KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Soni Grewal article on Rafa's infamous rant

Basically this week I have been a bit irritated talking to some non LFC fans, some misguided reds and reading some of the 'genius' posts on this and many other message forums, in relation to Rafa's infamous 'facts' press conference. I have seen people saying that the press conference was totally unwarranted and nothing other than the ramblings of a lost man. I have felt like looking at this for a while. So what I have done is taken a transcript of the press conference and I will give my views and opinions on this.

Obviously, Rafa Benitez’s quotes are in quotation marks.

"I was surprised by what has been said, but maybe they are nervous because we are at the top of the table.

Basically, Rafa was asked by a journalist how he felt about Mr Ferguson (I refuse to acknowledge him as a Knight of the British Empire until I see Sir Robert Paisley and Sir William Shankly.) So he responded that maybe United are scared of a Liverpool team that was top of the league that had just smashed Newcastle 5-1 away from home.

"But I want to talk about facts. I want to be clear; I do not want to play mind games too early, although they seem to want to start. But I have seen some facts. On 1 November, they played Hull and Mr Ferguson had a two-match touchline ban and a £10,000 fine after confronting Mike Dean, the referee, for improper conduct."

Basically, Alex Ferguson has been reprimanded with at least 15 misconduct charges by the Football Association since the year 2000. When will the FA realise that fining this person makes no difference. He probably tips the person who provides his constant supply of alcohol £10,000. If fines are going to work how about fining him £1million?

"We started the Respect campaign, and that was when [Javier] Mascherano was sent off [last season] at Old Trafford. The referee [Steve Bennett] was the referee when they played against Wigan – he could not see the handball against Wigan by Rio Ferdinand, he did not give a penalty. They won the game and they won the title in this game. I think it will be the same referee who will be in charge of their game in hand this season [against Wigan]."

I agree that the respect charge needs to happen, but why was only Mascherano punished that day. I remember that match and Paul Scholes made 4 of his standard challenges. I had to endure Andy Gray laughing and making a comment that "Scholsey has never been able to tackle." Steve Bennett has been referee for several controversial games involving Manchester United, but there again any referee can make a mistake in the same way a centre forward can miss a one on one. So I disagree that Rafa named names of individual referees, as this can be counterproductive. This has shown to be true as Bennett never gives Liverpool any decisions what so ever.

"During the Respect campaign – and this is a fact – Mr Ferguson was charged by the FA for improper conduct after comments made about Martin Atkinson and Keith Hackett. He was not punished. He is the only manager in the league that cannot be punished for these things."

Fergie was charged again! Why in God's name has he not had points deducted for his team? He doesn’t speak to the BBC which breaks Premier League rules. He has since also called into question a referee's physical fitness and as such professionalism. That is absolutely disrespectful and almost as bad as Neil Lennon claiming that all referees are anti-Celtic. When people who work around Ferguson have their professionalism questioned, he refuses to talk to the employer of the person who questions it (See BBC and Mr Ferguson's family.)

"Then he was talking about the fixtures. Two years ago we were playing a lot of early kick-offs away on Saturdays when United were playing on Sundays. And we didn't say anything. Now he is complaining about everything, that everybody is against United. But the second half of the season will see them playing at home against all the teams at the top of the table. It is a fantastic advantage."

Liverpool played 12 early kick offs before Christmas in the season that ended in the Athens 2007 final. Rafa never once grumbled about this, when we won 4-1 at Old Trafford Fergie refused to talk to any media outlet "in protest". I was wondering if Vidic was protesting too, by refusing to play. The fixtures are random so please don't cry if you play games on certain dates.

"But at Christmas, United played on the 29th and the rest of the teams played on the 28th. We were away against Newcastle two days after playing Bolton. They were playing about 40 hours later, they were not complaining then."

Why is it United played at Stoke at 12:45 on Boxing Day and then didn't play for over 72 hours. Liverpool played at 15:00 and their next game was a midday kick off, our next game was 45 hours later. So over 1 day additional rest after sunning themselves in Japan in the glorified testimonial is the World Club Cup.

"And about his behaviour with referees. The Southampton manager he knows how Mr Ferguson works and how he works, he was very clear. I am not playing mind games, just facts."

Why does he get away with consistently questioning referees? Oh I forget that the FA is scared of Alex Ferguson.

"If he wants to talk about fixtures, and have a level playing field as you say in England. There are two options if we don't want more problems with fixtures. One is the same as in Spain, the draw for the first part of the league is known, everyone knows which weekend. In the second half everyone plays the opposite, so you all know. Sky and Setanta have the right to choose their games and it will be the same for everyone. So Mr Ferguson will not be complaining about fixtures and a campaign against United."

Sorry Alex, but you are a manager for a team that the TV companies like to broadcast, in the same way they like to show Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal. It is because they guarantee ratings, if you don't like it, go back to managing Aberdeen in that 2 team league.

"Or there is another option. That Mr Ferguson organises the fixtures in his office and sends it to us and everyone will know and cannot complain. That is simple."

Sarcastic comedy that had deadpan delivery of some of the comedic greats, well done Rafa. I can just imagine him doing this over a bottle of Bells, whilst his lapdog Gary Neville is scurrying around like the rat that he is.

"We know what happens every time we go to Old Trafford and the United staff. They are always going man to man with the referees, especially at half-time when they walk close to the referees and they are talking and talking."

Every club except for them have had managers sanctioned for talking to referees at half time. They should not be allowed to do this, remember the stink that was kicked up by Jose Mourinho when he accused Anders Frisk and Barcelona of conspiracy. Death threats and good experienced referees retiring is not productive for the game.

"All managers need to know is that only Mr Ferguson can talk about the fixtures, can talk about referees and nothing happens."

More sarcasm, delivered. When Ferguson makes comedic comments it’s "the old master playing mind games." The truth is that when he has faced managers with a higher intellect he has either lost to them, uses other managers to try to unsettle the more intellectual manager (Allardyce and the "gesture") or he shouts and screams until they can't be bothered with him. Kenny Dalglish, Jose Mourinho, Rafael Benitez and Arsene Wenger have all made him look like a mind games amateur.

"We need to know that I am talking about facts, not my impression. There are things that everyone can see every single week."

But they are never reported by the media who are scared because this 'man' ruins journalists careers by bullying and by knowing friends in high places. Alan Green had a promotion to becoming John Motson's long term successor taken from him partly due to the complaints about comments he made that Ferguson took offence to.

"Are they under pressure? Maybe they were not thinking that we would be at the top of the table in January. But we are at the top of the table and they are nervous."

Considering we spent considerably less than Chelsea and Manchester United we were dramatically over achieving with players who the media felt were not good enough. During the 2008-09 seasons BBC Match of the Day did a graphic saying which LFC players would get into United's first team. They said only Gerrard and Torres. What about Pepe Reina, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Alvaro Arbeloa? I forget Van Der Sar, Carrick, Fletcher and Ratboy are obviously better. There again Reina aside all these players were only rated when Rafa sold them. Obviously when he signed them they were flops.

"I am not telling the authorities what to do. But I have been here for five years and know how things are going on. I will be watching United's game with Chelsea. The result does not matter to us, if we win at Stoke that result does not matter."

Unfortunately, we drew away at Stoke. United beat Stoke, although Ronaldo kicked out at Andy Wilkinson and this was given as a free kick with no further sanctions. That was the 3rd time before Christmas he had done this, Spurs (when he kicked Michael Dawson) and Celtic (when he kicked out at Shensuke Nakamura.) United also beat Chelsea, in a game where a stone-wall Chelsea penalty at 0-0 was not given.

"I was surprised United wanted to start the mind games too early, maybe it is because we are top of the table. But I only wanted to explain our position."

Rafa was basically giving the message that we are top of the league and we are the better team.

"It is a massive difference to play early on a Saturday, say, after a European match in midweek. But they will play the second half of the season with home matches against the other top teams, and that is a massive advantage to them."

It was not Rafa's fault that United only won 1 out of the 3 games against the big teams at home.

"They cannot complain about the fixtures after they were playing on 29 December while the rest played on the 28th."

So basically you only complain when it is you, not the game as a whole. HYPOCRITE!

"I have decided that I had a lot of information and I have been watching every single week what has been going on. Then they started talking about us, but every single week we know they will be talking. But we want to stay at the top and maybe they will talk about us right to the end."

Rafa would not have made these comments if the FA had cajones to discipline those that do wrong, as opposed to punishing those whose faces don't fit.

"To hear someone talking when he has problems with referees every single week, and now complaining about the fixtures and complaining about everything, I think that is not fair."

FA favouritism, when Rafa was fined by the FA for calling Arjen Robben out for going down like an octogenarian lady of the night when she hears Wayne Rooney approach.

"You can see every single week how they put [referees] under pressure, we know this. We have seen it before. We have seen players sent off at Old Trafford and we do not see our opponents sent off. It is part of the game. But to complain and to always have an advantage is not fair."

Paul Scholes has never been able to tackle and gets away with 2 or 3 bookable fouls each game.

"We had a meeting in Manchester with managers and FA about the Respect campaign. And I was very clear; forget the campaign because Mr Ferguson was killing the referees, killing Mr Atkinson, killing Mr Hackett. But he is not punished. How can you talk about the respect campaign and criticise the referee every single week? You can analyse the facts and come to your own decision and ideas."

Basically Rafa has told the press, write whatever you want. He basically gave them his opinions and gave them working examples. Unfortunately, the British media are spineless and only look out for themselves, as opposed to the best interests of their readers or viewers.

Hopefully, by the next article England will be looking forward to hosting a World Cup in 2018. I also hope that either Australia or the United States are hosting 2022.

I know this last comment is not really Liverpool related, but Rest In Peace Leslie Nielsen, a comedy genius.

Soni Grewal