Liverpool FC Forum

by **Reg** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:41 am

March 21, 2009

Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafael Benítez trade blows in spending row

Manchester United and Liverpool avoided each other in the draw for the final stages of the Champions League yesterday, but still ended up in a war of words.

This weekend the clubs resume their dispute in the Barclays Premier League after Liverpool’s stunning 4-1 victory at Old Trafford last Saturday, but yesterday it was the spending of both clubs that was at the heart of the latest spat between Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafael Benítez.

“They [Liverpool] are well ahead of us in spending in the last five years,” Ferguson, the United manager, said, insisting that Liverpool had outspent United by £24 million during Benítez’s 5½-year tenure.

But the statistics did not appear to back up Ferguson. United’s gross outlay is recorded at £221.95 million compared with Liverpool’s £212.6 million. The net spending shows an even bigger gulf. “Check the figures,” Benítez said.

The two clubs could yet end up in a tumultuous Champions League final after a draw that put them in opposite halves. United, who face Porto in the last eight and perhaps Arsenal in the semi-finals, will look on their route to Rome with optimism, but, to groans from both sets of supporters, Liverpool and Chelsea will collide in Europe for a record fifth consecutive season.

The draw raised the possibility of a second all-English denouement that will heighten fears about the safety of visiting supporters after numerous stabbing incidents in Rome. But Uefa, which has resisted calls to move the game, revealed yesterday that 20,000 police officers would be on duty in the Italian capital on May 27. There would normally be 1,000 for a regular European game at the Stadio Olimpico.

Champions League draw

Quarter-finals
Villarreal v Arsenal
Manchester United v Porto
Liverpool v Chelsea
Barcelona v Bayern Munich

Semi-finals
Manchester United or Porto v Villarreal or Arsenal
Barcelona or Bayern Munich v Liverpool or Chelsea
++

Rafa is really getting up Fergiebottles's nose. :buttrock

by **Reg** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:47 am

Sir Alex Ferguson claims Liverpool have spent more money over the past five seasons than Manchester United

Rafael Benítez has hit back at Sir Alex Ferguson and told him to “check his figures” after the Manchester United manager dismissed his Liverpool counterpart’s claims that the Merseyside club have spent less money than the Barclays Premier League champions over the past five years.

Ferguson claimed yesterday that Liverpool were “well ahead of us in spending in the last five years”, but the statistics appear to support Benítez. United’s gross spending since June 2004, when the Spaniard arrived at Anfield, totals £221.95 million compared with £212.6 million by Liverpool. Ferguson’s net spending over that period is £147.90 million compared with Benítez’s £111.39 million.

The row marks the latest chapter in the escalating tension between the pair, whose rivalry is fast becoming the fiercest in English football. Ferguson branded Benítez “disturbed” after the Liverpool manager accused him in January of wielding an unfair influence over referees during a calculated attack, and on the eve of United’s 4-1 defeat by Liverpool at Old Trafford a week ago Ferguson resumed the spat by claiming that he would need to “read up on Freud” to make sense of the Spaniard’s remarks.

“Check the figures,” Benítez said. “It doesn’t matter what Ferguson says about money. They [Liverpool] have more money and can spend more than us, so we have to manage and do our best in every single deal.”

Ferguson had sparked the debate when he claimed that he had instructed United’s staff to survey the statistics after growing tired of listening to Benítez reiterating that Liverpool had spent less. “I was amazed when I saw that [],” Ferguson said. “I talked to some of the people in the sports technology department and said, ‘Check that out.’

“I am sure I have not spent that much money. I worked out in the last five years that Liverpool have spent £24 million more than Manchester United. The most amazing fact about them is that they have used 60 players in the reserves this season.”

Ferguson is under no illusions, though, that Benítez will spend big in the summer after signing a new five-year contract. As revealed by The Times yesterday, he is expected to have at least £30 million plus whatever he can recoup in sales to spend.

“You will see Rafa produce an incredible spending spree — that is an absolute certainty now he has signed a new contract,” the United manager said. “They talk of a recession, but there will not be one at Liverpool.”

Ferguson is more concerned about returning to winning ways away to Fulham in the league this afternoon, however, and believes that the embarrassing defeat by Liverpool last weekend could serve as a wake-up call to his players, whom he fears were becoming distracted by all the talk of an unprecedented quintuple.

Jonny Evans, the defender, will replace Nemanja Vidic, who is suspended after being sent off against Liverpool, and Gary Neville, the captain, is available after injury.

“The club has to recover from a defeat and travelling away to Fulham represents a good challenge,” Ferguson said. “It is hard to defend a 4-1 defeat. We suffered from self-inflicted wounds and mistakes you don’t expect. For weeks we had to listen to eulogies and compliments about how good this side of ours was. I kept deflecting that and saying how tough this league was and this \ was just a reminder to us. In a way, it will help us because we realise there is a lot of work to be done. You have to answer tough questions every time Manchester United lose a game. There were no lives lost last week.”

Facts in figures

£221.95m: Manchester United’s gross spend on transfers (£147.90 million net) since June 2004, when Rafael Benítez was appointed Liverpool manager, up to and including January 2009 transfer window

£212.60m: Liverpool’s spending (£111.39 million net) during same period

by **LegBarnes** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 1:24 am

fergi is such a :censored:

muncher lol he realy is the lowest of low.

Scabby basta.rd When is he gonna pop his clogs.

by **Effes** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 3:15 am

One thing Ive learnt is, when you get home :censored:

at 2am, you dont rant on here giving it the large.

I think Rafa is exposing Ferguson each week. :;):

by **account deleted by request** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 3:31 am

Effes wrote:One thing Ive learnt is, when you get home at 2am, you dont rant on here giving it the large.

I think Rafa is exposing Ferguson each week.

As with all the arguments about who's spent what Effes, it depends on which paper you quote. There are just as many agreeing with Fergie and Fergie's figures if you look mate (try newsnow).

The key for me is what happens this summer, if we have another set of transfers like last summer we are going to be in trouble. We really need Rafa to get it right this time. Not too many changes, but important improvements is what we need.

by **Madmax** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:04 am

Yeah for real saint i agree with you there its crucial this summer whatever we have we use it wisely. Hoping rafa dont buy 16-18 year olds and just tosses them in the reserves. I want established talent in the areas that we most need. Really dont know what he will do for the right mid position. Hope he doesnt keep kuyt there permanantely. If he does then his a d.i.ck

by **Ciggy** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:05 am

them kunts have well spent more than us dont let things fool anyone. they have about 2 or 3 players worth 20-30 million on the bench we have had to make do with our star buy Torres being injured all season, we do not have someone to come in when hes injured.
No one mention Keane he was worth 7 to 10 million at best.

by **Number 9** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:21 am

Are ya worried whisky nose?Rafas right up your box

by **Madmax** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:28 am

IF and thats a big "IF" fulham some how pull a result against mannure i will be fecking shocked as any other fan. Would be just great! Common good ol murphy make us proud who knows maybe will sign you as an extra next season.

by **Number 9** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:53 am

Madmax wrote:IF and thats a big "IF" fulham some how pull a result against mannure i will be fecking shocked as any other fan. Would be just great! Common good ol murphy make us proud who knows maybe will sign you as an extra next season.

Murphy is a Legend..he even has his own law! :nod

by **akumaface** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:59 am

I think Rafa is really pi.ssing Fergie off especially after they got hammered by us. Fergie is such a child and he will lose playing mind game with Rafa. Hope this will result in Man U dropping points and lose to Porto.

by **metalhead** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:28 am

s@int wrote:
Effes wrote:One thing Ive learnt is, when you get home at 2am, you dont rant on here giving it the large.

I think Rafa is exposing Ferguson each week.

As with all the arguments about who's spent what Effes, it depends on which paper you quote. There are just as many agreeing with Fergie and Fergie's figures if you look mate (try newsnow).

The key for me is what happens this summer, if we have another set of transfers like last summer we are going to be in trouble. We really need Rafa to get it right this time. Not too many changes, but important improvements is what we need.

newsnow is b*llox then s@int

by **RobinHood6969** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:42 am

Murphy should kill manure hopes at 93rd minute

by **Sabre** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:46 am

Where are the posters that went on and on and on about Rafa losing the plot and his mistake?

I respect that they said back then it was a mistake of Rafa. But for the sake of consistency I expected to see them having a go at Ferguson:

* Because he explains his own "facts" about when games start

* Because he says he spends less than Rafa, he shows his own "facts".

For doing that our manager was insulted. But it all depends on what papers you read, what you choose to twist or quote.

My option is clear, by default I trust the Liverpool manager, not the Manchester United manager. What about you?

Rafa was not genius for saying what he said, but he wasn't an arrogant idiot neither for it. He was just saying the things as he saw it. Pretty much like Ferguson is doing now. Someone saying Rafa lost the plot back then and believing Ferguson now would have to have their mind checked, as their bias has trespassed unhealthy levels. :nod

---------------

by **Sabre** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:50 am

I posted the above in the wrong thread and Number9 answered that in his opinion Rafa's timing was not good.

Well, I'm not sure of that. IMHO it's always a good time to tell a couple of truths. It's the results what makes your rant good or bad, and had we lost in Manchester we'd hear how Rafa is cracking up.

I don't think those rants have an effect on the pitch, or not too big. Much less effect than Gerrard and Torres being missing for sure, which was the main reason we lost points alongside Keane leaving.

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