Rafa - Cups not everything

Benitez wants to be judged on overall achievements

Last updated: 23rd October 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Rafa - Cups not everything

Benitez: Under pressure

When you are up near the top of the table and reaching the final of the Champions League, maybe it's not as bad as some people may think.

Rafa Benitez.
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Rafa Benitez knows silverware is essential for Liverpool, but insists that is not the only yardstick on which he should be judged.

The Spaniard is facing ever-increasing pressure at Anfield in the wake of a run of four successive defeats which has put their Premier League and UEFA Champions League ambitions under threat.

Back-to-back defeats at the hands of Fiorentina and Lyon in Europe leaves the Reds third in Group E and facing an uphill struggle to reach the knockout stages of the competition they won in 2005.

And Premier League setbacks away to Chelsea and Sunderland have seen the Anfield outfit slide to eighth in the table ahead of Sunday's clash at home to leaders Manchester United, live on Sky Sports 1 and HD1.

Defeat on Merseyside at the hands of their bitter North West rivals would leave the Reds 10 points adrift after the opening 10 games of the season.

And while Benitez knows he is expected to add to the Reds' trophy haul, he feels establishing the Reds as a regular challenger for honours should also be recognised.

Not fair

He said: "This club has to win trophies. That is clear.

"But it's not fair to judge us simply on silverware when you consider we got to the Champions League final in Athens two years ago and then finished second in the league with 86 points last season.

"We broke our Premier League points record (last season). Some people will still say 'oh, no trophies'. We got to Athens, but people may still say 'oh, no trophies'.

"You cannot put Liverpool in the same category as some of the other clubs that have not been winning trophies in that time.

"When you are up near the top of the table and reaching the final of the Champions League, maybe it's not as bad as some people may think. If you want to win things you first have to have a good team and then be consistent."

Comments (23)

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Red Devil (Manchester United fan) says...

"At our club you have to win. Being a good second does not come into it." - Sir Alex Ferguson. "I never wanted Manchester United to be second to anyone. Only the best would be good enough" - Sir Matt Busby. Let Rafa learn, now THAT'S the true spirit of a good manager! ;)

Posted 15:02 23rd October 2009

Nooranee Mahamoodally (Liverpool fan) says...

Mr. Benitez., I disagree....winning is everything in this business. Financially its better for the club, morally its better for the players, pride-wise, its better for us the fans. For the past couple of decades we have suffered terribly for not winning the league and, above that, see MU catch up to us. You've had 5 years at the helm already and have the backing of one of the owners, so what!!! Where's the other guy who pays 50% of your salary and 50% of your transfer kitty. While I do not blame you entirel for our failure, Sir, you have to admit that you are as stubborn as a mule sometimes. You have been successful on building a team around Stevie G, Torres and yes...Alonso. With one of them gone, Liverpool became another premier league team, not the same that finished with 86 pts as you mentioned. With Stevie G and Torres sidelined, we are a mid-table to bottom half team. Please bring in a motivator to get the players back on track. May be they can't understand your accent or you are sending them mixed signals when you say they can do better after they score hat tricks. In other teams( Sir Alex's team for example), non-performers are benched, regardless of stature. May be you should look at your back-line and midfield and change a few things around.Anyway, those are my two cents and I hope Aquillani adapt quickly. Poor guy he's gonna pay for your poor judgements.

Posted 14:28 23rd October 2009

Matthew Slinn (Northampton Town fan) says...

Teams are rembered for what they have won not for coming close to winning. Rafa has finally realised how poor his squad is and id now trying to cover his back before he gets the push. The best Liverpool can hope for this season is a Europa league place as there are maybe 5 ot 6 teams who have stronger squads than them.

Posted 14:20 23rd October 2009

Ian Tonge (Liverpool fan) says...

What a sad apology for wrecking all of our hopes, he sells great players, many for a loss and buys rubbish; our major summer signing is still not able to play. We have no depth in the squad, which is not all down to the spending limits but mainly down to a botchup mananger who simply has not got what it takes to propel a team like Liverpool to the top! Statements like this are real killers, he has no idea, has he?

Posted 14:17 23rd October 2009

Shane Williams (Liverpool fan) says...

This has got to be up there as one of your most ridiculous comments ever Rafa (and there have been a few), silverware is and always will be the most important thing to ALL liverpool fans!

Posted 14:17 23rd October 2009

Chris Brady (Liverpool fan) says...

Rafa, you can't say that a club should not only be judged on trophies, then procede to brag about having beaten Liverpools Premier League points record! Trophies = Being the best team in a competition, Personal Records = ? Fact is, in the league the team with the most pts at the end wins. No point trying to beat old Liverpool tallies, instead you've got to have the top tally right here and now! I'm not trying to be stupidly obviousy, but that "Record breaking" crap is an inadequate defense.

Posted 14:11 23rd October 2009

Red liver King (Liverpool fan) says...

C'mon Rafa don't be such a damned fool. No one remembers such near misses. These are losers talk. Since i was a child i been waiting for Liverpool to win the league. We were almost there last season but it did not gave me any satisfaction being 2nd either. What really counts in Trophies!! for that you need good players and not the like of those in the team at the moment. I don't say they are bad but simply that they are not good enough to be in a Liverpool t-shirt. And finally stop looking for foreign players. The Legendary Liverpool team of the 80's and early 90's had mostly home grown players. Go back to the roots, improve the accademy for the future and stop moaning.

Posted 14:02 23rd October 2009

Gordon Camilleri (Manchester United fan) says...

Rafa Rafa Rafa . . . . tsk tsk tsk. I would understand and embrace this kind of talk if it was coming from Steve Bruce at Sunderland or Martin O Neill at Aston Villa even from Hughes at City - but I do not think that a club with a stature like Liverpool should aim at being consistently charging for honours - they should be winning them. I do not think the likes of Torres and Gerrard would appreciate this kind of talk, it underestimates the star's skills and abilities. Having said that I do not think Liverpool have the squad to challenge for honours but that was your job Rafa. At Liverpool failure to bring home silverware is a FAILURE!!!! FACT ;)

Posted 13:52 23rd October 2009

David Hughes (Liverpool fan) says...

I agree teams are judged on silverware and you do need a consistent team to challenge for trophies but Rafa hasn't build a good enough team to win the league, he needs to start looking for players who can change a game and make an impact as without Gerrard & Torres who else can do this at Liverpool especially now Alonso is gone there isn't anyone who can pick out a defense breaking pass if Gerrard is so high up!!!

Posted 13:52 23rd October 2009

Sean Mcmahon (Manchester United fan) says...

Benitez doesn't know what he's talking about! Cups mean everything!!!!!! Come on United

Posted 13:48 23rd October 2009

Benjamin Agyei (Chelsea fan) says...

If Rafa Benetez is telling us we should not judge him on silverware then he shoild please come up with right basis for judging. He should also tell us the reason for entering into the game.

Posted 13:44 23rd October 2009

John Smith (Liverpool fan) says...

Rafa "If you want to win things you first have to have a good team and then be consistent." liverpool have improved since 2005 but so have many teams around us. rafa failed once again to add depth in the squad. and we are suffering. its almost 2010 five years of excuses.

Posted 13:41 23rd October 2009

Graham Cotter (Manchester United fan) says...

Ironic from a manager still being judged by his fans because of freak champions league trophy 5 years ago!

Posted 13:26 23rd October 2009

Adam Weston (Liverpool fan) says...

No no no no no....Rafa why do you insist on digging your own grave?! Of course a team is judged by trophies.saying this just makes him sound like a) he has lost faith in his own team and b) he has not got enough drive and ambition as a manager. Do you think you would ever see the day that a manager such as Alex Ferguson would come out and say "trophies aren't a priority". Of course not.

Posted 13:25 23rd October 2009

Simmy Smith (Burnley fan) says...

He has not had vast amounts of money to spend like a lot of people say he has. He has had to sell to buy and has bought better players than he had when he was given the job... Any team would struggle if you took their best 2 players out! Utd scraped a 1-1 draw with Sunderland the week before Liverpool played them and Liverpool lost to a goal that never should have been. Utd were at home to Sunderland, Liverpool away without Gerrard, Torres and Mascherano. A lot of people point the finger at Rafa for sticking by players such as Lucas. Lucas is getting better and better game by game. Liverpool have had to adapt to playering without Alonso. Mascherano is playing that role more now but is more of a ball winner than someone who controls the game like Alonso did... Aquilani played 15 mins for reserves midweek and looked decent on the ball playing in the position Gerrard plays for 1st team. Once he gets fit you might see Gerrard playing Alonso's position and Aquilani in Gerrards current position. They were unlucky against Lyon who are a decent side... Kelly and Ngog both did the team proud. Don't think Liverpool are out of the Champions league yet! Last time they struggled in the group stages, they won it!

Posted 13:24 23rd October 2009

Connor Walsh (Manchester United fan) says...

That made no sense whatsoever. Then what exactly are top clubs judged on, Mr. Benitez? Almost won this, almost won that... It's this mentality and belief that he's doing well that has limited Liverpool's potential to perform in modern times even further. Chelsea had 5 managers in two years after Mourinho looking to succeed and win trophies. This is the Premier League and you're managing Liverpool. You're not managing a small 2nd division spanish club. You HAVE to win trophies in England and you HAVE to do so in Liverpool. You are managing one of the top clubs in the world: a Champions League final is far from enough... Time for Benitez to face reality!

Posted 13:17 23rd October 2009

Dylan Sphix (Liverpool fan) says...

I think rafa is wright, we don´t have to win to be a good team but there are bigger issues that liverpool need to sort out. Those who say silverware is all have aobviously never played any sport to a highly competitive level. That said I do think we need to start thinking about re-arranging formations and bringing in players, if the money is not there then letsuse what we have wisely, we need creative players who can also score goals, yes those often cost money, but you can always grab a bargain if you search beyond the biggest teams. And for gods sake play with two strikers always!

Posted 12:57 23rd October 2009

Kristian Herrity (Liverpool fan) says...

Some people may only judge teams on the silverware they win, and some don't. Anyone who describes Liverpool as poor or Rafa Benitez as a bad manager is reacting to the start of the season. 'You're only as good as your last result' indicates if you lose you are poor, win and your brilliant, draw and... who knows! Arsenal are a great side and they haven't silverware to show for their efforts. Personally Liverpool are not playing well. They've lost a massive player, probably the fulcrum of their team last year season and have not replaced him. Poor man management probably contributed to his departure because Alonso always struck me as fairly loyal. Responsibility is collective but Rafa is the focus of discontent. He has made mistakes. We should have another quality striker, maybe two. We should have a top class wide right player, another creative central midfielder and a new stadium but the clubs financial constraints are well documented. Whether they are accurate is something else. So yes, let's think before we talk... a little longer though perhaps.

Posted 12:56 23rd October 2009

John O'shea (Manchester United fan) says...

The fat controller strikes again... what a load of rubbish. sumbody needs to tell "RAFA" that nearly is not good enough and that his team even with torres and gerrard are not good enough.

Posted 12:39 23rd October 2009

Stevie G (Liverpool fan) says...

1st is everything and 2nd is nowhere. Rafa sounds desperate!! Rafa is not getting any closer to winning the league, he should walk away and let someone else do the job he cant

Posted 12:37 23rd October 2009
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