[lfc-news] Rafa interview - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 12 Aug 2005
Apprenticeship will ensure no surprises
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

RAFA BENITEZ responds to any hint of a Liverpool Premiership challenge
with such a technically efficient straight bat, it's a surprise he
hasn't received a call-up from Michael Vaughan.

The Liverpool manager won't discourage highly optimistic title talk, but
he's carefully avoiding inflaming it with extravagant claims about the
elusive 19th championship.

"I'm happy if people are saying Liverpool are a good team which will do
better in the Premiership," he says.

"If people are saying in three or four months time Liverpool can win the
title, I will be a lot happier. That will mean we are near the top of
the table.

"For now, my job is to continue to make improvements. I like hearing
people say we can win trophies. I will never say to anyone it's wrong to
dream about such things. At the same time, we know there are other
strong teams who have made new signings of their own.

"We need to believe we can beat any team. If we can defeat Chelsea and
Arsenal, we can win against any side. The task is to repeat that level
for nine months, not just in one game.

"We also know how difficult each game is. Our approach has to be the
same every week. If we repeat the results of pre-season, I will be happy."

On the eve of his second season in English football, Benitez oozes the
quiet confidence of a man sure he'll soon be breathing down the necks of
those who've monopolised Premiership honours.

Last year, Benitez admits he was forced to rely on scout reports and
videos before he could work out how to overcome the Middlesbroughs of
this world.

Twelve months on, the Spanish boss believes his apprenticeship in
England will ensure nothing will surprise him on these shores again.

And he's adamant the additions he's made to a squad still in the process
of evolution will trigger radical improvement.

"It will be easier because of last season's experience," explained Benitez..

"I know the systems and tactics each team favour. You can get this from
reports and watching videos, but when you've played against a team you
always learn more. Of course, it's always difficult no matter who you
play, but because of my experiences in my first year, I think it should
be a bit easier for us."

So what's the biggest lesson Benitez learned?

"When you see the results in the Premiership you know a team at the
bottom of the table is capable of beating a team in the top four. That's
the difficulty in England. No game is easy," he says..

"That's one of the differences between here and Spain.

"In Spain, the bigger teams can control the game easier because the
style of football is more technical and there are less long balls.

"What happened against us a lot last season was teams started matches
hitting lots of high passes and fighting for the second ball. They
caused problems and we didn't control the games away from home.

"This happens at every level in England. It's interesting to see that
Crystal Palace and Southampton lost in their league this week, yet they
beat us last season. This underlines what I'm saying. "You have to be
careful and be prepared for every game in England. Maybe you're a better
team with better players, but it's always very difficult to get results.
There were times last season when we didn't fight hard enough.

"This is why I've bought the players I have this summer. When I look at
the players I have now, I'm confident. Look at Sissoko. Look at the
energy he will give us. He is someone who will work hard and fight for
us every time he plays. "Crouch is a player who is good in the air and
will keep the ball in attack for us. When you think of the games we lost
away last season, maybe it's easy to understand why it's going to be
helpful to have players like this available to us.

"There are far more options for me with the team now, but I still want
to improve the side. We are trying to bring in at least two more players
if it's possible. If we do that, I will have two good players for each
position and we will always have a strong side."

Benitez is also banking on another factor which he believes could give
his side 20 per cent extra in the league.

"In my opinion, Steven Gerrard is a new signing," says Benitez.

"I'm glad I'm not going to have to waste my time in every press
conference talking about the future of Steven. Now he is happy, he is
scoring goals, playing well and focused solely on his team."

Middlesbrough will provide a tricky opening for Benitez's side. Such is
the fickle nature of the modern game, title chat will be silenced within
90 minutes if things don't go to plan at the Riverside.

"We are waiting for tomorrow with an excited sense of anxiety you get at
the start of each season," says Benitez..

"Because we've won a lot of games, we'll go into this season with a lot
of confidence. We are scoring goals and winning matches, but we know how
difficult the Premiership is.

"My message to the players is always the same. Our objective is to win
the next game. If we keep doing this, you will see a stronger Liverpool
and we can start to think about other goals.

"For sure, we intend to have a better season than last year in the
league. That means overall improvements are needed, particularly away
from home.

"I'm not going to say we'll come first, second or third. I will say we
intend to win a lot of games and then we'll see if this team has the
power to fight with those good teams at the top.

"What I want is for us to score more goals and prove we are more
consistent. In the Premiership we didn't do this, but I'm sure this year
we will be better. Last year we could win two games and then lose two.
Now I expect the team to play at the same level all the time."

So Rafa, should Liverpool fans seriously believe they're title
contenders this year?

"People must dream. That's what's good about football," he says.

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