Source: Liverpool_Echo
It would have been an honour to have met Bill Shankly – Liverpool FC boss Rafael Benitez
IN his search for inspiration before big games, Bill Shankly would listen to the same collection of songs over and over again to get himself mentally attuned for battle.[LNB]Whether it be Gerry and The Pacemakers, Tom Jones or Peters and Lee, the words from their songs would ultimately end up swirling around Shankly's head and echoed the passion he felt for Liverpool Football Club.[LNB]It should come as no surprise to learn, then, that listening to something repeatedly helped Rafa Benitez understand just what kind of task he had trying to walk in Shankly's shadow when he joined Liverpool in the summer of 2004.[LNB]While it would have been wrong to expect the Reds' second foreign manager to have the same kind of understanding of Shankly as their first - Gerard Houllier stood on the Kop initially in 1969 - Benitez was aware of the great man's position in Anfield legend.[LNB]To fully appreciate what Shankly did for Liverpool, though, Benitez immersed himself in history, devouring page after page that was written about him but, more importantly, replaying a tape that was given to him shortly after his arrival.[LNB]On it was an interview Shankly had given to a radio journalist at some point in the 1960s but, when Benitez took on board exactly what was being said, it could easily have been given in the modern era.[LNB]Instantly striking a chord with the Spaniard, Benitez has revealed how he listened in awe as Shankly gave his views on footballer's diets, fitness programmes and tactics and it soon became apparent he had a duty to continue his work.[LNB]'I didn't really know too much about him before I came but as soon I got here, I started reading books about him and made sure that I spoke with a lot of people,' Benitez recalled. 'I kept reading all those little phrases and sentences.[LNB]'But I also listened to an interview he did once, over and over again when I was at home or when I was in my car. I struggled at first with the accent but once it all became clear, I was really impressed with his ideas.[LNB]'He was so ahead of his time. He was talking about training sessions and if it had been raining and the players were wet, he would tell them to careful and he would look after them, make sure they recovered properly and ate the right food.'
