He then left Napoli and became coach of Real Madrid in June 2015 on an initial three-year contract. Scott played in the cups. [110], Newcastle ended the season with a six match unbeaten run, including a 51 final day win over third-place Tottenham Hotspur. Perhaps the most obvious name on this list. [12], On 16 June 2004, Bentez was appointed manager of Liverpool, replacing Grard Houllier, becoming the first Spaniard to manage in the Premier League. [8], Bentez subsequently quit Extremadura and took a year off from football to study in England and Italy. Gillett declared himself delighted with the manager of his new investment, as Bentez overcame his domestic difficulties to lead Liverpool to another Champions League final. [ VIDEO: PST unfiltered - EURO 2020 impressions; Sancho to Man United? ] [9], Valencia fans also were soon won over by Bentez after he introduced a more attacking style of play than his predecessor, Cper. Admittedly I never really asked the manager, but he never said anything either, never said I wasn't good enough. The 61-year-old collapsed at his Starkville home but did not receive medical attention for between ten to 15 minutes. The former Liverpool manager remains a top defensive mind but will have his work cut out for him when he brings his Newcastle side to Anfield. He was highly regarded for his tactical acumen[136][137] particularly in European ties, setting his team up to exploit opposition weaknesses. In the blue corner, Kylian Mbappe stands tall as the undisputed champion of the world. "Liverpool remains the place where I have suffered the most as a footballer, above all during the last season. The resulting coverage resulted in a show of support by fans in support of Bentez which culminated in a fans' march in support of Bentez ahead of the critical Champions League home tie with Porto, which they won 41. Frankly, I am proud of that. "I think he was the wrong manager at the wrong time for me. [30], Liverpool made a good start to the 200708 season, topping the Premier League table for the first time under Bentez after a comprehensive 60 win over Derby County. [119] On 23 January 2021, Bentez left the club by mutual consent, citing concerns over the health and wellbeing of his family due to the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for his departure. The coach and myself were not compatible. [3][4][5], In 1979, Bentez was selected to play for the Spain Youth U-19s at the World Student Games in Mexico City and he scored a penalty in the opening game, a 100 win against Cuba. It was a bit frustrating not playing Inter, but I had to be with my family at the time, he said. Rafael Bentez Maudes (born 16 April 1960) is a Spanish professional football manager and former player who most recently managed Premier League club Everton. [34], In a sign of the increasingly strained relationship between the Liverpool manager and his board, Bentez was reportedly close to quitting Liverpool in the summer of 2008 over the board's failure to back him in his bid to purchase Gareth Barry from Aston Villa. The manager ignored me when I wanted to know why. A week-and-a-half later and there was no progress. Im not a defensive midfielder. ", 'Pubs need to adapt' if they are going to survive the times ahead, "Although we are living during a cost-of-living crisis people still do have money. You can't treat a player like this and expect him to be happy. He would later rue how Mauricio Pellegrino was brought in as his replacement. Footballers love seeing a bit of confrontation on the training ground! I've got two or three possibilities already and things are starting to move behind the scenes.". . "As a player, you just want a bit of fun, to make training good and lively. Liverpool have announced manager Rafael Benitez has left the club by mutual consent after six years in charge. In terms of team instructions I think you nailed it. "In my head it's as if I've already left. He never treated me with the respect I deserved. Murphy would sign for Charlton Atheltic in a 2.5m deal in August 2004. [44] Bentez defended his decisions, arguing Liverpool's slow start was due to key players such as Steven Gerrard being below par.[45]. The negotiations started. [132] In a match in April 2009 when Allardyce was manager of Blackburn, he accused Bentez of arrogance over a gesture he made when Fernando Torres scored Liverpool's second goal. Despite this, poor results in the Champions League and a disagreement over future transfers lead to a public falling-out with the club's owners, which played out in the media at the end of November. [102][103] Real Madrid remained unbeaten in the league until a 32 loss at Sevilla in the 11th matchday. "But then as we went on he left me totally on my own and only judged me for the things I didnt do right instead of telling me how to solve or improve the things I had to improve. A club-record 14m signing from Auxerre the same summer of Benitezs arrival, the only problem for Djibril Cisse was it was Houllier rather than the Spaniard who sanctioned the switch. Due to this unbeaten run, Benitez was nominated for the Manager of the Month award. This was followed by a 40 home loss in the first Clsico of the season against Barcelona. Fab was our best player that half, which is some sort of comfort. Well help you find another club if you like., Can I play the last matches? was all I could say. "I believe in these situations it is better to talk about it and try to fix it, or at least make sure everyone knows where they stand. He spoke a lot to us to change the intensity." LIVE Transfer Talk: Man United monitoring Lewandowski's future. It's a dream for me such a fantastic club have given me this opportunity. The long-serving Danny Murphy was one such player. Extremadura only survived one season in La Liga, however, and were relegated in 1999 after finishing 17th and losing a play-off to Rayo Vallecano. [citation needed], Bentez was unable to win any trophies as Liverpool's domestic campaign falter in the winter months including a shock FA Cup exit at home to Barnsley, with his side losing to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals. [citation needed], However, Liverpool's poor results in the New Year led to a sharper focus on Bentez, who had missed Liverpool's draw at Arsenal in December due to an operation to remove kidney stones. I am still very upset. Yet he would return to Spurs just seven months later, and at an 8m loss, having quickly fallen out of favour under Benitez. [43] Bentez's decision to sell Alonso and replace him in the side with Lucas Leiva, in addition to Aquilani having arrived at the club injured, was called into question as Liverpool's title campaign began with two defeats in the first three games. Goals from Casemiro and a deflection from Marcus Rashford put the Red Devils 2-0 up at half-time . He was doing his job, I get that, but it was hard. This view was later supported by Sir Alex Ferguson. And I remember thinking, oh my, this is going to be trouble, this is going to be difficult for me'. Ralf Rangnick may yet be right about Liverpool and Man United as Jurgen Klopp sends subtle transfer warning, Manchester United are having a better season that Liverpool, that cannot be questioned, but Theo Squires wonders whether there has been a long-term power shift, Roberto Firmino's agent breaks silence on 'unbelievably emotional' Liverpool exit, Roberto Firmino refused to hold talks with other clubs before deciding his Liverpool future, according to his agent, Liverpool predicted line-up for Manchester United as Jurgen Klopp makes two huge calls, How Liverpool could line up against Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League, John Barnes makes 'worried' Liverpool v Manchester United admission and Mohamed Salah goals point. 20th Sep 2022, 7:39am. I played all of last year, and sometimes if I did not play so well in one game, I would still play the next week. [105] At the time of his dismissal, Real were third in La Liga, four points behind leaders Atltico Madrid and two points behind arch-rivals Barcelona, the latter of whom had a game in hand. He (Benitez) said it would be a good move for me, adding: Well definitely help you, well do whatever it takes to make a deal, Dudek recalled. The left-backs standards had arguably slipped in his final two seasons with Liverpool as he fought with Fabio Aurelio for a starting role with only the Brazilians injury record ensuring he didnt retain the position permanently. I spent six months with Liverpool hardly getting a game. But to this day I still think I should have stayed. [78] This was followed by a 31 away victory to Sunderland, with Bentez presiding over his first league win as Chelsea manager. Some things are more important than football and I had the full support of the club. He was unable to avoid relegation, but earned promotion back to the Premier League the following year, winning the Championship. I was sure he wanted me to attack him in the press during the season so he could turn the fans against me, so I kept quiet. "I'm not one of these players that likes to sit around on the bench and just pick my money up. An unused substitute for the 2007 Champions League final, he was informed by Benitez on the flight home that he had no future with the club. [6], In 1986, at the age of 26, Bentez returned to Real Madrid to join the club's coaching staff. I'm a total fan of his tactical methods, and have read a lot about it. So (journalists) put some words in my mouth saying that the person who was responsible for me not being included in the Spain squad was Rafa. [79], At the FIFA Club World Cup in December 2012, Chelsea defeated Monterrey 31 to reach the final,[80] where they were beaten 10 by Brazilian side Corinthians. I am very, very proud to be joining one of the most important clubs in the world in one of the best leagues in the world - and I want to win. The thinking fan's Chelsea blog. increasingly disappointed. And thats prompted us to look back at Benitezs time across Stanley Park at Anfield, and recall some of the players Liverpool sold after disagreements with their manager. "I was very young and I just needed guidance. [90] Defender David Luiz credited Bentez with making critical changes at half time, saying, "He changed some of our positions in the second half. But while the striker disputed such claims, he did twice voice his grievances with some of his managers decisions to the press over the course of the season, prior to being sold to the Villans in a 6.5m deal. "I was disappointed and that is all. A scorer of big goals, he produced countless important moments in his three seasons with the club as the Reds challenged for the Premier League title and progressed in the Champions League. You'll also get the latest transfer talk and analysis every day for FREE! On 21 August 2010, Bentez won his first trophy as manager, the Italian Super Cup, after they defeated Roma 31. I told Benitez I would go if he wanted, but he told me I was important and he would give me a new contract, which I signed. "When you have so many instructions, it makes it so difficult. [98][99] They lost 42 on aggregate to Athletic Bilbao in the qualifying stages, thus entering the Europa League. Allardyce suggested that Bentez had signalled the game was over despite Liverpool only having a two-goal lead. [87] Chelsea reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, losing 21 to Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, and also progressed to the final of the UEFA Europa League. "Right now the only market open is the Russian one, I have offers from two teams and, looking at my situation, that has made me reflect a lot.". Don't do or say anything. "Youve got two sets of instructions in your mind and youre left wondering what to do. It was a normal Craig Bellamy picture in a newspaper! Rafael Benitez predicted, in this very space, on Tuesday morning, precisely where the risk lay when it came to Liverpool v Real Madrid. Hardly the sort of character you can see embracing the Spaniards totalitarian style. Bentez also gave new life to existing Liverpool players, transforming Jamie Carragher from a utility player to one of Europe's top centre backs alongside Sami Hyypi. Still remember seeing him pull what appeared to be a tooth out of his mouth after colliding with a goalpost. Rafa Benitez & Jamie Carragher on how Liverpool won the Champions League in 2005 Sky Sports Premier League 1.1M views 3 years ago Simon Jordan SLAMS Rafa Benitez for making out his. [citation needed], Bentez has also had confrontations with Sam Allardyce when he was manager of Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers. The previous season when we finished second in the Premier League, I was happy with my performance in the final months but I was not sure if the manager thought I was a good player,. Published: 20:09, 16 Jan 2022 Updated: 20:09, 16 Jan 2022 LIVERPOOL legend Jamie Carragher was quick to take to social media to make light of Rafa Benitez's sacking at Everton. Given Benitezs reputation as one who cannot call upon humane man-management as one of his skills, it is understandable why it is believed their relationship broke down from that moment. When Craig Dawson is the best defender - possibly player - over 45 minutes, it sums up our issues. "I was never given a chance and that hurts. Even Ali looks a shadow of himself. Liverpool fans knew that 'Agent Rafa' would not be there more than a season, and so it has proven. He left the club by mutual consent in January 2021 before taking over as manager at Everton in June. You said youd help me. Jurgen Klopp's respect for Rafa Benitez spotted during Liverpool's thrashing of Everton LIVERPOOL beat city rivals Everton 4-1 at Goodison Park on Wednesday night. In truth, he didnt have time to as Benitez made it clear early on that he had no future at the club. For some reason it was important that I reach 350 matches and an exact average of fifty per season. 'He was around 10m': Rafa Benitez says he nearly signed Brazil legend for Liverpool Charles Jones 4 days ago Speaking on the Official Liverpool FC Podcast, Rafa Benitez has been. [113], In May 2017, Newcastle won the 201617 EFL Championship and made an immediate return to the Premier League after one season in the Championship. The injury saw him sidelined for a year and hampered his chances of becoming a major player. And it appears that such a deterioration stemmed from the midfielder missing the Reds trip to the San Siro to face Inter Milan in March 2008 to be present for the birth of his child, with Benitez trying to sell Alonso the following summer to help fund a move for Gareth Barry. Katie Smith, who is studying at Leeds University, was crowned as the 2017 winner of the David Welch Student Sportswriter of the Year at the Sports Journalists Association awards in London on Monday night. After he ignored me for a long time, he needed me for Europe when Ryan Babel was suspended. Bajcetic has been one of the few positives for the Reds throughout a disappointing season and looks set for the biggest game of his career tonight. Eight of the side's remaining 10 away matches are against teams below them in the table, which should offer some decent opportunities to counter-attack from midfield. There are also easier fixtures than playing away against Wolves (with a rotated side) and Brighton as well as facing Chelsea at Anfield, as Liverpool has had to do recently. Liverpool paid 20m when signing Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur in July 2009. [35] Bentez had reportedly intended to sell Xabi Alonso to fund the purchase of Barry, but Liverpool CEO Rick Parry was reported to have prioritised signing Robbie Keane over Barry, causing tension when Barry did not arrive. The club began their campaign with an unimpressive 21 aggregate win over Grazer AK in the qualifying rounds and were minutes away from going out of the competition in the group stages. [84], On 27 February 2013, following a 20 win at Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fifth-round, Bentez heavily criticised the Chelsea board for giving him the title of "interim manager" and the Chelsea fans for their protests against him. Milan Baros finished Benitez's first season at Liverpool as the club's top goalscorer. [16], During his first season, Bentez was unable to improve Liverpool's form in the Premiership. [88], In the Europa League final against Benfica on 15 May, Chelsea won 21. I miss all that a little.". By the way, we won 0-1 with a goal from Torres.. He left the club, and coached Tenerife in 2000, winning promotion in his only season. It says plenty about the dysfunction at the club that days later, Benitez has gone. In this episode we look back on the extraordinary 4-2 win over Aston Villa on Saturday. [147][146] Francisco died in December 2005 while Bentez was in Japan for the FIFA Club World Championship. Were going to buy another striker, he said. [95], In his first season in charge, Bentez guided the club to victory in the Coppa Italia, defeating Fiorentina 31 in the final,[96] and into the last 16 of the Europa League, exiting after a 32 aggregate defeat to Porto. "It is good for Liverpool that Benitez has gone, but it was too late for me. This time, Pepe Reina saved three penalties during the shoot-out to secure the silverware. If you want to go and speak to other clubs, thats fine'. I was feeling glum. The players and the people at the top of the club knew how I felt. He also enrolled as a student at INEF, the sports faculty at the Universidad Politcnica de Madrid and in 1982 he obtained a degree in physical education. [13] On his arrival he stated: "It is like a dream to be here. The former Reds captain says in his new autobiography that tactically the Spaniard was . I tried to convince him to change his mind: What have you got to lose? Take part in our Liverpool FC 'Keep or Sell' survey: While Murphy was moved on straight away, it was a different story for Stephane Henchoz. [153][154][155], For the American submarine commander, see, 200104: Twice Spanish champions and UEFA Cup winners, Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 18:18, have won all three major European trophies, following season's Champions League group stage, European Coach of the YearAlf Ramsey Award, List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League winning managers, List of UEFA Cup and Europa League winning managers, "Bentez: Rafael Bentez Maudes: Manager", "Benitez On What He Can Prove At Everton", "Rafael Benitez - an adopted Scouser from Red to Blue", "Rafael Benitez - a complete profile of Liverpool FC manager Rafa Benitez", "Rafa Bentez: the early years at Extremadura and Tenerife", Caizares explica a Casillas por qu Albelda "hinch de leches" a Zidane en su debut: "Tena que saber a quin se enfrentaba", "Remembering Rafa Benitez's Valencia Side That Took Spain By Storm", "Emery joins growing band of Spanish managers", "Bentez boost as Gerrard stays at Liverpool", "Is Jamie Carragher England's best defender? Before that I played at Tottenham, free-flowing football, different managers. [104] Meanwhile, Real topped their UEFA Champions League group with 16 points. And when the fans wanted me to play, Benitez told me he couldn't understand why. After so many years, thats something wonderful that stays in your memory forever". A 6.7m signing from Birmingham City in the summer of 2006, he impressed during his first season with the club and was a standout performer in their 2007 Champions League final defeat to AC Milan. [29], Bentez's spending was, eventually, significant, breaking Liverpool's transfer record when signing Spanish striker Fernando Torres from Atltico Madrid as well as signing Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun, Lucas Leiva and Andriy Voronin. Upon his arrival he had two very big personnel issues to tend to. [47] It was suggested that this Liverpool team was missing Bentez's characteristic defensive rigidity[48] despite the fact that only Manchester United and Chelsea conceded fewer goals than Liverpool, and lacked the necessary depth to cope with injuries to key players such as Gerrard and Fernando Torres while Bentez's decision making was called into question.
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