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Rafa Benitez: Why the hell would I ever want to quit this fantastic club?
Jan 8 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo
RAFA BENITEZ today moved to quell speculation that he feels he is a "dead man walking" at Anfield.
In an unprecedented move, the Liverpool manager has lifted the lid on conversations he had with sections of the media which he believes lies behind the upsurge in speculation about his future at the weekend.
Benitez says he was forced into taking such an unusual step because he wants his thoughts to be made a matter of public record so the Liverpool fans can know exactly what he is thinking without fear of misinterpretation.
A clearly upset Benitez told the ECHO: "I was shocked when I was told about the stories in the Sunday papers and when I saw them for myself I was even more surprised.
"I don't know how many times I have to say I only see my future at Liverpool Football Club before certain people believe me.
"But I will say it again because it is really important that everyone understands this – I love the club, I love the fans, I love the city and I am very, very happy here.
"I do not see my future at Real Madrid or Inter Milan or anywhere else. I see my future at Liverpool and this is where I want to stay.
"So to see my name linked with other clubs in such a manner, as it was in certain Sunday newspapers, really disappoints me.
"And the fact that the newspapers said that the stories had come from a source close to me is what disappoints me most."
Benitez believes the stories which appeared in several Sunday newspapers stemmed from a private conversation he had with a group of journalists following the regular weekly press conference at Melwood ahead of the weekend's FA Cup tie at Luton.
But he remains adamant that the stories which appeared following Friday's briefing bear little relation to the conversation which took place.
"I was asked several questions about my future," he said.
"I answered honestly, saying that there had been misunderstandings in the past but they are now in the past and that I am now working very well with the club's owners and Rick Parry and we all have the same objective – to do our very best for Liverpool Football Club.
"Then, just a couple of days later, I see quotes that are supposed to have come from me or from a friend of mine saying I don't see my future at Liverpool.
"All I can say is no such quotes came from me and I know my friends well enough to know that they did not come from them.
"So I can only assume that the conversation I had with the journalists from the Sunday newspapers meant something different to them than it did to me. But they were not my words.
"That is why I am speaking to the ECHO, I want to clear up any confusion and put my side of the story."
As speculation about his future reaches fever pitch Benitez knows his position as Liverpool manager will continue to come under intense scrutiny if results do not pick up.
But he still believes the squad he has assembled will continue to improve – and he also believes it will happen under his stewardship.
"I want to completely commit myself to Liverpool Football Club," he said.
"I do not see my future anywhere else because I do not want to go anywhere else.
"I want to win trophies for my club, for our fans and for the people and I still believe we can do this.
"I think back to the Champions League Final in Istanbul, to the FA Cup Final in Cardiff, to the Super Cup Final in Monaco and so many other great occasions and I know just what this great club is capable of.
"The backing of the supporters has been fantastic. As I walked onto the pitch at Luton on Sunday the fans were singing my name and that means so much to me.
"That is why I want to achieve even more success and I believe we can do that.
"There has been so much improvement here over the last couple of seasons and I believe there is still a lot more to come.
"The squad is now the best it has been since I first came here and we have many young players who are only going to get better.
"So I have no wish to be at any other club. This is a truly special club which means so much to me.
"All I can say is that I want to be here this summer and many other summers after that."
Rafa Benitez: Why the hell would I ever want to quit this fantastic club?
Jan 8 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo
RAFA BENITEZ today moved to quell speculation that he feels he is a "dead man walking" at Anfield.
In an unprecedented move, the Liverpool manager has lifted the lid on conversations he had with sections of the media which he believes lies behind the upsurge in speculation about his future at the weekend.
Benitez says he was forced into taking such an unusual step because he wants his thoughts to be made a matter of public record so the Liverpool fans can know exactly what he is thinking without fear of misinterpretation.
A clearly upset Benitez told the ECHO: "I was shocked when I was told about the stories in the Sunday papers and when I saw them for myself I was even more surprised.
"I don't know how many times I have to say I only see my future at Liverpool Football Club before certain people believe me.
"But I will say it again because it is really important that everyone understands this – I love the club, I love the fans, I love the city and I am very, very happy here.
"I do not see my future at Real Madrid or Inter Milan or anywhere else. I see my future at Liverpool and this is where I want to stay.
"So to see my name linked with other clubs in such a manner, as it was in certain Sunday newspapers, really disappoints me.
"And the fact that the newspapers said that the stories had come from a source close to me is what disappoints me most."
Benitez believes the stories which appeared in several Sunday newspapers stemmed from a private conversation he had with a group of journalists following the regular weekly press conference at Melwood ahead of the weekend's FA Cup tie at Luton.
But he remains adamant that the stories which appeared following Friday's briefing bear little relation to the conversation which took place.
"I was asked several questions about my future," he said.
"I answered honestly, saying that there had been misunderstandings in the past but they are now in the past and that I am now working very well with the club's owners and Rick Parry and we all have the same objective – to do our very best for Liverpool Football Club.
"Then, just a couple of days later, I see quotes that are supposed to have come from me or from a friend of mine saying I don't see my future at Liverpool.
"All I can say is no such quotes came from me and I know my friends well enough to know that they did not come from them.
"So I can only assume that the conversation I had with the journalists from the Sunday newspapers meant something different to them than it did to me. But they were not my words.
"That is why I am speaking to the ECHO, I want to clear up any confusion and put my side of the story."
As speculation about his future reaches fever pitch Benitez knows his position as Liverpool manager will continue to come under intense scrutiny if results do not pick up.
But he still believes the squad he has assembled will continue to improve – and he also believes it will happen under his stewardship.
"I want to completely commit myself to Liverpool Football Club," he said.
"I do not see my future anywhere else because I do not want to go anywhere else.
"I want to win trophies for my club, for our fans and for the people and I still believe we can do this.
"I think back to the Champions League Final in Istanbul, to the FA Cup Final in Cardiff, to the Super Cup Final in Monaco and so many other great occasions and I know just what this great club is capable of.
"The backing of the supporters has been fantastic. As I walked onto the pitch at Luton on Sunday the fans were singing my name and that means so much to me.
"That is why I want to achieve even more success and I believe we can do that.
"There has been so much improvement here over the last couple of seasons and I believe there is still a lot more to come.
"The squad is now the best it has been since I first came here and we have many young players who are only going to get better.
"So I have no wish to be at any other club. This is a truly special club which means so much to me.
"All I can say is that I want to be here this summer and many other summers after that."
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