Premier League - Managers: Benitez blasts Fergie

Eurosport - Mon, 18 May 16:24:00 2009

Rafa Benitez has continued his war of words with Alex Ferguson, refusing to congratulate the Manchester United boss on winning the title.

2008-2009 Premier League Liverpool Rafa Benitez - 0

West Bromwich 0-2 Liverpool

Tony Mowbray: "What happened (with Roman Bednar's suspension following newspaper allegations) did not upset our preparation. I had a word with him before the match, but there will be no further comment until we have had the chance to investigate what has happened and find out all the facts. We will then take action when we have got to the bottom of it and discover the details.

"Obviously I am so disappointed, particularly for the fans who have been magnificent all season. But the way we gave away that first goal, a big mistake to let Steven Gerrard in, just epitomises our whole season. I am frustrated. We had a lot of good attacking play but then gave the opposition a goal they did not have to work for. That's us."

Rafa Benitez when asked to congratulate Alex Ferguson: "I will say congratulations to Manchester United. They have done well, but I do not want to say too much. I prefer just to say well done to the club, a big club, a good club. Normally you have to be polite and respect the other manager. During the season we have seen a lot of things that I didn't like, so that's it. I say congratulations to United because they have won. And that's it."

"The disagreement between my two players was because we wanted another clean sheet, we wanted 21. I don't like what I saw, but I am trying to see the positive side of things. We were looking to hit targets, a record points tally for the club of 83 and we achieved that. We wanted 13 away league wins which is also a record. And we wanted another clean sheet and runners-up position. You could see why Jamie Carragher was like he was with Alvaro Arbeloa. For me that is a positive message about the mentality of the team."

Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn

Guus Hiddink on his reception from the fans: "I didn't expect that after the few months I was here, it was rather short, but I think it was a reflection of what the team did. They resurrected themselves after a difficult period at the beginning of the year. We worked hard together, we challenged each other as a sign of respect, and that's why the crowd reacted as they did. I was impressed and I enjoyed it very much.

"I think for the fans, first of all, the most important thing is that we play football. People like to play football, whether they are amateurs or well-paid professional, that is the motivation. And you cannot fool the fans. They know whether the players are committed. If they are not committed, then we have a problem, but this team showed a lot of commitment during my period here."

Sam Allardyce: "I thought we were really in the game but the problem again was that playing away from home we didn't convert good opportunities. We had several opportunities, two of the best were headers in the first half, Ryan Nelsen just five yards out and Chris Samba, but we've not hit the target.

"So the opportunities were there but we needed to find the sort of finish they did. Malouda's header was terrific, it was some finish from that distance. Our defensive side of our game today wasn't great but our attacking side in the first half I was pleased with apart from not making the Chelsea keeper work hard enough."

Eurosport

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  1. y the f should he congrated the @#$%,he said a good­ word to the team and that should sufice..all rafas got­ of fergie is insults,him and that fool araldise,should­ just sod off until they play the game. well done manu ­ ,but fergie.rot in hell you jock ,,S H I T.

    From brave heart., on Tue 19 May 8:01PM

  2. As it concerns Rafa,he congratulated the entire team­­ which SAF is included and that is fair.Or was it only­­ SAF that merited the congrats?That would have been­­ biased if Rafa recognised only his contribution to the­­ title award and neglected others like the board of­­ directors,assistant managers,the players,stewards and­­ even the fans.Why did such questions not directed to­­ other managers of other teams?Or was the title meant­­ only to the Mighty Reds and the Red devils?To­­ Cara's case,he was cautionig Arbeloa that he is­­ climbing forward alot letting his wing to flow but­­ Arbeloa took it the Spanish way.Anyway thats that as­­ they sorted out things immediately after the match

    From Michael, on Tue 19 May 7:48PM

  3. SAD BITTER LIVERPOOL FANS.IF A TEAM OTHER THAN YOUR OWN­ WINS THE TITLE THEN THAT TEAM SHOULD BE SEEN AS HAVING­ WON IT ON MERIT AS MAN UTD CLEARLY HAVE.TRUE FANS­ CELEBRATE A VICTORY WITHOUT BEING MALICIOUS AND­ RESPECTFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE OTHER TEAMS PERFORMANCE­ WHEN THEIR OWN LOSES.THIS IS THE BASIS OF BEING A LOVER­ OF SPORT .ALL THE BILE AND VITRIOL EXCHANGED BY BOTH­ UNITED AND LIVERPOOL FANS IS PATHETIC.BOTH HAVE­ FANTASTIC HISTORIES AND BOTH MANAGERS HAVE AN­ UNQUENCHABLE DESIRE TO WIN.PLEASE PLEASE GROW UP

    From borza, on Tue 19 May 7:38PM

  4. rafa benitez is a loser and a bad sport. he sulks like­ a 2 year old baby. liverpool will always be second best­ to manchester united.

    From M S, on Tue 19 May 7:36PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Benitez is always determind to beat manchester united.­ All the man U fans get lost, we beat you 4-1 enough­ said? Fergie is a rival. Fergie hates benitez benitez­ hats fergie whats the big deal?

    From Nath, on Tue 19 May 7:13PM

  6. re 694 terry i wonder who is the only manager in the­ whole of british football who sulks like a baby and­ will not give interviews when his team loses ? i think­ its his royal highness the lord fergie. rafa a sore­ loser ? its fergie who is worst loser ever and lets­ hope hes got plenty to sulk about next wednesday.come­ on BARCA !

    From JOHN, on Tue 19 May 6:44PM

  7. get on all you inbreds,won the league and your all­ still worried about us, no class no style. warning to­ the girls of manchester, if the inbred players go out­ for drink please stay at home we all know what happened­ last time they where let out of the zoo.

    From mccann702854451, on Tue 19 May 6:39PM

  8. IM A GOONER! FOR MY SINS RAFA YOU ARE A BAD LOSER ­ CREDIT TO THE MANCS WORTHY WINNERS

    From lanesra, on Tue 19 May 6:36PM

  9. RE #708 Can i just apologize on behalf of United for­ having a BIGGER and BETTER squad which is more than TWO­ players. You numpty keep shooting out the EXCUSES.­ Moanitez is training you scousers well.. Roll on Rome­ 3-1 to United

    From mrboojangles1968, on Tue 19 May 6:35PM

  10. Actually if I was poor rafa i'd end up refusing to­ acknowledge fergie 3 in a row oh no lol.

    From elias, on Tue 19 May 6:17PM

  11. wonder what all you liverpoo fans excuse will be this­ time next year when you aint won @#$% again lol we will­ be lifting number 19 ( 12th in prem) something liverpoo­ will never win, anyway us united fans are getting ready­ for next wednesday hope you scumbags enjoy watching the­ mighty reds destroy barca

    From brysie, on Tue 19 May 6:14PM

  12. matthew h John O' Shea is not BRITISH!!!!!! he is­ Irish born and bred.

    From nellyxdxelephant, on Tue 19 May 6:09PM

  13. malcolmmcindoe2004 dont talk rubbish the best team won­ the league tevez wants to stay you moron i find it­ quite funny that they always want our out of flavour­ stars lol sad i say when liverpool have a decent squad­ come back untill then you lot rely on torres/gerrard

    From brysie, on Tue 19 May 6:06PM

  14. Liverpool lost tittle due to illness when Torris and­ Gerrard was out the real person that lost us the tittle­ was that C~~p Keane I blame PARRY for buying him he did­ not lisen to Rafa thumbs up to Rafa for getting rid­ Look at how many games we drew when keane played we­ would not be were we are today if Keane was still there­
    It will be diffrent when we have Tevez next season he­ nows who the best club is or he would not want to leave­ Man U would he ??????

    From malcolm, on Tue 19 May 5:46PM

  15. I think Peters teeth and tounge are located up his­ bottom

    From Simon B, on Tue 19 May 5:41PM

  16. Rafa is absolutely right not to congratulate­ fergie!

    When has fergie ever acknowledged the debt he­ owes to Liverpool! Not only does he produce an almost­ carbon copy of the Liverpool Team of the 1970's and­ 1980's, he should also be thankfull that his­ success came when Liverpool were not at their best. If­ it had not been for Hysel, Liverpool would now be where­ MU are and MU wouldn't even be able to get a look,­ nevermind equal Liverpool's records.

    Nor does he­ acknowledge the achievements that Liverpool brought to­ the game and the changes that they made, which has he­ has bennefited from the most over the past decade. The­ fact that it has taken another team nearly 20 years to­ equal Liverpool's record, says it­ all!!!

    Incidentally, when Liverpool win the­ Premiership and the Champions League next year, MU will­ be backt to square one, chasing Liverpool's­ records!!!!

    From peter.ellison2007, on Tue 19 May 5:18PM

  17. so what rafa don't con grats fergie he wont loose­ no sleep over it, Liverpool blew it and man u seized it­ there a good team and so are Liverpool all I know is­ Liverpool done what many teams cant and that's win­ at old Trafford liverpool rattled man u's cage this­ year next year they will try to pick the lock

    From greene.cris, on Tue 19 May 5:13PM

  18. Igwe u racist so and so you should be ashamed of your­ pathetic self rafa got what he desrved nothing .

    From elias, on Tue 19 May 5:09PM

  19. fergie doesnt deserve a congrat he wouldn't­ congratulate Liverpool full stop if they had won at­ least rafa had the decency to congratulate the team.
    we­ are better than man u we beet them every time and we­ will take to community sheald

    From Baby K, on Tue 19 May 5:01PM

  20. matthew h, comment 697

    Benitez was arrogant all­ season long. He was trying to pull out a spanish­ Mourinho, he was not getting into SAF's mind. And­ please don't blame the fixtures, or the referees,­ or even anyone on the board. United won cause they have­ more class, better discipline and wanted it more. At­ first lpool made a ridicilous move bying keane and­ after sold him. Dont say Ferguson is pathetic here in­ america theres something called a sore loser and that­ is what Benitez is.He won the CL in luck just united­ did in 08, and from there on hekept his head to high­ up. Come on man SAF is the best british menager that­ ever was around, arguibly the best one that ever­ existed period. You need to cherish this time and see­ him go to work. And the reason y u say your country is­ bad is because ur very very much naive,\. I dont­ know if ur a lpool fan, but lpool will never be a great­ team with unconsistent players. Kuyt, gerrard and­ alonso are the players that are more consistent. You go­ outside that you see that every other player has been­ incosistent. The reason why lpool lost the tittle is­ because they didnt want it as bad. All those draws tha­ lpool had is because they gave up before game ended.­ Dont take credit away from united cause they are the­ champions and that us for a reson and is not fixtures,­ referees or even SAF it was a team affort something­ lpool should learn how to do, something that Benitez­ needs to focus on.

    From kennyr, on Tue 19 May 4:49PM
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