Benitez defends Liverpool record
May 22 2010
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Rafael Benitez has defended his record at Liverpool as his future as Reds manager continues to be the subject of speculation.
The Spaniard has been linked with a move away from Anfield with Inter Milan as a possible destination should Jose Mourinho move on after Saturday night's Champions League final. Benitez insists he is happy on Merseyside but he has been the subject of increasing criticism following a season where they finished seventh in the Barclays Premier League.
However, he told the Daily Mirror: "There is this legend that Liverpool hasn't won many trophies, that we have failed in that aspect. Well, Chelsea and Manchester United have won 10 trophies in the six years I've been in Liverpool; Arsenal, Spurs and Portsmouth one. Liverpool? Four trophies and we have played in three finals. Liverpool have been competitive."
He added: "Does Liverpool have to win the league, as everybody demands, every year?"
The former Valencia manager also feels he has not had as much control as he would have liked.
"Does the manager have absolute power in England?" he went on.
"No, it depends on a budget and on the executive director that negotiates the signings of players.
"And it depends on the money you have and the intelligence with which you operate in the market place.
"Look at the wages picked up by the players on Chelsea or Manchester United's substitutes' bench: (John) Obi Mikel, (Michael) Owen, (Salomon) Kalou, (Dimitar) Berbatov, (Michael) Carrick could be on £4million a year!
"When Portsmouth offered Peter Crouch more money than we were paying him and promised him a starting place, it became very complicated for us to keep hold of him. The arrival of Fernando Torres meant he couldn't play as often at Liverpool."
Benitez also claimed to have made money for the club. 'Some people say I have spent £280m.
'But we have spent £220m on players and generated £160m in player sales. That is the equivalent of a £60m net spend over six years: in other words, £10m spent per year.
'Deduct from that figure the £120m revenue from the Champions League success and qualification over that period, and we have in fact generated an additional £60m benefits for the club.'
Any thoughts on this ?
Last edited by F9T; 22/05/10 04:53 PM.
