JACKET IN ... Reds are handcuffed to
Rafa
TERRY VENABLES - Columnist
Dogged by injuries to his key stars. Caught in the
crossfire of the ongoing power struggle between the club's American
owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Unable to get the cash to buy
the players he wants. And do not even mention the beach ball
incident at Sunderland!
Rafa's supporters insist Lady Luck has not smiled on
the Anfield chief at all. But I cannot subscribe to that view.
Football management should never be left to chance. And even though
the beleaguered Spaniard may not have had the rub of the green on
occasions, he still enjoyed one of the biggest slices of
footballing good fortune this year.
When Rafa signed a new five-year contract in March, he
not only won the Lottery, he won the Boat Race and Grand National
as well. There is no doubt he did a stellar job after taking over
in June 2004. He breathed new life into Anfield, persuading the
Chelsea-bound Steven Gerrard to stay and winning the Champions
League in unforgettable circumstances in Istanbul in his first
season in charge. Wow!
He followed that up the following year by beating West
Ham on penalties in the FA Cup final and then, in 2007, he guided
his club to another Champions League final - this time losing to AC
Milan in Athens.
No trophies followed the following season nor the one
after and, in between, they also failed to land Gareth Barry from
Aston Villa. But last term, on their way to finishing second behind
Manchester United, Liverpool 'rewarded' Benitez with his new deal
that ties - or rather handcuffs - him to the club until 2014.
I am all for clubs sticking by their managers.
Stability and continuity are a sure route to success if you do not
have Roman Abramovich's spending power.
But you have to question the Liverpool board's decision
to give a five-year contract to a manager who has failed to deliver
a league title and, arguably, blew his club's chances of landing
that elusive crown last season with his infamous 'That's a fact'
rant.
It is an indictment on a top flight which now considers
fourth place a success. Years ago, winning the title was the only
true gauge. I was sacked by Barcelona for finishing second to Real
Madrid two years after I won La Liga. Had I been in charge now,
that would probably be considered a triumph.
Too many Premier League clubs are just satisfied
finishing in the top four. They are not prepared to stretch
themselves like Chelsea are. Avram Grant was booted out by
Abramovich after guiding the Blues to the runner-up spot in the
Champions League and Premier League.
Imagine if he was at Liverpool? He would probably have
been given a contract extension. But second-best, or rather
fourth-best, seems to be enough at Anfield these days.
The way things are going, though, Liverpool may not
even achieve that in this campaign - and they have only themselves
to blame, after luring their manager into the comfort zone with
that five-year deal.
The club are said to be struggling off the field as
much as on it but they cannot afford to get rid of Rafa. Gillett
and Hicks know it. Rafa knows it. We all know it. I am not
advocating his sacking. But why did they not give him a shorter
deal? To give him such a long one was madness.
It is not only the Liverpool defence who are tied in
knots. We have a situation now where the club probably cannot get
rid of their manager even if they want to. They are stuck with him.
Liverpool are in a straitjacket - and they cannot get out.
TERRY VENABLES was talking to PAUL
JIGGINS