Benitez will stay, unsure of Torres
Source: Agencies |
May 20, 2010, Thursday
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LIVERPOOL coach Rafael Benitez's future with the English Premier League club is secure, however the Spanish manager can't say the same for star striker Fernando Torres.
With reports linking Benitez to Juventus and other Serie A teams, Benitez said yesterday he was intending to see out the four years on his contract after reassuring talks with the team owners.
"At this point the answer is, or it must be, with four years of contract to go that I will" continue, Benitez said.
Benitez called Torres "the foundation stone" to Liverpool's success, and believes reports linking him to clubs such as Chelsea and Barcelona are still only reports. He said Liverpool hasn't received any offers for the 26-year-old Torres.
"He'll have to decide on his future sometime," Benitez said. "But I have no reason to believe he's thinking about leaving."
Benitez said Torres' focus was solely on recovering from knee surgery to play for Spain at the World Cup.
"Fernando is very well, I think he's reaching each objective (in his recovery)," Benitez said. "His priority is to recover, to play in the World Cup and to win it if he can."
Torres could also be coached by Benitez away from Liverpool one day, with Spain.
"Every Spanish coach would like the chance to do it with the national team," Benitez said at a news conference organized by Europa Press news agency. "I'm happy now but I suppose in a couple of years after (Vicente) Del Bosque finishes his work, I'd like to be national coach."
Liverpool's seventh-place finish was partly decided early on in the season, according to Benitez.
"Problems in the preseason, injuries, a poor start with defeats to Tottenham and Aston Villa and the construction of the stadium being put back all led to the team losing confidence," said Benitez, who also took a shot at Liverpool's inability to make big signings like its rivals.
"It was a difficult season. But there is a relation between salaries and results."
Senior Liverpool players including Torres and captain Steven Gerrard have urged the club to make some high profile signings before next season.
But American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett put the club up for sale last month and British media have reported the club's debts are more than 350 million pounds (US$499 million).
"I have had a couple of meetings with the new (chairman Martin Broughton) to clarify the situation," Benitez said. "We need to know how much money we have, and that also depends on (player) sales."
Benitez said he was a victim of his own success, since Champions League and FA Cup wins in his tenure have set the bar too high.
"I made a big mistake, which was to start off by winning four titles," Benitez, who took over at Anfield in the summer of 2004, said.
"Then people ask more of you, when in reality in the Premier League it's taken for granted that a manager needs time at the start to adapt."
Meanwhile, Luigi Del Neri has been hired as coach of Juventus, days after leading Sampdoria to Champions League qualification.
With reports linking Benitez to Juventus and other Serie A teams, Benitez said yesterday he was intending to see out the four years on his contract after reassuring talks with the team owners.
"At this point the answer is, or it must be, with four years of contract to go that I will" continue, Benitez said.
Benitez called Torres "the foundation stone" to Liverpool's success, and believes reports linking him to clubs such as Chelsea and Barcelona are still only reports. He said Liverpool hasn't received any offers for the 26-year-old Torres.
"He'll have to decide on his future sometime," Benitez said. "But I have no reason to believe he's thinking about leaving."
Benitez said Torres' focus was solely on recovering from knee surgery to play for Spain at the World Cup.
"Fernando is very well, I think he's reaching each objective (in his recovery)," Benitez said. "His priority is to recover, to play in the World Cup and to win it if he can."
Torres could also be coached by Benitez away from Liverpool one day, with Spain.
"Every Spanish coach would like the chance to do it with the national team," Benitez said at a news conference organized by Europa Press news agency. "I'm happy now but I suppose in a couple of years after (Vicente) Del Bosque finishes his work, I'd like to be national coach."
Liverpool's seventh-place finish was partly decided early on in the season, according to Benitez.
"Problems in the preseason, injuries, a poor start with defeats to Tottenham and Aston Villa and the construction of the stadium being put back all led to the team losing confidence," said Benitez, who also took a shot at Liverpool's inability to make big signings like its rivals.
"It was a difficult season. But there is a relation between salaries and results."
Senior Liverpool players including Torres and captain Steven Gerrard have urged the club to make some high profile signings before next season.
But American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett put the club up for sale last month and British media have reported the club's debts are more than 350 million pounds (US$499 million).
"I have had a couple of meetings with the new (chairman Martin Broughton) to clarify the situation," Benitez said. "We need to know how much money we have, and that also depends on (player) sales."
Benitez said he was a victim of his own success, since Champions League and FA Cup wins in his tenure have set the bar too high.
"I made a big mistake, which was to start off by winning four titles," Benitez, who took over at Anfield in the summer of 2004, said.
"Then people ask more of you, when in reality in the Premier League it's taken for granted that a manager needs time at the start to adapt."
Meanwhile, Luigi Del Neri has been hired as coach of Juventus, days after leading Sampdoria to Champions League qualification.
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