Rafael BenÃtez lost the most trusted member of his managerial team yesterday when Pako Ayestarán, his confidant and assistant for the past 11 years, quit after a series of disputes with the Liverpool manager. Liverpool's assistant manager tendered his resignation to BenÃtez after being confronted over reports linking him with a return to his native Spain.
Although he has not formally severed ties with the club, the 44-year-old Ayestarán will not be on the bench for today's Premier League game at home to Derby County and his departure will be confirmed once outstanding contractual issues have been resolved."He said that maybe he would like to leave the club and we are now analysing the situation" was as much as BenÃtez was prepared to divulge on the matter yesterday, though the depth of his grievance with his friend is acute.
They began collaborating more than a decade ago and their fortunes have risen in tandem, with promotion to the Primera División with Tenerife and two league titles and a Uefa Cup at Valencia before moving to Liverpool in 2004 and extending their successful relationship with Champions League and FA Cup wins.
It is Ayestarán, a qualified fitness coach, who is credited with the rotation policy that has generated both silverware and criticism for BenÃtez at the Mestalla and Anfield and he has been instrumental in the improved fitness and sports science methods introduced at Liverpool. Charts detailing the exact minutes each player has performed during a season, which line BenÃtez's office and influence selection policy, are an Ayestarán trademark, along with a man-made hill the duo had constructed at the club's Melwood training ground to improve stamina levels.
His influence is not confined to physical conditioning, however, with the Liverpool assistant manager used as a sounding board for tactical and technical advice by BenÃtez who, with his team unbeaten and impressive in the Premier League and Champions League qualifiers, admitted the departure came at the worst possible time. "Yes it has," he conceded.
BenÃtez added: "Eleven years we have worked together but now we must analysis the situation. I know things but the best thing now is to say nothing and wait. I think he will go but I don't think he will be at the game tomorrow."
Ayestarán's resignation is understood to have followed a series of disagreements between the pair, including changes to Liverpool's pre-season training routine as BenÃtez sought to avoid a repeat of the team's poor start to last season, but reports linking the coach with a return to Valencia this week brought matters to a head after training on Thursday.
Ayestarán had been strongly tipped to take up a director-of-football role at Athletic Bilbao in the summer depending on the outcome of the Basque club's presidential election. The candidate with whom Ayestarán was associated lost, and BenÃtez believed that would end the uncertainty surrounding his friend and colleague, but he has been dismayed at fresh reports of interest from Valencia.
BenÃtez opted to confront Ayestarán over the Valencia link on Thursday afternoon and his assistant announced that he no longer wished to work for the club. The Liverpool squad were informed of the development yesterday.
