LONDON – Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez called Friday apologized to fans of the club for the poor run of play and team results, which on Wednesday was eliminated from the FA Cup by second division (Reading) and is seventh in the Premiership table, away from the posts of Champions.
Spanish coach appeared before the press and read a letter he brought to state that “we’re not playing well and everyone here feels for our fans.
In his line of not lower his arms despite the poor performance, Benitez believes that “things can change in football” and said “we are confident we can improve, starting with the match against Stoke on Saturday.
Eliminated in the preliminary stage of the UEFA Champions League and out of the FA Cup, a tournament of great prestige in England, the main objective of the Reds at the moment is to finish among the top four teams in the league, a goal that Benitez believes the hand despite the bad image that is giving your computer.
In the absence of 18 days, Liverpool is seventh in the standings, five points behind fourth-placed Manchester City, Chelsea, 10, who leads the standings of the Premier.
The team has been very uneven in their play and has been plagued by injuries, the latest from Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, the spine of the team, which will be a few weeks in dry dock after being injured in the final match of Copa .
The elimination at home (1-2) against Reading, a team struggling in the lower area of the English second division, has filled the patience of fans among some sectors and among former players, who have spoken in favor of the motion Benitez.
Never before has there been such opposition against the Spanish, who joined the team in 2004 and has since managed the Reds to the Champions and FA Cup.
In his appearance before the media, Benitez admitted that “this is the wrong time” and said the possibility of improving involves “win on the field, something that will come if it continues to train well.
Asked about his future on the sidelines of Anfield Road, said: “If I was worried about his status for the club’s future at this point, lose my concentration.” Stoke is the most important game now and we have to prepare well. ”
“I can not be worried about other things. My future is now the Stoke” he said.
“Things are not going well, we know, but if I lose time talking about all these things all the time, I will lose my concentration and will become worse. I do not need guarantees of anything. I promise that I am preparing for the next game , and the football things can change in a week, “he added.
In addition, Benitez faces the difficulty of improving the squad in the midst of economic problems and while the club’s American owners seek 100 million pounds ($ 163 million) from new investors.
The need for new players was reflected on Wednesday. After the joy over the signing of Argentine Maxi Rodriguez, Liverpool suffered injuries to Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun in the defeat against Reading in the second division for the FA Cup.
Torres will have surgery on his right knee and will be sidelined for six weeks.
Babel is a player that Liverpool is willing to sell. 23 year old Dutchman wrote in his Twitter account that “the boss put me out of the call. Without explanation.
After news leaked that Babel had not been summoned Benitez complained in a press conference that it is “impossible to avoid people talking, it’s not like before.”
“It’s more than just football,” Benitez said. “There are agents, money, television, radio and Internet, and everybody wants to talk, they all have Twitter or something like that.”
About an hour after the conference Benitez Babel returned to writing on Twitter to complain about the lack of play.
“What happened after a good first season,” he asked the player. “I scored 10 goals, was the young talent of the year, and do not play anything after the second season?”.
Meanwhile, Benitez does his best to save Liverpool’s miserable season and retain the support of the owners.
Some British news media have published in recent days that the only reason that the former Valencia coach remains on the sidelines of Anfield is because, by extending his contract for five years, signed last season, say goodbye Liverpool would cost 22 million euros.