Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez hits back at his critics

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has hit back at Jurgen Klinsmann after the former Germany star attacked his record and the quality of the Reds' squad.

Klinsmann had echoed the concerns of ex-Reds boss Graeme Souness, who warned of a potential "meltdown" at Anfield.

But Benitez said: "There is always criticism but I don't listen. I turn off the volume on the TV."

The Spaniard added sarcastically: "Both have fantastic records as managers, so the fans ignore what they say."

Ex-Germany and Bayern Munich boss Klinsmann, who was linked with taking over the managerial reins at Anfield only two years ago, said this week that Liverpool lacked creativity, quality and consistency.

Klinsmann guided Germany to the World Cup semi-finals on home soil in 2006, but his tenure at Bayern lasted less than a season before he was sacked in April.

Benitez responded to Klinsmann's criticism by saying: "I think he was an expert in marketing. His management career? Short."

Liverpool, who signed off from their disappointing Champions League campaign with a home defeat by Fiorentina on Wednesday, are looking to regroup for the second half of the season.

The Reds, who lie seventh in the Premier League and have only won three of their last 14 games in all competitions, take on Arsenal on Sunday in a game that will be vital for their hopes of a top-four finish.

Souness, who had an unsuccessful stint as Liverpool boss between 1991 and 1994, has grave concerns over the consequences for his old club if they fail to qualify for next season's Champions League.

But Benitez, who is boosted by having Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Alberto Aquilani fit at the same time for the first time this season, is upbeat about his side's prospects.

"Now let's see whether we can improve our position and get into the top four," Benitez said.

"We can improve, we can be in the top four and we can win a trophy. It is only what you would expect from a top side.

"We have had a bad spell but we are still very close to the top four. And our top players are available. We must start again, maybe it will be too late (in the league), you never know."

Liverpool are 12 points behind top-of-the-table Chelsea after 15 games and Torres believes that hopes of winning a trophy lie in other competitions.

The Spanish star, who came off the bench to play 30 minutes against Fiorentina in midweek after more than a month out with a groin injury, explained: "We are out of the Champions League, we are really far away from the top of the Premier League, so we have to change our targets.

"We have to look to the Europa League, the FA Cup as the only competitions we can win this season. And making sure that we stay in the top four."

Torres has scored 10 goals in 14 games so far this campaign and hopes to stay fit to help his side achieve their aims.

"I know I am considered one of the key players and people are expecting a lot from me, plenty of goals, and my team mates expect that from me too.

"But for me it is just nice to be back fit, and for me to try to make those things possible. I just want to play and to help the team.

"After the injuries I have to prove that I am able to live up to those expectations. Hopefully we can now play together as a team, much better than we have been doing now."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/8408904.stm

Rafa

He's as right as they are

Goodness me. Credit to Rafa for saying that.

Hes not wrong...

So have nothing really to add.

L r dd wrote:He's as right as they are

What do you mean by saying right?

Rafael Benítez admits debt has affected Liverpool's title hopes

• Financial constraints hit manager's plans
• Owners to attend game against Arsenal

* Andy Hunter
* The Guardian, Saturday 12 December 2009


Rafael Benítez has conceded that Liverpool's title prospects were undermined this summer due to pressure to reduce the debt loaded on to the club by the owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett. In a frank admission ahead of tomorrow's game at home to Arsenal, the Liverpool manager also suggested the club are burdened by unrealistic expectation given a transfer budget that is unlikely to improve without new investment.

Benítez had until now steadfastly refused to blame Liverpool's financial predicament for the failure to build on last season's second-placed finish, despite spending only what he raised through player sales in the summer, after the American owners were ordered to lower the club's debt from £310m to £250m in their latest refinancing deal in July.

He departed from that policy yesterday, spurred by Graeme Souness's criticisms following Wednesday's Champions League defeat to Fiorentina, when the former Liverpool manager spoke of fears the club could follow Leeds United into "meltdown". Benítez delivered a considered assessment of Liverpool's finances rather than an outright attack on Hicks and Gillett, who are expected to attend the game at Anfield, but confirmed supporters' suspicions that debt has impacted on the pitch.

"I don't see Liverpool in the same way as Leeds," the Liverpool manager said. "One of the priorities this year was to reduce the debt so the club is working very hard to do this and I think that our position will be much better. We were doing a very good job this year trying to reduce the debt.

"It was one of the most important things that we had to manage. Along with football issues we had to manage them together. When I signed my five-year contract [in March] we knew that we had to work together so we will try to do the best for the club. Sometimes you can do it and still perform on the pitch and sometimes you have to wait a little bit. Sometimes you have to think about the big picture and the future of the club and that means you have to do your best on both sides."

Benítez is assumed to have spent around £38.5m on new players this summer and raised a similar sum through the sales of Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa, Sebastián Leto and Paul Anderson. Liverpool did not actually pay out £38.5m, however. Roma revealed on their website they received only a first instalment of £5m on the £18m transfer of Alberto Aquilani, and Glen Johnson's £17m arrival from Portsmouth comprised writing off monies owed by the Fratton Park club for Peter Crouch and a loan fee for Jermaine Pennant.
The Liverpool manager also wanted to sign Stevan Jovetic from Fiorentina, before the Montenegro striker scored twice against his team in the Champions League, and Matthew Upson of West Ham, only to discover both were out of the club's financial reach. Asked if his net spend was nothing this summer, Benítez replied: "Yes."

Liverpool's managing director, Christian Purslow, has stated there was a net spend of £20m but that includes the new long-term contracts awarded to Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Daniel Agger. "I think that we have to accept our situation and then try to do the best in the conditions that we have," Benítez said. "Can we improve with these conditions? I think so but it is a question of time."

Purslow has started a global search for new investors willing to meet the Americans' £100m asking price for a 25% stake in Liverpool. But Benítez denied the club are vulnerable to, for example, a big-money bid from Manchester City for Torres next month. "No chance. No chance," he said. "We will continue doing our job and continue keeping our players because we want to stay in the top four."

He was also adamant there will not be an exodus from Anfield should the team fail to qualify for the Champions League this season. He added: "We will be in the top four. I have to be positive. I am realistic. I see the players training every day and I can see that we have enough quality to finish in the top four."

Benítez said that the demanding expectations on Liverpool bore little relation to the financial reality of the club. He explained: "No one was expecting Valencia [his former club] to win the league after 31 years. The problem with Liverpool is that it is a top side and everyone is expecting every single year to win trophies, trophies, trophies. The reality is that we have to work very hard to be at the same level as the other teams.

"I have said before we have to be perfect. So if you make one mistake you can see the difference. We have to improve and then we will see if we can close the gap. I think the people inside the club know what the situation is and that is the reason why we are working together and trying to improve everything. It is difficult to explain to the media and the fans every single issue but we have to keep working inside and trying to do the best for the club."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/12/rafael-benitez-liverpool-finances
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Reading stuff like this only adds to the worry, paying in installments for Aquilani and missing out on primary targets is not what we want to hear. Rafa is working in very difficult conditions right now, say what you like about the past, yes he's spent a lot but for the most part it worked - we won a European cup, got to several big finals and finished 4 points off the title last season. Losing a key player and then being denied targets would be difficult for any club, that's why the likes of Souness need to keep quiet, they don't know the facts going on behind the scenes.

Almost every transfer is paid in installments what the fuck this is nothing new. He still spent 20 mill he's still a 20 mill player. And the other bit is just mere speculation, problem this writer wrote articles of Pool being after Upson. The Jovetic stuff sounds nonsense.

18 mill on an RB, 2 mill on a greek bum...20 mill on a crock and you're skint and it's unfair to Rafa he has to work in these conditions

Shut up lrd

L r dd wrote:18 mill on an RB, 2 mill on a greek bum...20 mill on a crock and you're skint and it's unfair to Rafa he has to work in these conditions

L r dd wrote:18 mill on an RB, 2 mill on a greek bum...20 mill on a crock and you're skint and it's unfair to Rafa he has to work in these conditions

This sums it up, Rafa is bullshit in the transfer market, it's been obvious for years.