Liverpool FC Forum

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 11:34 am**

Rafael Benítez is due to fly to Merseyside today with the Premiership club hoping to unveil him as their new manager within the next 48 hours.

The Spaniard resigned his position at Valencia last week after three hugely successful seasons at the Mestalla. Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry has already held discussions in Spain with Benítez's representative Manuel García Quilón over the vacant position at Anfield and those ended with the 44-year-old former Real Madrid B and Tenerife coach agreeing in principal to succeed Gérard Houllier.

Further talks will take place early this week to smooth the finer details of the deal, believed to be a four-year contract worth £25,000 a week, which will virtually double the salary Benítez enjoyed in winning the Spanish League title last season.

Liverpool are anxious to conclude the matter ahead of the start of Euro 2004 as that will give Benítez time to assess squad strengthening this summer, with three Valencia players - the Argentinians Roberto Ayala and Pablo Aimar and the Spanish goalkeeper Santiago Ca-izares - potentially to follow him to Anfield along with his No2 Francisco Ayestaran.

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 11:42 am**

aimar and ayala would be top class additions to the FIRST TEAM.

why do we need canizares? he's 34 and we've got two top class goalkeepers anyway.

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 11:45 am**

I wouldn't want Canizares i'm with you on the fact that we have 2 world class keepers already. The other two would be great buys for us.

They are the positions that we need to improve on for next season.

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 12:09 pm**

Haven't we already done this one ?

Ok, IF they were available the two outfield players would be good for us although one of them is knocking on a bit. As for the goalie I really dont think we need him.

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 12:13 pm**

woof woof ! wrote:Haven't we already done this one ?
Ok, IF they were available the two outfield players would be good for us although one of them is knocking on a bit. As for the goalie I really dont think we need him.

Totally agree

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 12:23 pm**

Personally I would take Canizarrez if he wants to come. He is a better keeper than both Dudek and Kirkland. Canizarrez is available on a free transfer and we could then sell Jerzy Dudek and make around 3 million in cash. I'm a big fan of Kirkland and want to see him take over in goal but his fitness problems since he has joined Liverpool have been worrying.

I'm not sure whether we would be afford Aimar, and Ayala already turned us down under Houllier, but I can see Benetiz bringing Canizarrez with him.

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 12:24 pm**

Aimar i sthe only player worth his salt for the long term uture of LFC

Ayala, bit slow, with Hyppia in center of defence, henry will have a field day when they play us.

Canizares, good keeper, but we have 2 good keepers already.

Aimar and Stevie G in the midfield? yes please, bring it on!

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 12:35 pm**

i agree we don't need canizares. ayala is 32 years old and wont get his place at liverpool but he'll provide good cover. aimar is the youngest and the best of the three, i think he'd be a great addition to the squad!!

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 12:47 pm**

Apparently, this coming from Henchoz himself personally, he'll be staying in England for the next 2 years. Apparently a deal has been struck with the New manager. Henchoz has therefore signed a new £25,000 a week deal to stay on at Anfield. The new manager has in fact agreed with Rick Parry to allow Henchoz to stay on.

i would still take ayala over henchoz though.

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 1:28 pm**

I think its great that so many of you are prepared to wiat a few seasons before we really challenge for the title. That's the only possible outcome from an influx of foreign players and another foreign manager. Perhaps someone here can prove me wrong but I can't recall a single foreign mamanger who made an imapct in his first season, as for the players, they need time to adapt the the speed of play, except that is if they are in the top 20 players in the world IE Henry, RVN ect. Time is such a comodity these days its great to see the board and the fans so lavish with it. I'm not saying any of the above are not great players but if we cant think of British or British based then no wonder the european cup is so hard to win. Gone for good are the days when teams such as Celtic, Forrest, Man U, Asto Villa and Liverpool won it whilst developing the games on these two tiny islands.

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 2:12 pm**

Did Wenger win the title with the Arsenal his 1st year? I thought it was his 2nd but a mate of mine thinks it was the 1st.

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 2:16 pm**

it was his second year in charge. they won the double in 1998.

seaman

dixon keown adams winterburn

parlour vieira petit overmars

bergkamp anelka

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 4:20 pm**

Aimar is exactly what we need a brlliant creative player alongside gerrard in the middle. As for the other two ayala two old but i woudnt mind the keeper, i was reading in the times on sunday than schmicael rates him as the best keeper in the world at the moment. We could sell dudek play canizares for 2 years then by then hopefully kirkland will be over his injury problems and could take the number 1 jersey.

Posted: **Tue Jun 08, 2004 4:59 pm**

Fowler_E7 wrote:We could sell dudek play canizares for 2 years then by then hopefully kirkland will be over his injury problems and could take the number 1 jersey.

i'd like to hope that Kirkalnd can shake of his injuries. I rate him as the best in england when he's fit but he needs to really sort out his injury problems.

Posted: **Wed Jun 09, 2004 8:22 am**

Aimar and Ayala will be good. Though they will take up 2 non-EU places in the team.
Will have to consider which current non-EU we must off-load.
Cani is a great keeper. He will give good guidance to Kirk. Bringing him over will do no harm.

Liverpool FC Forum

Which if any would you want at anfield - Report from the guardian

Which if any would you want at anfield - Report from the guardian