subject: Rafa Is As Safe As A Rabbit In A Snake Hole [print this page] Rafael Benitez believes that his position at the helm of affairs in Liverpool FC is safe. According to him "I am relaxed in terms of my position". Good morale at this crisis stage but the point is that he needs much more than mere high morale right now. He just has to turn the tide and not just start winning but keep winning.
We need to ask though, what went wrong at one of the biggest clubs in England and indeed the world. Last season, Benitez took on some of the top coaches in the Premiership notably Sir Alex Ferguson. In fact their friction was well reported and even led to Sir Alex branding Benitez "arrogant".
This spat was seen as a test of wills between the two but Benitez saw it more as an attempt to stand up to someone feared by many others. It was expected that this season, Liverpool FC will give Manchester United a run for their money but they not only started on a wrong note, they have put almost every foot wrong thereafter.
It is strange that Rafa has consistently sought protection in injuries to players. In response to John Terry's comment that the Liverpool squad depth is not strong enough, Rafa said if five or six players are taken out of United or Chelsea, they will stop winning games. Hmmm... excuses, excuses! I think he should worry less about what will hypothetically happen if those two were to lose five players and worry more about what will happen if he cannot turn the current ride at Anfield.
The major issue now is whether Rafa will keep his job or fall victim as coaches of big clubs do when the going gets bad. The truth is that he has little cause for complaint. He has bought a good number of players in recent times and he seems to relish buying and selling. I tend to think the guy imagines Liverpool FC as a Monopoly board where he buys and sells to make gain. Luckily for him, the owners have publicly backed him though if that holds any water remains to be seen considering the fact they are businessmen.
If Rafa is relying on their public statements to generate his confidence regarding his job, he needs to wake up to the real world. It is not their public statements that count but their private decisions which will eventually be made public. The owners will get rid of him in a heartbeat if it will enhance their chances of cashing their chips which are trying to sell right now. For all he knows, he is as safe as a rabbit in a snake hole.
