Tuesday, 3 November 2009

A WINTER TALE: In reply to Henry's hatchet job on Rafa Benitez

HENRY WINTER took time out from bowing at his Alex Ferguson shrine yesterday to stick the knife in on Rafa Benitez with a laughable piece in the Telegraph.

Lauded as one of the best journalists in the land by some, the least you would expect is a fair, balanced and accurate report. 

Not a bit of it.

Winter has a clear anti-Benitez agenda and it leaves his hatchet job on the Spaniard full of holes.

Now clearly after a nightmare run of six defeats in seven games, the Liverpool manager is far from bombproof - questions are being asked, and rightly so, not least as to why Yossi Benayoun was substituted in the defeat to Fulham. 

But for someone like Winter, is an appreciation of the circumstances too much to ask?

He kicks off with the opening line: 

"Virtually no one." So argued Jamie Carragher when asked whether Liverpool had anyone to replace Fernando Torres should the talismanic target-man miss Wednesday's Champions League tie at Lyons.

Oh no, you might think, Rafa's lost the dressing room, even Carragher is having a pop...then you read the rest of the quote which Winter decided to leave out: 

“We know Fernando is not quite 100 per cent,” Carragher said. “If Fernando had got injured at the end, we would have had virtually nobody for the game in midweek but we still brought a Dutch international in Ryan Babel on. It should be enough quality.” 

Paints a different picture doesn't it? One, perhaps, that doesn't suit Winter's agenda?

Further into the article: 

"His verdict is partly a compliment to Liverpool's exceptional No 9, but also an implicit indictment of the understudies assembled by Rafael Benítez. Blaming such individuals for being too poor (Andrei Voronin) or too raw (Ryan Babel, David Ngog) is pointless; culpability rests with Benítez for recruiting them while ignoring prodigal sons such as Emile Heskey and Michael Owen."

Did Winter have a straight face when he typed this? Was he sniffing glue? Heskey? The player who can't get a regular game at Aston Villa? The player who has scored TWO goals since moving to Villa Park in January? Yes, Henry, he would be ideal, wouldn't he? What a replacement for Torres. And Owen - well Winter seems to love him almost as much as he does Ferguson. From where I'm sitting, he's not setting the world alight since moving to Man United. We've been there, done that and he's a shadow of the player he was when he snubbed LFC and headed for Spain. And, despite his protests to the press, he DOES get injured a lot. 

"In August, few people outside Anfield considered Liverpool to have a squad comparable to those at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge. Benítez, as usual, will divert attention elsewhere. He will bemoan refereeing decisions, injuries, tardiness in the transfer market and the comic capers of the American co-owners."

Er, yes? Few people inside Anfield thought the squad was comparable to those at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge either. Knock him all you want, but Benitez's counterparts have had more money in one go to spend on players - and they haven't had to sell to buy. And Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal and Manchester City pay bigger wages. Well documented. Fact or diversion? Refereeing decisions? Well they haven't helped have they? Oh and your mate Fergie, well he never moans about refs does he Henry? Winter, by the way, recently wrote a sickening defence (see here) of Ferguson's ridiculous attack on Alan Wiley, a move made with the sole aim of concealing a poor performance against Sunderland. And the owners? Well don't get me started - I wrote a huge post about them on Sunday (see here).

"He will even criticise "senior players'' such as Carragher and Steven Gerrard following the early-season loss to Aston Villa. One constant: Benítez never accepts responsibility himself."

Am I missing something? Are Carragher and Gerrard not allowed to be questioned? Carra has admitted himself he has been below-par this season. And the comment Winter refers to comes after Gerrard charged the length of the pitch to launch himself into a ridiuculous tackle that gave Aston Villa a penalty and sealed their 3-1 win at Anfield. He's blown hot and cold (when fit) so why shouldn't Rafa have a pop? As for accepting responsibility - what manager does that, name one? I'd love to see the examples of Fergie coming out to the press and saying "You know what lads, I got that wrong, it's all my fault." He's bought crap players, he's got his tactics wrong. ALL managers make mistakes, none of them admit it - why single out Benitez? 

"That is why some people tire of the self-absorbed Spaniard."

For some people, clearly, read Henry Winter. 

"We've heard all the excuses before. We've seen the utter reliance on Gerrard, Torres and, for all his recent woes, Carragher."

Benayoun is enjoying his most effective spell at Anfield, continuing where he left off last season. Pepe Reina is the best keeper in the league, Glen Johnson has been a quality signing, Alberto Aquilani looks promising...tired argument, Winter. 

Liverpool can afford to sack Benítez. Compensation would be less than £5 million under the "mitigating the loss'' principle if he found employment, but no desire can be detected within the club for a regime change.

You seem confident he would find employment, would that be, by any chance, because he's a good manager? And it would cost £20m thereabouts if Benitez didn't find employment - so would the fiscally-challenged Hicks & Gillett be prepared to take that risk? And who would recruit the new manager - our beloved co-owners? The same people that wanted Jurgen Klinsmann? Shudder to think who they would go for this time. Finally - what world-class manager would want to come to the club right now? Why would they choose to work for owners who hate each other, at a financially-insecure club with a budget significantly less than your rivals enjoy? Alan Curbishley is available though... 


"But it is known around Anfield that Purslow has talked to Benítez about his style of management, notably his cold detachment from the players"

Yawn, one of your favourites this, isn't it? When I last looked, Benitez is the manager, not the players's best friend. We've done the best mates thing with Roy Evans - it didn't work. You don't like him, get over it. Maybe Fergie will give you a cuddle... 

"Sensible businesses plan for succession and any defenestration of Benítez should take place only in the close-season. Who knows? Benítez might win the FA Cup."

So after all that, your point is he should stay? Stunning. 

Comments (19)

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man, this is good!!!!!!!!!!!! bravo!

in rafa we trust
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
Spit on Red's avatar

Spit on Red · 801 weeks ago

In Rafa we trust to DESTROY Liverpool. Thank goodness you stupid scousers have Rafa. If you only had a better manager like Martin O'Neil or the Insane Wanker you might have won a few titles by now. Keep the Spaniard. We love him there. Him being there guarantees that Liverpool will never win. Plus we are assured of some annual entertainment where he goes mad to the press (remember when he went mad at Sir Alex last year?). Love it. Keep your faith in Rafa. Woo-Hoo!
Excellently argued mate.
Isn't it so sad that our national journalists are of such a low calibre that they consistently have to twist facts and alter the truth around to produce what can only be described as weak, poor articles.
How this country loves to kick people when theyre down. The s*n are in a league of their own but the british press and people like winter really are shocking.
Sad thing is, even some of our own support believe some of the crap that is printed, God help us..We are LFC
winter is as about as accurate as michae owen was against blackburn.tony cascarino also had a go and what that donkey knows about football you could write on the back of a postage stamp.y.n.w.a. mike
I have never witnessed a media witch hunt quite like this; so many cowards are slinking out from the shadows. Very, very few media analyses (only one that I've seen) has acknowledged the extraordinary bad luck we are having with injuries - 10 key players missing from Craven Cottage against a decent Fulham side on a winning streak - and yet Benitez is to blame. Protecting your best player when he is clearly unfit? Again, RB's an idiot for taking him off. Did you see Tony Cascarino's hatchet job in The Times? Even Hansen rode rough shod over the injury crisis. I hope we stick with Rafa - I'm not indifferent or blind to a poor season, but there's a long way to go and mitigating factors for our current plight. Give the bloke a break!
To be honest I used to enjoy reading Winter's articles but lately they've gone terrible. I agree I think Winter has got an agenda with Benitez, whether Rafa has stopped discussing items with Winter or ran over his cat I don't know but it is clear that he has an agenda.

He should have a discussion with his Telegraph colleague Rory Smith who wrote an article which was fairly balanced.
Great piece, mate!

Was thinking the excact same thing.
Now I will go and look at that Winter excuse for Fergusons attack on the refs. if he (Winter) gets the attack on the ref against Sunderland sound okay, he really is a good writer, though not a great thinker...

But we all know that Alex Ferguson has a couple of thousands free-cards from getting his share of shit (which should be a LOT) thrown on him by the journos.
Me again, here!

Just read Winters article/excuse for Fergusons attack on the refs...

What else is there to say than "What a f***ing piece of dogs b****cks!". That man is a joke...
chris nicholls's avatar

chris nicholls · 801 weeks ago

journos talk shit and we all no it!!!! good article m8 well said
Firstly, the suggestion that Benitez should go is ridiculous. Just last season we came within 4 points of winning the Premiership in which we took 14 points from 18 in the top four meetings. Add to the fact under Benitez we now expect to make the latter stages of the Champions League and are a feared team across the continent.

As to over reliance upon Gerrard / Torres, can you imagine Chelsea without Drogba / Lampard or Arsenal without Van Persie / Fabregas for long periods. United would be toothless without just Rooney now Ronaldo has departed.

However I would raise doubts as to your assertion that Henry Winter is a puppet of Ferguson. I agree that no one in the press dare criticise the man who took 6 years and substantial financial backing to win the title at United, I would point out that Mr Winter was the ghost writer of Gerrard's autobiography hence doubt he has an axe to grind with Liverpool.
Fantastic piece mate!!

Keep the faith in Rafa my fellow reds. In due time, we will be rewarded for it.

To the doubters...........DO NOT help in carrying through the same mistake manSHITster united almost made in sacking Fergie 6 years into a then unfruitful reign.

This is history repeating itself.

Write off this season. This season will be a stinker!! But keep the faith. For next season I SENSE glory.
Henry Winter is a xenophobic cunt.
1 reply · active 801 weeks ago
So are you.
Dave Molyneux's avatar

Dave Molyneux · 801 weeks ago

It seems like the entire journalistic world (excluding your self skipper, who has remained remarkably positive throughout this ‘crisis’ – it’s one of your finest attributes by the way) are holding their breath and waiting for us to get beat by Lyon tonight.

Half of them have probably written Rafa’s obituary already with their knives well and truly sharpened.

Its times like these Rafa has shown his metal before though. This match has got a Liverpool victory written all over it

COME ON THE MIGHTY REDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've never liked the smarmy Winter. He is to football journalism in newspapers what Garth Crooks is to it on TV - a pompous pseudo-intellectual who'd rather be on the Culture Show...
winter sucks sweaty united cock and loves every inch
Journalism (AKA The London Press) have had it in for LFC (and the City on a whole) since the 70's and 80's they didn't like us then, so they're loving sticking the knife in now. How much do they love 'Arry "loves a bung" Redknapp and what has he done apart from one FA Cup? What goes around comes around. As a machine once said :We'll be back. YNWA - DON'T BUY THE SUN.
what worries me about an article like that, is not the quality of the journalism, but where the article came from.

regardless of what you think of Winter's views, he wrote that after talking to someone, or may be a few people. The key question is not whether you agree with it but who he spoke to and what that says abotu what's going on behind closed doors.

The "mitigating loss" thing is particularly troubling.
1 reply · active 801 weeks ago
The mitigating loss is just a theory of his, he's come out with it more than once. I'd say he likes to make it sound like he's in the know, a trait also displayed by Stan Collymore.

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