Liverpool chief stands by Benitez

Mon, 26 Oct 13:49:53 2009

Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow insists Rafael Benitez's job is safe even if the Reds do not win the Premier League this season.

He also says Anfield stars Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are not for sale at any price.

"The most important aspect of the football club I was involved in in my first week in the job was securing Rafa for another five years. You only have to look at the Premiership era and our two major competitors in the last 10 to 12 years to see the benefits of longevity," Purslow told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.

"Liverpool Football Club is on a long-term journey and that journey is to be the most successful club, firstly in our country and secondly in the world and you don't do that by worrying about short-term results. You do that by having long-term plans centring on the people and the strategy. Rafa Benitez is absolutely central to that plan.

"The core of the team which won 86 points last season remains intact with some excellent additions so I have every reason to believe we can perform at that level this season over the season."

To the direct question of whether he would guarantee Benitez's position was safe even if the club did not win the league he said: "Yes I would."

Purslow also insisted Spanish striker Torres had no clauses in his contract which allowed him to leave Anfield if they did not qualify for the Champions League.

He said: "Fernando signed an extension to his contract this summer. He has a five-year contract. He is a crucial leader in our team. He loves Liverpool Football Club. He has been fantastic around the place. Fernando Torres and Liverpool Football Club go together and I believe they will go together for the length of his career."

To the question that he was not for sale at any price, Purslow replied: "Correct."

The same, he insisted, went for Gerrard, while he said Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano, whose future has been the subject of speculation, was also happy at the club.

 

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  1. Mary,... you must feel stoooooopid is as stooooopid­ does eh!!!!!!!! silly girl... go buy some shoes or do­ the dishes.......

    From PURPLE AKi, on Mon 26 Oct 5:52PM
  2. askmemetallic... f,uck.off ya dirty arab.......... sid­ dips sheep on windy hills at night..........

    From PURPLE AKi, on Mon 26 Oct 5:51PM
  3. Keep the red flag flying high, cause MAN UNITED will­ never die! UNITED! UNITED! UNITED! revenge is gonna be­ so sweet at OLD TRAFFORD

    From Neal D, on Mon 26 Oct 3:44PM
  4. Yo Sid, bet you feel rather foolish now...Yak Yak­ f.ucking Yak.

    From les.rafferty, on Mon 26 Oct 9:29AM
  5. Excuse me...can anybody tell me went is the last time­ Liverfools win the premier league cup?

    From azmi, on Mon 26 Oct 3:40AM
  6. If Rafa does get the heave, it's 20mil so he can­ walk. I don't think LFC will pay 20 mil to rid Rafa

    From duran2reloaded, on Sun 25 Oct 9:43PM
  7. THATS CERTAIN NOW THEN, HE'S GONNA GET THE HEAVE­ HO,PROBABLY AT THE END OF THE SEASON

    From BIG CHIEF, on Sun 25 Oct 9:03PM
  8. Where are you now SID yak!yak!yak! your crying bitter­ tears after being shown how to play football by­ liverpool and gerrad wasnt even on the pitch­ Yak!yak!yak! so go and talk the old proverbial on an­ man u thread at how the ref was biased or the wind was­ blowing in the right direction.or the berative couldnt­ be arsed breaking a sweat running because his boots­ were rubbing.or gigs pension had gone into his account­ on time.or the fergie had the first erection hes­ produced in the last 10 yrs after sniffing rooneys­ undies and the rush of blood took vital fluids away­ from his brain leavin him unaware of his managerial­ skills YAK!yak!yak! see we can all talk @#$% sid so go­ and do it on a man u thread ynwa

    From Bombardier smitherz, on Sun 25 Oct 8:12PM
  9. mary, u look like a tranny. U mustn't be 1 though­ because that would mean u origionally would of been a­ man and no-man would of made that stupid comment u did.

    From Howard, on Sun 25 Oct 6:48PM
  10. haha..eat your word SID..yek yek­ yek/////,,,,,/........[]]]]]]]0000000000,,,,444456'­ ''''''''''

    From ro, on Sun 25 Oct 4:18PM
  11. "You just know­­ Owen will­ score,­ probably late­ on with United already­­ one up and­­ Liverpool chasing­ the game, little Michael­­ Owen will­­ settle­ it."

    You know Sid, you're such a funny little­ man, and we all love laughing at you. I do hope­ you're not a betting man - if you are, I bet the­ bookies LOVE you coming in and making an idiot of­ yourself.

    Yak! Yak! Yak!

    From Mary, on Sun 25 Oct 4:13PM
  12. Thank you Purslow

    From Michael, on Sun 25 Oct 1:22PM
  13. Yo sid ,i bet u hope old fergie can live up to 100­ years old. i bet he will retire realsoon after all­ united will become a small club. yak! yak! yak!

    From Alex T, on Sun 25 Oct 12:47PM
  14. What do U call a gay couple? Man United

    From eric, on Sun 25 Oct 11:44AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Quote from Liverpool managing director Christian­ Purslow 'You only have to look at the Premiership­ era and our two major competitors in the last 10 to 12­ years to see the benefits of longevity'.
    - Yes but­ Ferguson & Wenger actually win trophy's Yak!­ yak! yak!
    Another quote: 'The core of the team­ which won 86 points last season remains intact with­ some excellent additions'
    - What excellent­ additions? Obviously the Managing Director knows a lot­ about football! Liverpool are doomed! Yak! yak! yak!

    From Sid, on Sun 25 Oct 10:50AM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    This game is a win - win for Man United. If­ Liverpool­­­ win then Rafa stay's = good news for­ United, if­­­ Liverpool lose then their season is over­ = great news­­­ for United. Carry on Rafa! Yak! yak!­ yak!
    Real Madrid­­ want Gerrard, Barcelona want­ Mascherano,­ when these­­ two leave, which they will,­ Torres and Reina­ will­­ follow. Liverpool's lack­ of strength in depth­­ will­ be evident. Out of the­ Champions League for the­­ next­ two seasons already,­ the lure of the world’s­ top­­ players going to Anfield­ will quickly diminish,­­­ especially as there is little­ money available anyway.­­­ When this happens Liverpool­ will struggle to maintain­­ a­ place at the top table­ with the resurgence of Man­­ City,­ Spurs and the Villa­ all looking to take that­­ fourth­ Champions League­ place. These are dangerous­­ days for­ Liverpool, this­ season is make or break, the­­ match­ against Man­ United on Sunday will be the­­ decisive­ moment in­ Liverpool’s season. You just know­­ Owen will­ score,­ probably late on with United already­­ one up and­­ Liverpool chasing the game, little Michael­­ Owen will­­ settle it. Carry On Screaming! Yak! yak!­­ yak!

    From Sid, on Sun 25 Oct 10:43AM
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