Liverpool has released an official statement confirming the departure of Rafa Benitez:
The Statement
"Liverpool FC today confirmed that Rafael Benitez is to leave the club by mutual consent. Mr Benitez relinquishes his position as team manager after six years and the Board of Directors would like to place on record their grateful thanks for his services and wish him all the best in his future career.
"The Board has now asked Managing Director Christian Purslow, with the assistance of Club Ambassador Kenny Dalglish, to begin a formal search to identify and assess potential candidates for the managerial position. No timescale has been placed on the process and Liverpool FC will make no further statement until a new manager is appointed.
LFC Chairman Martin Broughton said:
"Rafa will forever be part of Liverpool folklore after bringing home the Champions League following the epic final in Istanbul but after a disappointing season both parties felt a fresh start would be best for all concerned.'
Rafael Benitez said:
"It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts. I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager. Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone."
The Statement
"Liverpool FC today confirmed that Rafael Benitez is to leave the club by mutual consent. Mr Benitez relinquishes his position as team manager after six years and the Board of Directors would like to place on record their grateful thanks for his services and wish him all the best in his future career.
"The Board has now asked Managing Director Christian Purslow, with the assistance of Club Ambassador Kenny Dalglish, to begin a formal search to identify and assess potential candidates for the managerial position. No timescale has been placed on the process and Liverpool FC will make no further statement until a new manager is appointed.
LFC Chairman Martin Broughton said:
"Rafa will forever be part of Liverpool folklore after bringing home the Champions League following the epic final in Istanbul but after a disappointing season both parties felt a fresh start would be best for all concerned.'
Rafael Benitez said:
"It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts. I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager. Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone."
Jaimie, follwoing your site for almost a year, this is the moment i put my whole trust on your words. You have proved that your sources are reliabe and trusworthy. The statement proves that. I, and of course any LFC fan hope for a better person to take over. And as you promised, publish an article with Rafa's achievements and positives he has done to the club. You'll never walk alone!
ReplyDeleteBet you're fucking ecstatic you beaut. You're part of the problem.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that although I wanted this day to come, I can't say i'm enjoying it. I'm empty inside. I'm gutted - but I'm gutted for Rafa mainly. I really and truly hoped he would do it. Rafa finished last season with what was firmly his baby. He got six full seasons, which is more than any manager I can think of. He got his chance - and it was a good and proper crack at it.
ReplyDeleteHe got pretty close. Achingly close actually, but he couldn't build on it. There is merit in the argument that he could have delivered if given more backing, but how much more?
It's not a time for gloating, but a time to look forward to being just plain Liverpool. We're not just another notch on Rafa's bedpost. What people have to realise is that Rafa has moved on, and we are still here; still LFC.
So let's all call in that favour that is unique to Liverpool fans - let's not walk alone.
Good luck Rafa, I'll miss you. (no really)
It is a truly sad day. I supported the manager thru and thru (not blindly as some would think). Hopefully the powers that be provide whomever sits in the hot seat with the tools to succeed. All the best to you Rafael Benitez!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Derek. It is a sad day, I agree. I wanted Benitez out, but it's never been personal. as I've said countless times, Benitez has done great things in the last 6 years, and he deserves credit for that. Every manager over the last 15 years has played their part in moving Liverpool forward in some small way, and Benitez is no exception.
ReplyDeleteGood IM SOOOO GLAD F'K off rafa.... ur incompetent ar$$ hav left us languisnig behind the likes of spurs n villa ....u hav tarnished the good name of liverpool FC n i hope u have the worst luck in your futrue jobs...
ReplyDeleteHi Selvam - I will be posting that article about Benitez tomorrow. In it, I will outline how he has moved the club forward; his achievements, and how he has played his part in the bigger picture of getting LFC back to where we want to be: the pinnacle of English football.
ReplyDeleteJust a reminder to all: Any posts slagging of Benitez in a personal manner will be deleted. (Several have been delete already. Criticise his role as LFC manager by all means, but do so in non-derogatory manner
ReplyDeleteI think the downfall of Rafa is, selling Xavi and buying of Aqualini for 17 millions and Last season we were 2nd but this season we are not qualify for CL, it is too coincedance with the selling of Xavi and there is no replacement eventhough we spend 17 millions after that and which is ended up on the bench most of the time which did look like we eold Xavi for nothing. That cost Rafa reputation, if we are in CL next season, Rafa might survivr but now that selling of Xavi, buying Aqualini with 17 millions and out of CL all push Rafa out of LFC The Yanks are responsible for Transfer Kitty but Rafa himself at fault also not use the limited fund wisely and lack of man manamagement,. Iread all Jamie Stevie and Torres book, one thing that common mentioned about Rafa is not so good at man management and motivation.
ReplyDeleteI feel hugely relieved. The next manager will bring a fresh approach and new ideas to a very stale and bored squad. The players were simply sick of Benitez, as their body language and behavior(and the deafening silence!) shows us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the cups in the first 2 years but time to move on. The club has overcome far worse than the loss of this manager. YNWA.
Great news that Dalglish is involved in selecting our new Manager, he will bring the right man to Anfield.
ReplyDeleteWonder if Dalglish also had a say in Benitez leaving the club. Aldridge, Evans, Fairclough and I am sure many other have also said that Rafa's time was up and that change was needed.
It has been done, now lets move on!!! YNWA!!!
Seeing as you have great sources :-D , would you like to tell us about the (potential) new owners, the transfer budget and the new manager.
ReplyDeleteIf i was the manager(should be), I would do this:
SELL:
Mascherano-35m
Kuyt-10m
Lucas-6m(Like him, but Banega/Martinez are much better.)
Skrtel-8m
Degen-2m
EL Zhar-2m
Riera-8m(Quality winger, but wouldn't be room for him in my plans.)
TOTAL:71m
BUY:
Mata-22m
Milner-18m
Turan-14m
Banega-8m
Taiwo-10m
Jovanovic-Free
Total:72m , NET spend of 1m, perfect lol surely H&G can afford that.(maybe then Pazzini/Rossi for 10m as a back-up striker.) NET (maybe) rise to 15m
Line Up:
Reina
Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Taiwo,
Banega, Gerrard
Mata, Benayoun, Turan,
Torres.
BENCH: Cavalieri, Ayala, Insua, Milner, Babel, Maxi, Aquilani, Jovanovic, Rossi, Kyrgiakos, Kelly, Pacheco, Dalle Valle, Ecclestone, Bruna, Brouwer, *Amoo, N'goo, Agoo, N'gog* << LOL
There is depth in the squad, quality in the squad, and I really believe we could afford it too. Come on M'ON/Dalglish etc .. HEAR ME OUT
Anyway.. that would win the league, not this year, but the year after for the players to link/bond, get a connection.
Oh, also to the bench, Shelvey, Sterling, Wilson, and spend a little bit of money on youth players.
ReplyDeleteRohan are you having a laugh? LFC are now into the Leeds mode, Gerrard, Nando and Masch will be gone there is no-one there to stop them leaving,Rafa had sole charge of transfers
ReplyDeleteYes sir bob, Rafa did have sole charge of transfers and made a stuff up out of it.
ReplyDeleteIMO Stevie is going nowhere, Masch will probably be off to Barca and Nando is 50/50.
At the end of the day, there is nobody bigger than the club. Those who want to leave should leave, we need players who want to put the red shirt on with pride. That is the only way we will go forward, get rid of those who have made us stagnate and keep those who bleed red and believe that success is measured by trophies, something Rafa couldnt understand...
SIR BOB: Well, I put Mascherano on the *SELL* list and also, Torres and Gerrard both said, i'm pretty sure it was on SkySports, we need 5 class players to improve, and something like, we will then stay if that happens. In my transfer wishlist, that has happened, 5 decent/quality players. Bob, come on we're not that bad, as Jaimie has proved, with our(LFC/Kop Holdings) debt levels like 252m altogether, is it? Also, we found 6m out of nowhere didn't we? Stop being so negative, when it's not needed, you just want to believe that everything is going downhill, but its not, your just making it worse for everyone.
ReplyDeleteMAX: Yep, he did make a right bodge of it, but there were some good transfers; such as: Torres, Alonso, Maxi, Reina, Aquilani, Johnson, Mascherano, Agger, Benayoun, Crouch, but there were shocking ones: Kromkamp, Josemi, Paletta, Morientes, Cisse, *Riera, Keane, Babel*<< good players but didn't work out. Also, I agree with the Mascherano comment, he is going and thats connected with the "bigger than the club" statement. Hes been chatting so much bull, just let him go, IMO hes HIGHLY, I MEAN HIGHLY over-rated and 35m is amazing amount for him. I think Gerrard is 50/50, but the 50 is in our favour, as he's a Liverpool lad. If you get what I mean. Mascherano is going. Torres is staying, as I feel he is passionate about LFC. I'm glad Rafa has gone, as I think Riera, Benayoun and Babel were all on their way, and I think they are quality, but I wouldn't be too sad if Riera went. Bring on the good times, NEW MANAGER. But this "bigger than the club" thing is a bit silly, if im honest, if Messi came to Liverpool, and he obviously doesn't support Liverpool would you say no to him? I know what I'd do..
Look at the big picture for gods sake, Broughton and Purslow have been brought in for a reason, to make sure we don't go under (and believe me we are close) how do you make sure that doesn't happen? Sell your biggest assests! them 3 will deffo be going, and we will be stuck with Hodgson or god forbid MON! if he was in charge our football will be worse than when Souness or Evans were in charge. The club died yesterday
ReplyDeleteHi Rohan
ReplyDeleteAgree with most of what you said but cant agree on the Aquilani deal, we paid +-20mil for an injured player. Lets hope our new manager gets the best out of the 20mil that has been spent and lets all hope Aquilani stays injury free.
I also believe that Reira is better than Maxi. Reira has been treated like a school kid just because like other players opened his mouth about how Rafa doesnt have a clue on how to handle player situations.
All said and done we basically share the same opinion and Rafa leaving is what was best for the club, sooner or later we will also have new owners too!!! The new start that was needed!!!
What I meant by bigger than the club was with regards to individuals that are at the club already. Who ever wants to leave should pack their things and go...
The club died because Rafa left?
ReplyDeleteBecause of one Spaniard who couldnt take us further?
Gerrard is staying, He has unfisihed business in the red shirt. IMO he will finish his carreer at LFC, I have no doubt!!!
Haha, Sir Bob, are you another deluded liverpool fan who thinks Rafa is a god? Broughton and Purslow have been brought in to try and sell the club, if you sold your most valuable assets, that would significantly reduce the club valuation; Gerrard and Torres especially. Max, I would be interested to see what you would do in the transfer window, if you were manager.
ReplyDeleteP.S - Sir Bob, stop being such a doom and gloom merchant, you're just trying to darken Anfield, with whatever opportunity. We are not Leeds, we're not going into administration, we are not in massive debt, we will have a transfer budget, new stadium will be built, and new owners will, eventually come. Now I am not 100% certain, but I can guarantee, everything is going up.
His 'sources'? This is a copy and paste from the Official Club site.
ReplyDeleteNot finished that article yet, JK?
Rohan your last paragraph is full of irony, you had the cheek to call me deluded!!
ReplyDeleteRafa was/is not god, but we will not get any better manager and that is a FACT
Excellent article from one of many Irish Liverpool (i assume) fans:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/liverpool-dancing-in-the-dark-without-guidance-of-benitez-2209743.html?
Rafa demanded control, but from who? Did he alienate some staff, yes, likely, but those he was left with simply shared his ideas, they were far from yes-men. Look at who the real fight was against: The owners who have placed the club in such a difficult position with hugely increased debts and no new stadium. With Rick Parry who was in no small way responsible for Liverpool ending up with the Americans. With the media who we know very well are just out sensationalise every story they can. With some players who didn't accept their position in the team.
Now for me, none of those people were going to do anything good for our football club. The Americans are not all bad, they've achieved plenty to start us moving forward but they've made just as many appalling mistakes as we hold our manager responsible for and their decisions are far far more reaching. Parry wasn't helping, he had gotten us nowhere and was in fact the guy in charge when Moores decided he could do no more. The media have no love for LFC, this Irish article one rare exception of support for Rafa. Ego-loaded players who thought they knew better ... few of them were ever good enough. Rafa never warred with Alonso, he made him a better player. He was firm and strong with those who just didn't turn out to be the right fit.
Rafa had one goal and that was to further Liverpool as a club, both on and off the pitch. His work in the Academy can't be questioned, his intent can't be questioned. He made mistakes but he made them only ever trying to bring our club to compete with the best in the world. He achieved that at times, something which I don't think Hodgson or O'Neill have any assurance of doing. Rafa demanded control but he did it because he loved this club and he thought that what others were trying to do wouldn't be good for it.
What we've done is gotten rid of the one guy who was capable of fighting for this club no matter what. He would never give in, never accept the kind of crap the owners are trying to push on all of us. He fought for his team and for us, the fans, not for his own ego or personal issues. His mistakes were made his honesty and integrity and I for one am very sad to see us go down this path. I pray that his replacement has the same strength of character and determination.
Ok, fair enough, shouldn't have said that, but I can promise you, we will get a better manager than Benitez(not hard to), who won't play people in their unfavoured positions, Kuyt on the right, Benayoun on the left, Gerrard up-front, etc etc, wont play 2 holding midfielders on a regular basis, even againt smaller teams and dont give me that Aquilani crap, Gerrard could have dropped back into midfield, and Benayoun behind Torres/Kkuyt up-front in a 4-4-2, wont play 8 defensive players against Stoke(away), Carragher, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Aurelio, Degen. He won't rotate 100 games in a row, he will make changes when things are going wrong, rather than being stubborn and pray that it will work. He may have some emotion, rather than sitting there like a muppet, c'mon he cant even let off a smile. He wont accuse the owners of not giving him any money to spend, publicly, and then use that as his excuse. -O'Neill- tight budget, finished above us and have less depth in their squad. He got criticized by Riera, which tbh were true statements, maybe apart from Liverpool being a sinking ship, especially with Rafa gone, so he decides to ban him from playing. What if the owners banned Rafa from managing, because he criticized them? Sir Bob, you only write two sentences, not even debating against them to fight your argument. Lets see what you have to say to this, if you can.
ReplyDeleteAlso, about this BUY-TO-SELL thing. If the players he bought in the 1st place, were decent, he wouldn't need to sell them would he? He has bought more crap players, than he has good, and that is fact. Also he demanded control, yet he still made a bodge of it. "IN RAFA WE LUST"
ReplyDeleteAll this hand-wrining and sadness about Benitez leaving is really cloying. It's the best thing that could've happened, and Liverpool are 100% better off without him. Next season, we will finish in the top 4; following the club will be fun again. Benitez will not be missed. One year out of the limelight of the CL makes no difference in the grand scheme of things. We missed out in 2003-4, then went on to win the thing the year after. In any event, the league should be our priority.
ReplyDeleteCloying? I'm just trying to suggest that there are issues at the club that have not been at all improved by sacking Rafa. You've spent the better part of the last 6 years whining and complaining about LFC, it's very rich of you to now turn around and deflect other people's point of view by saying that it's somehow unappealing to talk about. You thought that Rafa made choices that were not in the best interests of this club, others are now just expressing that same view with regards the remaining servants of the club and the selection of underwhelming replacements.
ReplyDeleteBy all means hide your gloating and completely unsubstantiated claims under the guise of being positive, I prefer to look at the facts: Liverpool are not financially capable right now. They've just paid off a small portion to sack their manager, will probably have to pay some more to find a replacement. That replacement will be faced with a squad of players that he is completely unfamiliar with, most all of them back from a long world cup campaign. He will almost certainly have a very limited budget, something barely in the region of 10 million. He will almost certainly be a manager with NO experience of managing a top 4 side. He will face competition from a host of teams with substantial summer spending, not least of all the fast imprvoving Manchester City, the team that just secured a CL place in Spurs and the other top three teams that will have more spending power and more proven managers than us.
You know very well that you have nothing at all to substantiate the claims you've made above. You don't even know who our next manager will be. LFC can chase O'Neill all they like but he has an agreement at Villa and few reasons to leave. For all we know Liverpool could end up with their 3rd or 4th choice and unless you're Doctor Who himself your bold declarations are nothing more than waffle. In fact, when ever you've been pressed on how you think this club is going to progress that's all you've managed to come up: vague assurances that "everything will be alright". Now it's a top 4 finish. What lofty goals. Just as well we got rid of Rafa, he'd never have gotten us that.
Lol at Rohan and Jaimie we will NOT finish anywhere near the top 4, unless you have bee under a rock for the last 2 years we have NO money just paid at least 10 mill to the best manager we have had for 2 decades, it will cost another 5-8 mill to get another (and thats before his salary) oh look the transfer budget has gone!!! we will sell Nando Masch and SG so there goes the spine of our club, like i said we are in Leeds and Newcastle mode, no sign of any buyers because (jaime) the WONDERFUL yanks are strangling this once huge club, but you don't get it!!! We are over priced by them we are managerless because of them and we have no structure because of them.
ReplyDeleteFor gods sake wake up and smell the coffee, and if we get MON we will get worse!
Blah blah blah. Yet more brainwashed cliches. Why don't you try thinking for yourself for a change? Examining the evidence and being fair, instead of just adopting the opinions fed to you by Liverpool forums and the press?
ReplyDeleteJaimie what do you take me for??
ReplyDeleteI am being honest about the situation and the personal insults are a bit childish.
Brainwashed lol, how old are you?
Cliches?? FACTS!
Everyone knows you hate RB you have got your wish and with it LFC mediocrity, but that won't stop you trying to belittle everyone who isn't on your side!
Examining the evidence?? Errmm we have no money we have no manager and errmmm we have the worst owners of any Top (and i use that very loosely now)sides in EUROPE not Britain, you want any more facts??? or you just going to dismiss them AGAIN?
Don't resort to insulting people when they only putting their views across
Bob. You are giving an argument, yet no evidence to prove it, or just anything infact. Explain why Rafa is so good. He doesn't hate Rafa, he hates him as a manager, and his tactics etc. He isn't "belittling" people, he is defending his side of debate, by making points to try and defeat your argument. Obviously if I have the same views as JK, then he would take my side, because we have the same debate.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know we will have no transfer budget. How do you know we are turning into a "leeds or newcastle?" The simple thing is.. YOU DON'T. How do you know MON would make us worse? How do you know if Stevie, Torres and Masch are going? Yet again-YOU DON'T. If you actually look at club finances, that have been released, you will see that it has been significanly reduced.
In what way is he insulting you? He is not dismissing you, he is defending his views.
*NAME* i meant Rohan
ReplyDeleteThank you for removing half your original post Jaimie
ReplyDeleteRohan you say the debt has been reduced, to what 350 mil??? pennies mate pennies!
You telling me SG FT and masch won't go?? (i know no-one is bigger than the club) but they won't stick around they will know there is no money for transfers and certainly not the 4-5 we need!
Common sense is a wonderful thing.
forst of all i would say that jaimie is undoubtedly the best writer when it comes to liverpool fc, hats off to ya jaimie, i am from india so not actually into the mainstream on how the the club is goin bout with the business,, still this talk about rafa is something i want to talk about , plz plz do not judge rafa on what he did last season, the bottom line is overall he was an improvement over gerrard houllier, k he was negative with his tactics, no man management(presumably), yet you have to see he took us into the champions league with teams involving igor biscan, djimi traore, bolo zenden, sinama pongolle, neil mellor, , so i still feel if rafa is gone we could all atleast show some respect god damn it !!!!, sorry if i said too much
ReplyDeletehey dude , y do i get a feelin that ur are really cocky with no apparent reason, unless you are in the liverpool hierarchy you don't get to have any say in how the transfers go about, so kindly keep away from putting yourself in a hypothetical chair for the manager, ,, for all u know maybe riise been sold to roma was a part of the aqua deal, so maybe rafa had no say over selling riise when he was good coz he knew that xabi was about to leave,,,?
ReplyDelete