Premier League - Bookies: Benitez to go by Sunday

Eurosport - Wed, 25 Feb 23:55:00 2009

Bookmakers have suspended betting on the next Premier League boss to leave his job after a huge amount of money was placed on Rafael Benitez to be the ninth manager to go this season.

FOOTBALL Liverpool Benitez - 0

On Tuesday night the Spaniard was a 20/1 outsider to be next out of his job, but an enormous flurry of betting activity saw the price cut to evens before the markets were suspended at 9.30 on Wednesday morning.

"We are slightly jumpy after being turned over by the recent 'Weymouth coup'," said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams. "But the level of interest on Rafa getting the sack is unprecedented.

"We would be very surprised if Rafa is still the Liverpool boss by midnight on Sunday."

But leading Spanish journalist Guillem Balague, who is a personal friend of Benitez, moved quickly to dismiss claims the Liverpool boss is about to be axed.

On his website, Balague wrote: "There are reports that betting has been suspended on this particular market and the rumour that Benitez will be gone has spread like wildfire around the Liverpool supporters out here in Madrid and on the internet.

"If I am honest, I am not entirely comfortable indulging in these stories at the moment as there is so much misinformation being spread around that it is impossible to respond accurately to every single report or rumour.

"However, because of the number of people who are getting in touch with us, I feel I should respond.

"I can say with absolute certainty, categorically, that Rafa Benitez will not be sacked as manager of Liverpool this evening and that these rumours are not true.

"At the moment, the situation is delicate, and there have been developments with regard to the ongoing contractual negotiations at Anfield, and this is something that we will discuss later."

After setting the pace for several months earlier in the season, Liverpool now trail Manchester United by seven points in the league following a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Manchester City.

Since bringing in the new year at the top of the table, Benitez has since watched his side drop points against City, Stoke, Wigan and Everton, who also knocked them out of the FA Cup a few weeks ago.

Benitez's now-infamous outburst towards Sir Alex Ferguson just before the goalless draw at Stoke prompted many to question whether the Spanish manager could handle the pressure of a genuine title challenge.

Early betting markets on a potential successor quote Kenny Dalglish as 3/1 favourite to take over at Anfield, with Jose Mourinho at 10/1.

Toby Keel / Eurosport

Comment 288 - 307 of 347

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Benitez isn't the man for liverpool, but who is.­ Benitez is definatly in the top 10 managers in the­ world, but who would be good enough to win us the­ premiership. There is only one man who could do it.­ Mourinho......... I think he would love the challenge,­ every job he has taken challenged him and this would­ certainly challenge him. Its fookin challenged me for­ 18 years without a title

    From Howard, on Thu 26 Feb 3:42AM

  2. Mike, Benitass being with Liverpool for sometime does­ not necessarily mean a good thing. If you have a bad­ tenant in your house it is better to get rid of him and­ every year he stays the harder it gets and worse are­ the consequences. Benitass is truly a small-to-average­ team coach. He cannot handle or even think in difficult­ situations. He is hilarious in front of the media and­ lacks charisma and authority. He was a one-year-only­ surprise in Spain (still he took a winning team­ already) and then he took a team that Houllier built­ and because he has one hell of a player (at club level­ only) he won the CL. Apart from that, for all these­ years, NOTHING. Even in recruitment he shows no skills.­ I think he should have been ''thanked''­ years ago.

    From Half A Brain, on Thu 26 Feb 3:41AM

  3. The Yanks need to go, not Rafa

    From Suzy, on Thu 26 Feb 3:38AM

  4. Richardtenshaw, I was inaccurate in my message. I was­ referring to the premiership title.

    I don't­ believe Gerrard will ever win the premiership title­ with Benitez in charge - ever. That's my opinion­ and I believe I will be proved correct.

    He was­ amazingly good in the champs league in 05 as was he in­ the FA cup. But everyone knows he wants a prem title.­ If Liverpool change managers now - I believe he will­ win one, maybe two. But Benitez needs to go for that to­ ever happen, in my view.

    From gkisking, on Thu 26 Feb 3:37AM

  5. NEWSFLASH!

    The match between Real Madrid and Liverpool­ will be kicking off soon and the referee has decided to­ award Liverpool a 6 goal head start as he is concerned­ that the current state of the english team will effect­ the outcome of tonights match. The match will now only­ finish with a four goal deficit meaning that Madrid­ will score 10 and Liverpool will have 6 from the onset.­ Phew and I thought it was going to be an­ onslaught.

    Ohhh yeah 4 looks better than 10 anyday of­ the week. The pool can overturn it at home with an­ additional 15 headstart.

    muahahahahahahahaha.

    From Jake, on Thu 26 Feb 3:37AM

  6. how is gerrard a trophyless legend? 315? i forgot­ gerrard won the champions league and fa cup as­ captain?? @#$%.

    From richardthenshaw, on Thu 26 Feb 3:33AM

  7. Think Benitez shd stay cuz liverpool will walk alone­ without him,though am for gunners.

    From sani danladi, on Thu 26 Feb 3:32AM

  8. I would love nothing more than For ROFL Benitez to be­ manager for the next 20 years and for LOLpool to keep­ buying sub standard players and for Gerrard to retire a­ trophyless legend.

    I would love this - but­ unfortunately for me as a United fan, it all ends this­ weekend. I am devastated to see him go.

    From gkisking, on Thu 26 Feb 3:29AM

  9. RAFA out
    Mourinho

    From dameisma, on Thu 26 Feb 3:28AM

  10. SCARYMARY You were 10pts in front at the end of dec­ K***HEAD

    From anthony h, on Thu 26 Feb 3:26AM

  11. 281. Now its better than being in a one horse race. Man­ UTD champions once again and again and again and so­ forth. The likes of Liverpool might get it from time to­ time, maybe once every 20 years while Chelsea now they­ can win it maybe twice every 10 hee-haw. So that leaves­ Man Utd to win it 14 times every 20 years. You are, to­ say it bluntly, A JOKE.

    Kind Regards.

    From Jake, on Thu 26 Feb 3:25AM

  12. man u supporters have a short memory, alex was a lucky­ man not to have been sacked only for they won the FA­ cup in a replay against oldham number of years ago,­ supporters wanted him out utd finished in bottom half­ of the leauge that year.
    ryan giggs getting booed after­ a he played bad in few games.

    From dmcgwynne, on Thu 26 Feb 3:24AM

  13. Where are you Kevin Keegan, LFC need you!

    From alex d, on Thu 26 Feb 3:22AM

  14. Daddy in case you've not seen this site says­ "uk.eurosport" and scarymary, speaking as a­ Man Utd fan what does Man Utd have to do with this­ topic?, answer = Nothing.
    I maybe a Man Utd fan but I­ do reckon it could be a sad day if Benitez get's­ fired, he's been at Liverpool for some time and­ that does show some what some loyalty, commitment and­ determination.

    From Michael, on Thu 26 Feb 3:21AM

  15. He's The Best Manager In The World Than Sir Alex­ Fergesuon

    From bffroberts, on Thu 26 Feb 3:19AM

  16. Don't eat this guys. It's another blow by­­ reporters to make news inspired feom the weymouth­­ story. reporters has has always been after robbie­ keane­ has scored few goals. how much more has­ berbatov­ scored? These reporters have been putting­ pressure on­ lfc since they top the league back in­ december.

    From , on Thu 26 Feb 3:19AM

  17. "I prsonally dont think this is the right time to­ sack a­ manager of Rafa's calibre" LOL,­ he's a terible manager!

    The Champions League win­ was luck more than Benitez's 'plan'.­ He's incredibly over rated and Liverpool will never­ win the Premiership Title they so badly crave with this­ halfwit in charge.

    From james, on Thu 26 Feb 3:19AM

  18. Matcardinal,

    How have you not progressed?

    You won the­ champions league - respect for that, that was an­ achievement. My opinion though? My opinion is that the­ league position best reflects progression. Knockout­ competitions like the champions league and fa cup often­ produce winners that are not the best team. That's­ why Portsmouth are FA cup champions and why the­ champions league has produced winners like Liverpool­ and Porto in recent years. The year Liverpool won the­ champions league they finished 5th in the league -­ Everton finished above them fod goodness sake! Stevie G­ and Carragher won them the champs league - home grown­ talent and nothing to do with Rafa.

    What has happened­ since that great night in Istanbul? Progress?­ Well....they are 2nd. I don't think they will­ finish 2nd, I think Chelsea will climb above them.­ 5th/4th/3rd/2nd - all the same thing to me, really.­ Progress would be winning or at least mounting a­ serious title challenege.

    Now you might call this­ years a serious title challenge - we'll see. My­ opinion though is that Liverpool will finish about 12­ points behind United, at least.

    From gkisking, on Thu 26 Feb 3:12AM

  19. what? don't go

    From Liverpool intill die, on Thu 26 Feb 3:12AM

  20. COMMENT 275.

    I WAS NOT PUTTING SAF DOWN THE MAN IS­ AMAZING.

    THE POINT I WAS MAKING WAS THAT IT TOOK 5­ YEARS FOR SAF TO WIN AND UTD/FANS STOOD BY HIM AND LOOK­ 21 YRS LATER HE IS EVERYTHING.

    SO IF RAFA CAN ACHIEVE­ WAT HE'S DONE SO FAR AND THE SEASON IS NOT OVER­ YET, GIVE HIM A CHANCE.

    From seasons12379, on Thu 26 Feb 3:11AM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account