Didn't put this on the other thread as this is more to do with the club than Athens.I particularly baulked when reading the comments about Sambrosa and Alves.I didn't know about Sambrosa
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer
Athens glory was the one that got away from Liverpool
By Dion Fanning
Sunday May 27 2007
WHEN he clambered to the top of the steps, Rafael Benitez was still pointing to his watch. He had pursued referee Herbert Fandel across the Olympic Stadium questioning his time-keeping and he would make the same point to Michel Platini as his medal was being handed over.
Before he received his losers' medal, Benitez encountered Liverpool co-owner George Gillett who had walked up to meet the dignitaries with the players, a sight which caused some concern among Liverpool traditionalists.
Benitez repeated his complaint to Gillett about the failure of Fandel to play even the three added minutes required. Gillett looked sympathetic but, of all the information he has to absorb on a new game over the past few months, a detailed understanding of the guidelines to officials regarding injury-time is unlikely to have been among his priorities.
Less than 12 hours later, Benitez had another complaint. "We talk and talk and never finish," he said as he articulated his concerns that Liverpool will, once again, miss out on key players over the summer. But it could have been an analysis of the European Cup final.
Liverpool had out-played Milan but with quality missing in wide areas and only one striker in the middle, Benitez's side could not create genuine chances to match their domination.
Benitez's comments, some claimed, were a neat deflection of attention away from his own failings on the night. Certainly, Fandel's failure to play an extra few seconds was not the difference between happiness and dejection.
Something magical might have happened for Liverpool if the referee had played the correct amount of added time, but when the manager's final change is to replace Steve Finnan with another full-back Alvaro Arbeloa with a couple of minutes remaining then Benitez cannot avoid criticism for his tactics.
By the time Liverpool's manager reached the post-match press conference he was no longer pointing at his watch.
Unlike most of his rivals in the Premiership, Benitez is usually a study in grace and he returned to that state. He offered congratulations to Milan, refused to comment on his anger with the referee, saying it would take away from Milan's victory. But it was a victory, he knew, that should have been Liverpool's.
Few make the claims for this Liverpool side that they do for Milan - who have spent the days since the final making astonishing claims about their greatness. Both are mere tribute bands compared to the great sides that have worn the colours in the past.
Paolo Maldini was a great player once and on Wednesday night in Athens, the city in which he had won his third European Cup in 1994, he was reluctant to leave the field as the team celebrated. Touching 39, Maldini's achievement is astonishing, even if he showed his age for most of the 90 minutes.
Benitez was confident his side would win the game. It was a confidence which was translated to his players, who spent a relaxed week training in La Manga before travelling to Greece. His critics say Benitez does not trust his players, but another week at a resort known for its golf as much as its football suggested that the manager's caution only presents itself on the pitch.
He may wish he had gambled before the final and selected Peter Crouch. Benitez was damaged by what happened in Istanbul and he was determined it wouldn't happen again. Certainly his side controlled the midfield in a fashion they may not have done if Gerrard had been in the centre, but he could have started on the left instead of Zenden. Kuyt would then have dropped into midfield if necessary.
Some of the wilder critics of Benitez suggested last week that he cannot make up his mind on Gerrard. Benitez tries to utilise the talents of his captain but he is an enigma, with a band of cheerleaders behind him who are often blind to his weaknesses.
On Tuesday, at the pre-match press conference, Benitez was asked a question about Gerrard and Carragher's influence on the squad. He answered it by talking about his team, as he often does. It was not the answer the questioner wanted and he left the room afterwards complaining that Benitez was extremely fortunate to have these players and maybe he should talk about them. Benitez has rarely shown reluctance to talk about Jamie Carragher and having spent the first year of the job talking about Gerrard, he cannot be excused of ignoring him either.
On the day before the game, Benitez wanted to stress the importance of his collective. He needed more than Steven Gerrard and he knows he can always rely on Carragher. On Tuesday, Benitez was reluctant to repeat his comments that had appeared in the papers in which he said he would be ruthless with his team in the final's aftermath no matter what happened.
Benitez had done a week's worth of media work before his team left for Spain and among his remarks, he had said he would continue to rebuild, no matter what the outcome. The papers held this story until the week of the final, leading some to wonder at Benitez's strategy which appeared to undermine his players so close to the final.
If it bothered them, it did not show. Benitez may be distant from his team and it would be valid to suggest that his refusal to pick the same team every week is a failure of trust (although how much trust should he place in Bolo Zenden?) but his side can never be accused of not understanding their responsibilities.
Benitez refused to comment on his anger with the referee, saying it would take away from Milan's victory. But it was a victory, he knew, that should have been Liverpool's
Their confidence came from this thorough preparation. "We knew before the game it was going to be about small details," Gerrard said later. "We controlled the game."
And the Liverpool players suspected beforehand that they would have that control which helped them relax. "We believe that we are a very good team. Our tactic was to put them under pressure and we did for 45 minutes until they scored," Kuyt said later.
But it was Milan who celebrated in the end and Liverpool have lost too many games this way for Benitez to be happy.
The manager may have thrown people off his trail with his demand that the club now gets the players he wants, but, just as he refused to settle for the Carling and FA Cups as routes to success, ultimately, if his demands are met, he will have no room for excuses.
It is no secret that Liverpool's failure to sign his main targets has, in the past, angered the manager. Last summer, the club spent some time haggling over the fee for Daniel Alves, the impressive Sevilla right-sided player. No deal was done and since then his price has doubled.
An agreement for Simao Sabrosa, the Benfica captain collapsed at the last moment the year before. As he watched Bolo Zenden and Jermaine Pennant repeatedly waste possession on the wings in Athens, Benitez may have wondered how things would have been with those two in his squad.
Instead, he has been forced to gamble with players and he still has an impressive record in the transfer market. Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Peter Crouch and Momo Sissoko have enhanced their reputations since arriving in Liverpool.
Very few Benitez signings will be sold at a massive loss, an important factor at a club still trying to fill the hole in the balance sheet left from the signing of El Hadji Diouf, Salif Diao and Bruno Cheyrou for £20 million. Even Mark Gonzalez may turn a profit for the club.
Benitez's major signing last summer, Dirk Kuyt, has scored 12 goals in the Premiership but his failure to score in the Champions' League until the last minute suggests that for all his honest endeavouring, he lacks flair.
It was a weakness that has hung over Liverpool's season. They have dominated in games without every taking their chances. "It is hard when you play in a final," Kuyt reminded the press afterwards. "Look at how difficult Kaka found it and he is a really great player."
But Benitez now wants to import those talents. He is believed to be ready to conclude deals for Simao and possibly Carlos Tevez within the next couple of weeks. He would still like to sign Alves but there remains a question mark over the money that will be provided by the new owners.
"We don't boast," the patrician Liverpool chairman John Smith once said when the club was being run in a modest fashion but the most successful way by the then secretary Peter Robinson.
This week the new owners said they would back Benitez even if he wanted to sign 'Snoopy Doggy'. Gillett then appeared on the pitch and walked up the steps with the players, even if, during his journey, he did seem to be wondering if there was another exit.
This cultural clash will also bring benefits. Liverpool have tried to preserve the old methods but they have been left behind.
Rick Parry, the chief executive, has received most of the criticism over the past few weeks for various reasons, but Benitez's criticisms were designed to galvanise the club in the future, not hunt down scapegoats for the past.
Benitez believes in trying to change things he can influence. By the time he arrived at the press conference on Wednesday night, he had realised that talking about the time-keeping would not affect the reality of the match.
Talking about Liverpool's future can change everything if you are Benitez.
If he signs the players he wants then the manager realises the pressure will be on him to deliver the title challenge Liverpool expects. The clock is ticking.
- Dion Fanning
