Riera - Benitez never talks to Liverpool Players

[Harv]

He doesn't talk to players in his doghouse, or ones that are attack minded (bar Torres and Stevie of course, because they're the ones that have kept him his job for the past 3 years)

Rafa is just a stubborn ****er, no ways around it. He's old school, and unfortunately with todays footballers that doesn't work....cue morale being at an all time low.

[little dave hedgehog]

he thinks he's in charge, does he, that rafa?

where did he get that idea?

[The Birdman]

Riera has been abssolutely dog**** this year, he doesn't deserve anyone talking to him

[Craig_H]

Riera has been abssolutely dog**** this year, he doesn't deserve anyone talking to him

That made me genuinely chuckle.

The new form of performance bonus - play well, the manager says good morning to you. Score a goal, he'll ask how you're feeling.

Score a hatrick and he'll sit with you for 5 minutes in the staff canteen

[kingfunk]

This has been brewing for a while:

September 2009

Albert Riera has become the latest victim of Rafa Benitez’s regrettable habit of dropping players after they score goals. How long is this damaging trend going to continue?

After being stuck on the bench for most of the season, Riera started the 6-1 thrashing of Hull and had a fantastic game. He brought balance to the team on the left, scored one (deflected) goal and created another for Fernando Torres.

And how does Benitez show his appreciation? He drops Riera for the game against Fiorentina.

I’ve made this point over and over again, how is this conducive to motivat the players? What was the point? Why does Benitez insist on dropping players after they score or show good form?! Why not reward players instead of throwing them into a mental state of confusion.

I know riera was pretty **** in his last game, but we know from Lucas that this rule does not apply to all.

[skowser]

That made me genuinely chuckle.

The new form of performance bonus - play well, the manager says good morning to you. Score a goal, he'll ask how you're feeling.

Score a hatrick and he'll sit with you for 5 minutes in the staff canteen

Comedy gold...

[anfieldanfield]

Loads of people will read this and say "**** off then Riera, Rafa's the boss".

Unfortunately this interview taps into the heart of Rafa's major flaw as a manager. His management skills are weak at best. Footballers are still human beings often with glass confidence. If a player needs an arm round the shoulder he should get it - it means getting the best out of that player. Not every player responds best to Rafa's cold-shoulder, "my way or the high way" approach.

Rafa's stubborness has cost in the past, is costing him now and will cost him in the future.

[kingfunk]

Loads of people will read this and say "**** off then Riera, Rafa's the boss".

Unfortunately this interview taps into the heart of Rafa's major flaw as a manager. His management skills are weak at best. Footballers are still human beings often with glass confidence. If a player needs an arm round the shoulder he should get it - it means getting the best out of that player. Not every player responds best to Rafa's cold-shoulder, "my way or the high way" approach.

Rafa's stubborness has cost in the past, is costing him now and will cost him in the future.

And its costing LFC points.

[Chazza]

Loads of people will read this and say "**** off then Riera, Rafa's the boss".

Unfortunately this interview taps into the heart of Rafa's major flaw as a manager. His management skills are weak at best. Footballers are still human beings often with glass confidence. If a player needs an arm round the shoulder he should get it - it means getting the best out of that player. Not every player responds best to Rafa's cold-shoulder, "my way or the high way" approach.

Rafa's stubborness has cost in the past, is costing him now and will cost him in the future.

Read in an article a couple of years back (may have been Tomkins) that said for Benitez methods to work well he needs to freshen the squad on a regular basis otherwise the players dont respond and perform to a consistantly high level

[Craig_H]

Loads of people will read this and say "**** off then Riera, Rafa's the boss".

Unfortunately this interview taps into the heart of Rafa's major flaw as a manager. His management skills are weak at best. Footballers are still human beings often with glass confidence. If a player needs an arm round the shoulder he should get it - it means getting the best out of that player. Not every player responds best to Rafa's cold-shoulder, "my way or the high way" approach.

Rafa's stubborness has cost in the past, is costing him now and will cost him in the future.

Bang on the money.

It goes beyond just man management - he's just rigid in everything.

No subs before 60 mins ever, unless enforced.

Hardly ever changes our corner routine - Gerrard always takes it and mostly hits the first man.

Every manager has his ways of doing things, but you have to realise that over the course of time, you'll need to vary your methods to suit the situation you're in. Rafa's not flexible enough to do this, he stubbornly sticks to the same things over and over again. It's actually makes sense that we're so predictable to play against, because it's the same every single time.

[Craig_H]

Read in an article a couple of years back (may have been Tomkins) that said for Benitez methods to work well he needs to freshen the squad on a regular basis otherwise the players dont respond and perform to a consistantly high level

Well they havent exactly performed to a consistently high level this season, even with his method.

[Darth Marty]

deary me, i think its a real flaw in Rafa's style that he alienates so many people. I think some of the footballers need to man the **** up too mind you but it is a problem is half of our squad feels under appreciated.

I expect both to be gone this summer to be honest.

[Chazza]

Well they havent exactly performed to a consistently high level this season, even with his method.

True, but maybe he needed to bring in and ship out more players than he did???? Obviously constraints on funds meant otherwise.

[Lee]

This has been brewing for a while:



I’ve made this point over and over again, how is this conducive to motivat the players? What was the point? Why does Benitez insist on dropping players after they score or show good form?! Why not reward players instead of throwing them into a mental state of confusion.

I know riera was pretty **** in his last game, but we know from Lucas that this rule does not apply to all.

Exactly chap.

Didn't Crouch or Bellamy say a few years back that it doesn't matter if you score a hat-trick in one game because chances are you'll be on the bench the next?! Strange how he'll drop an inform player yet persist with people who underperform.

Like when Pennant mentioned the time he "scored two and set up one, and then got dropped"

[Craig_H]

It seems to me that the only players who seem to have spoken out about problems with him, are pretty much all 'expressive' or attacking players. That's obviously not to say that he'd cause problems with all attacking players, but i dont remember any of the 'solid but unspectacular' types saying they had a problem with him.

I dunno if it's a case of rafa preferring 'solid' types who dont do anything 'out of the box' in their play, but just do as they're told and dont go down the 'individual creativity' route....but it does seem to only be more creative or attacking players who have spoken out against him.