Liverpool FC Forum

by **account deleted by request** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:50 am

Benitez fears summer sack
By JOE BERNSTEIN -

Last updated at 22:31pm on 5th January 2008

Rafael Benitez fears he will be sacked by Liverpool's owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, this summer even though Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are among clubs waiting to offer him a new challenge.

Liverpool's manager, who has two and a half years of his £3million-a-year contract to run, goes into this afternoon's FA Cup third-round tie at Luton publicly insisting that he will be allowed to remain in charge beyond the end of this season.

Yet in private, according to sources close to the Spaniard, he feels that the reality will almost certainly be different.

Benitez has begun the New Year at the wrong end of a 12-point gap between Liverpool and Premier League leaders Arsenal, and his prospects of ending Anfield's 18-year wait for the title appear as distant as ever.

Just as crucially, Benitez has not only lost the political war with Hicks and Gillett over the funding of new players but also their faith in his ability to deliver success while constrained by a budget tightened by the Americans' efforts to raise affordable £500million backing for a new stadium.

Reports suggest that former Germany manager and Tottenham favourite Jurgen Klinsmann and Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill have been targeted to replace Benitez.

As the smoke cleared before Christmas following the Spaniard's fall-out with Liverpool's owners over his transfer budget, Benitez suggested that he would be open to a new deal.

But it is understood that the possibility of such a move has not been brought up by Hicks and Gillett.

Yet Benitez's public stance remains optimistic. He said: "My position is very clear. I am happy here. My commitment to the club and the fans is 100 per cent and we are working with the new owners trying to prepare the team for this season and next."

by **Dundalk** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:04 am

Ive read through a few other Sunday papers and a lot of them are running with a similar story. But there is no quote from Rafa in any off them, there is of course a few quotes from 'close friends' and 'a source'.

Load of bollocks

by **The Manhattan Project** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:26 am

Reports suggest that former Germany manager and Tottenham favourite Jurgen Klinsmann and Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill have been targeted to replace Benitez.

I respect Klinsmann, but I don't think he's up to the pressure of managing Liverpool.

MON is a quality manager though, but I'm not sure he has what it takes to win the Premiership.

Neither would be an improvement upon Rafa. Only Jose would be I think.

by **account deleted by request** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:34 am

The Manhattan Project wrote:
Reports suggest that former Germany manager and Tottenham favourite Jurgen Klinsmann and Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill have been targeted to replace Benitez.

I respect Klinsmann, but I don't think he's up to the pressure of managing Liverpool.

MON is a quality manager though, but I'm not sure he has what it takes to win the Premiership.

Neither would be an improvement upon Rafa. Only Jose would be I think.

Mourinho 'keen on Benitez's job'

Duncan Castles
Sunday January 6, 2008
The Observer

Jose Mourinho is growing increasingly restless in his search for a return to management and, after possible openings at Real Madrid and Barcelona failed to materialise, is monitoring the position of Rafa Benitez at Liverpool. If the Spaniard pays the price for failing to keep the Reds in serious contention for the Premier League title, then the former Chelsea boss would be interested in talking to the club's American owners.
There has been no approach to Mourinho by the Americans, but Hicks and Gillett are understood to be actively considering replacement managers and are well aware of the abilities of the Portuguese, who discussed becoming Liverpool manager before joining Chelsea in 2004. Asked last night to comment on the pair's interest in employing Mourinho, Hicks declined.

by **Sabre** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:40 am

"Understood to be (by who)", "Reports suggest (what reports, do they suggest or claim)", I really find interesting the constructions the journos have to avoid claiming things strongly. Of course they don't do that because they make up all the stories and it's based on rumours.

If you don't believe me, I must remind this thread is 50 pages old and if you go to page 16 we would find tasty articles aswell with a lot of problems surrounding Liverpool.

Rafa fears not the summer. No modern manager does. THey don't, because they know being sacked is part of football. They know it so well most of them have clauses in the contract in case they're sácked, so I'm not surprise Rafa is focused in the team and happy.

For me, the americans, if they're business men they have to hear their customers. The most loyal ones are in Anfield. If those customers say Rafa has to stay then you don't annoy the customers. The supporters are sobereign, if at the end of the season we have boos and dissapointment, then consider the sácking. Until then, do not.

by **NANNY RED** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:43 am

Just gonna go asleep then when i read that Saint im gonna be having nightmares now, Let him go and monitor someone elses position he might be interested in talking to us but im prayin well give him the cold shoulder just like Madrid and Barca did . I dont want Mourino at Anfield

by **Dundalk** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:45 am

I could have wrote that story from here, making it all up in my head and talkin to Rafas imaginary friend on my magic phone.

A load of crap

by **account deleted by request** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:53 am

Rafa: I'm a dead man walking
Liverpool boss expects chop
By Jeremy Butler

RAFA BENITEZ has sensationally admitted he EXPECTS to be sacked by Liverpool.
And the Kop boss could get the elbow as soon as next month if Liverpool crash out of the Champions League.

The Spaniard is a dead man walking on Merseyside after American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks REFUSED to discuss a new contract for Benitez despite his pleas.

And now the Kop boss is on yet another collision course with his bosses after again criticising Liverpool's lack of spending power.

A close friend of Benitez said: "There was no talk of a new contract when Rafa met with the owners last month.

"He also knows there will be very little money for him this month to buy the centre-half that he believes he needs.

"There is also the problem of Javier Mascherano (pictured). He will not sign because he does not know whether the manager is going to be there this season, let alone next.

"Manchester United and Arsenal are bringing in over £2million per home game, while Chelsea can turn to Roman Abramovich. Liverpool don't have the cash to live with them.

"Rafa wants to stay but now he believes he will be sacked because the owners have not shown they will back him."

Benitez's current deal has another two years to run but the Spaniard already appears to be making plans to leave.

He has been linked with the Bayern Munich job and sources in Spain claim Benitez's representatives have been sounded out by Real Madrid.

Defeat to Inter Milan next month would virtually seal Benitez's fate with the owners, especially after the Liverpool manager's latest dig.

Massive
Rafa moaned: "We must do almost everything perfectly to compete with the likes of United. Over a season it is a massive difference in what we bring in compared to United.

"They can buy two top-class players with this money every year. How can you compete? With the Premier League, it is clear we are a little bit behind the others. If they continue spending it will be more difficult."

For Hicks and Gillett, Benitez's bleating are growing harder to take and with the manager now admitting he expects the axe, they will find it even more simple to sack the Spaniard.

All the papers seem to be running it

by **LFC2007** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:07 am

s@int wrote:Rafa: I'm a dead man walking
Liverpool boss expects chop
By Jeremy Butler

RAFA BENITEZ has sensationally admitted he EXPECTS to be sacked by Liverpool.
And the Kop boss could get the elbow as soon as next month if Liverpool crash out of the Champions League.

The Spaniard is a dead man walking on Merseyside after American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks REFUSED to discuss a new contract for Benitez despite his pleas.

And now the Kop boss is on yet another collision course with his bosses after again criticising Liverpool's lack of spending power.

A close friend of Benitez said: "There was no talk of a new contract when Rafa met with the owners last month.

"He also knows there will be very little money for him this month to buy the centre-half that he believes he needs.

"There is also the problem of Javier Mascherano (pictured). He will not sign because he does not know whether the manager is going to be there this season, let alone next.

"Manchester United and Arsenal are bringing in over £2million per home game, while Chelsea can turn to Roman Abramovich. Liverpool don't have the cash to live with them.

"Rafa wants to stay but now he believes he will be sacked because the owners have not shown they will back him."

These quotes from a 'close friend of Benitez' have the whiff of a Journo trying to stoke the fire about them. I very much doubt they have any credibility whatsoever. The comments seem to be too direct, it's as if the Journo is attempting to highlight the issues directly with sharp and worrisome remarks - which is the premise behind the article. That's the impression I get anyway.

by **ruskiy playmaker** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:10 am

I'd like to see Klinsmann at Liverpool if Rafa left. I know it would be a risk considering he has no managing experience. But I've seen enough of him during the world cup to know that he has the potential to be a great manager. What I really like about him is that he's a winner who forms a very good relationship with the players and gets the best out of them. I also like his philosophies on training and his ideas on how to improve football. He probably learned a lot by playing under Wenger at Monaco. I think we'd have a very similar style of football as Arsenal if Klinsmann was here.

by **Sabre** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:11 am

I agree LFC2007 (what a bad nickname you chose mate).

If "I'm a deadman walking" is a phrase coming from a Spaniard, then I'd be astonished. If he said something like "I have my days counted" or "I'm walking the tightrope" or "I have Damocles' sword over my head" then I'd believe it comes from a close friend.

But FFS, I'm a deadman walking ?

must admit I laughed with that one.

by **LFC2007** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:13 am

Sabre wrote:I agree LFC2007 (what a bad nickname you chose mate).

I need the mod's to change it to 2008.

by **account deleted by request** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:14 am

I am presuming that they have been given to the press for a reason, presumably similar to the article written by Bascombe, to maybe stir up support for Rafa during a difficult period when he is fighting for transfer money against a backdrop of a failing challenge for the title. Either that or its all a load of b0llocks

by **account deleted by request** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:37 am

ruskiy playmaker wrote:I'd like to see Klinsmann at Liverpool if Rafa left. I know it would be a risk considering he has no managing experience. But I've seen enough of him during the world cup to know that he has the potential to be a great manager. What I really like about him is that he's a winner who forms a very good relationship with the players and gets the best out of them. I also like his philosophies on training and his ideas on how to improve football. He probably learned a lot by playing under Wenger at Monaco. I think we'd have a very similar style of football as Arsenal if Klinsmann was here.

I prefer Liverpools style of football to Arsenals mate. I just wish we won a few more games... thats all. I think Arsenal play very attractive football but its a little bit passionless for me. I would say that when we are playing well we probably play as good football as anyone, perhaps a little too direct at times, but I have no real complaints about our style of football apart from the results sometimes.

by **ruskiy playmaker** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:05 am

I love Rafa's style of football too, especially when he was a coach of Valencia, but I have not really seen it much at Liverpool. Right now I would not call our style as beautiful it's quite the opposite. I think it's just that we don't have enough technically gifted players on the wings and in front at Liverpool to see Rafa's true style. If Rafa had the right funds he would definitely improve on the wide positions and everywhere else. Do you really think that he wants to work with players like Kuyt or Pennant? It just really annoys me how one of the biggest clubs in the world cannot afford to buy quality players. The only thing that is keeping Liverpool from winning the title is the lack of funds and brains from the owners.

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