these conditions? I think so but it is a question of time."

Purslow has started a global search for new investors willing to meet the Americans' £100m asking price for a 25% stake in Liverpool. But Benítez denied the club are vulnerable to, for example, a big-money bid from Manchester City for Torres next month. "No chance. No chance," he said. "We will continue doing our job and continue keeping our players because we want to stay in the top four."

He was also adamant there will not be an exodus from Anfield should the team fail to qualify for the Champions League this season. He added: "We will be in the top four. I have to be positive. I am realistic. I see the players training every day and I can see that we have enough quality to finish in the top four."

Benítez said that the demanding expectations on Liverpool bore little relation to the financial reality of the club. He explained: "No one was expecting Valencia [his former club] to win the league after 31 years. The problem with Liverpool is that it is a top side and everyone is expecting every single year to win trophies, trophies, trophies. The reality is that we have to work very hard to be at the same level as the other teams.

"I have said before we have to be perfect. So if you make one mistake you can see the difference. We have to improve and then we will see if we can close the gap. I think the people inside the club know what the situation is and that is the reason why we are working together and trying to improve everything. It is difficult to explain to the media and the fans every single issue but we have to keep working inside and trying to do the best for the club."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/footbal....inances

60 fecking million pound on loans unbelievable and who is forking that out the fans. YANKS OUT NOW !!!!

[oakton]

£310m in debt?
Isn't that how much the club is worth in total?

[Fowler_E7]

I think the interview is funny and Rafa is right about Kilnsmann and Souness.
BUT....it shouldnt mask the fact that what he is being criticised for is actually true.
Its the people who are making the criticism that shouldnt be based on their own poor records.

Still doesnt get away from the fact that the gist of what they are saying is spot on imo though.

i thought the interview was hillarious 

[Ben Patrick]

I think the interview is funny and Rafa is right about Kilnsmann and Souness.
BUT....it shouldnt mask the fact that what he is being criticised for is actually true.
Its the people who are making the criticism that shouldnt be based on their own poor records.

Still doesnt get away from the fact that the gist of what they are saying is spot on imo though.

i thought the interview was hillarious 

I have only read the interview havent actually seen it but i like his style 
It does smack of hypocrisy being criticised by those two definately and fair play to him for standing up for himself.