JUNE 28
Benitez eyeing title bid

By Paul Hassall - LFC Official Website

Rafael Benitez believes Liverpool can win the Barclays Premier League next season and admits that ending an 18-year wait for the title would be 'the biggest achievement of his career.'

The Reds boss is confident his side can push Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea all the way in the race to be crowned champions of England in 2009 and insists that such an achievment would surpass any of the previous honours he has won in both England and Spain.

"Winning the title would be the biggest achievement of my career," said Benitez.

"It's more difficult than in Spain because teams here spend big money.

"But we will do our best. The key for me is not to talk about winning the title but to talk about doing a good job so we can be close, so we can be contenders.

"If we are close I think that we can win the title."

Since the end of the 2007-08 campaign Benitez has been busy planning for the forthcoming season.

The Spaniard has been working closely with his staff, identifying players to add to his squad and analysing any areas of his side that he feels need improvement.

"You must do your job with your players after the season has ended and in the summertime you need to do your job with your staff," he said.

"The key, though, is to sign the right players with the right mentality – a winning mentality – competitive players, players who are desperate to come here to win something.

"That is the key for me. We have been analysing a lot of things this summer. For example, we were conceding a lot of goals last season from set pieces.

"We need to know why because the previous season we only conceded six, but this year it has been 16. We need to know why so we can improve in these areas, but keep the team scoring goals in open play.

"We have been really good in defence for three or four years but we need to improve a little bit if we want to be in contention."

APRIL 18
Benitez committed to Liverpool

By Paul Walker - PA Sport

Rafael Benitez has re-affirmed his commitment to Liverpool at the end of another week of turmoil
at Anfield.

The Liverpool chief made his position clear ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to struggling Fulham and with the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea on the horizon.

Benitez had cast grave doubts about his long-term future at the club last weekend in the row over exactly who attended meetings before Christmas with Jurgen Klinsmann when the manager's job was discussed.

Benitez demanded answers from co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, plus chief executive Rick Parry.

And a day after Hicks and Gillett again squared up to each other in a very public breakdown of their partnership, Benitez now seems much happier with his position.

He refused to discuss the ongoing ownership battle or any meetings he may have had with his bosses.

But he was keen to point out: "At this moment I have two years of my contract still to go, I am really pleased and really happy here. And I want to stay. And I want to stay for a long time."

Asked if he had spoken to Hicks, Gillett or Parry, Benitez said: "I do not need to talk to them, I need to talk with my staff and my players.

"We have been training and all I want to talk about is the games against Fulham, and then Chelsea. We will be preparing for the games properly."

But he also seemed relaxed about potential summer transfer funds, despite the club being unsure of who will be at the helm by then.

He said: "As far as transfer money is concerned, I cannot be sure. But we will try to do our best, the scouting staff and I know what to do and we are progressing and working on things.

"The scouts are doing a fantastic job and we are trying to progress with the targets we have."

On the ongoing crisis, all Benitez would say was: "I want to win against Fulham, I know everyone is asking and talking about other things, but I am a professional and I want to concentrate on football.

"We need these three points to be as close to fourth place as quickly as possible.

"Things (around the club) have not been a distraction for the players. We have confidence in ourselves and we are playing well.

"That shows the strength of our squad, the quality and the character of the players.

"I feel that the players are showing they are good professionals.

"They are focused, they are concentrating on games. That is the key to our success now."

MARCH 2
Benitez eyes long Reds stay

By Alex Livie - Setanta Sports

Rafa Benitez has spoken of his determination to extend his stay with Liverpool.

Following a public spat with the club’s owners earlier in the season, there has been a thawing of relations at Anfield and Benitez now seems totally at ease in his present surroundings.

"I have confidence I will be here for a long time - not just for two years," he said.

"I have 18 months left on my contract but I have a lot of confidence that it will be easier next season and I am sure the situation will change in the future.”

Much of Benitez’s unrest surrounded Javier Mascherano, but with the Argentine now tied on a long-term deal, the Spaniard feels progress is being made.

“I have confidence that we are progressing in the right direction,” added Benitez. “The Javier Mascherano deal is done. Now we will do something with Peter Crouch and then with Sami Hyypia. That means we are progressing.

"At this moment the only thing I have in my mind is to progress with Liverpool and try to win titles.

"This year and in the future. I am not looking anywhere else. I am really pleased here now and I think we will improve the situation in the future and that's why I want to stay for longer.

"People ask me why I want to stay here. It's because I know we can improve, I know it's a massive club, it's a top side and we can progress.

"So I want to do my best and I think we can improve things."

JANUARY 20
Rafa: I'll be here next season

By Tom Adams - Setanta Sports

Rafa Benitez remains confident he will still be Liverpool manager next season despite the recent revelation that the club’s owners sounded out Jurgen Klinsmann
in November.

The unusual move from co-owner Tom Hicks to reveal his meeting with the now-Bayern Munich boss has led to intense speculation over Benitez’s future at Anfield as it appears to have undermined his position somewhat.

The Spaniard has no intention of walking away from the club though and is looking to remain on Merseyside for the full length of his contract – even if any final decision over his future will not lie in his hands.

"I know you must ask [about my position at the club], but I will not say anything,” said Benitez in the Sunday Telegraph. “But I have a lot of confidence that I will be sitting in this chair in a year's time.

"I have two and a half years of my contract left and I will try to do my best.

"A lot of the players have asked me what's going on. Keep going is the answer. I tell them the most important thing here is the club.

“We must do our best for the club and the fans. The commitment of the players is 100 percent. They know they must keep going and do their job. That's my message."

Thor Zakariassen ©