Betfair may have revamped their betting news site (the design actually looks quite cool) but once again their journalists have fallen into a common trap. Following a defeat or a poor performance by and Liverpool the knives are out for poor Rafa Benitez!
I can't work out whether the two recent attempts were written from pure spite, pure jealously or pure laziness. First up was " Does Reading betting coup leave Rafa on the brink" which I can only put down to someone being keen to get to the pub the evening it was written. In the piece (piece of shit) the writer suggests with some confidence that "....much of the blame for Liverpool's defeat will be laid at the feet of Rafael Benitez for his controversial team selection." Liverpool fans are tired of this type of nonsense and I'm sure other fans can't care less. Rafa's the manager, the fans love him, he's brought success and he won't be leaving.
The second article entitled Benitez is taking a huge gamble on Champions League glory goes even further with the writer confidently believing Benitez has given up on the league and is so scared of losing his job that he will do anything (including taking off his three best players on Saturday).
To be fair (or Betfair!), it's not just this particular site but many of the London-based media outlets who, whenever short of a story, decide to go for Liverpool as a target. I genuinely believe that jealousy is a the route of it. Many of these journalists will be Arsenal or Chelsea supporters who both have bottled it in the Champions League while some will be Manchester United fans who have just one lucky Champions League final appearance in the whole of Alex Ferguson's time in charge.
Perhaps I should lighten up but I think it should be the journalists who should keep their own petty jealousies to themselves and get on with writing more balanced pieces
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You think Liverpool weren't as lucky as Man Utd to win the Champions League? It was just a single tactical change from Benitez that changed Liverpool's fortune (as in man-marking Kaka when he was running wild using Hamann). And what about Xabi Alonso's missed penalty? On any other day he would've missed the rebound as well. As a matter of fact Arsenal were really unlucky in the final against Barca. They should've definitely won taht too after taking the lead.
ReplyDeleteI am not saying that the press has all the rights to go for Liverpool as a target, I am just saying that they are just not that good a team. They do deserve most of the criticism. But I am totally for Rafa here. I think he is a great manager.
....and possibly your next manager! You may be right that Liverpool are not that a good team at present but we will see at the end of the season. I'm always hopeful:)
ReplyDeleteRemember that the Liverpool that won that Champions League were not the best side in the tournament but proved themselves the best 'team' in the end however events unfolded in the competition.
Real Madrid fans of late must have had to come to terms with having 11 great players but no real (if you excuse the pun) team.
I think Schuster will do well for you and maybe we could swap coaches at the end of the season?
Benitez is not Liverpool's greatest manager - he is not eevn in the top five - winning the Champions League is not big deal - Joe Fagan managed that and who remembers him?
ReplyDeleteMore people than you think will remember Joe Fagan given that he won the treble (League Cup, Premiership and Champions League) in his first season in charge.
ReplyDeleteIn his only other season as manager he finished runner-up in the Premiership and runner-up in the 'fixed' Champions League Final.
I think these days that winning the Champions League is a big deal. And reaching a final twice has alluded such 'great managers' as Ferguson and Wenger.