Benitez poised to take over at Anfield

super_furry

He's just announced that he's leaving Valencia after refusing to sign a contract extension.

TwoShedsJackson

Good news for Liverpool - he's pretty sarky too, should be amusing with him, Mourinho, Feguson and Wenger next season

Shaque attack

excellent, have you got a link for that?

Johnny_the_fox

bbc

Benitez quits Valencia


Rafael Benitez has resigned as coach of Valencia as speculation mounts he is set to become the next Liverpool boss.
The Primera Liga club had offered Benitez a two-year contract extension, but the former Tenerife coach rejected the new contract on the table.

Benitez, who led Valencia to the Spanish title and the Uefa Cup this season, is tipped to replace Gerard Houllier, who was sacked in May.

Liverpool want to name the successor to Houllier within a fortnight.

Alan Curbishley, who has been in charge at Charlton since 1991, has also been tipped to move to Liverpool.

Jose Mourinho, who has confirmed he is leaving Porto for an unnamed English club, is likely to choose Chelsea ahead of Anfield.

Bannor

I've been told that Liverpool offered him a five year contract without conditions - Valencia refused to match that.

super_furry

Valencia are well and truly in the **** now. Benitez will do everything in his power to bring Aimar and Ayala to Anfield and given the fact that they're close to £70million in debt, they won't be able to turn down any offers.

Bannor

I wouldn't be so sure about Aimar - don't think he has what it takes to cope with the physical side of the Premiership. Given the choice of players from the Valencia squad, I'd take Ayala and Baraja (coincidentally both were targets for Houllier).

The Rooster

Beat me to it Bannor. I'm in total agreement. Hyypia & Ayala and Gerrard & Baraja would be excellent partnerships.

Wouldnt go near Aimar.

Pepe LeFrits

Benitez at Anfield, Mourinho at Chelsea... 4 horse race anyone?

Dont be at yourself

What, you think United have a chance? They'll need some more signings, and bigger than Alan Smith to take on Chelsea and Arsenal next season!

Big Nelly

Heard somewhere a few weeks ago that Benitez told Liverpool he would join them but wants Ayala to come to Liverpool as well.....cant remember where but sounds a likely buy for Liverpool!!

LizardKing

Another Link
http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,1-1137696,00.html

He has good english already which will help , hopefully he can bring in some new talent and change the style and fortunes of the pool ... Anyone considering an early bet for the reds to win the Premier next season , or is that CWAZY TALK

yom 1

Originally posted by LizardKing

He has good english already which will help , hopefully he can bring in some new talent and change the style and fortunes of the pool [/B]

let the good times roll (hopefully)

Bannor

Originally posted by NekkidBibleMan
What, you think United have a chance? They'll need some more signings, and bigger than Alan Smith to take on Chelsea and Arsenal next season!

If Man Utd secure a few transfers I'd put money on them for the league next season. Remember they were in the running up until Ferinand's ban kicked in.

LizardKing

No matter how hard ya try , ya'll never get a Pool fan to bet on united winning the League .... I'd rather not bet at all

eyerer

"Benitez profile
... 1995: Appointed coach of Valladolid but sacked after 23 games
1996: Takes over at Osasuna in Second Division, but lasts just nine games "

does anyone know why he was sacked?
though he has been more successful with clubs after these 2

Bannor

Originally posted by eyerer
"Benitez profile
... 1995: Appointed coach of Valladolid but sacked after 23 games
1996: Takes over at Osasuna in Second Division, but lasts just nine games "

does anyone know why he was sacked?
though he has been more successful with clubs after these 2

Basically - A difference of opinion on training and tactics. It's easy for manager's with an established history to go to a new clubs and revolutionise things and change the way people within the club approach the game. Early in his career he hit a few brick walls because he tried to change things at clubs where people were not willing to change. At both Tenerife and Valencia he was allowed to do things his way and the clubs reaped the rewards - Tenerife won promotion to the top division and Valencia have two league titles and a UEFA Cup.

watman

Rafeal Benetiz started through the real madrid ranks at one stage he was in charge of their Under 19 Squad who at the time had Fernando Sanz and Dani Garcia both still playing professional football in Spain . He moved up through the ranks to become Assistant Manager at the Bernabeau before He left for Vallodolid and subsequently Ossusana , both unsuccessful times .. He then went to Extramadura whom he won promotion with but got relegated the following season. At this stage Rafeal took a year out of management and went to England and Italy to learn more coaching styles and improve his knowledge of the game. He took over Tenerife and got them promoted ahead of Athletico Madrid and this caught the eyes of Valencia whom he joined after Cuper left for Inter. Since then he hasnt looked back winning 2 Leagues and a UEFA Cup. Hopefully he is the man to bring Liverpool a sleeping giant back to life and be competitive again ..

Space Coyote

He was coach of the Real Madrid B team when Raul was coming thru the ranks.

This (if he takes over at LFC) is going to be a new dawn for the reds. I'm convinced he's going to do wondrous things as manager of LFC. We may not win the league or CL next season (I'd be content with 2nd & losing finalists ) but we will certainly be on the right track. Our first proper manager since King Kenny. Happy days at long long long last.

kida

I have to laugh - do Liverpool fans seriously think they can challenge for the champions league next season - he would need about 200M to make that team challenge for the CL - bar 2 players(1 who spends 1/2 the season injured) they have no quality. IMO 4th is about the most they can aim for. the other 3 are too far ahead - Hoo Hoo needed to go last season.

watman

I have to laugh - do Liverpool fans seriously think they can challenge for the champions league next season

No but everyone has to start somewhere .. First of all we need to get a quality manager which i believe Benitez is

mike65

Web site of the Liverpool has become echo of automatic form of the resignation of Rafa Benítez like trainer of the Valencia with which it completes the exhaustive pursuit that days have made him to the Madrilenian preinn in the last. The agent of the trainer has a supply of the English organization for next the five seasons, but the same Benítez has commented in its concise intervention before the press in its good bye that will take days to analyze the supplies and to choose well. In the Web site of the Liverpool manifestations of the executive director of "reds" are published today;, Rick Parry, in which it announces that the new trainer will know itself in two weeks, with the intention to end the commentaries and the speculations on the subject.

Rafa Benítez has terminated its contract with the Valencia to become position of the Liverpool. Benítez has not been able to conclude the press conference in which it has announced his march and it has broken to cry while it read the official notice in which its goodbye made official of the Valencian club, as well as the reasons that have taken to him to make this decision. With a very serious semblante, the Madrilenian technician has begun directly with the reading of an official notice in which he has valued the intention of the club to reach an agreement and in that he has aimed at "desgaste psychic and personal after the events of last temporada", like the reason that has done him "reconsiderar" its

Mike.

Space Coyote

originally posted by kida
IMO 4th is about the most they can aim for. the other 3 are too far ahead

'4th is the most they can aim for'. I'm not even going to respond to that statement. :rolleyes:
'the other 3 are too far ahead'. Are you seriously saying that Man Utd are in the same position as Arsenal and Chelsea? United are nearly as far behind those 2 as Liverpool, at this moment in time. I'm not talking points here. I'm saying that Utd will need to bring in at least 2 or 3 quality players to keep tabs on Arsenal and Chelsea next season. Thgeir squad is just too weak to cope. Liverpool will need 3 or 4 quality players to real in the top 2 and under Benitez they will do just that.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by Space Coyote
'4th is the most they can aim for'. I'm not even going to respond to that statement. :rolleyes:
'the other 3 are too far ahead'. Are you seriously saying that Man Utd are in the same position as Arsenal and Chelsea? United are nearly as far behind those 2 as Liverpool, at this moment in time. I'm not talking points here. I'm saying that Utd will need to bring in at least 2 or 3 quality players to keep tabs on Arsenal and Chelsea next season. Thgeir squad is just too weak to cope. Liverpool will need 3 or 4 quality players to real in the top 2 and under Benitez they will do just that.

United will, without a doubt, bring in at least 3 players in the summer. With the money Chelsea and United have and the quality of the Arsenal team I also think Liverpool will have a very hard task to get into the top 3.

mike65

Please take this outside! Its June.

Mike.

kida

I am not going to be dragged into a slagging match of United vs Liverpool. This post is about Liverpool and should be kept that way.

My point is that Liverpools fans perception of where their team currently is far different from reality. They have 2 world class players( 1 is not always fit), a few good players and the rest is average at best. IMO they are 5/6 players world class short of challenging the top 3.

How many Liverpool players would get in the first 11 of the top 3 teams? Gerrard and maybe Owen if on form. Thats it.

Why do some Liverpoll fans think that with a new manager and 3 new players that their team will suddenly be transformed into a wonder team capable of winning the CL.

LizardKing

If you want to talk World Class players lets look at the players from the current Liverpool Team who are internationals and will be in European Championships or World Cup qualifiers ...

Dudek - Poland
Finnan - Eire
Henchoz - Switzerland
Hyppia - Finland
Carragher - England
Risse - Norway

Gerrard - England
Hamann - Germany
Kewell - Australia
Diouf - Senegal
Owen - England
Baros - Czech Republic

Theres probably more but most of these players on there day can be world class , They have had a bad season in which they finished fourth , with a new manager and a few new players and a new positive impetus for next season a lot could change at the top , whats to say Arsenal don't have a nightmare season .. Stranger things have happened , its a funny old game etc. etc.

yom 1

Originally posted by LizardKing

a lot could change at the top , whats to say Arsenal don't have a nightmare season .. Stranger things have happened , its a funny old game etc. etc.

that could easily happen if 2 first team players break a leg in the same game
like Henry and Campbell

Pepe LeFrits

Originally posted by kida
My point is that Liverpools fans perception of where their team currently is far different from reality. They have 2 world class players( 1 is not always fit), a few good players and the rest is average at best. IMO they are 5/6 players world class short of challenging the top 3.

lol, so the top 3 each have 7/8 world class players? news to me!

kida

They have when you compare them to Liverpools.:D

The Rooster

---

Kirkland

---

Carragher

---

Hyypia

---

Ferdinand

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Silvestre

Ronaldo

---

Gerrard

---

Keane

---

Kewell

---

Owen

---

VanHorsie

---

embarrassed that I cant fit Scholesy in, but thems the breaks!

They're were talking on 5Live about whether there's been a shift from North to South in terms of footballing power, and somebody suggested that a ManU&Liverpool v Arsenal&Chelsea match would make for a tremendous Charity Shield!

mike65

From Oliver kay in The Times

“This has been one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to take in my sporting career,” Benítez said yesterday. “I want to see it as positive that the club has tried to keep me on, but after the events of this season, which have undermined my personal morale, I have decided to reconsider my situation. With regards to my future, I’m going to analyse the options and I will choose the one that suits me best.”

His move to Anfield, though, is agreed. Even while Valencia were trying to persuade Benítez to stay, Parry felt confident enough on Monday to say that “there will be an announcement about our new manager in two weeks”, which coincides with the coach’s notice period.

It is feasible that Benítez will encourage players such as Roberto Ayala, Ruben Baraja or Pablo Aimar to follow him from Valencia, but more important for Liverpool are the players who are already at Anfield.

They hope that the appointment will persuade Michael Owen to sign an extension to his contract, which expires in 12 months, and pacify Steven Gerrard, the captain, who had aired his disappointment at the club’s lack of progress under Houllier during the past 18 months.

Mike.

eirebhoy

His move to Anfield, though, is agreed.

I'm very suprised that the Times would say something like that unless they are 100% sure it will happen. Parry just said the new manager will be appointed in two weeks, before the european championships start.

LizardKing

I know its still not certain and this paper is gutter crap but ...

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2002390000-2004251176,00.html


Owen and Gerrard to stay too ... grrrreattt

StickyMcGinty

ayala is physically good enogh for the prem, but aimar would get kicked around....

the decision on the manager is due on the 7th of this month, innit?

eyerer

should be the week beginning the 7th, thats when parry returns

mike65

Originally posted by eyerer
should be the week beginning the 7th, thats when parry returns

Never get in the way of a man and his holiday!

Mike.

galwaydude

i doubt very much parry and moores would swan off on holidays if they hadnt sorted out the managers job, well i hope benitez at least turns us into a challanging team again and get rid of sum of the deadwood aka biscan, traore, henchoz etc
Even dudek is rumoured to be sold as the spanish keeper will be joing liverpool too as soon as the deal with neitez is announced next wednsday.At last a decent manager who knows how to win things.

Space Coyote

I read during the week that Benitez will be bringing Santi Canizares with him on a FREE ! His contract with Valencia is up soon. Dudek will be sacrificed, Kirkand will stay. I'm happily happy with that.

eyerer

henchoz should not be lumped together with the likes of biscan, he was the backbone of the best defense in the premiership a few seasons ago, with hyypia
people say biscan had a few good games as CB this season, imo everytime the opposition attacked he looked like a liability, in the games i saw


finacially getting cani free and selling dudek is sound, but is cani good enough?
also the rumours are that cani will come as well as ayala and aimar, just not likely imo
so i wouldn't be too sure of him coming