Rafa Benitez Not at Loggerheads with Owners—Please Stop the Rumours

I woke up on the 22nd to news about fresh discontent at Anfield regarding Benitez's contract. NOTW and Sunday Mirror reported that Benitez had rejected a fifth contract offer (I had no clue there were four prior offers!) dissatisfied with clauses surrounding control over transfers and the club's academy.

I couldn't help feeling distressed on reading these reports. Hence I decided to check out Guillem Balague's website. He always seems to have the inside scoop regarding happenings at Anfield.

For all those Liverpool supporters who share my concerns you can directly visit Guillem Balague's website and follow the story there. Alternatively you could read it right here. I am copying the relevant news from the website.

On 15/02/09

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No deadline set for Benitez talks

Press reports today, suggesting that an ultimatum, or deadline, has been set over Rafa Benitez`contract negotiations has had a few of our readers worried that the situation at Anfield is about to come to a head... One reader writes: “Guillem, there is a story doing the rounds today that the American’s have set a deadline for Rafa’s new contract. It is being reported that he has to sign it before next Sunday`s game against Manchester City. Is this true? What happens if he doesn’t sign it by then? It all sounds very ominous.” You`re right, that does make things sound quite definitive, but thankfully the situation is not quite as clear cut and the negotiations are not at the point where any ultimatums are being set: no deadline has been issued for the contract to be signed within the next seven days.

It is true that Rafa Benitez has sent the contract back to the Americans and it is in their hands for the time being. The Liverpool manager is determined that the new deal will give him overall responsibility for the club’s youth policy and control over all football related issues at Anfield, reporting directly to the board.

These two points have been discussed during previous negotiations and, on the whole, all parties have reached an agreement. However, the contract is with Gillett and Hicks at the moment, in order to make several amendments that will reflect, in writing, much of what has already been agreed verbally and in principle.

So, while it is true that there are still issues that require resolution, there is no major rift or deadline set. The American owners, as we reported here last week, have even spoken with Randy Lerner and come to the conclusion that the level of control that Benitez is asking for is no greater than that currently enjoyed by Martin O’Neil at Aston Villa—or most other Premiership managers for that matter.

Gillett and Hicks are now applying pressure for the deal to be signed as quickly as possible, but this is not because there are concerns that, as has been suggested elsewhere, the speculation over Rafa`s contract is affecting the players.

Everyone at the club knows, and I have discussed this matter with the players personally, that these press reports are having no impact whatsoever on the player’s ability to go about their daily business of training and playing football.

In other words, nobody believes that Rafa`s contract negotiations are affecting Liverpool`s Premiership title aspirations.

Rafa Benitez had wanted the matter resolved much sooner than this and was made to wait as the club’s owners stalled on offering a new deal.

However, now that the Americans have realised that a football club with it’s long term stability guaranteed is far more attractive proposition to potential investors and buyers, they would now like the matter resolved as soon as possible—aware that every passing week that this saga drags on, could be costing them money.

The suggestion that a deal will be struck before the end of the week appears to be coming from within the Hicks camp, but quite how long it all takes is really down to the owners themselves: if they return the documents swiftly after having got all of the prior verbal agreements satisfactorily down on paper, then there is no reason why there should be any delay in getting it signed.

Of course, if they take their time over it, then it could drag on for weeks. My personal opinion is that, given that they now want things resolved as quickly as possible; the matter will be resolved sooner, rather than later." -- Source (Guillem Balague website)

on  17/02/09

Benitez to sign new contract "within days"

As we reported here at the weekend, Rafa Benitez had returned the latest contract offer from the Americans, in order that the club`s owners formalise, in writing, elements of the contract that had been agreed verbally. The main points that had caused the delay in the contract being signed have been settled and sources close to the negotiaions have told me that all parties are now completely satisfied with the deal. All that now remains is for the lawyers to work out some of the finer legal poins in the wording of the document—literally dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s—and once that has been done, according to the same sources “Rafa Benitez will sign the new contract within the next 2-3 days.” An alternative source has also backed up this claim, insistsing that: “Rafa Benitez and the Americans have finally sorted everything out and we are hopeful that the new contract will be signed by the weekend.” -- Source (Guillem Balague website) This story was reported in the print media too. on 21/02/09 No crisis over Benitez contract Following the press conference last Friday, I have the impression Rafa Benitez left enough ambiguous statements for people to take advantage.... Matters involving his contract are moving on and almost everything is agreed Probably the only stumbling block is the assurances the manager will be looking for in case the current owners leave the club. What would happen, for instance, if a new owner or investor refuses to invest in the squad for the next four years? Would you want to stay in a club where the team cannot be improved? I do think everybody is in agreement that some kind of clause has to be included in relation to that issue, but I believe it is a matter of days before Benitez signs a new contract at Liverpool.   What is clear is that it has been a very frustrating period for many at the club and that is what Benitez was referring to at Friday`s press conference: It is time to move on, but not forgetting the mistakes of the past. Some people might write in the next few days that his analysis of the past means he has had enough; that he is ready to leave; that he is stalling on a new contract; that he has had a go at the owners. Don't believe it; it is yet another example of a foreign manager being misintepreted, or even the case of a manager that, not using his first language, does not manage to send the right, or a clear, message... -- Source (Guillem Balague website) I hope this comes as good news to the liverpool faithful. I am not 100% about this but this guy seems to have some inside information and i would trust it more than NOTW. anyway I would like to thank Guillem. I hope you are proved correct amigo. Go Liverpool!