Reds - Business as usual

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Last updated: 26th February 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Reds - Business as usual

Benitez: Business as usual

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Sky Bet have cut Rafa Benitez's odds of vacating the Liverpool hotseat by the start of next season following a flurry of bets on the Spaniard's departure.

They have also chalked up former boss Kenny Dalgilsh as a 3/1 shot to succeed the Spaniard. Click here for more.

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Sky Sports News understands it is 'business as usual' for Liverpool following rumours about Rafa Benitez's future.

Leading bookmakers had suspended betting on the next Premier League manager to go market amid speculation Benitez could leave his position as Reds manager after Wednesday night's UEFA Champions League tie at Real Madrid.

Benitez is also odds-on not to be in charge at Anfield for the start of next season as talks regarding a contract extension continue to stall.

The Spaniard's current deal expires at the end of next term and he has yet to agree a control to prolong his tenure on Merseyside.

Speaking ahead of the first leg of the last 16 tie at the Santiago Bernabeu, Benitez stated that the game against Real would have no bearing on his future.

Reports claimed that knocking Real out of the Champions League would strengthen his position, but Benitez suggested it would be wrong to judge a manager on the basis of two games.

Ridiculous

And Sky Sports News sources understands that Liverpool's final preparations for the game, which can be seen live on Sky Sports 2, have continued as normal.

A source close to the club said: "Rafa is not going to be sacked, such suggestions are ridiculous.

"We are aware of the rumours and speculation that has been buzzing around in Madrid but it is just not true.

"This has not bothered the manager or the team. Everything we have done since we arrived in Madrid has been spot on.

"Nobody has even mentioned this and we are surprised that such suggestions have been raised. Rafa Benitez is not about to be sacked by Liverpool."

Comments (39)

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Robbie Herd says...

I am not surprised that the board don't want to give Rafa control of signings. Only Torres, Mashcerano and Alonso are worth talking about. There is a huge list of duckeggs (apart from Crouch who should not have been sold) that he has signed, got rid of, or is currently playing. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that Rafa is not firing on all cylinders that would make him great. Yes he has progressed with the reds but is clearly taking us no further..............Beunos nachos Rafa

Posted 22:46 25th February 2009

Kace Clarke (Liverpool fan) says...

I reckon that this was a ploy by Real Madrid to put off Liverpool in this very important match that had obviously backfired...

Posted 22:45 25th February 2009

Anthony Brophy (Liverpool fan) says...

I'm a Liverpool fan all my life, and I have seen some really brilliant teams over the years. The 87,88,89 team was a real gem. We where always great to watch and got the results, it was inspiring. Now, we are dull, and uninspiring. Functional and methodical. Yes we have grafters (kuyt etc) who give 100% always and it is admirable. But football should be more than that. It should rise above the average, with pace, and purpose and control. Benitez , can only coach one way, tactically and methodically. The players are asked to play a system and stick to it with no freedom of expression. It should be obvious for any fan of the beautiful game that if this type of approach succeeds it spells the death for the game we all love. I for one would much prefer to see us play with more flare as of old. Arsene Wenger is an intelligent football man and he is never far wrong.

Posted 22:44 25th February 2009

Georgie Saldo (Rangers fan) says...

(Madrid Fan) I am not surprised Liverpool won tonight, yeah Madrid have been on a good run but its been mostly one nills the 6-1 over Betis was more down to Betis being very poor, As for Rafa, Liverpool should do everything to keep hold of him, he just needs bit of time to get the league. which will happen, but i think its down to Rafa wanting players he's not getting, as for Madrid they need a massive clear out.

Posted 22:42 25th February 2009

Phil Gray (Liverpool fan) says...

I think that Rafa will stay on until and beyond the end of the season and as fans we should give him all of the support we can. regarding his tactics alot of people get on his case but we are sencond in the PL and look in an good position to go through in the CL, the problems that we have lie not so much in tactics but in the quality of some of the players. what we have is a very good 1st 11 and some good squad players, some like babel have a lot of potential. what needs to happen in the summer is that agger needs to be tied down and we need to look for a quality right winger, attacking midfielder and another world class striker, especially because it is the latter 2 positions that leave us short when injuries occur, people forget that teams such as united have much more depth in these areas, with 3 world class strikers so they can rotate, similary in advanced midfield positions. this comes down to available funds for the manager to buy the right players and also the manager should have final say regarding who is brought in to the team in order to complement the players that we already have. YNWA

Posted 22:10 25th February 2009

Shaun Grainger (Liverpool fan) says...

Lets just say 2 champions league finals won 1 lost 1 say no more Rafa to lead us till the time we eventually claim OUR rightfull place as the best team in England.Fear our wrath you shall kneel before us and we shall be your masters.

Posted 20:36 25th February 2009

Leigh Hayward (Liverpool fan) says...

Whilst I agree with some of the things mentioned in this thread, I whole heartedly disagree that we will never win the title under Rafa. Keane was sold back to Spurs because he didn't want him. It was clear that all summer Rafa wanted Barry and I think he would have been an excellent signingas Barry has been the driving force for Aston Villa all season, and would have cost £2 million less than Keane cost. Not exactly sure why Keane came in the first place, but so much hype was put on someone that is not even in the same league as Torres, yet he cost the same amount of money (how does that work) As for Dossena, he is the first choice Italian national team left back. Since when as a football team, have we not wanted world class players. He has to get used to playing in England as it is a completely different style of football to Italy. Lucas may not be the finished article at the moment, but I think he has the potential to be close to the same potential as Maschareno. Liverpool might not be the complete team we all want them to be, but they are not too far away and given sole responsibility of transfers, I think we would see a team that Rafa wants to build, and not one that he is forced to use. If then he still doesn't deliver the title, we can say, bye bye Rafa, you were given the chance to succeed in your own way and you didn't. As the old saying goes, give someone enough rope and they might hang themselves. In Rafa I don't think he would!

Posted 19:50 25th February 2009

Alan Champ (Liverpool fan) says...

let's not get carried away and blame Rafa for everything that's going wrong with our season at the moment. Fair enough picking players like Lucas and dossena is soley his fault and quite what he see's in either of them i'm not quite sure? as for the robbie keane saga I fully support rafa in his decision to off load someone who had failed to live up to his hype, Keane for all his talent didn't settle, didn't perform, and didn't score the goals a twenty million pound striker should do. Don't forget he wasn't signed by Rafa, Rick Parry rufused to give in to his Manager's wishes (I think the manager is still the one who is supposed to pick the team and deal with all footballing matters, but clearly R.P. has different views!) and buy Barry, but instead brought in keane. The two Cowboy's from across the pond need to hold there hands up as well, how can a manager do his job when he's reading that his employers have offered his job to jurgen Klinsman? whilst I agree that something is very wrong at anfield at the moment, sacking rafa before the start of march is not the answer, get to the end of the season hopefully finish at least 2nd in the premiership, get Agger tied down to a new contract and then look at the situation regarding Rafa in the summer. If we sack him now it will achieve nothing and his replacement won't win us the league or the champions league because of the transition period between two managers who would more than likely have different ideas. so between now and the end of May lets just get behind the boys and do what fans are supposed to do..........Support the club we love.

Posted 19:29 25th February 2009

Martin Logan (Liverpool fan) says...

Parry is the problem, all liverpool fans know this. He was the one who forced through the keane deal and thats why rafa sold him. Just look back to the state of the team when Rafa took over compared to us know, its a JOKE that people want rafa out. Parry, Gillet and Hicks OUT!!!!!!!!!

Posted 19:28 25th February 2009

Yard Dog says...

Typical of the anti-Liverpool media to make a story out of nothing. Rafa will be the manager for the commencement of the next season, and beyond. I anticipate that after tonight his contract will be finally signed and sealed.

Posted 19:24 25th February 2009

Bali Rai (Liverpool fan) says...

To all the so-called LFC fans who want Rafa out and are contributing to this tired and media-influenced debate - time to get a new team cos you don't understand the Liverpool Way. I'm ashamed to be associated with such fickle, two-faced morons. The ones who lauded Rafa and now believe only what they read. To lose Rafa would be a disaster for our club. Time to read the words of our anthem people and apply them to our manager, who is having to walk through a storm...

Posted 19:17 25th February 2009

Jonathan Richardson says...

AS a liverpool season ticket holder, i think most of these critics are clueless and fools. Just look at chelsea they brought in a world cup winning manager and got nothin sackin benni would be the worst thing for the club. We HAVE progressed each season in the league and in our worst season in the league finishing fifth we won the champions league. Just like every supporter i want the league of course i do but if he goes who would do a better job mourinho i dont think so like i said it could all go wrong like it did at chelsea . ps i bet half of these fans are blues!!!!

Posted 19:15 25th February 2009

Reg Buttercup (Liverpool fan) says...

Parry is the problem not Rafa. Get Parry to resign and empower Rafa fully then see what happens. Rafa is world class but very stubborn.

Posted 19:14 25th February 2009

Martin Lee says...

Benetiz should leave at the end of the season because we will never win the league with him in charge he is always changing the team even when they are winning there are also players at the club who totally crap its time for a real manager to do the job and to clear out the crap and get real players in who are proud to wear the liverpool shirt and then will we only win the league

Posted 19:03 25th February 2009

Kevin Lloyd (Liverpool fan) says...

It's not the manager thats the issue...the owners and the board are the problem! Rafa has been good but the team selections have left us all scratching our heads, I don't want to see him go...but I feel the board do! I don't normally listen to most reports, 90% turn out to be incorrect, but things at Liverpool are bad.....the 2 owners don't like each other, Rick Parry seems to be making most of the transfer deals and lord knows what else....In fact it's great credit to the lads on the pitch that there 2nd in the Prem and still in the CL!!! I think alot will happen during the summer.......and most of it bad.

Posted 19:02 25th February 2009

Geraint Will (Liverpool fan) says...

Should we stop at Rafa? What about the Americans and Rick Parry?? Thier all as Guilty as each other of failing our Club. As Reds, we should still back them regardless, At least until end of Season. YNWA

Posted 19:02 25th February 2009

Damian Ryan (Liverpool fan) says...

Benitez has only being kept in a job by one player, Steven Gerrard. The difference between Utd and Liverpool this season has been Benitez with his tactics. If Utd were nearing the end of the match at 0-0, they put on 3 strikers to win the match. If we are leading 1-0, we take off our strikers and end up drawing. It is amazing to draw 10 matches when realistically you can only drop 24 points in a season to reach 90 points. To use Keane like he did omitting him from the squad or giving him a few minutes to change a game was ridiculous. He treated Crouch better in his first season and he didn't score for 19 matches. His stubborness is an insult to the fans that just wanted them to give it a good go of challenging for the title. Benitez must fall on his sword for his transfers and tactics. He had the money but bought dross like Lucas, Dossens, Degan and the list goes on and on. There are seven ex Liverpool strikers playing in the premiership, does he just prefer defensive midfielders or Gareth Barry to solve the problem? Mourinho wants a big job to come back to and Benitez will try his luck at Madrid.

Posted 18:59 25th February 2009

Tom Cosgrove (Liverpool fan) says...

If Rafa leaves in the summer (most likely Madrid), i really think Torres and Mascherno will soon follow in his footsteps. This will more than likely prompt doubt in the rest of the team and could see Reina and another fellow spaniard go too. Things will go quite badly if this is the case unless another high-profile manager with similar ambition as Benitez comes in as a replacement. I feel the problem does not lye here, questions have to be asked about Rick Parry. The tie against Madrid could prove to be conclusive.

Posted 18:55 25th February 2009

Ralph Smith (Liverpool fan) says...

If Benitez is no longer the Liverpool manager I think Roy Keane should be the manager of Liverpool. He has not had a job to be a manager of any club yet since he left Sunderland.

Posted 16:54 25th February 2009

Luke Potter (Arsenal fan) says...

Things havent been looking so good for Liverpool at the minute. but as normal they will produce the goods in the competition. i think Gerrard will start and Liverpool will get a good result tonight.

Posted 16:48 25th February 2009
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