Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez, has launched a scathing, yet comical, attack on Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United today.
He starts by claiming he doesn’t want to get involved in mind games, then goes off on some long, babbling rant, talking about how Ferguson has recently been given a touchline ban for confronting a referee, only to later claim Ferguson is the only manager who gets away with poor conduct towards referees.
He know which referees were on duty for which games, what incidents took place and decisions that were made. Obsessed much?
“I want to be clear. I don’t want to play mind games too early. I think they want to start. I will say some facts so it’s easy to talk about this,” started Benitez, sounding fairly reasonable. This was obviously the calm before the storm.
“On November 1, Manchester United played against Hull and Mr Ferguson received a two-match touchline ban and was fined £2,000 after the game for confronting Mike Dean and for improper conduct,” he continued. “We started the Respect campaign and started with Mascherano’s sending off at Old Trafford. Steve Bennett was the referee then, and he was also the ref when they played 
against Wigan and he could not see the handball from Rio Ferdinand. He didn’t give a penalty and they won the game and won the title. I think the same referee, Mr Bennett, will be in charge for the game in hand against Wigan. During the Respect campaign, Mr Ferguson was in fact charged for improper conduct for comments made against Martin Atkinson and was not punished.”
The rant then continues, with Benitez bleating about the fixtures. Ferguson correctly pointed out that we were at a disadvantage because of the fixture list this season. We have played all of the top ten teams from last season away from home already. Whilst of course this gives us an easier second half to the season, the damage could have already been done psychologically if going in to January miles behind the leaders. Fortunately, Liverpool and Chelsea haven’t taken advantage of the fact United have had trickier fixtures.
“If he wants to talk about fixtures, and have a level playing field as you say in England,” he continued. “There are two options if we don’t want more problems with fixtures. One is the same as in Spain, the draw for the first part of the league is known, everyone knows which weekend. In the second-half everyone plays the opposite, so you all know. Sky and Setanta have the right to choose their games and it will be the same for everyone. So Mr Ferguson will not be complaining about fixtures and a campaign against United. Or there is another option. That Mr Ferguson organises the fixtures in his office and sends it to us and everyone will know and cannot complain. That is simple.”
Has he finished? Oh no, far from it.
“We know what happens every time we go to Old Trafford and the United staff,” he rants on. “They are always going man to man with the referees, especially at half-time when they walk close to the referees and they are talking and talking. All managers need to know is that only Mr Ferguson can talk about the fixtures, can talk about referees and nothing happens. We need to know that I am taking about facts, not my impression. There are things that everyone can see every single week. Are they under pressure? Maybe they were not thinking that we would be at the top of the table in January. But we are at the top of the table and they are nervous. I am not telling the authorities what to do. But I have been here for five years and know how things are going on.”
Of course, United get everything our way. That’s why our left-back was banned for four matches for punching a member of Chelsea groundstaff, even though the FA happily admit the CCTV footage didn’t show this happen. That’s why our players got banned for three Premiership matches following red cards in the Amsterdam tournament when Liverpool players got away with nothing. That’s why our player got banned for eight months and fined £50,000 for missing a drugs test when a City player who did the same in the same year got off with a £2,000 fine and no ban. Yes, Mr Benitez, your knowledge of ‘how things are going on’ in the past five years is superb!
He still hasn’t finished though.
“I was surprised United wanted to start the mind games too early, maybe it is because we are top of the table. But I only wanted to explain our position,” Benitez said. “I have decided that I had a lot of information and I have been watching every single week what has been going on. Then they started talking about us, but every single week we know they will be talking. But we want to stay at the top and maybe they will talk about us right to the end. To hear someone talking when he has problems with referees every single week, and now complaining about the fixtures and complaining about everything, I think that is not fair. You can see every single week how they put (referees) under pressure, we know this. We have seen it before. We have seen players sent off at Old Trafford and we do not see our opponents sent off. It is part of the game. But to complain and to always have an advantage is not fair.”
What the fuck? Sit down and shut up, you fat Spanish waiter. If you’re trying to prove Ferguson wrong in his claims that you don’t have the bottle to win the league, doing your best Kevin Keegan in melt down impression isn’t going to get you far! This is far worse than King Kev though, whose mad ‘I’d love it if we beat them’ episode occurred just before rolling over as we strolled to the title, as Benitez is sat there with notes! Before attending a press conference ahead of his side’s match away to Stoke, he has sat down and written what he is going to say about Sir Alex Ferguson and United. This isn’t a random act of madness, rather, pre-meditated. Whatever questions he was going to be asked today, he had gone with the sole intention of ranting and raving about our manager. What a fucking nutcase. I’m sure even Ferguson himself couldn’t have imagined his ‘lack of bottle’ comments having this much impact!
If you missed it, check out Sky Sports News, it’s doing a loop and is guaranteed to make you chuckle every time you see it.
suhayl mate that was fucking EPIC! i wanted to make that points but dont have the stamina to type up all the inaccuracies and contradictions that fat spanish waiter said. also why do scousers feel it necessary to come on our blog? at least if i were to go on a rentboy/dipper blog i might try and present a reasonable argument so i wouldnt get ripped by their fans? tards, guess thats what not going to school gets you
suhayl, you are a genius.
and redgister…go on and dip or rob somewhere else.
Failsworth where are you mate..upload those scouse jokes if you read this……could do with the 2nd biggest laugh today
LOL Benitez really went off on this one, didn’t he? In one way, it seems like he’s taken the bait, lost the plot and is just basically capitulating under the pressure and mind games from Fergie.. if this is the case, then it’s hilarious!!! On the other hand, this could be a calculated move to step up the mind games, and with the Chelski game this weekend, put some pressure on the referees. It is a big game for us and he couldn’t have timed it better. Also, I believe this is his first press conference since his kidney stones surgery and what a way to get back into the mix of things.
I don’t for one second believe Rafa is losing the plot, rather, he is raising the stakes and not since Mourinho or the old Wenger has a manager replied Fergies’ jabs with equal jabs of their own, in this case, a haymaker. It will be interesting to see how Fergie replies to this, as what this rant has succeeded in doing is painting Fergie and United in a very negative light with regards to influencing referees and generally whining about stuff. This would only make the neutrals hate us more (as if the hate we face now isn’t enuff) and our games more scrutinised, hence, fewer positive game-changing decisions for us.
I’m really impressed with Rafa, I knew he was a master tactician, but he has really upped the ante here. He’s talking the talk of a manager who wouldn’t sit back and take the taunting. However, like I said earlier, this might not be the case, he might just be cracking under pressure but one thing he has succeeded in doing is putting a lot of pressure on the referee and players in this very crucial tie against Chelski.
Gabriel what you’re worried about????
the guy came out off it looking like a clown…a joke…a Fa charge…with his piece of toilet paper facts.
blimey the iraq dossier had more credence
This article sums it all up perfectly, roll on May
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/jan/09/ferguson-benitez-mind-games
That’s the funniest piece of shit i have seen .Seem’s like the waiter has lost his head . Please someone suggest him a good psychiatrist or he’ll go mad.
good article that jake lad.
true true Suhayi, he did look and sound comical… Like he was on trial, defending himself lol. There’s no doubt the rant will raise more questions about his nervousness but like I said, he has managed to put extra pressure on the refs and more scrutiny with regards to ref decisions, Fergie’s outbursts and even player offenses. The rest of the premier league’s fans now have another reason to spite us. Wanna bet most of them would be supporting Benitez, saying he is right about Fergie and United?
Now with this game against Chelski coming up, this is not the kind of media frenzy and attention we needed. Not only do the officials feel the pressure, the players will too. In a game where tempers are most likely to flare and decisions are going to be suspect, this is the last thing we need.
I just wouldn’t write this one off to nonsensical ramblings by the fat one, we have been writing off those scouse bastards for some time, maybe finally, they’ve got the hang of how to play and act with the Big boys.
Rafa, Rafa, Rafa… you silly old fool!
I feel sorry for him, the way he’s going on…
“I want to be clear. I don’t want to play mind games too early. I think they want to start. I will say some facts so it’s easy to talk about this,”
It’s like he has jumped out of bed, punching the air shouting “YES! I’m top of the league!!”
Then he has come out with that quote above as if he’s thinking “I am top of the league, I am not used to this… where does a manager at the top begin.. *Searches articles on Google* .. Ah, Yes, that’s right… Mind Games!”
Silly old fool indeed!
Who gives a fuck whether the Spanish scouse cunt makes sense anyway? He probably pisses himself in his sleep.
Saw that rant on Sky Sports News, fucking pissed myself. What a doughnut. He pipes up about Fergie and United getting away with shit, how about when that cunt Kuyt high kicked Phil Neville and got away with a yellow card, the same game where Stevie Me persuaded the ref to change his card from yellow to red.
suhayl
it’s was worth your own blog ) don’t you have one ? )
exellent.
He was making points but all I could hear was his title and his job slipping away. In nearly every press conference I’ve seen him do he’s been crying about one thing or another
Last week it was SG under pressure and not being able to handle it, this week it’s the boss. With games v Stoke, Everton and Chelsea coming up soon, I suspect Rafa knows his tenure at the top of the table is coming to an end. Ah well, Real Madrid next season starts to look promising. BTW could someone see if the Liver Bird has fallen off its perch? Cos Rafa certainly has.
hahaha having seen reports written about this on another site i thought i had to add a comment into this one…. mr ferguson i bet thatll piss of the scottish rudolph…rafa ‘forgot’ his title hahahahahaha…another way to wind him up and really add pressure to his tactics and judgement on sunday… even if raf, and i suspect he will, does face a fa fine itll be worth it cuz the spotlight will really be on even more on sunday…. more real fans looking at united badly and hopefully even the media will spot 5 players closely talking to the ref at half time down your long tunnel.
imagine fergies retirement plans blown out the window when we win the league this year hes gotta get 3 to overtake us then.
Ha ha any scousers think it was a good idea for benito to shoot his mouth off ha ha fair do he gets the record for the earliest keegan moment of the season.
Chris
You have proven yourself to be a deluded Scouse cunt – now fuck off back to Livershite land with your fellow Vermin.
LOL poor waiter, I can see a reply from SAF on the way.. if not so soon, then before the Liverpool game at OT..
Because United have done well in the 1st half of the season they call it an “advantage” that we have all the tough games home in the 2nd half, the ass hole wouldn’t admit how good we are to pass the 1st leg with 38 points and two home games postponed
colbert wow really relevant to the topic….. glad you know how to handle a debate withoutresorting to personal offence ,that trust me i can tell you no scousers are offended by, so you guys also realise that your manager is running scared of us and no turn to rele rubbish comments. lol u moron.
Does Rafa want to avoid ‘early mind games’ because he lost his recently?
Resorting to tiny differences in fixtures and refs etc, what an ****!
Chris,
Running scared? Win the league first, at least give us something to worry about. Jesus, 18 years have gone by since you won the league and your shit-filled brain has thickened up. Now fuck off – or does your ADHD mean that you need to be told more than twice?
your trying to catch us up we get it… and yeah we will win the league im confident about that the 2 strongest teams 2nd lhalf of season united and liverpool… were out of it by xmas usually and then we come closer 2nd half this year were not only in it were top so good luck with the catch up.
“Or there is another option. Mr. Ferguson organises the fixtures in his office and sends it to us and everyone will know and can not complain.That is simple.”
LOL Briiliaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant!
That should rile Ruldolph up proper!
And judging from some of the comments here and the fact that you took the time to respond to Benitez’s “rant” I would say JOB DONE!
LOL, beat you at you own game lads and you don’t know it!
Took the time to respond? It’s fucking hilarious. Of course we’re going to take time to laugh at our hated rivals manager making an utter twat out of himself.
Check the headlines, they’re all comparing him with Kevin Keegan.
LOL comparing him to Keegan is the first mistake,this was a calculated move, Keegan’s was an off the cuff rant. FACT! LOL
Also, judging from most of the comments I have read, it doesn’t seem anyone is laughing, instead spewing obscenities left, right and centre! LOL
How could you let this “fat spanish waiter” manager of a team who hasn’t won the title in 18 years rile you up?
CHECK MATE LADS CHECK FUCKING MATE! LOL
Still, can’t wait to see Rudolph’s response, like I said this would have riled him up proper, I can bet he isn’t laughing as many of you think he is!
Lol off dipper.
Canadian – show me who is riled here. We all find this fucking funny. We’re not worked up, we’re in our element… just like we were when Gerrard got charged.
Fergie won’t be riled. He’ll be sat at home chuckling, amazed at how well his comments worked on Benitez.
The fact that Benitez made this calculated move is all the more amusing. He fucking sat at home compiling notes about Ferguson and United the day before his team were playing in the league.
FACT – Ferguson got charged by the FA for his lack of respect against Hull. FACT – Ferguson is the only manager who can get away with showing disrespect.
Make your mind up ffs, loony tune.
Reading the comments from the ‘Pool fans on here I get the distinct impression that they actually believe they’ll win the title because they haven’t won it in 19 years – or simply because IT’S THEIR TIME.
Well fellas football doesn’t work like that. It’s usually the best team that wins the title and sorry, but ‘Pool haven’t yet done that. They haven’t proved to be the best team. Just because they are ‘top of the table’ doesn’t mean they are the best. The difference in fixtures has to be factored in.There’s still a long way to go – there’ll be many twists and turns, but three games coming up for ‘Pool could decide their season – v Stoke, Everton and Chelsea. If all they can manage is a draw in each of these games, then it’s season over for Benetez and his boys. But if they win them all doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll win the title. Consistency is the name of the game and ‘Pool have yet to achieve that.Their squad just isn’t strong enough to win the title – a team with full-backs as weak as theirs DOES NOT WIN TITLES.
Is it no wonder ABUs always say we get away with many decisions without stating facts? Yes we may have gotten away with some, but we get hit hardest with incidents as well they seem to forget. Maybe we can start compiling incidents that went against us and get all those ABUs to compile incidents that went for us, and compare it, maybe then can they shut up
If Benitez thinks being on top of the League in January has finally made him a great manager who can mouth of a load of bollocks and expect the world to agree, then he is sorely mistaken.
With that beard which makes him resemble an ugly cunt, and that mad raving which makes him the laughing stock of the town, i still think his reference to Bennett and the Wigan game could have some consequence. Maybe it was to get the referee ultra cautious in awarding anything to United and i wouldnt be surprised if we have to go against 12 men to win that game.
Which makes me believe that Benitez has lost the plot. He knows they cannot win the league with that shite of a team they have got on hand. And so as expected, he has stooped low to get his hands dirty in order to try and achieve, what we all know will never happen.
Go get a life Mr ‘I am a twat’ Benitez!
M.U.F.L
Somebody should write a song ‘the rafa rant’….ok, ok, I’ll do it:
(Sung to the tune of ‘Viva Ronaldo’):
rafa the nut case,
rafa the nut case,
he is playing mind games with fergie!
he say’s he won’t do it,
he say’s its too early,
but he’s doing it at fergie!
rafa the nut case,
rafa the nut case,
he’ll walk alone with his mind games!
……
……
Re: redgister
You say we couldn’t beat Derby, how observent,we were crap, as is stated on these boards, and were lucky to get away with just a 1 – 0 loss.
But where are the dippers in this competition?, Also, who got the run around in the FA Cup last season at Anfield by Havant and Waterlooville, and got knocked out at home by Barnsley?
So before you critisise United, take a look at your own heap of shite first.
Also, you claim you have two of the top five players in the world, who the fuck are they then? i’ve been racking by brains.
See you at Old Trafford! Your lot must be shitting lights!
One last thing. Who’s champions of England, Champions of Europe, and Club world champions? It’s not the Mickey Mousers is it?
To the Liverpool fans saying we’re are riled. Genuine question here, can you point me to ANY United discussion board that isn’t laughing or making jokes about this? I really would like to meet these “riled” United fans you speak of.
brlliant utd fans….i do see your point gabriel…dont worry though..beleive come may our trophy will be ours again. Corea no mate i dont….scotts legendary blog enuf for me.
We dont have anything to proove to the dips….we ve been there and done…and worn that fuckin t shirt out…..FACT is you dips fuckin havent…
So you spanish…remember…you ‘re one of the apprentices to our sir alan sugar…
no fuck off back to rob or hijack summat else