4 Feb 2012

Did Hamann blasts: It is 'nonsense' to criticise Rafa Benitez

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was often criticised for his dispassionate demeanour on the touchline. The ever-studious Spaniard would never celebrate when Liverpool scored, preferring instead to stay calm and analytical for the entire 90 minutes of practically every game. Some might argue that this approach is counter-productive, but in Dietmar Hamann's view, being calm on the sidelines is definitely the best way to be.

Hamann played under Benitez for two years before leaving for Manchester City, and in an interview with TalkSport recently, he dismissed criticism of his former manager's laid back touchline style:

"I think it's nonsense if people think that someone who doesn't celebrate a goal doesn't care. If you run around on the touchline you might miss something. You've got to study the game because you may pick something up.

"I always felt as a player that I want someone out there who sits there and is calm because I think it transfers some maturity and calmness onto the team. I don't want someone on the touchline running up and down, ranting and raving.

"Work is done during the week, and as a manager, you can't do much during the game. You've got 5 or 10 minutes at half time where you can address a few things. Apart from that, there's not much you can while the game goes on; the players can't hear you.

"All the top managers these days, like Wenger and Ferguson, when a goal is scored, they get a bit excited, but they're pretty calm".


Staying calm on the touchline can transmit calmness to the players, but isn't it equally possible that being too calm can dull the sense of urgency on the field?

I personally prefer managers who show emotion on the side of the pitch; I think Kenny Dalglish has struck the right balance in that regard. Whenever Liverpool score, he is demonstrably happy, and that can only be a good thing for the team, surely?

Benitez arguably went too far the other way; he would never show any kind of emotion after Liverpool scored, even in the most important of games.

Jaimie Kanwar


18 comments:

  1. Good post.

    However, I do think that there are a lot of goals conceded just after scoring so it is important to be calm and transmit that players. But, as a suporter I like my managers running around when a goal is scored, as it shows a link with fans.

    Nevertheless - I do miss RB and in my opinion he was the best manager we have had since we last won the title.

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  2. Arguably. Very arguably. Only the sensitive English players seemed bothered by it. Their far more professional continental counterparts rightly seemed to appreciate Benitez's focus.

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  3. Benitez WAS animated, when he was passing on instructions to the team. And I liked the fact he never celebrated goals, it conferred an air of expectation, as if he was almost saying "as I speak, thus it shall be".

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  4. i love it when kenny goes crazyyyyyyy...ynwa

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  5. I loved it when Rafa celebrated against Blackburn when Torres smashed the ball in to make it 2-0....game over...

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  6. when a goal goes in, the players celebrate, the game cant start until everyone is back in their own half and the ref blows his whistle, so what is their to miss?? The only thing your missing by not celebrating is the celebration itself. Iwould find it harder not to celebrate, imagine if your in the dugout and it was the other week when dirk kuyt scored, i would be sent to the stands for giving fergie the finger and rubbing his fat whisky nose in it. At least KK does not do a mourinho and run the length of the pitch. Benitez was a great manager and still is but i always did find it odd that he did not celebrate.

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  7. Benitez was boss. 

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  8. That is the popular belief that was used by Ferguson to demonise him... in actual fact he was gesturing to Alonso as he had not followed his instruction of the set piece they practiced but as we scored from it he made that gesture as to say ignore me...

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  9. Rafa was always watching what the opposing bench was up to after we scored. and by doing so could get a feel for what his opponent might do.  Apparently he's a very good chess player.

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  10. A managers gesticulation is personal preference, in Rafa and Kenny we have two contrasting personalities that display different emotions when we scored, Kenny looks like a fan on the sidelines and usually celebrates by turning to the crowd with his hands in the air ... Rafa on the other hand would ignore the goal and usually call over someone to give further instructions.

    I have to agree with Hamann here, I loved Rafa's calmness as to me it showed that the man in charge was always thinking and level headed when maybe the team could get lost in emotion and lose focus. But that is not to say Kenny's style is any worse, in fact when you watch Guardiola it is the same, both Kenny and Pep are ex players and considered Legends at the clubs they are managing, when they score you can see they still celebrate as if they were on the pitch and as fans of the team... Possibly the worst culprit of lack of emotion I have ever seen is Vincent Del Bosque ... a man who has won almost everything as a manager but in the dugout you cant tell if his team have just scored the goal of the century or the ball has rolled out for a throw in.  

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  11. Goal is scored:

    Kenny: OMG OMG WOOHOOO!!!

    Rafa: Yes ok, we scored..but it should have been 3 by now.

    I see pros and cons either way. I also think I would like to know that some one at least is keeping a cool head.

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  12. i can understand this but, he knew who was on the oppositions bench so could easily hand out a bit of instruction when the player was getting undressed.

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  13. rafa benitez is a legend the money he made for lfc and the way he was treated was disgusting.He should be asked to come back once kd leaves.Pure class beat all the top teams inter barca real juve chelsea man u ac milan with all their millions he came out on top,if he were harry redknapp he would have been hailed and knighted but instead was ganged up on by all fergies pets shame on the yanks who had it all and shot themselves in court.LONG LIVE RAFA 

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  14. Rafa's "thumb's up" celebration against Arsenal when Xabi scored was coolness personified. I also remember him hugging a steward once, then turning round to reveal an incredibly red tongue.....   ahem. 
    Kenny just goes apeshit. Both Redmen, through and through.

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  15. i can recall and remember Rafa benitez smiling after being crowned in the champions league in istanbul 2005, and also in the FA cup in 2006, smiling to the maximum limit, so Jaimie Kanwar, stop hinting and criticizing Rafa Benitiez!!

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  16. Jaimie Kanwar, for you own knowledge, i recall an interview when benitez was asked why he would not show any signs of emotions in the sidelines, he answered telling that he would prefer to focus in the games and concentrate in about the details of the match rather than jumping in the air, and he would celebrate only when he achieve a trophy, rather than that! there is no reason why to be happy! that's the attitude and behaviour of a WINNER! he won't celebrate unless it's for a trophy!

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  17. RAFA come back to LFC,the club needs you !

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  18. Like a hole in the head.Jamie didi would think this he's a german no disrespect

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