Rafa Benitez Ready To Seal New Liverpool Deal After Taking Care Of Backroom Men

The future of Rafa Benitez's coaching staff has added to the delay in the Liverpool manager finally signing a three-year extension to his contract.

The future of Rafa Benitez's coaching staff has added to the delay in the Liverpool manager finally signing a three-year extension to his contract.

The Spaniard is expected to put pen to paper before next week's Champions League tie with Real Madrid on a deal which will tie him to Anfield until 2013 after months of wrangling with the club's owners.

Personal terms were agreed months ago but it was thought Benitez's demands to have full control over his transfer budget and recruitment to the club's Academy had brought negotiations to a standstill.

But Benitez revealed on Sunday that securing long-term offers for his trusted lieutenants had been of more importance, issues that are thought to have been worked out with Tom Hicks and George Gillett in the last two weeks.

He said: "Here in England, having a year left on your contract is nothing at all. When people realise the manager only has a year and half left, he is dead. I've got 10 or 12 assistants whose contracts are up in June. How can a manager lead a project properly if the continuity of his staff is not secure for two or three years?

"I never asked for complete control [of transfer budgets]. I did ask for the power to be able to make my own decisions and run the team the way I see fit. That is not the same thing."

That is likely to mean a contract is signed which will see Benitez allowed to divide a budget set by the board, a liberty enjoyed by most Premier League managers but an issue close to Benitez's heart after a problem at Valencia.

Benitez: I'm 'Dead' Worried Over New Liverpool Deal

Rafael Benitez has warned he will be ‘dead’ as Liverpool manager if he does not close his Anfield contract saga soon.

Liverpool hope Benitez will sign a new four-and-a-half year deal worth £16million later this week after the club’s American owners agreed to give him greater power over transfer policy.

Benitez said: ‘If you have a one year contract you have nothing— and I only have 18 months left.

‘If people realise the manager only has that time left, he’s dead.

'I have between 10-12 assistants whose contracts run out in June.’

Benitez also denied he wants total control of transfers: ‘I never asked for absolute power.

Capacity to make decisions and to manoeuvre? Yes.’

The delay has led to fears he could be tempted back to Spain.

‘I hope I can stay here for a long time,’ he said.

‘Would Real Madrid be the icing on the cake in the career of any manager? No doubt about it.

'But that sounds like the final stages of someone’s career and that isn’t my case.’

Control Freak Benitez Will Leave Liverpool Rudderless, Hopeless And Staffless

Rafael Benitez's latest boring, self-important whine about his new contract demands has actually revealed something interesting.

The Liverpool manager, who seems determined to take charge of everything from the tea rota to the financial accounts at Anfield, claims he has up to 12 assistants whose deals are all tied to his.

The fact that he has so many people to do the donkey work at Anfield is a little startling in itself.

When Jose Mourinho left Chelsea he took his trusted lieutenants with him, and there were only four of them.

Arsene Wenger at Arsenal and Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United have big backroom staffs but most of them are tied to the club rather than the future of the manager.

Benitez is different, and don't we know it. He seems to have created a mini-managerial republic at Liverpool which would leave the club without any continuity and hardly any staff if he ever were to leave.

But it is all about the club, isn't it Rafa - even if he has now gone on record as saying that being Real Madrid manager would be the crowning glory of anyone's career.

Pellegrino: Why Zonal Works For Us

First-team coach Mauricio Pellegrino today dismissed criticism of zonal marking - claiming Liverpool were among the best in the country at defending set pieces.

Some pundits question the zonal system employed by Rafa Benitez despite Pepe Reina winning three successive Golden Glove awards for most clean sheets in a Premier League season.

Pellegrino was at the heart of Valencia's defence when they won La Liga using zonal marking - and he insists it is serving Liverpool well despite lapses which led to goals against Portsmouth and Everton.

The Argentine told us: "My opinion is that people need to criticise the result, not the method. Before the last three games, we were among the best two teams at defending set pieces. Now, after these games, we are still among the top five teams at defending set pieces.

"At the end you have to choose one method - zonal or man marking. We chose this one because we trust it. Both methods can be good if you focus on your job and do it properly. The most important thing is not the method - it's the way you manage the method.

"We know we've made some mistakes and we are working on this to make sure we don't concede more goals, but we defend a lot of set plays - that's why the other teams will sometimes score goals."

Torres Reveals Secret To His Success

Fernando Torres believes he may never have fulfilled his full potential if he had stayed in La Liga.

The Spain international has proved a revelation in the Premier League, doubling his goals ratio from his time at Atletico Madrid.

A nomination for the prestigious Ballon d'Or in December cemented his reputation as one of the world's top players.

Torres admits the improvement is in no small part down to the fact his game is more suited to English football than the Spanish league.

The 24-year-old told FourFourTwo magazine: "English football has been good to me because of its characteristics: it's fast, direct and there are very few stoppages, and that suits my game more than Spanish football. My natural qualities - the speed, the power - fit the Premier League.

"I play as a number nine up alongside the centre-backs. If I played there in Spain, maybe it wouldn't suit me: I would hardly see the ball, I would feel like I wasn't in the game. But it is so quick in England, you know you're always going to get the chance to run in behind the defenders.

"Liverpool's game is based on the team, on strategy; it's a very strong, well-organised team. Hitting other teams on the counter-attack with space in front of us suits me perfectly."

Torres also thanks boss Rafa Benitez for opening his eyes to the tactical nuances of being a centre-forward.

"Rafa was looking for a striker with my characteristics - someone quick who could surprise defenders and get behind them - but I had to learn too," he said.

"For a lot of coaches the tactical side of the game doesn't matter that much but for Rafa it is fundamental; he is conscious of the way we set up, the movement, the organisation.

"I've learnt a lot. It's been a real pleasure for me to work with Rafa. At Atletico I played more on instinct, doing my own thing; here I have to learn about movement and positioning, about the team.

"One of the main reasons I arrived at the club was the desire to compete with the best and show that I was good enough to play for the club.

"The fact that the other Spaniards were here was great. The captains have been good too - Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Steven Gerrard have helped me from day one. And having Rafa made it easier to grasp the tactical side of things."

Rafa Benitez Issues Challenge To Emiliano Insua

Rafael Benitez has challenged Emiliano Insua to again stake his claim for the left-back spot at Liverpool.

Insua made four consecutive starts over the festive period after both Fabio Aurelio and Andrea Dossena were struck by injury.

But the 20-year-old’s first-team run was halted by a call-up for Argentina in the South American Under-20 Championships in early January.

The tournament ended in disappointment for Insua, with Argentina finishing bottom of the final group stage of the competition to miss out on a place at the FIFA U20 World Cup for the first time in 16 years.

And with both Aurelio and Dossena having regained fitness in Insua’s absence, Liverpool manager Benitez has called on the youngster to once more provide further competition for places in defence.

“He was playing really well before he went away,” said Benitez. “He played a few games for us and did a good job.

“He has played a lot of football with his country, but some games were at left-back and others at centre-back.

“Defenders don’t run as far when they play in the middle, so we’ll have to have a look at him when he gets back to see if he needs a little break.

“It’s good to have him back, though. At this stage of the season the more players you have competing for positions in the team the better the situation is.”

Liverpool & Manchester United Eyeing Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson

The England Under-21 international is attracting interest from the Premier League's top two teams, who could be willing to pay £10 million for his services.

According to a report in British tabloid newspaper The Daily Mirror, Premier League table-toppers Liverpool and Manchester United are tracking Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson.

The England Under-21 international winger, who has scored twice in 11 caps, was linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid in the January transfer window.

Boro manager Gareth Southgate is eager to hold on to the club's top home-grown players, including Stewart Downing, David Wheater and Johnson.

However, with Middlesbrough two points from safety in the Premier League table, relegation is a real possibility. If they were to finish in the bottom three, the financial blow of demotion coupled with the ambition of their players would almost certainly force Boro to sell their stars.

It is claimed that Manchester United and Liverpool are willing to offer £10 million for the versatile winger, who can play on either side of the pitch. Meanwhile, Boro are reportedly holding out for at least £12m.

Fernando Torres Named Among Liverpool's 50 Greatest Players

'El Nino' may only have been a Red for less than two years, but already he has earned a place among the club's greats.

The Times, the British newspaper, has published a list of the 50 greatest players ever to don a Liverpool shirt. Most of the familiar names are there, but there are one or two surprises thrown in.

Fernando Torres slips in at No. 50, a testament to the Spanish striker's impact since joining the Merseyside giants from Atletico Madrid in 2007.

Steven Gerrard - rather predictably - ranks right in the upper bracket, while the only other current stars featured are veteran defenders Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher.

The 50 Greatest Liverpool Players:

50 Fernando Torres
49 Rob Jones
48 Peter Thompson
47 Jackie Balmer
46 Sami Hyypia
45 Matt Busby
44 Peter Beardsley
43 Elisha Scott
42 Jerzy Dudek
41 Bob Paisley
40 David Fairclough
39 Ray Clemence
38 Jan Molby
37 Phil Neal
36 Tommy Lawrence
35 Albert Stubbins
34 Chris Lawler
33 Steve McMahon
32 Steve Nicol
31 Sammy Lee
30 Gerry Byrne
29 Ronnie Whelan
28 John Toshack
27 John Aldridge
26 Dietmar Hamann
25 Steve Heighway
24 Mark Lawrenson
23 Joey Jones
22 Ray Kennedy
20 Ian Callaghan
19 Michael Owen
18 Jimmy Case
17 Emlyn Hughes
16 Phil Thompson
15 Alan Kennedy
14 Robbie Fowler
13 Ron Yeats
12 Ian St John
11 Ian Rush
10 Roger Hunt
9 Jamie Carragher
8 Billy Liddell
7 Alan Hansen
6 Kevin Keegan
5 Tommy Smith
4 Graeme Souness
3 John Barnes
2 Steven Gerrard
1 Kenny Dalglish

Rafa Benitez Set To Sign New Liverpool Deal

Various press sources claim that Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is finally ready to pen a new contract following months of staggered negotiations.

The Spaniard had hoped to seal a deal by the end of November last year, but the infrequency of the discussions scuppered any chance of that deadline being met.

When Benitez was eventually offered a contract last month, he turned it down as there was no specification as to how much control he would have over transfers.

The former Valencia coach is determined to take sole charge of player sales and purchases, especially after the debacle concerning Gareth Barry and Xabi Alonso last summer.

But now, after several rejected drafts, Benitez and the Anfield club's co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, have settled on terms that suit both parties.

According to The Daily Mail, the Reds boss will still have to discuss transfers with the board but will no longer report to chief executive Rick Parry, the thorn in so many of his proposals.

It is understood that Hicks and Gillett bowed to this stipulation only after meeting with Randy Lerner, Aston Villa's American owner, and discovering that Martin O'Neill is granted similar freedom.

The News of the World claims that Benitez's new contract will run until 2013 and see him rake in €18 million.

Steven Gerrard Expected Back For Liverpool-Real Madrid Tie

Steven Gerrard should be available for the first leg of Liverpool's blockbuster Champions League tie against Real Madrid, according to the News of the World.

The English superstar was expected to miss the Spanish leg through injury after he tore his hamstring in the Reds' defeat to Everton in the FA Cup recently.

Furthermore, the relative thinness of Rafael Benitez's attack - thanks to Robbie Keane's return to Tottenham Hotspur - means the Anfield boss is wary of rushing back his captain too early and risking a long-term absence.

But the 28-year-old is progressing well in his recovery sessions, and now he is a genuine chance to make it back in time to face the mighty Merengues.

Gerrard will, however, remain sidelined for next weekend's Premier League clash against Manchester City.

Liverpool Eye Espanyol Youngster Sielva

Oscar Sielva, one the Blanquiblaus' promising prospects, could be playing at Anfield before long.

Liverpool have another Spanish youngster in their sights, with Espanyol starlet Oscar Sielva the latest player to crop up on Rafa Benitez's radar.

According to AS, the Reds have the first option to secure the services of Sielva, a deal secured while they were concluding the transfer of Albert Riera last summer.

The 17-year-old is injured at the moment, having suffered his second shoulder injury of the season, but Liverpool are understood to be tracking his progress clearly, with a view to securing his services in the near future.

Both sides are refusing to comment on the speculation for the time being; however, should the Merseysiders confirm their interest, Espanyol will be highly tempted to sell, especially given their precarious position in the top flight.

Hansen: How Reds Can Push For Glory

Alan Hansen has urged Liverpool to turn up the pressure on leaders Man United by putting together a winning streak.

The Anfield legend believes the last-gasp win over Portsmouth was a welcome boost for the Reds' title challenge and insists they must keep picking up three points if they are to take advantage of any slip-up.

"It's all about putting pressure on Manchester United now," he told LFC Magazine.

"They responded to Liverpool's win over Portsmouth by winning at West Ham the following day, but it was a very tight game and could have ended in a draw.

"Liverpool have just got to keep winning and winning because that will keep the pressure right on them.

"We've seen time and time again that things can change dramatically on one bad result, so Liverpool have got to keep putting the pressure on."

Hansen also had words of praise for full-back Fabio Aurelio, who produced a solid display in a central midfield role in the 3-2 win at Fratton Park last week.

"Aurelio was asked to play in central midfield, a position Rafa utilised him in at Valencia, and I thought he played well," he said.

"He was good in possession, played the ball well and in the first half he was probably Liverpool's best player.

"That tells its own story and speaks volumes for Aurelio that he can go into a big Premier League game and play so well in central midfield.

"It gives us another option in midfield and perhaps more so in a wide midfield role."

Starlet Targets Return To Form

Damien Plessis has set his sights on recapturing the form that saw him make the breakthrough into Rafael Benitez's first-team.

The French midfielder caught the eye after making his debut against Arsenal last season and has now made seven appearances for the club in total.

He admits he has seen a huge improvement in his game since swapping Lyon for Liverpool and is determined to continue his development and force his way back into the manager's plans on a more regular basis.

"Playing for the first team is always a proud experience for me and for all the young boys," he told LFC Magazine. "But just because you have had a small taste does not mean that there are any guarantees that the chance will come along again.

"I was last involved with the team against Tottenham and it was a very difficult evening. None of us can say honestly that we have done our chances any good in that game.

"So for me it is important that I get back to my best form in the reserve team, consistently, and demonstrate in training every day that I am playing at a high level. Then, hopefully, I can get involved again in the team."

He added: "I think I have improved a lot with the coaching here at Liverpool. I arrived here with experience of France and nothing else and now I have improved.

"In England, where the game is so much quicker, you have to get better. You have less time on the ball before you are tackled, so your touch has to be precise- not just some of the time, but all of the time.

"For the same reasons you have to make faster and better decisions with your passes. I have also become stronger physically than I was when I arrived. I am young, and I still have a lot of things to learn but I am improving every day and hopefully if I listen to what the coaches tell me and use the examples of the experienced players then I can do it."

Liverpool's American Owners Set Benitez Deadline On Third Offer

Liverpool's American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are set to make Rafa Benitez a third contract offer this week - and they want it signed before next Sunday's game against Manchester City.

Having won major concessions about control over transfers, Benitez has sent back a second offer to the Americans, this time querying his role with the club's academy.

Now the owners are trying to rush through further amendments, believing any additional delay will hurt Liverpool as they battle for the Premier League title.

A senior source said last night: 'The major points have been agreed and we hope things will be finalised soon.' Benitez, who has been offered a four-and-a-half-year deal which will earn him £15million, has twice looked in detail at the offer.

Although his primary concern that he would have to report to chief executive Rick Parry on transfer targets has been satisfied, he wants it to be clear that he has overall responsibility for the club's youth policy, too.

He is now waiting for a response, although the owners know they will try to do that quickly.

Benitez originally set a deadline of November 30 to get a new contract offer but later turned down the deal. He has always said he wants full control of which players are bought and sold at Liverpool, although he understands he will be given a budget.

It follows a contentious summer at Anfield, when £20m striker Robbie Keane was signed but Benitez's No1 target Gareth Barry was not, because of Aston Villa's £18m asking price.

Hicks and Gillett met Benitez two weeks ago and agreed he would report to the board, rather than Parry, on transfers.

They also held informal talks with Aston Villa owner and fellow American Randy Lerner, finding out that Benitez is only after the powers that Martin O'Neill has at Villa Park.

IInter Milan Move For Daniel Agger

Inter Milan will make a summer move for unhappy Liverpool star Daniel Agger.

The Italian giants have already held preliminary talks with the defender’s agent Per Steffensen.

And they want to cash in on his frustration over losing his place to Martin Skrtel and Liverpool’s refusal to extend his current deal, which ends in 2010.

Inter want a move for Agger, 24, wrapped up before that point to ensure he is not lured away to one of their Serie A rivals.

Agger said: “If I don’t play, it’s untenable. My situation is that Rafa Benitez doesn’t want to let me play — it irritates me when I don’t play.’’

Youngsters Crash To Heavy Defeat

Liverpool's youngsters were on the wrong end of a 4-0 thumping by West Bromwich Albion in the Midlands on Saturday afternoon.

Hughie McAuley's men were second best throughout the 90 minutes and conceded two goals in each half to crash to a heavy defeat.

"It's unlike us to be as poor as we were today, but we paid the price for making too many mistakes," McAuley told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"Defensively we gave silly goals away and never really looked a threat at the other end. West Brom were brighter and more up for the game than we were, so full credit to them. It was a bit of a hiding for our lads and we can't say it wasn't deserved.

"There wasn't too much to shout about for us really. Joe Kennedy and Thomas Ince did okay, but really we struggled for any spark.

"We were without Dalle Valle and Ellison through injury and Ecclestone was suspended, so that was three of our players ruled out. But that's what we have a squad for and unfortunately the boys just didn't get going at all in the game.

"We just have to pick ourselves up now and learn from the mistakes we made. We gave away bad goals and that's something we're going to have to look at before our next game with Crewe next weekend."

Liverpool: Hansen, Metcalfe, Kennedy, Wisdom, Buchtmann, Kacaniklic, Cooper (Scott), Pepper, Roberts, Ince, Amoo.

John Aldridge: Liverpool Must Sort Daniel Agger's Contract

I just can’t make sense of Daniel Agger’s contract situation at Liverpool.

Why isn’t it sorted yet? Why are the club allowing the contract of such a high quality player to run down?

We’ve been speaking about it for months now and I don’t know what the problem is.

It could be that his agent is delaying things but if that’s the case I wish the club would come out and put the record straight.

The fact is it needs to be sorted and fast because we need Agger tied down to an extended deal.

Centre-back is a position where we are very strong and if we’re going to progress over the next few years then Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel and Agger are going to be crucial to that.

With his current contract finishing at the end of next season it’s no surprise that clubs like AC Milan and Real Madrid have been sniffing around.

Agger is a classy defender who is solid defensively and very good on the ball. Players like him are hard to find. It’s difficult as a manager to keep everyone happy but Rafa needs Agger in his squad.

Agger has come out this week saying he’s unhappy with his lack of action in recent months.

I can understand his frustration but he’s got to remember that while he was out injured Skrtel and Carragher forged a strong partnership, while Sami Hyypia has also performed well when called upon.

He’s got to be patient, buckle down and ensure when an opportunity comes along he grabs it with both hands.

You need strength in depth and with the Champions League starting up again in a few weeks I’m sure he will get plenty of action.

The defence is probably the one area where Rafa can rotate without really weakening the side as we’ve got four top centre-halves.

Maybe Rafa changed his formation last weekend just to accommodate Agger. In some games three at the back might work but I can’t see him playing that way on a permanent basis.

One thing is definite. Agger is the key to our hopes of success in the coming years and it’s time his new contract was finally sorted.

Liverpool Can't Rush Steven Gerrard’s Recovery - Fernando Torres

Liverpool managed to survive - thrive even - without Fernando Torres while he was out with a hamstring problem. It's taking some time to get him back to full fitness, although he did look sharp for an hour of Spain's 2-0 win over England in midweek.

Reds skipper Steven Gerrard missed that game because he's also suffering with a gammy hamstring. However, 'El Nino' is less confident about his side’s ability to cope without their midfield talisman.

Nevertheless, he doesn't want the Anfield club to force Gerrard's recovery ahead of schedule.

"Stevie doesn't have a substitute at Liverpool," he is quoted by ESPN has having admitted. "It's his name [that is] first on the team-sheet then ten others [follow].

"Stevie is the lad every great side has - our leader, the one-club man.

"Still, I know from experience that hamstring problems are risky. If you get one, there's nothing you can do but let it repair."

Liverpool have a massive Champions League clash coming up against Real Madrid and are looking to stay in touch in terms of the Premier League title race. ‘Stevie G’ and Torres were starting to operate well as a tandem again, however, boss Rafael Benitez will have to wait longer to have his two top men playing together at full fitness.

Liverpool Stopper Daniel Agger Admits Manchester United Are 'Scary'

Daniel Agger has been astounded by the Red Devils’ consistency and, as a result, he is aware that Liverpool have to stop dropping so many points.

Liverpool's Danish defender Daniel Agger has taken enough time out from pondering his murky Anfield future to notice that Manchester United are steaming ahead at the top of the Premier League.

The Red Devils are on a mind-boggling run of clean sheets and have been virtually unstoppable since Christmas, enjoying the kind of surge that Sir Alex Ferguson promised.

Agger told Ekstra Bladet, "I take my hat off to United. They have shown scary strength and have many strings to play on.

"They are the most stable [team in the league] and they win [many of] their close games."

Liverpool's visit to Old Trafford on March 14 could prove a pivotal fixture in the title race. Agger has already pinpointed this but has urged his team-mates to improve upon recent results in the meantime.

"If we want to keep our chances for the trophy alive we can't draw in so many games,” he asserted.

"Manchester United could be five points ahead of us if they win next Wednesday's game against Fulham.

"Because of that, we will have to beat them at Old Trafford."

Liverpool FC Need To Keep Heat On Man United

Pepe Reina believes Liverpool cannot afford to fall too far behind Manchester United ahead of the crunch clash between the pair next month.

Rafael Benitez’s side face the champions at Old Trafford on March 14 for a meeting that could go some way towards determining the destiny of this season’s Premier League crown.

United currently lead their second-placed opponents by two points with the added luxury of a game in hand.

Liverpool have kept pace with Sir Alex Ferguson’s men in recent weeks with late winners against Chelsea and at Portsmouth.

And goalkeeper Reina admits it is imperative United are not allowed to extend the gap ahead of the forthcoming Old Trafford showdown.

“All we can do is concentrate on our own game, keep getting good results and then try to take points from them when we go to Old Trafford next month,” said the Spain international.

“Fernando Torres said recently we have to be close to them when that match comes along, and I agree with that.

“That might mean being just a point or two behind them, although obviously it would be even better if we were top.”

Reina added: “Whatever happens, we have to go into that game still with a chance of winning the league.”

Meanwhile, Fabio Aurelio believes that while Benitez’s selection policy has caused consternation among some critics recently, it has the favour of his players.

Benitez was panned by a section of pundits last week for his starting line-up against Portsmouth, despite the fact Liverpool won 3-2.

And Aurelio said: “The boss had problems in Spain, too, with people saying he makes too many changes.

“But he is just the same now. I have been with him a long time so I know his methods are like that. He always does what is best for the team.

“He has a personality which doesn’t mind what people think, which is good for the team.

“We can fight for the title, and we can win the title.

“If we do then the boss will be the best coach ever. But if he doesn’t people will try to say it is because of squad rotation.”

The defender added: “The results in football are always the important thing and we got a good result at Portsmouth. We were very happy with the result.

“People don’t understand the changes that he made, but he knows how the players are feeling. He knows who is tired and who is not, and he knows how to use his squad.

“We know when he selects his team for a game, it will be the best players at that moment to do the job. We are with him.”