Rafa Benitez To Take Juventus Escape Route? Guus Hiddink To Liverpool
By Ollie Irish
What craftsmanship!
Juventus want Rafa Benitez to replace current gaffer Ciro Ferrara (Ferrara was a great foot soldier in his playing career but he has been found wanting as a head coach). Rafa’s agent, Manuel Quilon, refused to rule out a move to Italy for his client:
“Benitez to Juventus? In football you never know. I don’t know what will happen in four to five months. In football everything changes quickly, but the basic principle is that Rafa still has a four-year contract with Liverpool.”
And this in today’s Guardian:
“With the gamble on Ferrara yet to pay dividends Juventus want a more experienced, proven coach to take control at Stadio delle Alpi. The coveted Guus Hiddink, whose uncertain future as Russia coach has placed several Premier League clubs including Liverpool on alert, priced himself out of a move to Turin by demanding £3m to reprise his Chelsea fire-fighting role from last season and take charge until the end of this campaign, plus a £6m-a-year salary thereafter.
“Benitez earns around £4m a year basic at Anfield under the terms of the five-year contract he signed last March. Juventus may struggle to match those terms but Benitez could earn more net in Italy on a reduced contract, given the 50% tax rate that comes into effect in Britain in April.” [LINK]
Italian newspaper La Stampa claims that Hiddink could be the man to replace Benitez at Anfield. The Dutchman wouldn’t be cheap but his track record is excellent and it’s clear that he relished his brief time in the Premier League.
Liverpool fans, what do you make of this development? Are you still behind Rafa, or is now the right time to let him go to Italy? Let’s have it…
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All a bit of a wild Guus chase if you ask me!
it’s probably bollocks. on the other hand it probably wouldn’t be a bad move. but how long would Guus stay around for? i think rafa was the right man for the job at the time, despite increasingly popular belief the squad is much better than it was when he took over. on the other hand, liverpool’s football is fairly bland and predictable. even as a reds fan i find it boring and at times embarrassing to watch. to counteract it opposing teams need only mug gerrard and torres (it is not a coincidence they get injured so often). so maybe a new manager is warranted, if only for a tactical change.
also, stevie is not a second striker. he doesn’t actually score that many goals from open player. he’s a brilliant box to box midfielder and takes full advantage of even slight opportunities, but he doesn’t actually create that many. he needs to be put back where lucas is, and a creative second striker should be signed. until then, a better option there would be benayoun or aquilani.
rant over.
i cant think of a big club that would want a manager who hasnt won a title….
It’s not good to change manager in unstable times. Liverpool should have done it at the biginning of this season. Now they have to wait until the team is strong enough to change manager.
alex: i cant think of a big club that would want a manager who hasnt won a title….
rafa benitez has won 2 league titles. plus a uefa cup, a fa cup and the champions league
@ Chringle – boom tish!