More utterly disgraceful behaviour from some of our so called 'fans' and the usual suspects from Sky.
Liverpool's Benitez roasted at charity dinner as fans gang up with Sky pundits
By Joe Bernstein
Rafa Benitez came under fire from fans and television pundits during a dinner at a luxury hotel over his tactics and transfer policy - at the same time his agent was across the city trying to negotiate a new contract.
Several Anfield greats were among guests at a charity dinner and heard fans and a team of Sky Sports commentators give Benitez a rough ride.
The Spaniard and his assistant, Sammy Lee, had given their time to join 400 corporate guests at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the city's waterfront to raise money for the Lord Mayor of Liverpool's chosen charities.
But a question-and-answer session between fans and a panel of former players led to scathing criticism of Benitez's signings Leiva Lucas and Robbie Keane, the sale of Peter Crouch and an apparent lack of adventure in the Liverpool team.
One eyewitness said: 'It was disgusting. Rafa had to sit there and listen to his management decisions taken apart by a bunch of people who aren't fit to tie his bootlaces. It was completely disrespectful.
It must have passed people by that Liverpool were top of the League.
'The [fans'] questions were totally disrespectful and the pundits should have known better than to have got involved. What are their managerial achievements?'
The irony was that at the same time as Thursday's event, his advisers were talking about a new £10 million deal from American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Benitez is confident he will eventually sign the new contract, with Hicks and Gillett certain to remain in charge following the withdrawal of interest from bidders in Dubai.
Benitez's dinner ordeal came when he attended the event sponsored by Liverpool-based stockbrokers and investment managers, Blankstone Sington, to raise money for a number of charities including the Alder Hey Imagine Appeal, The Marina Dalglish Appeal, Alzheimer's Society and the Mersey Beat Appeal.
Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling hosted the question-and-answer session between fans and TV pundits Charlie Nicholas, Paul Merson, Graeme Sharp and former Liverpool captain and assistant-manager Phil Thompson, but some of the questions from the supporters were far from friendly to Benitez.
One eyewitness said: 'A lot of people in the room were appalled at the way Rafa was treated. He had attended the event in good faith and had to listen to people tearing him apart.
'He had to sit there and hear Leiva Lucas being called ''crap'' and people questioning why he played too defensively. It was totally disrespectful to the man.
'It was hard for the pundits. They have to give their honest opinions to questions asked. Thommo [Phil Thompson] handled it well. He did say he wouldn't have sold Peter Crouch, but that is his personal opinion. Rafa was very gracious in the circumstances and went over to see them after, before heading off. But I'm not sure what he was really thinking.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo....html?ITO=1490
By Joe Bernstein
Rafa Benitez came under fire from fans and television pundits during a dinner at a luxury hotel over his tactics and transfer policy - at the same time his agent was across the city trying to negotiate a new contract.
Several Anfield greats were among guests at a charity dinner and heard fans and a team of Sky Sports commentators give Benitez a rough ride.
The Spaniard and his assistant, Sammy Lee, had given their time to join 400 corporate guests at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the city's waterfront to raise money for the Lord Mayor of Liverpool's chosen charities.
But a question-and-answer session between fans and a panel of former players led to scathing criticism of Benitez's signings Leiva Lucas and Robbie Keane, the sale of Peter Crouch and an apparent lack of adventure in the Liverpool team.
One eyewitness said: 'It was disgusting. Rafa had to sit there and listen to his management decisions taken apart by a bunch of people who aren't fit to tie his bootlaces. It was completely disrespectful.
It must have passed people by that Liverpool were top of the League.
'The [fans'] questions were totally disrespectful and the pundits should have known better than to have got involved. What are their managerial achievements?'
The irony was that at the same time as Thursday's event, his advisers were talking about a new £10 million deal from American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Benitez is confident he will eventually sign the new contract, with Hicks and Gillett certain to remain in charge following the withdrawal of interest from bidders in Dubai.
Benitez's dinner ordeal came when he attended the event sponsored by Liverpool-based stockbrokers and investment managers, Blankstone Sington, to raise money for a number of charities including the Alder Hey Imagine Appeal, The Marina Dalglish Appeal, Alzheimer's Society and the Mersey Beat Appeal.
Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling hosted the question-and-answer session between fans and TV pundits Charlie Nicholas, Paul Merson, Graeme Sharp and former Liverpool captain and assistant-manager Phil Thompson, but some of the questions from the supporters were far from friendly to Benitez.
One eyewitness said: 'A lot of people in the room were appalled at the way Rafa was treated. He had attended the event in good faith and had to listen to people tearing him apart.
'He had to sit there and hear Leiva Lucas being called ''crap'' and people questioning why he played too defensively. It was totally disrespectful to the man.
'It was hard for the pundits. They have to give their honest opinions to questions asked. Thommo [Phil Thompson] handled it well. He did say he wouldn't have sold Peter Crouch, but that is his personal opinion. Rafa was very gracious in the circumstances and went over to see them after, before heading off. But I'm not sure what he was really thinking.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo....html?ITO=1490
), they aren't what I would call Liverpool fans - they're dickheads.
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