Rafa Benitez has slammed the News of the World reporter who tried to stir up trouble for him this morning, and has put the sensationalist paper into the same hole as its sister paper The Sun.
Speaking ahead of today’s clash with Chelsea, Rafa said of the article, written by Rob Beasley: “It’s no surprise. Everybody in Liverpool knows that there are two newspapers that you cannot trust, this is one of them.
“He talks of it being an exclusive; but the journalist is lying. I was talking with the Spanish press – he was manipulating everything. So he’s lying.”
Rafa said everything was okay with the owners: “I have contact with them, especially with Mr Hicks, because he was talking about Mr Hicks and I think he is lying – well clearly he is lying, because I did not talk with him.”
Rob Beasley’s hatred of Rafa Benitez was there for all to see earlier this year in one of his appearances on the Sky Sports programme, the Sunday Supplement. Read more on when he called Rafa a “snide” and a “petulant spoilt brat” in our earlier article, “Perfect Excuse? Or just a worried Chelsea fan?”
Beasley is a disgrace to his profession and will not have the balls to apologise with as large a headline as he used to accuse Rafa – if he apologises at all.
The News of the World has never been part of the boycott by Liverpool fans of The Sun, which has been boycotted for almost 19 years after its outrageous slurs against the club and its supporters. However it’s been boycotted on principal by many Reds, causing a lot of unease whenever a Liverpool player gave an interview to it, or even had a regular column in it.
Many fans see it as the Sunday Sun, given that its approach to reporting is often as disinterested in the truth as its daily sister. However as it is part of the same stable as the Times and Sky TV, the boycott line has always been drawn officially at The Sun. Players are not allowed by the club to speak to Sun reporters other than in unavoidable situations such as press conferences held when on international duty. This has not been extended to the NotW.
However, unless some decent apology is forthcoming – now and also followed up in next week’s paper – perhaps it’s time that the News of the World was also added to the boycott officially.
Rob Beasley – you have proved yourself worthy of your place in the gutter press. And all because you were worried that Liverpool might just beat your beloved blues.
Beasley was talking nonsense, and the News of the World is a rag, but to suggest that the boycott be extended to the News of the World on the back of this diminishes the point of the boycott.
I wouldn’t buy either the Sun or the News of the World, but my reason for not buying the Sun is first and foremost because of their obnoxious reporting of Hillsborough. Other issues shouldn’t be tacked on to that.
I see what you’re saying Bob, and perhaps i did overreact a little. The two entities are separate from each other in such a way that other than being owned by the same parent company, they’re as different as The Mirror and The Star. It’s still hard to not see the link however, especially on days like today.
I think most tabloids should be avoided by most fans anyway – most people in fact, football fans or not – their sensationalist reporting causes far too much hurt and suffering for no other reason than to make someone a little bit richer.
The News of the World isn’t the only paper to print lies and twist the facts on a Sunday, but with it having that link with The Sun it’s perhaps easy to think of it as somehow worse.
Last week’s comments by Chris Bascombe, talking about how he felt that Rafa may have lost the support of Gerrard and Carragher, won’t have helped the paper in the eyes of many Reds, and perhaps upset Rafa enough for him to make his “two papers” comments today.
It’s a shame that someone who on the whole writes such honest and groundbreaking stories like Chris Bascombe has to share a back page with someone so happy to lie through his teeth without a care about the consequences.
Beasley’s headlines have spread throughout the rest of the press today, with them sadly believing that such a hater of Rafa would actually get an exclusive interview with him.
I feel action against Beasley is necessary, but of course his “crime” is absolutely trivial compared to what the Sun did in 1989.
Most mainstream journalists and all kinds of mass media should be avoided. Most of them are untrustworthy, given that they work for very rich men (the owners) who only care about their personal agendas (money and power). Since the truth is never important, that’s why they employ journalists like Rob Beasley. So much is written about kooks on the internet, but at least this media is independent and that’s where honest independent journalists can still be found.
Seems ridiculous of Rafa to use a News Corp TV station (Sky) to ridicule a News Corp newspaper (NOTW). The NOTW story also appeared in today’s Sunday Mirror and snippets of the story appeared in other newspapers.
Double standards by Rafa. He obviously feels he can crititcise the owners and still expect to be treated well in return. Rafa has dragged the club’s name through the dirt again. Rafa has to go.
You miss the point Kevin.
As a journalist who used to work for a News Corp company (SKY Sports) I would be horrified if you grouped me in with hacks at The Sun or The NOTW. As I’m sure the mostly decent journalists at The Times would feel. Murdoch owns a lot of media but trust me, it’s not all one happy family.
For example, there’s a lot of resistance at Sky News from people who don’t want it to turn into another Fox News. But anyway…
Rafa went through Sky because a) on television you actually see the person speaking the words rather than relying on a journalist to (re)write quotes. b) Being a an international rolling news channel it’s the best place to get that message across as he’d never get to speak, for example, on the BBC news at nine and it would give him international exposure.
With regards to the Sunday Mirror – the tabloid editors get the first editions (that come out in London the night before) and regularly re-write rivals’ exclusives. Shoddy practice but very common.
But if fans are angry at the article then don’t buy the paper and write to the NOTW editor Colin Myler telling him that you are no longer buying the paper because of this lying journalist.
Good morning gents and fellow Reds.
Dont be surprised at all the attacks on Rafa and Liverpool FC.
I live in South Africa and the journos here are also on the ‘Let’s knock Rafa’ bandwagon.
In yesterdays main Sunday newspaper there was yet another one.
The author mentions that Rafa spent 49 million pounds this season and should quit complaining about the off field matters and take responsibility for the team’s poor form.
And yet nothing is mentioned about how many of our players have left.
Is Rafa also getting the players he wants?
What about that defender from AC Milan?
And the Portuguese winger who moved on to Atletico?
Kevin,
Your an idiot son. Your one of the few (thankfully) who want rid of Rafa.
Have you forgotten he gave you probably the best night of your mediocre life?
If Rafa is given the financial support he will give us the title. The fact is, after all the sales the Yanks have given him £19m. Chelsea spent more than that in January alone.
Get off your high horse and show some support.
Kevin,
I don’t think it’s ridiculous at all. NOTW is clearly not to be trusted – proof is in the pudding by the very article itself.
Double standards? I think not.
Criticise the owners? I doubt it, this time. However, the owners, are falling way short of the mark, not Benitez, so while it may not have been clever on his part, it’s shown the oweners up for what they are. Liars with no concept of what LFC stands for!
And Benitez is the one person who wouldn’t drag the name through the mud.
Rafa has to go? Replace him with who? Klinsmann? AN Other? More money, another 5 year plan?
Don’t talk absolute drivel! Its people like you who drag the club name through the mud!
My sentiments exactly Simon!
How long are we expected to show the faith in Rafa because he won the Champion League.It was a great achievement and one of the best nights in our clubs history but lets not be blinded by the one night.Time and time again we are left wanting in the league, time and time again Rafa makes bewildering selections playing players out of position and selecting one forward when we are playing at home.He has rested players for prem games to have them ready for a champions league game which to me is bang out of order I want the league way above wanting the Champions League which is nothing more than a cup competition which has been devalued by allowing the top four clubs to enter.
His record in the transfer market is questionable, why keep trying kewell and kuyt? Since when did running around like a headless chicken mean you are good enough to play for liverpool? Kuyt cannot hit a barn door he has had numerous chances, cost alot and has delivered very little.
Is Rafa the right man for the job? I don’t know. Should we replace him? Again I don’t know but don’t be blinded by the Champs league win we want the title.A league win would look good on Rafas CV a champions league win looks even better especially to those 2 top spanish clubs.No wonder he always shows preference to the Champs league.
Don’t confuse the ownership of our club with the failings of Mr Benitez. We shouldn’t be blinded.
Not too sure how to take Fred the Reds comments as they seem to contradict each other, and isn’t Fred the Red Man U’s mascot?
Anyway my point is regarding Rafa’s transfers, people seem to knock the managers dealings on a regular basis always quoting the perceived failures but never mentioning the success’s (Reina, Torres, Mascherano, Garcia, Arbeloa, Agger etc.). Why is this I wonder?, would they then have to justify making the comments they have made and that might be a bit difficult. The players Fred mentions, Kewell (Houllier singing) and Kuyt (good first year but struggling this year). I agree Kuyt has been poor this year but then so have all the strikers apart from Torres, so why single him out?.
Regarding Rafa in my opinion if he had the funding that Ferguson and Moanrinho/Grant have had then I am sure we would be closer to challenging for the title than we are. Rafa has spent a bit of money on youngsters and if you watch the reserves/youth team you will see how good these kids are and hopefully we won’t need to spend big in the future to challenge, however at the moment we do so he should be given the funds, and a real chance at winning the league
First off, ban Beasley & Bascombe from Anfield. Let the rag send a substitute if they want. Secondly, this rubbish put about by the media that we don’t care about the European cup!!! The league admittedly would be nice and it will come, providing the suckers that take in all media nonsense can appreciate what we have and keep their nerve.
OK you want to sack Benitez, who would you bring in? I believe BIG SAM is looking for a job.. No? how about McLaren? If we are lucky enough to keep Rafa here for the long term, owners, media and moronic fans permitting, the future will be bright, the future’s Red
I can’t see how my comments contradict each other I am just pointing out that Benitez is always praised for winning the Champions League and to some is unsackable because he won a cup competition.
Put simply……………what about the prem what about actually beating anyone of the top 3 away from home?
To “justify” my transfer comments how about
Craig Bellamy
Mark Gonzalez
Josemi
Jan Kromkamp
Fernando Morientes
Antonio Nunez
Gabriel Paletta
Mauricio Pellegrino
Voronin
Itandje
Boudewjn Zenden
Fabio Aurellio
Leto
Arbeloa
Pennant
Kuyt
To name a few of his signings.
Maybe the forwards are performing so badly because Benitez insists on rotation, something that the other big three seem to do alot less of especially the forwards.
This is how i see it. The press have been after Rafa ever since Jose left Chelsea, they are looking for another big scalp, and Hicks provided the fuel for there pens.
Signings
You list all these signings, and say they are flops but when rafa sat down with the chairman at the time, they were scraping money together, even spending champions league money that they hadn’t got to sign these players. If you gave Rafa a choice and said would you either have pennent or Alves you think he would have chosen pennent??
Rafa was working with the tools that he had and the players keep letting him down again and again. Pennent, dissapears at times on the pitch the same for kewell. But Rafa gets the blaim….
every single reporter who has a view or point to make about Liverpool is wrong, i mean the scotch git on Sky Sports still keeps saying “i hope Rafa stops rotating Torres and gives him a chance” jesus he got “rested” for one game at portsmouth nearly at the start of the season….
All the press are here to do is to shit stir with the hope that we will believe them and turn on Rafa, but it’s not working for them, and they get even more angry with the fans and try to create more and more lies and bullshit so that we waiver in our support or Rafa, but we haven’t, we’ve stood firm and will continue to do so, because we all know deep down that Rafa is the man for the job.
He is not un-sackable, but do you want us to become another Newcastle?????? Benitez can look very frustrating in the way he manages, but he is a very, very good manager. He didn’t become that by winning one champions league! There are very few managers out there who are better. Mourinho is a fluke in the way that he brought success in his first two seasons at Chelsea – it doesnt work that way, just ask Mssrs Ferguson and Wenger.
Put simply, it is not about beating Arse, Manu or Chelsea away from home (we did that under Houllier, and it didnt win us the title). Chelsea haven’t done it this season, and i can bet they didn’t do it too regularly even when they won the title two seasons in a row. Its about beating evryone else, playing with some consistency, and Benitez will get there. And if he doesn’t within the next 3 years, then we’ll talk again.
There are some players there signed on loan, some signed because he didnt have the backing to sign the players he really wanted, some players you would have put your house on working (Morientes), and some haven’t even had a fair crack of the whip yet. And some are just cr@p, but then every manager has those, including Mssrs Ferguson, Wenger and Mourinho.
Stop bleating, stop going on about immediate success – IT DOESN’T HAPPEN MATE. Get behind your team and your manager. Or go support another club. Perhaps one that is going to win the prem this season. There’s your immediate success. Job done.
Craig Bellamy – good buy, I thought. Didn’t work out sold for a profit.
Mark Gonzalez – young lad not quite ready, sold for a profit, with a buy back clause, just in case.
Josemi – fair do’s crap player, straight swap for Kromkamp
Jan Kromkamp – not quite good enough I agree sold because he claimed he was home sick. Money from sale was more than paid for Josemi.
Fernando Morientes – Hands up if you didn’t think this was a GREAT buy.
Antonio Nunez – Hold my hands up on this one crap
Gabriel Paletta – young lad with potential
Mauricio Pellegrino – Old man with nothing, however was a free transfer.
Voronin – free transfer, not great but….
Itandje – Don’t understand this one completely, yes he is not a great keeper but we need cover for Reina.
Boudewjn Zenden – free transfer
Fabio Aurellio – good player still yet to perform due to injuries
Leto – Only a kid give him a chance!
Arbeloa – This man is class, do you watch Liverpool
Pennant – Bought because we couldn’t get our main target, no money surprise surprise.
Kuyt – as above but as I said before had a good first year
What i was trying to say is that most people knock the manager without giving a balanced argument. Give the man a chance, some decent money and he just might do it. If he doesn’t then have a go, but not while he is trying on a comparative shoestring
I can’t believe people having a go at Rafa. Now in only his fourth year he has won champs league, FA cup, been in final of champs league, been in final of league cup, as well as several other minor trophies and finals. He’s also qualified for the champs league every season so far and a couple of years ago finished with the club’s highest ever Prem points total. Most fans would give anything for that kind of success. Then with the backdrop of what’s been going on this season, esp since November, to whine on about not winning/challenging for the Premiership is astounding. Its the behaviour of an immature teenager who always wants everything yesterday and carries on like a spoilt brat when he doesn’t get it. Grow up and genuinely support your club like you claim you do.
Just got a link to the story about Beesley (a**hol*) from the teamtalk website and started reading the posts on here. Seems to be a similar split between pro Rafa and anti Rafa supporters.
Just a few facts for you from the other website.
Actual Rafa spending this summer and january window around £25M (adding all the buys and sales together).
Current cost of Manure first 11 around £190M. Chelsea first 11 depending on who you pick, still around the £200M mark.
Liverpool first 11 £89M, spot the difference????
Over a 1/4 of that total is one player namely Torres, and boy can you see the difference in spending £20M+ on a striker…..
Any way I think Rafa is the manager for us, I do not want us to turn into NUFC, with having a new manager every five games!
I am concerned about the money available to spend, which is coming from the refinancing loans, which looks like another £25M for spending during next season. Hopefully Rafa gets his wanted targets rather than second best all the damn time. Maybe with some shrewd selling and part exchanges we might get a couple of Torres class singings during the summer, but I don’t expect anything more, cause the money won’t be there till the new stadium is built.
Rafa only thinks about Europe
By MARK IRWIN
TITLE-HUNGRY Liverpool will NEVER win the Premier League while Rafa Benitez remains their manager.
That is the damning verdict of former Anfield favourite Jamie Redknapp following the goalless bore at Chelsea.
Redknapp was at Stamford Bridge as a Sky analyst for Sunday’s turgid snooze-fest.
And he predicts a very long wait for the club who have not won a League Championship for 18 years and counting.
The former England international insisted: “Liverpool have got no chance of winning the title under Rafa Benitez. They are further away than ever.
“For Rafa Benitez, the kudos lies in winning the Champions League.
“That is his priority and everything he does is geared towards that goal.
“On their day, his team can beat anyone. But they struggle for consistency over the course of a Premier League season.
“I’ve heard people saying that Rafa is not a great manager, but you don’t get to two Champions League finals unless you are a master tactician.
“But when I look at Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea, the all have so many match- winners in their line-ups.
“Liverpool have got just two — Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.”
Liverpool were reigning champions when Redknapp signed from Bournemouth as a 17-year-old back in 1991.
But Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Roy Evans, Gerard Houllier and now Benitez have all failed to emulate the club’s former championship achievements since then.
Redknapp, now 34, admits he can see no end in sight to their long wait and blames Benitez’s controversial rotation policy for their struggles.
He said: “I’ve watched Liverpool’s progress very closely and I really thought that this could be their year.
“But they make so many changes to their line-up that they don’t get any consistency or understanding.
“I look at John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho at Chelsea, for example, they are a great partnership and have a real understanding from playing together.
“The best managers like Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson keep basically the same team and system. In their big games, they field their strongest team.
“But look at Liverpool. Who’s going to play up front? I’m not sure about Dirk Kuyt, but who plays up front with Fernando Torres? When Peter Crouch and Torres play together they look as if they can make it work but they never really seem to be given a chance.
“They get one or two games together and then Benitez changes it again.”
With Liverpool owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks watching critically from across the Atlantic, Redknapp believes Benitez’s fear of the sack has started to affect his approach.
But he was even more baffled by Chelsea’s tactics in a match they needed to win to capitalise on Manchester United’s earlier home defeat by Manchester City.
He said: “There is a fear factor with a lot of managers.
“They simply don’t want to lose. They would rather draw than risk going for the win.
“I looked at Chelsea for example. They brought on Claudio Pizarro late on but instead of playing with two up front, they withdrew Nicolas Anelka out wide.
“It seemed as if both clubs were happy with the point rather than run the risk of losing.”
Well Jamie is well placed to talk about under-achieving!!!
I bet he thought we ‘had a real chance’ when we came fourth in a two horse race! and when we were drawing with ManUre and he turned his back on Cantona’s shot!
Once a coward always a coward – Maybe he is taking advice fro Razor on how to pass around a pound – real professionalism for you,