Hicks: Benitez going nowhere
17 Apr 2007 - 08:56:05
Liverpool's new owner Tom Hicks claims Rafael Benitez will not swap Anfield for Real Madrid because his wife loves life on Merseyside.
The Spanish tactician has continually been linked with a return to Madrid where he cut his coaching teeth before moving on to win the La Liga title with Valencia.
Benitez, who arrived at Liverpool in 2004, is happy at Anfield and insists he wants to stay at the club which was bought out by Hicks and fellow US businessman George Gillett in Februray.
But even if the Madrid-born coach did decide to return home, Benitez's wife, Montse, claims she wants to stay on Merseyside according to Hicks.
"Rafa is not going anywhere. He's under contract and he told me that his wife has said that if he ever did go, he'd have to go without her because she's staying in Liverpool," Hicks told the Daily Mirror.
"He's staying in Liverpool too because he's the man we want.
"He is a fresh thinker. He's not afraid to try new things and I think that's probably good in the UK.
"He's a smart guy, a great tactician and I like what we hear about his plans."