Benitez talk no problem for Carragher
Liverpool's Jamie Carragher is adamant the ongoing speculation
surrounding the Anfield future of manager Rafael Benitez is not
proving a distraction to either him or his team-mates.
And the local hero is equally convinced that Liverpool's American
co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett shouldn't have to answer
repeated calls to give the Spanish boss a vote of confidence just
to quieten down rumours of Benitez's imminent departure from
Merseyside.
Liverpool may be one of English football's so-called 'Big Four' but
they are currently fifth in the table, a huge 12 points behind
leaders Arsenal, while in the FA Cup they face a third round replay
after being held to a draw by cash-strapped League One strugglers
Luton.
This has all stoked talk that Benitez could be on his way out of
Liverpool but 29-year-old defender Carragher said: "The situation
over the manager doesn't affect me, it doesn't affect the other
players, we get paid to play football and that is what we have to
do.
"Our objective is to improve on the way we have played in the last
few weeks, we should not be getting involved in things like that
off the field, we have got to look after ourselves," he also told
Sky Sports on Thursday.
"We have to stick together. At the moment we are getting a lot of
criticism from a lot of people, but we must rally round, get
together, and prove a few things out on the pitch.
"The last few weeks have not gone as well as well all would have
liked but the main thing is what goes on out on the pitch, not off
it.
"We should do what we are paid to do. We should concentrate on
that."
Benitez has recently denied in local Liverpool media he gave an off
the record briefing where he anticipated being sacked, having had a
very public falling out with Hicks and Gillett over transfer policy
earlier in the season.
Carragher said too much was being read into the duo's failure to
give Benitez a vote of confidence - which in English football, at
least, usually heralds the sack.
"It's up to the owners what they say about the manager, it is
nothing to do with me what goes on between the manager and the
owners.
"A few months ago they said everything was fine, I don't think they
should be coming out every few minutes answering speculation."
