Former Red: Rafa Has Lost The Liverpool Dressing Room

zocoss SG

Rafa Benitez, Liverpool. (Nick Potts/PA Wire)

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has "lost the dressing room" and the backing of the board, according to Craig Johnston.

The Spaniard has come under huge pressure after overseeing a slump which has seen the Merseysiders drop to seventh place in the Premier League whilst also facing being knocked out of the Champions League at the group stages.

Speaking to the Daily Star Sunday, the Australian has insisted things look bleak for Benitez, who he thinks is cutting an increasingly isolated figure at Anfield.

"You see one win in nine games, six defeats in the space of eight games, you see a dejected look on players' faces. Has he lost the dresssing room?" asked Johnson.

"Six defeats in eight games would say that he has.

"Has he lost a bit of the board's backing? Well you hear what Liverpoool co-owner George Gillett's saying about him in the papers. He actually said that he's made bad signings, the team's not playing well and there's no youth coming through. And this is from your employer."

The Australian also went on to state it was the club's fans who were keeping Benitez in a job, largely due to their hostility towards the club's American owners.

He added, "I think people think Rafa is a genuine and sincere bloke and that goes a long way with Scousers - but there are things going against him now.

"I think the fans are really critical.

"If they wanted him out they'd have got him out. But they want the American owners out more than they want him out."

Poignant SG

he lost the dressing room, won nothing from this squad

Poignant SG

actually ok luh, he has been losing alr. no big deal to even lose the dressing room

charleslee SG

problem is there's not much gd managers arnd who want to inherit the current liverpool squad...

MaNyZeR SG

problem is there's not much gd managers arnd who want to inherit the current liverpool squad...

You should say that there are not many good players around in the liverpool squad that managers would like to have.

The good ones are Torres, Gerrard and Reina

The above average ones are Babel, Benayoun, Kuyt, Agger and Mascherano

The average ones are Skrtel, Johnson, Ngog, Arbeloa and Riera

The one that start to go down hill: Carrgher

charleslee SG

You should say that there are not many good players around in the liverpool squad that managers would like to have.

The good ones are Torres, Gerrard and Reina

The above average ones are Babel, Benayoun, Kuyt, Agger and Mascherano

The average ones are Skrtel, Johnson, Ngog, Arbeloa and Riera

The one that start to go down hill: Carrgher

i tink johnson shud be the more above average ones...arbeloa is nt at liverpool le....riera is injury prone....n kuyt is no longer above average le...

Poignant SG

dirt kuyt to me had nvr been above average or anywhere even near average.

zocoss SG

You should say that there are not many good players around in the liverpool squad that managers would like to have.

The good ones are Torres, Gerrard and Reina

The above average ones are Babel, Benayoun, Kuyt, Agger and Mascherano

The average ones are Skrtel, Johnson, Ngog, Arbeloa and Riera

The one that start to go down hill: Carrgher

Then what do you call the...

Voronin, Plessis, El Zhar, Lucas, Kyrgiakos, Dossena and Degen... ?

And its Aurelio lah not Arbeloa... These 2 get a lot of people confused... lol

Rooney9 SG

Then what do you call the...

Voronin, Plessis, El Zhar, Lucas, Kyrgiakos, Dossena and Degen... ?

And its Aurelio lah not Arbeloa... These 2 get a lot of people confused... lol

below average ba if nicely term. if not nice, then is CMI.

Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1) SG

Wad more

Liverpool def is going down.

In Liverpool

onli one is good nia

Torres

Gerrard (zzzzZ)

Rooney9 SG

rafa bought too many players that did not perform. all dud signings except for torres, reina and mascherano. benayoun is good signing, but not great. the rest are like average and below average and cmi signings.

iceFatboy SG

Rafa will tell you, no money how.. i bet he wanted xavi, messi, and etc etc..

so all these 5th or 6th choices lor..

Rooney9 SG

Rafa will tell you, no money how.. i bet he wanted xavi, messi, and etc etc..

so all these 5th or 6th choices lor..

xavi and messi lol. even if liverpool is like man city, why do they want to join when their team is the best in the world and paying them a decent sum of wages.

rafa been throwing money away with all those dud players like dossena, riera, aurelio, lucas, babel etc, when money is tight at liverpool.