YOU'D BETTER WIN IT NOW, RAFA
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL COUNTDOWN
By Ken Gorman 06/05/2007
LIVERPOOL legend John Toshack has warned manager Rafa Benitez that he will be walking a tightrope in Athens later this month.
Benitez takes his side to their second Champions League Final in three years, hoping to repeat their dramatic victory over AC Milan in Istanbul.
But Toshack fears Liverpool's all-out assault on European glory - at the expense of domestic success - could rebound on their manager.
Liverpool legend Toshack, now manager of Wales, said: "Liverpool are under pressure to win it. People can be very fickle and the dividing line can be so thin.
"If they win it, they'll put up a monument to Rafa - two Champions Leagues in three years. If they don't win it, they haven't won anything despite spending over £100million. That might be unfair, because Liverpool have had to get past Barcelona and Chelsea to get to this final. But Liverpool supporters were very unsettled after losing to Arsenal twice in quick succession to go out of two cup competitions.
"There were 40,000 people there for both games and for Rafa to say those competitions aren't that important was taking a risk. The Kop were saying, 'You could have told us that before we came here.'
"If he wins the Champions League everything will be justified. But to calculate things that finely is a risky business. Talk about throwing your eggs into one basket!"
Meanwhile, Dirk Kuyt has revealed how Benitez danced like a dervish as Liverpool celebrated Tuesday's semi-final victory over Chelsea.
Kuyt said: "With Benitez and a couple of others we were dancing like idiots in the changing rooms. You should have seen the manager. He was just as euphoric as the players. Our celebrations in the dressing room went on for more than half an hour after the final whistle. None of us can remember every detail of what happened immediately after the match. We just went crazy.
"How did we celebrate? I will tell you the celebrations carried on deep into the night."
Kuyt, who took the fourth spot-kick that earned Liverpool their shoot-out win, added: "Rafa came up to me first, asking me if I'd take a penalty. I immediately said yes.
"He put me fourth on the list. Robbie Fowler was going to take No.5, if needed. At the end of extra time, most players felt their legs had gone.
"I could feel I had done a lot of running, but mentally I was still super sharp.
"This was such a big match. And you know that in big matches it all comes down to which team is mentally the strongest."
AC Milan, their opponents in Athens, are still haunted by losing a three-goal lead and then the penalty shoot-out to Liverpool two years ago.
And Reds captain Steven Gerrard has a bone to pick with the Italian side.
Gennaro Gattuso is one of the Milan side itching to make right what they see as a terrible wrong. They hit back at Gerrard after last week's semi-final defeat of Manchester United over the Anfield captain's claims that Gattuso lost the plot when his side were three up in Istanbul.
Gerrard said: "A lot of people said 2005 was a fluke but this side has proved we're a fantastic team over two legs. Now we've got to go and prove we're really good in one leg.
"Obviously Milan will be a massive hurdle to get over, but to beat Chelsea - with the players they 've got, and their special manager - it's a fantastic achievement."
CLICKY - Sunday Mirror
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL COUNTDOWN
By Ken Gorman 06/05/2007
LIVERPOOL legend John Toshack has warned manager Rafa Benitez that he will be walking a tightrope in Athens later this month.
Benitez takes his side to their second Champions League Final in three years, hoping to repeat their dramatic victory over AC Milan in Istanbul.
But Toshack fears Liverpool's all-out assault on European glory - at the expense of domestic success - could rebound on their manager.
Liverpool legend Toshack, now manager of Wales, said: "Liverpool are under pressure to win it. People can be very fickle and the dividing line can be so thin.
"If they win it, they'll put up a monument to Rafa - two Champions Leagues in three years. If they don't win it, they haven't won anything despite spending over £100million. That might be unfair, because Liverpool have had to get past Barcelona and Chelsea to get to this final. But Liverpool supporters were very unsettled after losing to Arsenal twice in quick succession to go out of two cup competitions.
"There were 40,000 people there for both games and for Rafa to say those competitions aren't that important was taking a risk. The Kop were saying, 'You could have told us that before we came here.'
"If he wins the Champions League everything will be justified. But to calculate things that finely is a risky business. Talk about throwing your eggs into one basket!"
Meanwhile, Dirk Kuyt has revealed how Benitez danced like a dervish as Liverpool celebrated Tuesday's semi-final victory over Chelsea.
Kuyt said: "With Benitez and a couple of others we were dancing like idiots in the changing rooms. You should have seen the manager. He was just as euphoric as the players. Our celebrations in the dressing room went on for more than half an hour after the final whistle. None of us can remember every detail of what happened immediately after the match. We just went crazy.
"How did we celebrate? I will tell you the celebrations carried on deep into the night."
Kuyt, who took the fourth spot-kick that earned Liverpool their shoot-out win, added: "Rafa came up to me first, asking me if I'd take a penalty. I immediately said yes.
"He put me fourth on the list. Robbie Fowler was going to take No.5, if needed. At the end of extra time, most players felt their legs had gone.
"I could feel I had done a lot of running, but mentally I was still super sharp.
"This was such a big match. And you know that in big matches it all comes down to which team is mentally the strongest."
AC Milan, their opponents in Athens, are still haunted by losing a three-goal lead and then the penalty shoot-out to Liverpool two years ago.
And Reds captain Steven Gerrard has a bone to pick with the Italian side.
Gennaro Gattuso is one of the Milan side itching to make right what they see as a terrible wrong. They hit back at Gerrard after last week's semi-final defeat of Manchester United over the Anfield captain's claims that Gattuso lost the plot when his side were three up in Istanbul.
Gerrard said: "A lot of people said 2005 was a fluke but this side has proved we're a fantastic team over two legs. Now we've got to go and prove we're really good in one leg.
"Obviously Milan will be a massive hurdle to get over, but to beat Chelsea - with the players they 've got, and their special manager - it's a fantastic achievement."
CLICKY - Sunday Mirror
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