Mauricio Pellegrino today acclaimed the leadership qualities of Rafa Benitez during a difficult start to the 2009-10 campaign.
The first-team coach, who played under Benitez at Valencia and Liverpool, describes him as a man who stays calm amid the storm.
And Pellegrino is confident his boss is building a team capable of dominating English football despite a dip in form this term.
"Rafa has gained a lot of experience from his last clubs," Pellegrino told Liverpoolfc.tv. "Like everyone he encounters good moments and bad situations but he's always really calm - he's really calm when things are not the best.
"He keeps going and he convinces the rest of the people to keep going in the same way as always.
"Last season we were really close to winning the league. We got 86 points - and if you look at the last 20 years, this points total would have been enough to win 15 of them.
"So, this team can improve a lot - there is a huge amount we can still improve on, and we are in a difficult moment, but this team is working very hard. We need to win a couple of games and everything will change."
Pellegrino made his own tentative steps into the coaching world with Valencia after hanging up his boots in the summer of 2006.
Two years later he was brought to Melwood for a senior role alongside Benitez and assistant manager Sammy Lee.
On his own managerial ambitions, Pellegrino added: "I don't know. In football our life changes every single week. We don't know what will happen in the future so I don't like to think about it. I enjoy my job right now, try to improve every single day and think about the best for the team and club.
"I have learned a lot in this past year from Rafa. I worked with him as a player too. The mood now among the staff here is very good."
As a championship-winning centre-back, Pellegrino knows what it takes to cut it at the top level.
He has high hopes for budding defenders like Daniel Ayala, Martin Kelly and Chris Mavinga - and has urged them to be ready to grasp any opportunity Benitez gives them.
He explained: "We never know if they will go on to become first-team regulars, but if these boys are here it's because they have the qualities and characteristics to be good footballers and be in the Liverpool squad.
"Emiliano Insua is an example. One week he was in the reserve team, the next he was on the bench, then the next week he was in the first team and now he is frequently in the starting XI. And he's played for his national team.
"The life of a young player can change in one month. You have to be ready in every moment because you never know when your moment will come."
The first-team coach, who played under Benitez at Valencia and Liverpool, describes him as a man who stays calm amid the storm.
And Pellegrino is confident his boss is building a team capable of dominating English football despite a dip in form this term.
"Rafa has gained a lot of experience from his last clubs," Pellegrino told Liverpoolfc.tv. "Like everyone he encounters good moments and bad situations but he's always really calm - he's really calm when things are not the best.
"He keeps going and he convinces the rest of the people to keep going in the same way as always.
"Last season we were really close to winning the league. We got 86 points - and if you look at the last 20 years, this points total would have been enough to win 15 of them.
"So, this team can improve a lot - there is a huge amount we can still improve on, and we are in a difficult moment, but this team is working very hard. We need to win a couple of games and everything will change."
Pellegrino made his own tentative steps into the coaching world with Valencia after hanging up his boots in the summer of 2006.
Two years later he was brought to Melwood for a senior role alongside Benitez and assistant manager Sammy Lee.
On his own managerial ambitions, Pellegrino added: "I don't know. In football our life changes every single week. We don't know what will happen in the future so I don't like to think about it. I enjoy my job right now, try to improve every single day and think about the best for the team and club.
"I have learned a lot in this past year from Rafa. I worked with him as a player too. The mood now among the staff here is very good."
As a championship-winning centre-back, Pellegrino knows what it takes to cut it at the top level.
He has high hopes for budding defenders like Daniel Ayala, Martin Kelly and Chris Mavinga - and has urged them to be ready to grasp any opportunity Benitez gives them.
He explained: "We never know if they will go on to become first-team regulars, but if these boys are here it's because they have the qualities and characteristics to be good footballers and be in the Liverpool squad.
"Emiliano Insua is an example. One week he was in the reserve team, the next he was on the bench, then the next week he was in the first team and now he is frequently in the starting XI. And he's played for his national team.
"The life of a young player can change in one month. You have to be ready in every moment because you never know when your moment will come."
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