"Rafa sacrificing league to land foreign job"

Ronnie Whelan has accused Rafael Benitez of prioritising the Champions League in order to secure a job abroad, and the Liverpool legend also believes the manager's "days are numbered" at Anfield.

Speculation is surrounding Benitez's position once more after Liverpool were defeated 3-1 by Fulham on Saturday. The loss at Craven Cottage was the club's sixth in seven games in all competitions and leaves them nine points off top spot with 11 games played.

With the score at 1-1, Benitez substituted Fernando Torres to general bemusement and later admitted that he had done so with Wednesday's Champions League game against Lyon in mind as the striker had been nursing a groin injury.

Whelan has used the incident as evidence for his theory that Benitez has already abandoned the league - a situation that would not sit well with Liverpool fans as Manchester United aim for a record 19th title this season.

"It's all gone wrong with the manager and he's shown exactly where his priorities lie,'' Whelan told RTE Television. "He wants to win the European Cup so he can get a job in Europe. For me, his days have got to be numbered at Liverpool.

"He's taken players off who are the only players who are going to give you a chance of winning the game. And he drags them all off because he's got a game on Wednesday.

"When I saw the team I thought he's not bothered about this game. He's putting all his eggs in one basket and I can't see why he's done it."


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=692820&sec=england&cc=5739

he should go to milan, then sign Torres.

Pato and Torres, nice......

Benitez is trying to lose the league so it increasing his chances of another job?


Doesn't make much sense to me.

Stupid theory...surely by winning the league with Liverpool after 20 years, Benitez will become much more attractive to clubs all around the world, considering he's achieved mostly everything in 2 of the top leagues in the world?

Who the f@ck is Ronnie Whelan anyway?

A member of the old boot room - his words carry a lot of weight with the rags over here, it's all over the back pages.

kas wrote:Stupid theory...surely by winning the league with Liverpool after 20 years, Benitez will become much more attractive to clubs all around the world, considering he's achieved mostly everything in 2 of the top leagues in the world?

Who the f@ck is Ronnie Whelan anyway?

He was in the Liverpool team through the 80s, into the 90s. I just about remember him.

Gerrard, Aquilani, Agger, Skrtel, Johnson, Riera and Aurelio weren't rested, otherwise they'd have been on the bench. Does Whelan really think Rafa was resting N'Gog with Wednesday in mind?

debaser wrote:

kas wrote:Stupid theory...surely by winning the league with Liverpool after 20 years, Benitez will become much more attractive to clubs all around the world, considering he's achieved mostly everything in 2 of the top leagues in the world?

Who the f@ck is Ronnie Whelan anyway?

He was in the Liverpool team through the 80s, into the 90s. I just about remember him.

he was the main man in Liverpool's 80's side, the Xabi Alonso unsung hero type. His understudy Jan Molby is somehow better known that him these days.

Glenbriel Obertan wrote:

debaser wrote:

kas wrote:Stupid theory...surely by winning the league with Liverpool after 20 years, Benitez will become much more attractive to clubs all around the world, considering he's achieved mostly everything in 2 of the top leagues in the world?

Who the f@ck is Ronnie Whelan anyway?

He was in the Liverpool team through the 80s, into the 90s. I just about remember him.

he was the main man in Liverpool's 80's side, the Xabi Alonso unsung hero type. His understudy Jan Molby is somehow better known that him these days.

Don't forget that football in England started in 1992. Whelan probably played very little after that point, while Molby was around a bit longer..

Biggest load of rubbish I've heard about our club in this past month. And that's saying something.

Rafa hasn't prioritised the CL in a good few years and when he did it was because he knew and we all knew our squad wasn't good enough to go the 38 games in the league. He gambled on a cup competition where it's much easier to get that bit of luck that takes you through.

IMO the CL game this week is just as important as the Fulham game was or any league game for that matter if not more. We need to go through in this group to keep faith and to gain financially. It would be unthinkable to miss out on the revenue considering the state our club is in. And to be honest the CL is a special competition to Liverpool fans, we've had our greatest nights under Rafa in it and probably some of the greatest nights in our history, it would be a disaster if we were to get knocked out at the group stage.

Twisted logic this. Press, refs, and injuries have all combined to destabilize Liverpool so much.

Torrente wrote:

"It's all gone wrong with the manager and he's shown exactly where his priorities lie,'' Whelan told RTE Television. "He wants to win the European Cup so he can get a job in Europe. For me, his days have got to be numbered at Liverpool.

So England isn't in Europe now?

What a stupid theory. How can anybody be that stupid?
Is anybody in England debating whether or not he is right?

Super Higuain wrote:What a stupid theory. How can anybody be that stupid?
Is anybody in England debating whether or not he is right?

Even putting aside everything else, he said that on a Republic of Ireland TV channel no one in the UK has access to and unless I'm mistaken I can't remember seeing him doing punditry in the UK ever for that matter.

He's a Liverpool legend you have to respect his opinion on the matter.

L r dd wrote:He's a Liverpool legend you have to respect his opinion on the matter.

Not if it is fucking stupid. You think he has a point?

It's Leetard

Super Higuain wrote:

L r dd wrote:He's a Liverpool legend you have to respect his opinion on the matter.

Not if it is fucking stupid. You think he has a point?

If Liverpool didn't have Lyon in midweek i suspect it'd have been a different team and he'd have done different things, so to an extent yes.

@ TS...Eh what?

If one of your ex-Real greats come down on Pellegrini accusing him to have saved Cristiano Ronaldo for CL, would you consider that right? This is a blatant fabrication.

Dualist wrote:If one of your ex-Real greats come down on Pellegrini accusing him to have saved Cristiano Ronaldo for CL, would you consider that right? This is a blatant fabrication.

Im sorry I don't quite follow. What is a fabrication?

Also don't get your first question because the question is whether Benitez is aiming for a european job and this was the reason for his choices against Fulham.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Sca7Zbsh_U

That was a great goal, i remember it like it was yesterday.

I don't think our foreign posters quite understand how it works with our press and Benitez.

They loathe him.

You won't ever see Sralix Ferguson mocked up as a dead bird or a root vegetable in one of our papers that's for sure.

The Times at least made the point on Saturday that Benitez is the top 4 manager who is "outperforming his wage bill" but other than that its all negative.

Anthony Kastrinakis wrote a "match report" in the Sun last year after Liverpool actually won a game (at Pompey) which was just an attack on Benitez.

It was he who wrote today's article - Carragher got a 5, Torres 7 and everyone else got 0.

They are always talking about how Benitez has been "bailed out" by Gerrard or Torres but you never heard of Sralix being "bailed out" by ronaldo or Rooney.

If he loses he is shit - if he wins he is lucky.

Super Higuain wrote:

Dualist wrote:If one of your ex-Real greats come down on Pellegrini accusing him to have saved Cristiano Ronaldo for CL, would you consider that right? This is a blatant fabrication.

Im sorry I don't quite follow. What is a fabrication?

Also don't get your first question because the question is whether Benitez is aiming for a european job and this was the reason for his choices against Fulham.

I referred to this stupid theory as fabrication. Whelan was probably asked to criticize Benitez personally. This happens all the time in Production houses. Rte is one of the strangest at work. They don't take sides and irrevocably "attack" people.

Btw I was referring to another Real Madrid fan Lrdd.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:I don't think our foreign posters quite understand how it works with our press and Benitez.

They loathe him.

You won't ever see Sralix Ferguson mocked up as a dead bird or a root vegetable in one of our papers that's for sure.

The Times at least made the point on Saturday that Benitez is the top 4 manager who is "outperforming his wage bill" but other than that its all negative.

Anthony Kastrinakis wrote a "match report" in the Sun last year after Liverpool actually won a game (at Pompey) which was just an attack on Benitez.

It was he who wrote today's article - Carragher got a 5, Torres 7 and everyone else got 0.

They are always talking about how Benitez has been "bailed out" by Gerrard or Torres but you never heard of Sralix being "bailed out" by ronaldo or Rooney.

If he loses he is shit - if he wins he is lucky.

completely true. Rafa isn't charismatic, he doesn't lose his temper, he doesn't really offer anything for the media to get their teeth into. Wenger is similar in the fact that his press conferences can be pretty guarded but he has learned to play the game. Managers like Roy Hodgeson and Harry Redknapp are real media darlings because they will make them self available and give candid interviews. Avram Grant had the same problem, and it goes some way to explaining why Fabio Capello doesn't get the kind of fuss made of him that perhaps he should.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:I don't think our foreign posters quite understand how it works with our press and Benitez.

They loathe him.

You won't ever see Sralix Ferguson mocked up as a dead bird or a root vegetable in one of our papers that's for sure.

The Times at least made the point on Saturday that Benitez is the top 4 manager who is "outperforming his wage bill" but other than that its all negative.

Anthony Kastrinakis wrote a "match report" in the Sun last year after Liverpool actually won a game (at Pompey) which was just an attack on Benitez.

It was he who wrote today's article - Carragher got a 5, Torres 7 and everyone else got 0.

They are always talking about how Benitez has been "bailed out" by Gerrard or Torres but you never heard of Sralix being "bailed out" by ronaldo or Rooney.

If he loses he is shit - if he wins he is lucky.

Assuming you are right why is this happening? I mean Liverpool is well liked club from what I understand or I gues you are saying it is a direct attack on Benitez.

I could figure it has something to do with him never doing great in EPL and that for long people thought he would rather want to win the Cl then premiership.

Glenbriel Obertan wrote:
completely true. Rafa isn't charismatic, he doesn't lose his temper, he doesn't really offer anything for the media to get their teeth into.

Except outlandish conspiracy theories about referees and the FA. And near constant criticism of referees. And a lot of excuse making.

No doubt Benitez gets much more criticism than Fergie and Wenger, but don't kid yourself that it is because he doesn't play the game. His 'facts' press conference was one of the most premeditated, staged PR strategies you will ever see in your life.

Glenbriel Obertan wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:I don't think our foreign posters quite understand how it works with our press and Benitez.

They loathe him.

You won't ever see Sralix Ferguson mocked up as a dead bird or a root vegetable in one of our papers that's for sure.

The Times at least made the point on Saturday that Benitez is the top 4 manager who is "outperforming his wage bill" but other than that its all negative.

Anthony Kastrinakis wrote a "match report" in the Sun last year after Liverpool actually won a game (at Pompey) which was just an attack on Benitez.

It was he who wrote today's article - Carragher got a 5, Torres 7 and everyone else got 0.

They are always talking about how Benitez has been "bailed out" by Gerrard or Torres but you never heard of Sralix being "bailed out" by ronaldo or Rooney.

If he loses he is shit - if he wins he is lucky.

completely true. Rafa isn't charismatic, he doesn't lose his temper, he doesn't really offer anything for the media to get their teeth into. Wenger is similar in the fact that his press conferences can be pretty guarded but he has learned to play the game. Managers like Roy Hodgeson and Harry Redknapp are real media darlings because they will make them self available and give candid interviews. Avram Grant had the same problem, and it goes some way to explaining why Fabio Capello doesn't get the kind of fuss made of him that perhaps he should.

Avram Grant suffered, hands-down, the worst witch-hunt I could remember of. Concur with whatever you say. But I think Wenger is a spin doctor, conniving and contriving the press. He is good at deflecting attention from his shortcomings.

Benitez will learn to deal this by experience.

Stimulus Package wrote:

Glenbriel Obertan wrote:
completely true. Rafa isn't charismatic, he doesn't lose his temper, he doesn't really offer anything for the media to get their teeth into.

Except outlandish conspiracy theories about referees and the FA. And near constant criticism of referees. And a lot of excuse making.

No doubt Benitez gets much more criticism than Fergie and Wenger, but don't kid yourself that it is because he doesn't play the game. His 'facts' press conference was one of the most premeditated, staged PR strategies you will ever see in your life.

you are an idiot and have no clue as to the PR strategies I have seen

thanks for stalking, come again

Dualist wrote:

Glenbriel Obertan wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:I don't think our foreign posters quite understand how it works with our press and Benitez.

They loathe him.

You won't ever see Sralix Ferguson mocked up as a dead bird or a root vegetable in one of our papers that's for sure.

The Times at least made the point on Saturday that Benitez is the top 4 manager who is "outperforming his wage bill" but other than that its all negative.

Anthony Kastrinakis wrote a "match report" in the Sun last year after Liverpool actually won a game (at Pompey) which was just an attack on Benitez.

It was he who wrote today's article - Carragher got a 5, Torres 7 and everyone else got 0.

They are always talking about how Benitez has been "bailed out" by Gerrard or Torres but you never heard of Sralix being "bailed out" by ronaldo or Rooney.

If he loses he is shit - if he wins he is lucky.

completely true. Rafa isn't charismatic, he doesn't lose his temper, he doesn't really offer anything for the media to get their teeth into. Wenger is similar in the fact that his press conferences can be pretty guarded but he has learned to play the game. Managers like Roy Hodgeson and Harry Redknapp are real media darlings because they will make them self available and give candid interviews. Avram Grant had the same problem, and it goes some way to explaining why Fabio Capello doesn't get the kind of fuss made of him that perhaps he should.

Avram Grant suffered, hands-down, the worst witch-hunt I could remember of. Concur with whatever you say. But I think Wenger is a spin doctor, conniving and contriving the press. He is good at deflecting attention from his shortcomings.

Benitez will learn to deal this by experience.

That prize goes to Alain Perrin.

Alrighty. I did exaggerate.