Liverpool FC Forum

by **Reg** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 12:16 am

October 8, 2008

Rafael Benítez no nearer to contract extension - Oliver Kay

For the first time in what feels like an age, Liverpool appear to be quietly going about their business, but the silence from the boardroom is not necessarily golden. Rafael Benítez has been given no indication that he will be offered an extension to his contract, which runs out at the end of next season, and for as long as the club remain in the hands of Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the Spaniard appears unlikely to be offered any long-term security.

Hicks claimed six months ago that he wanted to offer Benítez a new contract, albeit only a one-year extension, but that he could not force through his plan until he had bought out Gillett, his co-owner. Hicks and Gillett have since claimed that they have patched up their “unworkable” partnership, but whatever else they may have reached agreement on, the American tycoons appear to have no plans to resolve the manager's future amid growing suspicions that their focus is solely on their exit strategy.

Hicks and Gillett are firmly expected to sell Liverpool in the coming months, with another prospective investor having joined Sheikh Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, in declaring an interest in recent weeks. In the meantime, construction work on a proposed new stadium in Stanley Park has been postponed indefinitely, with the owners unable to provide the finance, and there appears to be no prospect of a new contract for Benítez, even though there is no logical reason that a deal should not be offered if, after a good start to the Barclays Premier League campaign, he has the support of the six-man board.

Benítez has been known to use the media to advance his causes in the past, which is one reason he fell out with Hicks and Gillett last autumn, but he was restrained when asked about the silence on his future. “I'm not worried about the situation at the moment,” he said. “I am trying to be pragmatic about it and am just concentrating on the things I can improve. It doesn't make it more difficult for me to plan for the future. I can only control things on the pitch and try to improve the squad. If I can do that, then things will be easier in the future.”

Benítez's situation is being monitored by leading clubs in Spain and Italy. Reports in Italy on Monday suggested that Juventus may move for the Spaniard if they lose patience with Claudio Ranieri after a difficult start to the season. Benítez, though, has reiterated his desire to stay at Liverpool. “I'm really pleased and I have two more years [in fact a little over 18 months] left on my contract, so right now I'm just trying to do my job the best I can,” he said. “I have always said I want to stay here for many years and I have the same idea now.”

Benítez received some encouraging news last night when a specialist indicated that Martin Skrtel's posterior cruciate knee ligament injury was less serious than first feared. The Slovakia defender could be back by Christmas.
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Its amazing the ability of journalists to sh!t-stir isnt it?

by **account deleted by request** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 12:28 am

I doubt Ollie Kay is sh!tstirring mate, he is a strong Liverpool fan as well as a sports reporter. Although I suppose he has to be as good as the competition when it comes to wringing the last drop out of a story, I would like to think he does it with a Liverpool bias.

by **112-1077774096** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:31 am

or it could be rafa using the press again in the guise of kay to raise this issue

by **maguskwt** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:43 am

peewee wrote:or it could be rafa using the press again in the guise of kay to raise this issue

by **Reg** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:43 am

Rafa should be too busy to start sh!t stirring without a good reason.

I guess he would be in a stronger position to negotiate come the end of the season - UNLESS G&H are close to selling and he wants to make sure he's locked in as manager ??

by **112-1077774096** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:51 am

maguskwt wrote:
peewee wrote:or it could be rafa using the press again in the guise of kay to raise this issue

wouldnt be the first time a manager has used the press mate, houllier was very good at it, its just like managers leaking transfer targets to the press to unsettle players

by **maguskwt** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:33 am

peewee wrote:
maguskwt wrote:
peewee wrote:or it could be rafa using the press again in the guise of kay to raise this issue

wouldnt be the first time a manager has used the press mate, houllier was very good at it, its just like managers leaking transfer targets to the press to unsettle players

well yeah but in the guise of kay?

by **112-1077774096** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:31 am

maguskwt wrote:
peewee wrote:
maguskwt wrote:
peewee wrote:or it could be rafa using the press again in the guise of kay to raise this issue

wouldnt be the first time a manager has used the press mate, houllier was very good at it, its just like managers leaking transfer targets to the press to unsettle players

well yeah but in the guise of kay?

come on mate you are not an idiot, you know full well i never meant rafa wrote it, i simply meant they are his comments chanelled through kay

by **skatesy** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:37 am

Honestly, the guy pretty much has two years left on his contract. That is probably the last thing on people's minds right now.

by **woof woof !** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:19 am

peewee wrote:
maguskwt wrote:
peewee wrote:
maguskwt wrote:
peewee wrote:or it could be rafa using the press again in the guise of kay to raise this issue

wouldnt be the first time a manager has used the press mate, houllier was very good at it, its just like managers leaking transfer targets to the press to unsettle players

well yeah but in the guise of kay?

come on mate you are not an idiot, you know full well i never meant rafa wrote it, i simply meant they are his comments chanelled through kay

Would you prefer he channeled them through a medium ? :laugh:

News flash - With the exception of Joe Kinnear, Managers speak to journalists all the time.

Benítez has been known to use the media to advance his causes in the past, which is one reason he fell out with Hicks and Gillett last autumn, but he was restrained when asked about the silence on his future.

He certainly has "used" the media but on this occasion he's apparently responding to a direct question and doing so with "restraint".

F'uck it , lets just turn it into a conspiracy.

by **Sabre** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:19 am

For that matter rumours are present herefrom a while ago that Rafa will leave Liverpool in summer. According to the gossip moguls here, Rafa will require two things to stay in Liverpool, winning the league, and then, getting the money he needs to go forward.

So at the end of the season the only one to be happy will be Peewee, either Rafa is sacked, or we're league champions, he always wins.

by **112-1077774096** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:28 am

Sabre wrote:For that matter rumours are present herefrom a while ago that Rafa will leave Liverpool in summer. According to the gossip moguls here, Rafa will require two things to stay in Liverpool, winning the league, and then, getting the money he needs to go forward.

So at the end of the season the only one to be happy will be Peewee, either Rafa is sacked, or we're league champions, he always wins.

to be honest sabre i am happy that rafa has at least started to show that he is learning and i feel we will be there of thereabouts at the end, all he needs to do now is address the big problem on the right.

and as for woof woof, duh. someone else trying to twist comments hoping for an argument, pretending to miss the obvious point of my comment shows you are stirring it, however if you did actually miss the point....... well what can i say

by **woof woof !** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:46 am

peewee wrote:and as for woof woof, duh. someone else trying to twist comments hoping for an argument, pretending to miss the obvious point of my comment shows you are stirring it, however if you did actually miss the point....... well what can i say

Stirring ? :laugh:

it could be rafa using the press again in the guise of kay to raise this issue

Duh, I obviously need help in translating this into something other than a "lets lay this story at Rafa's door".

by **Leonmc0708** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:58 am

peewee wrote:
Sabre wrote:For that matter rumours are present herefrom a while ago that Rafa will leave Liverpool in summer. According to the gossip moguls here, Rafa will require two things to stay in Liverpool, winning the league, and then, getting the money he needs to go forward.

So at the end of the season the only one to be happy will be Peewee, either Rafa is sacked, or we're league champions, he always wins.

to be honest sabre i am happy that rafa has at least started to show that he is learning and i feel we will be there of thereabouts at the end, all he needs to do now is address the big problem on the right.

and as for woof woof, duh. someone else trying to twist comments hoping for an argument, pretending to miss the obvious point of my comment shows you are stirring it, however if you did actually miss the point....... well what can i say

Is it still a bog problem if we are there or thereabouts at the end of the season ?

by **112-1077774096** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 9:01 am

wrong again. keep trying though.

where am i laying any blame? i say 'it could', its an opinion and its a possibility and at no point do i say that if it is rafa using the press then he is behaving wrongly, so tell me where exactly am i laying blame? saying i am laying it at rafas door is another way of saying i am blaming him for something is it not?

or is it just more likely that you looked at who wrote the post and tried to twist it?

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