Rafa Benitez's most head-scratching quotes
Wednesday 21 September 2016 08:54, UK
Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez has turned to a Spanish proverb for inspiration after his side's surprise 2-0 home defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, although it is not the first time the Spaniard has left people scratching their heads following a bizarre pronouncement.
Newcastle slipped to third in the Sky Bet Championship standings following their weekend reverse at St James' Park, with Benitez calling on the club to be united now in their attempts to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
However, the Magpies boss caused more than a little confusion with his analogy, saying: "We need to realise we're now the head of the mouse, and not the tail of the lion. It's a Spanish expression.
"So, when you are in the Premier League, you are the tail of the lion and some people are happy being the tail of the lion, some prefer to be the head of the mouse.
"When you are at the top and strong enough, we want to make sure we are strong enough to be sure that we can manage the games."
It is not the first time, though, that Benitez has bewildered people with an odd phrase or parable, as these other examples from his managerial career show…
"I was hoping for a sofa and they've brought me a lamp" (Benitez's response in 2004 when he asked the Valencia board to buy Samuel Eto'o, but was given the winger Fabian Canobbio instead)
"When I was at Valencia my wife said that we would win the league. She was right and to mark the occasion she asked me for a new watch. I bought her the watch, but then she said that we would win the UEFA Cup and that when we did she wanted another watch. Now she says that we will win the Champions League and that she will want an even more expensive watch. My wife has a lot of confidence and a lot of watches" (After his wife Montse Benitez predicted Liverpool would win the 2005 Champions League ahead of their semi-final clash with Chelsea)
"After the game, Sheila [the Liverpool club secretary], who was sitting right in line, said to me that the ball had crossed the line. She is a very honest person and that was good enough for me. It was a goal" (On Luis Garcia's 'ghost goal' in the 2005 Champions League semi-final)
"How can you tell your wife you are just popping out to play a match and then not come back for five days?" (After being asked about Test cricket in 2005)
"You must wait until the end, and at the end of the season you can say it was a good or a bad season" (In response to talk of a crisis at Liverpool in October 2005)
"Winning trophies has made me put on weight" (Benitez says he is not getting enough exercise in his day job at Anfield in January 2006)
"If you have a car and you win a race, you cannot just settle for that. You must try and make the car better. We're a good car but you always want a bigger engine" (Speaking in April 2006, Benitez says he wants to transform Liverpool from a Mercedes to Maseratis the following season)
"If Chelsea are naive and pure then I'm Little Red Riding Hood" (After playing Chelsea in 2007)
"I was surprised by what has been said, but maybe they [Manchester United] are nervous because we are at the top of the table. But I want to talk about facts. I want to be clear, I do not want to play mind games too early, although they seem to want to start. But I have seen some facts..." (Benitez's infamous 'facts' rant in January 2009 directed at United and their manager Alex Ferguson)
"The champions are the team with the most points... if United have more points, it means they have more points, that's all. Nothing else" (Benitez explains how you win the Premier League after Man Utd pipped Liverpool to the title in May 2009)
"Some people cannot see a priest on a mountain of sugar" (In November 2010 Benitez, then Inter Milan boss, hits back at Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson who had criticised his buys while in charge at Anfield)
"I have a title. Someone decided the title would be 'interim'. Why? Just in case. If they want to blame me for everything that is wrong and then they say, 'We will put interim just in case', fine, that is your decision. I don't agree, but it's your decision and now everybody has to take responsibility" (On being appointed 'interim' Chelsea boss in November 2012)
"Why is your child on the donkey, rather than you?" (Benitez, then under pressure as Napoli boss in December 2013, tries to explain that no matter what the manager of the Serie A club opts to do, there will always be criticism)
