Benitez is calling for more money
Rafa Benitez will deliver a stark ultimatum to his
Liverpool bosses after becoming exasperated with their refusal to
sanction his January transfer plans. After several failed attempts
to clarify how much he has to spend, a frustrated Benitez is ready
to tell George Gillett and Tom Hicks to dig deep or consider
whether they should start looking for a new manager.
Liverpool's co-owners will sit down with Benitez when they visit
Anfield for the December 16 showdown with Manchester United and it
promises to be as fiery off the pitch as on it after the manager
made little secret yesterday of the rift that has developed in
recent weeks.
With a £6million pay- off written into his contract in the event of
the sack, Benitez is unlikely to quit. But he could test the
patience of Hicks and Gillett to the point where they decide to
act, if he is anything like as tetchy as at a Melwood press
conference yesterday to preview tomorrow's game at Newcastle.
Matters came to a head earlier this week when the Americans
deferred an answer on Benitez's spending power until next month's
meeting and urged him to 'concentrate on coaching the team' in the
meantime. Riled at what he sees as another example of their
dragging their heels, a monosyllabic Benitez straight-batted any
mention of Newcastle or England's Euro 2008 demise by saying: 'I
can only focus on training and coaching my team.'
He even resorted to using the England vacancy to exert more
pressure on his bosses by claiming he might have an interest in
succeeding Steve McClaren. Asked if he should be taken seriously,
he replied, enigmatically: 'It is your decision. You never know
what might happen in the future. Yes, I am being serious.'
He is anxious for confirmation he can complete the £17m signing of
on-loan midfielder Javier Mascherano and is looking for a further
£18m to add Racing Santander's Argentina centre back Ezequiel Garay
and Heerenveen's Brazil striker Afonso Alves to his squad.
Although he spent around £45m in the summer on Fernando Torres,
Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun, he has become increasingly impatient
over a lack of communication from owners in the past two months.
Hicks and Gillett were dismayed by his post-Champions League Final
outburst last May, when he accused them of 'all talk and no
action', and they appear just as put out by his latest agitating
after issuing a statement reiterating that they will not be
browbeaten into parting with more funds.
Ominously for Benitez, there was a strong hint that his plea for
cash could hinge on Liverpool's Champions League fate, with victory
over Porto (home) and Marseille (away) needed if they are to reach
the knockout stages. The Americans are trying to juggle huge sums
as they decide on how much should go on a new stadium and
commercial activities and how much towards transfers.
