[lfc-news] Ian Rush column - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 17 May 2005
Relaxation is key to victory in Istanbul
By Ian Rush, Liverpool Echo

THE next eight days will seem like an eternity to the Liverpool players
as they wait for the biggest game of their lives.

Preparing for a match of such magnitude can be a problem. My advice is
to spend the next few days trying not to think about it. Relaxation is
essential.

In 1984, Joe Fagan took us to Israel for a mini-break before we
travelled to Rome. His view was we all knew what was expected from us
and too much training was counter-productive.

There's a danger you can worry about a game too much, and it can also be
very boring for players to have to listen to the same advice for ten
days in the build-up to a match.

I know Rafa Benitez won't be taking his players abroad, but I'm sure he
and his staff will have their own ideas for keeping the squad relaxed.

Liverpool organise a lot of away days now, where the players organise
events such as go-karting. The trendy name for it is 'team bonding', but
it's more about allowing everyone to let their hair down.

Obviously times have changed since 1984. What went on then wouldn't be
accepted these days, but the basic principles are the same.

There's a time and place for working hard, but giving the players
freedom to wind down a bit is just as important.

I'm often asked how we prepared to face Roma in '84. We never watched
any videos of our opponents.

Joe and his staff did all that for us, and their advice before a match
was always the same.

"Let them worry about us," he'd say.

Because we were the best in Europe, and we knew it, there wasn't a team
capable of making us change our approach. We forced our style onto a
match and usually won.

It's going to be a lot different for Liverpool this time.

On paper, everyone can see AC Milan are the strongest of the two teams.
The players will have to be properly drilled and the tactical side of
the game will be far more important to the current side than it was for us.

Obviously, it's the 90 minutes on May 25 which will decide the outcome,
but I can assure you what happens off it between now and then will be
just as significant.

A relaxed Liverpool team has a far better chance than a side drained by
nervous energy.

No sulking allowed for Baros

DJIBRIL CISSE couldn't have done much more against Aston Villa to push
his claims for a starting place against AC Milan.

I just hope that whatever Rafa Benitez's decision, Milan Baros responds
in the right way.

There's no point sulking if he's on the bench.

Most players would give everything to be involved in a Champions League
Final, even if it's only as substitute.

Such an opportunity may never come again. If you get on the pitch and
you don't give 100 per cent, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.

It looks inevitable Baros will be playing his last Liverpool match in
Istanbul. Even if he's disappointed for the second successive final, I
hope he approaches it in the right way, both for his club's sake and his
own.

Chance of a Fry-up!

I WAS delighted to be approached by Barry Fry of Peterborough to discuss
the vacancy at his club last week.

It remains to be seen if I'm about to make a swift return to football
management, but the invitation to discuss the position led to positive
talks.

I've been considering a number of options since I left Chester, but no
decision on my future has been taken yet.

For the moment, it's a case of watch this space...

Why I'm delighted for Robson

FORGET his Manchester United connections, I'm absolutely thrilled for
Bryan Robson after he guided West Brom to safety.

West Brom looked doomed when he took over.

I also believe his success is a smack on the nose for all those who've
allowed fickleness to affect their judge-ment in the modern game.

Robson hadn't been in the job for five minutes before his credentials
were doubted. Now he's proved what a fine manager he is.

He's also a great guy whose reputation took an unfair battering when he
left Middlesbrough.

As far as I'm concerned, Robson and David Moyes deserve all the
accolades for their efforts this season. And you can add Rafa Benitez's
name to the list of candidates who were unlucky to lose out as manager
of the year if he leads Liverpool to the European Cup.

Jose Mourinho won the Barclays Premiership boss of the year award, but
all achievements must be put into perspective.

He's done a great job at Chelsea, but is their success a surprise? Has
he overcome the odds to do what he's done?

Moyes, Robson and Benitez have defied expectations.

They've inspired their players to play above themselves.

They've proved they are superb man-managers and deserve all their accolades.

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