Want to make your Guess on Rafa's Pool Future ?
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Make your guess, who thinks Rafa will be out of Pool by the end of December? Or will he survive this episode...
STAY - (after saying sorry)
OUT - (get the sack)
REMAIN - (a problem)
Maybe he won't even last after this wednesday's CL match against Porto...
Say Sorry Rafa or you're out
RAFA BENITEZ’S Liverpool reign looks doomed — even in the unlikely event of him backing down. The Kop boss faces the bullet after an amazing outburst against the club’s American owners. Tom Hicks and George Gillett ignored the chance to back Benitez in a joint statement yesterday and his job is hanging by a thread.
The US tycoons have clearly lost faith in their manager. Now it would seem only a major U-turn by Benitez, effectively a public apology, could have any chance of saving him. But even that is remote, after another day when Hicks and Gillett refused to throw their support behind him.
Their statement read: “Despite speculation, there is nothing new to say. “We had a good win yesterday and have got some very important games coming up starting with Porto on Wednesday, followed by Bolton and Reading, before Marseille and Manchester United in a few weeks. “Both of us and chief executive Rick Parry plan to meet with Rafa when we come over mid-December to make decisions on the team’s requirements at that time.”
Benitez outraged Hicks in particular with his public dissent against their policies over the past four days. The Spaniard was furious at what he saw as a deliberate refusal to give him definite answers about any business in the transfer window. Hicks told the Kop boss he should concentrate on preparing his players and would not discuss the situation until he and Gillett flew to England next month. Benitez’s response was to use the phrase “as always I am focused on training and coaching my team,” a staggering 15 times at a Press conference on Thursday, despite club big-wigs trying to talk him out of it.
But after Saturday’s 3-0 win at Newcastle Benitez was still unhappy at the situation. He said: “I am trying to do the best as a manager for my club to bring money back to spend on better players. I need to sign three players now. "To do that you need to talk with agents and players now or we will lose some targets — and it’ll be more expensive in the summer “They need to know how difficult it is to sign players. They don’t understand what it means, the transfer system in Europe — it’s not a draft system.”
Suggestions the decision to sack him has already been taken are premature but the day is fast approaching and chances of stepping back from the brink very slender. Jose Mourinho has not yet, however, been lined up to replace him — even though past verbal swipes at the club have not stopped him having supporters within Anfield.
But Mourinho cannot take another Premier League job this season and his own reputation for speaking his mind has not gone unnoticed by the Americans. Yet he was a strong contender for the Liverpool job before Benitez was appointed in 2004 and is a big admirer of the clubÂ’s achievements.
The Americans are so enraged at Benitez trying to call their bluff they are now close to running out of patience. They had already started to doubt whether the Spaniard was the right man to lead them to a first Premier League crown. And they became less convinced he could be trusted to bring in the players needed to deliver that. BenitezÂ’s relationship with Parry has become rocky at best. Even sections of fans have become unconvinced, feeling his rotation policy has led to slip-ups. -
Benitez has refused to back down in his dispute with the owners
Benitez renews attack on owners
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has again risked the wrath of the club's American owners by openly questioning their transfer policy. The Spaniard was told by club co-owner Tom Hicks to "quit talking about new players" after suggesting they were holding up his transfer plans. But Benitez ignored that plea, saying: "They don't understand what the transfer window means in Europe. "They need to understand how difficult it is to sign players."
The rift between Benitez and Liverpool's American owners has led to speculation in a number of newspapers that the Spaniard's job is under threat, with Jose Mourinho in line to replace him. However, Hicks and co-owner George Gillett released a statement on the club's official website late on Sunday to dampen speculation. "Despite speculation in today's newspapers, there is nothing new to say," said the statement. "We had a good win on Saturday and have got some very important games coming up starting with Porto on Wednesday, followed by Bolton and Reading, before Marseille and Manchester United in a few weeks.
"Both of us, together with chief executive Rick Parry, plan to meet with Rafa when we come over mid-December to make decisions on the team's requirements at that time." Benitez has himself admitted that the relationship had soured since a meeting after the draw with Arsenal on 28 October. "We had a meeting which was really positive. After this something changed," he said. "They told me to be focused on coaching and training because Rick Parry will be looking after signing players."
In a bizarre press conference ahead of Saturday's win over Newcastle, Benitez answered a series of questions with the words: "I am focused on training and coaching my team." He even went as far as suggesting he could be a candidate for the England post. That led Hicks to tell the Liverpool Echo: "We told him to concentrate on the games coming up. I guess he didn't like it. -
i hope he leaves and someone comes in and wants to keep carson....
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I'm not sure where you got that article from but it's extremely biased and did not reflect the full picture.Originally posted by zocoss:Benitez renews attack on owners
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has again risked the wrath of the club's American owners by openly questioning their transfer policy. The Spaniard was told by club co-owner Tom Hicks to "quit talking about new players" after suggesting they were holding up his transfer plans. But Benitez ignored that plea, saying: "They don't understand what the transfer window means in Europe. "They need to understand how difficult it is to sign players."
The rift between Benitez and Liverpool's American owners has led to speculation in a number of newspapers that the Spaniard's job is under threat, with Jose Mourinho in line to replace him.
The part in red was only part of what Benitez said.
He went on to say that he is not looking for new money to sign players.
He has a few targets who will be available in Jan due to bosman ruling.
He's looking at free signings who can help the team.
He made the effort to explain everything in detail but the English media only seems interested to get him into further trouble. -
liverpool can get jose mourinho for all i care.
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Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez wants to reconcile his differences with club owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, BBC Sport understands. But the Spaniard's attempts at a truce may be too late after he openly criticised the duo for holding up his transfer plans.
Hicks and Gillett have said they will meet with Benitez in mid-December. A source close to Benitez told the Liverpool Echo newspaper: "Rafa loves it at Liverpool."
The source said Benitez would not walk away from Anfield adding: "He loves the people of the city, he loves the fans and he loves the club. All he wants is what's best for the fans - he gets frustrated when he feels he's not able to do that.
"But he is happy with Tom and George owning the club and he has enjoyed working with them since he came and he has no problem working with (chief executive) Rick (Parry).
"All he wants is to be able to continue the job that he's started so he can continue improving the squad in a bid to deliver the title he knows Tom, George and Rick want just as badly as he does. "The manager has got a few transfers that he wants to get done, one in January and two Bosmans in the summer but it looks like he is going to miss out on the first one now.
"That frustrated him because the first one was a centre half, a position he feels we really need back-up in. "The frustration stems from the fact that communication has been so difficult with everyone being so far apart and in different time zones. "But the fans should be reassured Rafa has no plans of walking away. He loves it here and his family are settled on Merseyside."
Gillett (left) and Hicks have not been impressed by their manager's comments -
i tink he will stay
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No offence but Rafa will leave.
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Will we all wake up tomorrow to the news that Rafa Benitez has been sack?
Well, with Derby and also Birmingham in a way sacking their own managers recently, losing to Porto tonight could make this a reality for ah Ben too... -
i guess pool vs porto will be a big game
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marseille cant even cope with bestika. i think liverpool will qualify by beating them.Originally posted by anhydrouscoppersulphate:i guess pool vs porto will be a big game -
Luckily they won..Originally posted by anhydrouscoppersulphate:i guess pool vs porto will be a big game