Rafael Benítez on the brink of leaving Liverpool over Anfield rift

[Wor Horse]

Looking back at the team line ups that night.. Chelsea being a goal up from the first leg should have comfortably been in the final...

 

Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore, Hamann (Kewell, 72 ) , Biscan, Luis Garcia (Nunez, 84 ) , Riise, Gerrard, Baros (Cisse, 59 )

Subs not used: Carson,Smicer,Warnock,Welsh,

 

Chelsea: Cech, Geremi ( Huth, 76 ) , Carvalho, Terry, Gallas, Tiago ( Kezman, 68 ) , Makelele, Lampard, Joe Cole ( Robben, 68 ) , Drogba, Gudjohnsen

Subs not used: Cudicini, Johnson, Forssell, Morais,

 

It was 0-0. They were 1-0 up in 2007.

[stringvest]

That was probably because he was probably the only one that hadn't scored during the game!!

 

:-) probably, but I just wanted to make the point that it's certainly not a new tactic for us, and people sneering at Mourinho for adopting the tactic are betraying a bit of ignorance of our past.

 

We've also had Michael Robinson and Eric Meijer, two centre forwards who really should have been centre half.

[Kennys_spell]

think you are doing a disservice to mourinho with that comment. while i stick to my point made earlier about choosing rafa over mourinho if it were a one off game, i thought the way inter set up in the final was pretty ace.

 

using milito through the middle on the break to upset the centre back pairing with sneider always coming from a withdrawn position where he could easily lose van bommel or muller and then support from either wing when they would get forward.

 

also thought mourinho made a nice defensive adjustment to help curtail robben at the end of the first half, beginning of the 2nd half with how cambiasso and pandev helped track his runs. they left altintop alone of the left and compressed the space in the middle so cambiasso could slide over without having their central midfield compromised if bayern rotated the ball quickly. they basically said go ahead swing it to altintop and see if he can beat us.

 

but inter is extremely well organized defensively and bayern, despite a few good chances, weren't exactly carving them open.

 

that said, i hate robben, but he's in a good bit of form and having ribery would have made the game a bit different.

 

oh, and rafa is a cunt. just felt like that was obligatory for this thread, though i don't actually feel that way.

 

Wouldn't argue with any of that as a matter of fact, what I was pointing out is these tactical changes are really standard changes - make a defensive change to counter a player that is causing problems, use a centre forward to upset a defensive pairing, use an attacking midfielder to set up attacks.

 

Nothing really inovative there is there. He's a good manager, that uses better players to get better results. He's not some sort of mystical tactical magician that some are trying to present him as.

[StevieH]

BENITEZ FUTURE IS STILL IN THE BALANCE

 

Gillett and Hicks happy to let board decide

By Chris Bascombe, 29/05/2010

 

TOM HICKS and George Gillett will not have the final say on whether Rafa Benitez keeps his Liverpool job.

 

The American owners have delegated responsibility to their five-man board, who will vote on Benitez's future before pre-season starts in July.

 

With Benitez rapidly losing support among the Kop hierarchy, his position is more vulnerable than ever.

 

Hicks and Gillett have one boardroom vote each and they've told managing director Christian Purslow they will respect a majority decision on Benitez's future.

 

Purslow, finance director Phil Nash and commercial director Ian Ayre can out-vote the Americans. Benitez is now fighting to keep his job in the hope his lucrative contract will shield him from the axe.

He met Purslow for clear-the-air talks earlier this week but emerged none the wiser as to whether his services will be retained.

The relationship between the pair has significantly deteriorated in recent months.

 

The Spanish boss has told colleagues he is yet to receive assurances significant resources will be available as the uncertainty over his role continues.

 

That's because it has yet to be decided if he'll be the one to splash any cash.

 

Hit

 

Liverpool are adamant there is around £15million in transfer funds for the manager.

 

Money raised through player sales can also be re-invested into the playing staff.

 

But it's inevitable recent events both on and off the pitch will heavily impact on funds.

 

The Merseysiders' coffers have taken a massive hit due to the failure to finish in the top four and there is no prospect of a mass influx of expensive signings.

 

It will only be possible to generate cash if the club's star players ask for a move, a prospect both the current manager and the board are adamant they will resist.

 

Deadwood

 

Benitez wants to raise funds by selling unwanted deadwood such as Albert Riera, but an exodus of more significant players can't be ruled out. Yossi Benayoun will go if Benitez stays. Javier Mascherano is the most likely superstar departure no matter who the manager.

 

Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard have already confirmed they will consider their futures after the World Cup but Liverpool are confident both can be convinced to stay.

 

The problem for Benitez if the duo decided to force a move is that Liverpool aren't sure if the Spanish coach is the right man to re-invest the funds their sales would generate.

 

In fact, it's more likely their sale would assist in paying off the manager's contract.

 

Liverpool are undertaking a thorough review of how Benitez has used the resources at his disposal and haven't looked favourably on the last four transfer windows.

 

He's argued throughout that time he's been forced to work with limited funds and has missed out on targets due to the actions of his employers.

 

Indeed, the list of players he believes he's missed out on grows by the week.

 

But that's prompted a perplexed reaction within, the club pointing out every significant member of the current squad except Gerrard and Jamie Carragher was bought at Benitez's insistence at a value he agreed upon.

[Paul]

If we do have £15m plus sales, I'd use the £15m to "Thank you and goodbye" to Rafa and let a new man try and do better with the current squad plus any wheeling and dealing he can do. There's no way Rafa should be allowed to waste any more of the club's money or alienate any more of its players. He deserves sincere thanks for his achievements, but his time is up, in my view.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

That seems to be yet another opinion piece by Chris that will seriously stir it up.

 

No direct quotes again, which means the next few weeks will be interesting.

[StevieH]

If we do have £15m plus sales, I'd use the £15m to "Thank you and goodbye" to Rafa and let a new man try and do better with the current squad plus any wheeling and dealing he can do. There's no way Rafa should be allowed to waste any more of the club's money or alienate any more of its players. He deserves sincere thanks for his achievements, but his time is up, in my view.

 

I doubt it will happen, but I would like to see an amicable parting of the ways in a similar way to how Houllier left the club.

 

I wouldn't trust Rafa Benitez to have any more dealings in the transfer market.

 

Would Purslow be brave enough to sack Rafa if the decision is being delegated to him and other board members?

[Moo]

I doubt it will happen, but I would like to see an amicable parting of the ways in a similar way to how Houllier left the club.

 

I wouldn't trust Rafa Benitez to have any more dealings in the transfer market.

 

Would Purslow be brave enough to sack Rafa if the decision is being delegated to him and other board members?

 

I'd much rather see Benitez publically rip into the owners as he leaves rather than brush it all under the carpet.

That won't happen though, there will be some kind of confidentiality thing if a severence is agreed.

[navbasi]

"That's because it has yet to be decided if he'll be the one to splash any cash."

 

Fucking £15m isn't even going to cause a ripple in today's transfer market let alone a "splash..."

[StevieH]

"That's because it has yet to be decided if he'll be the one to splash any cash."

 

Fucking £15m isn't even going to cause a ripple in today's transfer market let alone a "splash..."

 

True. That is why players will have to be sold to generate additional funds.

 

Can Rafa be trusted to buy and sell the right players though?

[Delmar]

So we learned that Benitez may or may not be here next season, same as Gerrard, Torres, Mascherano, and Benayoun. Formidable piece of journalism.

[Royal Family]

Pretty shoddy article that one from Chris - disappointing. If there was any element of truth in it, what's stopping the board from dismissing Rafa? And why would they wait and let it drag on? Hicks wants Rafa to stay because he thinks the club has a higher resell value, so he's hardly likely to blithely 'delegate' this job, is he now.

[Hermes]

I haven't read many previous posts so don't know if this has been asked. Is July 1st the date when Rafa would have his pay off reduced from £16m to £12m? that would explain the delay.

[Captain]

I think it was pretty much established in a separate thread on the issue that there is no £16M pay off.

[Hermes]

I think it was pretty much established in a separate thread on the issue that there is no £16M pay off.

 

Where was that?

[Original202]

Whether it's £16m or not, contracts tend to run from 1st July to 30th June so it may have some bearing on any potential compensation.

 

Though Houllier left on 24th May, just a couple of weeks after the final league game.

[Captain]

True. That is why players will have to be sold to generate additional funds.

 

Can Rafa be trusted to buy and sell the right players though?

 

I'd say no. His hit rate in that segment of transfer deals isn't good enough. If that's how we are going to operate, they need to sack Rafa and get another manager in.

 

That said, if the figures in the article are correct, the (new) manager has got one hell of a job to convince our top players to stay. This is nowhere near what both Gerrard and Torres are looking for.

[Hermes]

Whether it's £16m or not, contracts tend to run from 1st July to 30th June so it may have some bearing on any potential compensation.

 

Though Houllier left on 24th May, just a couple of weeks after the final league game.

 

That may have been because Rafa and Mourinho were available and we were talking to them so it had to be quick.

[Captain]

Where was that?

 

http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/ff-football-forum/91420-16m-pay-off-benitez.html

[ali]

# Capello is 1st choice of Inter president Moratti. FA need to sort out contract situation quickly to remove loophole about 2 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

 

# Reports in Milan of Inter's Argentine contingent lobbying for Benitez as manager, with Mauricio Pellegrino as No 2 #LFC about 2 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

 

RT@pauledwards1973: @OliverKayTimes how much money do you think Liverpool will spend this summer? ---> Very little about 22 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

 

Oliver Kay (OliverKayTimes) on Twitter

[Hermes]

http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/ff-football-forum/91420-16m-pay-off-benitez.html

 

That neither proves nor disproves it. The Italian papers were convinced he'd agreed terms with Juventus, he sought assurances from Liverpool but apparently hasn't been given any yet he's still here.

 

My guess is LFC refused to pay him off, Juve refused to meet the difference. It's obvious from the silence amongst the hierarchy at Anfield that they would have been pleased to see him resign.

[Captain]

That neither proves nor disproves it.

Of course not. There is only one proof here, and that's Rafa's contract.

[Royal Family]

Interesting that Roberto Bettega, who was Director of Football at Juventus, has just parted company with them, citing differences of opinion over the new managerial team. It was Bettega who was driving the deal for Benitez (the two are also good friends) and Bettega has now been squeezed out by Andrea Agnelli's new regime. Agnelli was the one who wanted an italian coach. Seems like Rafa has been the 'victim' of politicking at Juve, which is ironic given that's the one thing he presumably wouldn't miss about Liverpool!

[Antynwa]

Interesting that Roberto Bettega, who was Director of Football at Juventus, has just parted company with them, citing differences of opinion over the new managerial team. It was Bettega who was driving the deal for Benitez (the two are also good friends) and Bettega has now been squeezed out by Andrea Agnelli's new regime. Agnelli was the one who wanted an italian coach. Seems like Rafa has been the 'victim' of politicking at Juve, which is ironic given that's the one thing he presumably wouldn't miss about Liverpool!

 

Why did I just imagine Ian Hislop coming out with that, and then looking at the audience for a laugh?

 

Good post btw.

[Red Mist]

Has he gone yet?