"For me, Liverpool is the woman of my life..."
Liverpool's coach, Rafa Benítez, 44 years old (Madrid), is enjoying his happiest moment as a coach. After hammering admired rivals Celtic in a friendly (5-1) he has quickly forgotten his triumphant past at Valencia, now being allowed to sign what he asks for when previously denied everything. Porca miseria
"Since he arrived Ranieri has being given everything that they denied me."
You've just hit five whoppers past Celtic on the tour Liverpool are holding in the U.S. Valencia didn't managed to that in their dreams...
Don't make me compare, please. But, I will tell you that Liverpool is a dream come true. On top of that, hammering Celtic is very symbolic becuase when we played against them with Valencia I was very moved by their rendition of You'll never walk alone, seeing as the Scots share the same hymn as my new team.
I see that you're totally absorbed in your new project. I really don't know whether too believe this.
There's no way I can lie about this. For a start my office is better than the famous Oval office in the White House. it's 20 metres long and 8 metres wide. From there I can see Liverpool's training sessions and the view is tremendous. This is another world.
Better than Paterna (Valencia's training ground) or the old Ciudad Deportiva (Madrid's old training ground)?
As I said, this is another world. Would it make it worthwhile for you if I said that since I have arrived at Liverpool I've been on a kind of permanent honeymoon. I feel as if I'm in a cloud. It's like I've found the woman of my life with Liverpool...
Obviously, seeing as Valencia was the woman you were hooked up with, this is just another fling.
What happened at Valencia is the past, but I will say that they did not have an excessive interest in continuing with my services. When I kleft to come to Liverpool I thought that they would make the most of the situation and bring in one of the Spanish masters, people like Del Bosque or Mané, but they preferred Ranieri.
Well I'm going to continue to give you something to think about, my friend. Moretti, Di Vaio, Corradi, Fiore... And you, good man, receiving lamps (Oliveira, Sissoko, etc.) instead of sofas.
My philosophy of life is to look ahead, but I have to say that since he arrived Ranieri has being given everything that they denied me. Curious that it can be so easy for some and yet I had so many problems. I'm not talking about the players, but the concept that they told me that there was no money in the cash box to spend on important signings and now I see from afar that they have invested various millions of Euros.
Do you think that in Valencia they never forgave your Madridista past?
No. In the restaurants or in the street the people treated me as though it was a film. Inside the club, there were people who tried to make the most of that. Speaking truthfully, I think with my non-renewal, Ranieri's arrival, and the massive outlay in signings what is happening is a scramble forward. My conscience is clear, as I did not take any player from the club to Liverpool...
You could have tried it with Mista, who is also at a similar type of crossroads as you yourself were at.
What's happening with Mista is grossly unfair. It's illogical that he scores 24 goals and then they sign players who are earning more than he is asking for. Furthermore, Mista is a nice guy and an excellent professional.
Let's talk about football, Your Valencia won the Liga and the UEFA, Oporto the Champions, Greece the Eurocopa. Is entertaining football dying?
You've perverted the criteria. The problem with Greece was that her rivals planned their matches badly, because there was always an excess of confidence on their part beforehand. The balance is in combining talent and quality with attitude and defensive spirit. You have to be a team's team, but not forgetting that quality is the maxim that should always rule in the game.
Is that what football's like in England?
Over here football is more physical, less tactical, less technical, more aggressive, more direct and far, far more competitive.
Yes, but in your Liverpool you have Cissé, Baros, Owen, Gerrard, now Josemi. With that line up you can dplay almost any way.
You must not forget that Liverpool were the Madrid of the 70's and that here they've gone a lot of years without winning the Premier and bearing the dictatorship of Manchester and Arsenal. On top of that, Chelsea have crashed the market with Abramovich.
Relax a little please. If you are successful here will you later return to real Madrid?
Let's not play the fortune tellers. I only know that this is the best shop window in the world. Do you understand me?
I follow. I also know that your English is perfect.
Ya, ya. I learned at school, like everyone. But I hide my mistakes very well.
Good luck, Rafa.
Thanks, friend.
"Camacho will be a sure success"
Rafa Benítez coincided at Madrid with José Antonio Camacho and he knows the helmsman of the galácticos perfectly. Camacho has a personality that makes him legal and he possess a moral authority that no one will argue with inside Madrid. He'll be a sure success."
http://www.as.com/articulo.html?d_date=20040728&xref=20040728dasdaiftb_69&type=Tes&anchor=dasftb
He went to WBA... watch for this guy, I have a feeling he's gonna be great. He plays CB.
