COMMENT: Battle-weary Rafa Benitez could decide to end Liverpool FC war

30 January 2010 07:00
SUDDENLY it seems different. Liverpool supporters have seen Rafa Benitez linked with jobs away from Anfield before but never thought he would leave - until now.[LNB]The prospect, you see, of Benitez walking away from the club he has managed since the summer of 2004 is more real than ever before, a point which was hammered home during his weekly press conference at Melwood yesterday afternoon.[LNB]In the past, notably when Real Madrid have come calling, Benitez has batted away questions from his interrogators without fuss, insisting he could never accept another offer while he is so happy in the area. [LNB]That point, it must be stressed, is still valid; Benitez loves Liverpool life, so does his wife, Montse, and their children Claudia and Agata; he also wants to deliver success to the fans who have, in the main, given him unconditional backing.[LNB]Yes, there have been problems behind the scenes, with the owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jnr and the former chief executive, Rick Parry, but never did you get the impression that another club would bat their eyelashes and he would go. Not even Madrid, the side he grew up supporting.[LNB]Certainly in recent years, had Juventus been mooted as a possible destination, Benitez would not even have entertained the thought.[LNB]Just think of Serie A; once the league that was the envy of Europe, with its superstar performers, outstanding teams and glut of money, it now languishes behind the Premier League and Spain's La Liga in terms of quality and finance.[LNB]Sure, certain clubs, such as Juve, have great heritage but stadiums are rarely full, even for the biggest games, and Italy's top flight now consists of giants such as Chievo, Livorno and Catania - where, you may wonder, is the draw?

Source: Liverpool_Echo