Stevie G has heaped praised upon his football-obsessed boss, labelling Rafa the Red as "one of the best managers there is".
It is fair to say that, every since he arrived in 2004, opinion has been split on whether Rafael Benitez is the man to lead Liverpool back to the top.
Although the Reds have won the Champions League and the FA Cup under his charge, the glaring lack of a Premier League trophy - or evening the merest hinst of a challenge for one - has sullied the Spaniard's record so far.
This season could be different, though.
The Anfield giants have found their footing on the very top rung of the league ladder, and 16 games in they hold a one-point lead over Luiz Felipe Scolari's Chelsea. They might be out of the Carling Cup, but they've already secured their spot in the knockout rounds in Europe.
Things are going fairly well for Rafa and his Merseysiders, even though - as typified by Saturday night's 3-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers - the performances haven't always been of the highest quality.
But it is exactly that ability to grind out results when not playing well which many feel Liverpool have lacked since their glory days of the 1980s; that ability which has served Chelsea and Manchester United so well in recent years.
And Steven Gerrard, the club captain, has left no doubt as to whom he attributes the team's newfound resolve.
"Rafa is obsessed with football 24 hours a day, seven days a week," he said in the latest edition of the official UEFA Champions League magazine.
"You have to take your hat off to him. He’s one of the best managers there is."
Benitez and Gerrard have not necessarily enjoyed the calmest relationship since the ex-Real Madrid man replaced Gerard Houllier after leaving Valencia four years ago.
A few years back there was endless speculation about the skipper's long-term future at Anfield. Indeed, he almost joined Chelsea twice in successive summers after becoming frustrated with both the club's domestic efforts and his own ever-changing role in the team.
But things have settled down as the native Liverpudlian has matured, and he has now come to quite like both Benitez the manager and Rafa the person - even if the former is not the most complimentary character.
"Rafa is the type that when you finish a game as man of the match having scored three goals, he won’t even mention it," Gerrard said. "Instead, he’ll mention that you never used your left foot at a certain point!
"But Rafa does it right. When I need a pat on the back I get it. I have had lots of ‘well dones’ from him, but when I need a kick up the backside I get it too.
"He can also make me laugh, but you don’t see that side of him — or me — from the outside.
"We spend a lot of time together on the training ground, travelling to matches and he joins in. We’ve got a great team spirit here and my relationship with him is perfect at the moment."
It is fair to say that, every since he arrived in 2004, opinion has been split on whether Rafael Benitez is the man to lead Liverpool back to the top.
Although the Reds have won the Champions League and the FA Cup under his charge, the glaring lack of a Premier League trophy - or evening the merest hinst of a challenge for one - has sullied the Spaniard's record so far.
This season could be different, though.
The Anfield giants have found their footing on the very top rung of the league ladder, and 16 games in they hold a one-point lead over Luiz Felipe Scolari's Chelsea. They might be out of the Carling Cup, but they've already secured their spot in the knockout rounds in Europe.
Things are going fairly well for Rafa and his Merseysiders, even though - as typified by Saturday night's 3-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers - the performances haven't always been of the highest quality.
But it is exactly that ability to grind out results when not playing well which many feel Liverpool have lacked since their glory days of the 1980s; that ability which has served Chelsea and Manchester United so well in recent years.
And Steven Gerrard, the club captain, has left no doubt as to whom he attributes the team's newfound resolve.
"Rafa is obsessed with football 24 hours a day, seven days a week," he said in the latest edition of the official UEFA Champions League magazine.
"You have to take your hat off to him. He’s one of the best managers there is."
Benitez and Gerrard have not necessarily enjoyed the calmest relationship since the ex-Real Madrid man replaced Gerard Houllier after leaving Valencia four years ago.
A few years back there was endless speculation about the skipper's long-term future at Anfield. Indeed, he almost joined Chelsea twice in successive summers after becoming frustrated with both the club's domestic efforts and his own ever-changing role in the team.
But things have settled down as the native Liverpudlian has matured, and he has now come to quite like both Benitez the manager and Rafa the person - even if the former is not the most complimentary character.
"Rafa is the type that when you finish a game as man of the match having scored three goals, he won’t even mention it," Gerrard said. "Instead, he’ll mention that you never used your left foot at a certain point!
"But Rafa does it right. When I need a pat on the back I get it. I have had lots of ‘well dones’ from him, but when I need a kick up the backside I get it too.
"He can also make me laugh, but you don’t see that side of him — or me — from the outside.
"We spend a lot of time together on the training ground, travelling to matches and he joins in. We’ve got a great team spirit here and my relationship with him is perfect at the moment."
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