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View from the Kop

Do FSG Fear Benitez?

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IN the eleven days that have passed since Kenny’s departure we’ve seen a who’s who of managerial candidates linked with the position from Roberto Martinez & Didier Deschamps through to Andre Villas-Boas & Jurgen Klopp. But so far the only links between LFC and Rafa Benitez have been either via the press or by the massive wave of optimistic support from the fans themselves. Despite what we may or may not want, it really is beginning to seem as if Rafa is not going to be under consideration this time around and there can really only be one reason for this:

Something about him scares FSG.

The first and perhaps most obvious reason, would be that he’d been sacked from his last two jobs. Two very, very high-profile jobs. He was moved on from Liverpool after the clubs worst league season under him and Inter Milan sacked him after an average start to his first season. However, his final season with the Reds was still a better one than either of our last two and after Jose Mourinho won Inter the treble, he was always going to be under intense scrutiny from Massimo Moratti – a man renowned in Italy for his impatience with managers.

I feel that they would have much greater foresight than this though (they must have if Roberto Martinez is their main candidate for the job!) because even a cursory glance at his CV shows a man that is more than capable and easily qualifies for the job. 2 La Liga titles with what was (during his time there) one of the least fashionable and smallest clubs in the Spanish elite league, and a UEFA Cup. Then on to Liverpool and a Champions League in his first season, followed by the FA Cup and a number of other cups and minor trophies at Inter, Liverpool and Valencia. Perhaps most importantly for us, as Liverpool fans, he took us as close as we’ve ever come to the Premier League title in 2009 and that means a lot because we know he is one of the few that would know what it takes to get us back there.

So surely all of this would see him at least qualify for an interview? Well, you’d certainly think so but it would appear that the answer is no, as despite the conflicting reports between press, it seems that he still hasn’t been approached by FSG. Given his popularity amongst the fans though – and his exemplary CV – it really is hard to understand why. I mean sure, they’re supposedly looking at younger managers with potential but he isn’t exactly ancient, being in his early 50’s so there has to be something else.

A look over his previous period as manager shows that he earned himself a reputation for being something of a troublesome figure, so this would probably end up being a factor. While his relationship with Hicks and Gillett got off to a positive start it quickly deteriorated when the owners absenteeism became more and more prevalent, when transfer promises weren’t keep and when the transfer kitty began to dry up toward the end of his reign when Benitez felt like we were at a potential turning point, having finished 2nd. The following season did not go well and Rafa and his supporters still put that down to his identified transfer targets not being chased and promises made over policy, etc. not being kept.

Also, Benitez had a penchant for not being afraid to voice his concerns through the media, as he did several times during his term. The press would – often willingly – allow themselves to be used as a conduit through which he could pass messages to the fans about the situation at the club and speak about other issues that he was unhappy over, such as referees, opposition players and managers (one in particular springs to mind) and I think that this would provide a sore point in particular, given how much was made of the situation Kenny created around the Suarez affair during his press interviews and conferences at that time. Like Kenny, Rafa is not a man that is afraid to speak his mind and after the bad press the club received between December and February this year, they may well be looking to ‘more press friendly and affable’ as a pre-requisite for the new boss and Benitez does not fit that bill at all.
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Of course, whether he was press-friendly, board-friendly or owner-friendly matters little, as everything Benitez did was for the benefit of his club and team and all of his problems with the previous owners stems from one thing: he wants total control over the club, academy, staff, player recruitment and transfer policy to achieve these ends, and between 2004-2010 he gradually got his way. Depending on your POV regarding Benitez the club was either better or worse for it but the Spaniard does not like to work ‘under’ anybody and I think this would perhaps be the main sticking point, given that the owners have a Director of Football or Sporting Director position in mind, with a younger manager working under them. Benitez would neither want, nor be happy in this role and he would undoubtedly kick up a fuss at some point should he be shoehorned in to this situation. Many still remember his parting shot at the Valencia owners when he was quoted as saying ‘I wanted a sofa and they bought me a lamp’, which sums up his attitude to owners that try to interfere with the day-to-day working of a top European club side – he finds it irritating and completely unacceptable and a DoF advising him or ‘interfering’ when he was busy looking for new players would not sit well.

From what we know of Fenway, they’re a group of businessmen – fronted by John Henry – that like to have a tight grip on their ‘franchises’. Sure, they’ll pretty much let the club run itself for the most part but, as we saw on Wednesday 16th, they will take the action that they feel needs to be taken to protect their investments. Allowing a volatile, outspoken, borderline obsessive man like Rafa full control of the club would be a couple of sidesteps outside of their comfort zone.

Not to mention the man himself but any appointment of Benitez to the club would present another problem to the owners, one which they have been made all too aware of already in their short time at the club: fan power. The Spanish coach is very highly thought of amongst fans and is known to have very close ties with fan-groups in the area. Indeed, he still lives in the area himself, with his family and home being just on the Wirral. With the pressure the fans exerted on the previous owners, it wouldn’t take too much of an imagination stretch to foresee any potential flashpoints down the line, should all promises not be met or his preferred transfer targets be missed out on.

Ironically, fan-power may well end up working against us in this case though as despite being the clear fan-favourite, Benitez’s popularity with the fans – and his past – appears to have ruled him out. At least as far as we can see. Of course, as far as we’re aware only Roberto Martinez has been approached by the clubs’ owners, despite what the press might’ve said about all of the potential candidates. One thing is certain though and that is that, of all the men that are possibly in the running, Rafa Benitez would present the owners with the most headaches and this may well give them cause to fear him and, unfortunately for us, will ultimately rule him out altogether.

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I'm a 32 year old Liverpool fan, living in the heart of the City Centre. I've supported the club since the day I was born and have been writing articles for L4L for over 3 years, writing close over 350 articles in that time. My favorite player of the past generation is Sami Hyypia.

I am the current editor for L4L, with my day job being in R&D for the NHS.

121 comments

  • xna says:

    Let Rafa rest with all the plaudits hes recieving and i once again thank him for Istanbul, IMO Rafa is much more direct and predictable above all defensive…. Kenny would have been a great success with his pass and move philisophy but unlike a succesfull pass and move side Kenny failed to apply the zonal marking i.e whole of the midfield along with full backs hurry to press the ball when we loose it so often… had kenny got that tactics right we still will be laughing with atleast 3rd spot… u guys can look at the way Barca steals the ball when they loose, i find it much interesting than the way they pass… well, i think Martinez can instill such zonal marking in our midfield… so No Rafa No, hes more defensive and inferrior

  • stan howard says:

    MARTINEZ WOULD HAVE WON THE cl IN 2005 WITH THAT lIVERPOOL SIDE ? ACCORDING TO DIVVY MACAULEY HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN THE CHANCE.
    DIVVY BEING AN OLD SCOUSER TERM FOR A KNOW NOTHING IDIOT.

  • stah h says:

    Steve macauley
    When Matinez gets the job Tomorrow, I will be proved 100% right in all that I said.
    I SAID ALSO THE AMERICANS LIED AND I PROVED IT 100% .
    YOU QUESTIONED IF I WAS REALLY A FAN AND I BLEW YOU OUT OF THE WATER 100%.
    WHEN I USED TO DISCUSS THE GAME OVER A FEW DRINKS WITH GEOFF TWENTYMAN YOU WERE PROBABLY A SNOTTY NOSED KID.
    So please dont be disrespectful, I accept that you are not too bright, therefore I forgive your bad manners. it takes brains to construct a reasoned argument, any fool can call truth lies.

    • steve mcauley says:

      you proved nothing! and i never questioned if you were a fan! but one thing you have proved is you’re a know all!
      keep in touch divvy and we’ll meet up next time i’m over unless you’re too busy having drinks with the saint!

      • Jimmy Areabi (Editor) says:

        Ste/Stan,
        Leave it out now eh?! Debating’s all well and good – that is much the point of these articles, but there’s no place in getting personal and threatening. It’s the internet fellas. Besides…your overworking my swear filter 😉

        • steve mcauley says:

          well give that old numpty my e-mail address so i can continue responding to his crap!

  • gaz says:

    wow so many points of view here!
    well how about…

    wait for it…

    …Martinez as manager and Benitez as director of football, i reckon it could work too!

  • Mike Arms says:

    Forget the hype and media frenzy, when appointing any manager whether in football or in the office the first thing you look at is the CV. Rafa’s CV speaks for itself and would warrant an interview, at interview both parties would outline their ideas, vision and expectations. Once all short listed managers have gone through this process then a decision is made. We are assuming Rafa has not even had an interview, this to me is what worries me the most about FSG. If Rafa is/was interviewed and they decided he was not the right candidate then I would respect FSG for at least interviewing a high calibre manager. But to dismiss any candidate from being interviewed based on misconceptions, media hype and speculation is both very amateur and churlish.

  • SuaRed says:

    Why is this still being debated? he’s not getting the job so move on!

  • RedRoy says:

    Wow, some response. Look Rafas’ gone, just like Alonso,Torres and Masch! Get over it and get behind our great club. It’s a clean slate, the past won’t win you anything, just the future. YNWA.

  • rick says:

    The CV is important, but If You want a recruit a young & promising manager with training skills, You have to risk something. Managers are not like dogs. You can’t define a proper manager looking just at his CV, Sometimes You can find a good young manager WHo has the quality to rise. I find all these usual conversations about the “CV” very very very annoying. If Liverpool had watched to CV, They should never have appointed Shakly for first. I would like to know if some fanss are set to give a proper & decent support to the new man in charge. It seems that they are simply read to moan at the first adversity if the owners will decide to pick anyone but “the divinity” Rafa Benitez. Sorry but If You love a man over Liverpool Football Club, maybe You can’t define yourselves supporters, and the best thing you can do is walking away from the Club. You immediately turned Hodgson’s spell in a nightmare after some poor results: DO You want to do the same against the next manager? No thanks, support Manchester City, please.

  • kaysayi says:

    FSG probably have this strange imagination that the philosophy that built Boston Red Sox will work at Anfield. Rafa is just the most logical choice. It can never been seen as a step back because all appointments are based on what candidates have done in the past, and 52% fans, in a poll with 7 other managers,incl Pep, Klopp & Capello, voted for Rafa. That tells you we know he did a good job,when he had the chance until G&H tried him for a scapegoat. John please bring Rafa back!!! John don’t risk a fan revolt

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