Havn't seen it posted in its entirety yet, so here it is:
29 Mar 2007
RAFA BENITEZ
With George Gillette and Tom Hick’s takeover of Liverpool completed this week and their new club within touching distance of a second Champions League Final in three years there’s cause for optimism at Anfield. As Rafa Benitez approaches the end of his third season in charge Sue McCann caught up with him to hear his thoughts on successful signings, potential signings and new ownership.
When we spoke earlier this season, you admitted that you do need a British type of player to cope with the physicality of the Premiership. Dirk Kuyt isn’t British but he’s settled well, been compared to Alan Shearer and is very like the old fashioned British centre forward …. was that in your thinking when you were looking to sign him?
“We had confidence because of watching him working during the games but also training and how he could score goals, we knew that he could be a good player for English football. The physical approach that he has to each game is really important for him.
"When I was talking with him trying to bring him here he always said the same to me, that he was a Liverpool supporter. I have a friend of mine who was his team mate and he said to me that Kuyt was always watching the Premiership and (playing for) Liverpool was his target.”
Another success story this season for you has been Daniel Agger; Scandinavian players tend to have settled well over the years in English football and particularly at Liverpool, why do you think that is?
“I think that the mentality is similar, the weather and daily life is similar. I know from experience that Spanish people have more problems, the Latinos because of the sun, the weather, we (Spanish) for example go to bed at midnight whereas here you maybe go to bed at 10pm. So I think because day to day life is similar that is a reason, but also because Daniel Agger is very, professional he’s very, very focused in his career, very well prepared for every game. These things help because if you have a player who is 21 years old thinking about girls and cars and things like that then maybe it would be more difficult for him to settle down, but he’s very, very focused on football.”
I know that no manager is ever going to be completely satisfied with his squad but how close are you to having a blend of squad that you would be content with?
“I said before when we started this season that I was happy because we had a better squad than last season. I think that it is true that you always want to improve; maybe you think you are better but also the other teams are improving. We are close but I think we need to do more things if we want to be closer and if we want to be contenders.”
From their very first press conference you could see how enthusiastic and passionate George Gillette and Tom Hicks were about buying Liverpool. That must be very motivating for you because the ‘American’ approach tends to be that ‘we want success, we want to go forward and how do we go about doing it….. ‘
“I think it’s very positive. I hope that they will try to do the best for the club because when you want to buy a club and you want to invest big money it means that you want to be successful and that you want to win everything. It’s very positive, I think that can be really good for us.”
For you personally how proud are you to actually be part of what could be a whole new era at Liverpool?
“If everything is going in the right direction I think it can be a very good time for all of the people involved. I am really happy here and everything is ok and I think it can be a very good opportunity for doing something for the (Liverpool) history.”
Football in America has made massive progress in the last 10 years; they’ve qualified for the last two World Cups, been as high as 7th in the FIFA rankings and the next generation of players is rumoured to be even better. Do you believe this is an untapped market for you and one you could look at in the future particularly with the American connections your new owners bring?
“I’m sure that football in America will improve if they decide to improve and they have everything they need for improving. Some years ago I was in America for ten days at Davis University at a camp giving some football lessons and you could see 100 kids playing football with passion. I think that it will be better. Also they have a lot of Latin Americans and they like football and I think each year they will have more people playing football because they also have this influence.”
Arsene Wenger’s success in English football paved the way for a lot of foreign managers to have opportunities in the Premiership; what do you admire most about him?
“I think he’s a very good manager; you could see his team before (his arrival) you can see his team now; the Arsenal team play good football and he’s won a lot of trophies.”
Does it also impress you that Arsene does seem to have an amazing knowledge of scouting world wide; he does have a good network doesn’t he?
“My particular point of view is that they are spending big money on good players and people say ‘Oh fantastic!’ because they have good players, but they are spending big money on young players. If you have this money and you can use it then maybe another club would do the same because it is very positive. I think it is very positive the things that they are doing but also it is easier because they have more money.”
RAFA BENITEZ
With George Gillette and Tom Hick’s takeover of Liverpool completed this week and their new club within touching distance of a second Champions League Final in three years there’s cause for optimism at Anfield. As Rafa Benitez approaches the end of his third season in charge Sue McCann caught up with him to hear his thoughts on successful signings, potential signings and new ownership.
When we spoke earlier this season, you admitted that you do need a British type of player to cope with the physicality of the Premiership. Dirk Kuyt isn’t British but he’s settled well, been compared to Alan Shearer and is very like the old fashioned British centre forward …. was that in your thinking when you were looking to sign him?
“We had confidence because of watching him working during the games but also training and how he could score goals, we knew that he could be a good player for English football. The physical approach that he has to each game is really important for him.
"When I was talking with him trying to bring him here he always said the same to me, that he was a Liverpool supporter. I have a friend of mine who was his team mate and he said to me that Kuyt was always watching the Premiership and (playing for) Liverpool was his target.”
Another success story this season for you has been Daniel Agger; Scandinavian players tend to have settled well over the years in English football and particularly at Liverpool, why do you think that is?
“I think that the mentality is similar, the weather and daily life is similar. I know from experience that Spanish people have more problems, the Latinos because of the sun, the weather, we (Spanish) for example go to bed at midnight whereas here you maybe go to bed at 10pm. So I think because day to day life is similar that is a reason, but also because Daniel Agger is very, professional he’s very, very focused in his career, very well prepared for every game. These things help because if you have a player who is 21 years old thinking about girls and cars and things like that then maybe it would be more difficult for him to settle down, but he’s very, very focused on football.”
I know that no manager is ever going to be completely satisfied with his squad but how close are you to having a blend of squad that you would be content with?
“I said before when we started this season that I was happy because we had a better squad than last season. I think that it is true that you always want to improve; maybe you think you are better but also the other teams are improving. We are close but I think we need to do more things if we want to be closer and if we want to be contenders.”
From their very first press conference you could see how enthusiastic and passionate George Gillette and Tom Hicks were about buying Liverpool. That must be very motivating for you because the ‘American’ approach tends to be that ‘we want success, we want to go forward and how do we go about doing it….. ‘
“I think it’s very positive. I hope that they will try to do the best for the club because when you want to buy a club and you want to invest big money it means that you want to be successful and that you want to win everything. It’s very positive, I think that can be really good for us.”
For you personally how proud are you to actually be part of what could be a whole new era at Liverpool?
“If everything is going in the right direction I think it can be a very good time for all of the people involved. I am really happy here and everything is ok and I think it can be a very good opportunity for doing something for the (Liverpool) history.”
Football in America has made massive progress in the last 10 years; they’ve qualified for the last two World Cups, been as high as 7th in the FIFA rankings and the next generation of players is rumoured to be even better. Do you believe this is an untapped market for you and one you could look at in the future particularly with the American connections your new owners bring?
“I’m sure that football in America will improve if they decide to improve and they have everything they need for improving. Some years ago I was in America for ten days at Davis University at a camp giving some football lessons and you could see 100 kids playing football with passion. I think that it will be better. Also they have a lot of Latin Americans and they like football and I think each year they will have more people playing football because they also have this influence.”
Arsene Wenger’s success in English football paved the way for a lot of foreign managers to have opportunities in the Premiership; what do you admire most about him?
“I think he’s a very good manager; you could see his team before (his arrival) you can see his team now; the Arsenal team play good football and he’s won a lot of trophies.”
Does it also impress you that Arsene does seem to have an amazing knowledge of scouting world wide; he does have a good network doesn’t he?
“My particular point of view is that they are spending big money on good players and people say ‘Oh fantastic!’ because they have good players, but they are spending big money on young players. If you have this money and you can use it then maybe another club would do the same because it is very positive. I think it is very positive the things that they are doing but also it is easier because they have more money.”
Comment