June 1 – Rafa Swaps the Mestalla for Merseyside

WHETHER he’s sitting in a zen-like pose during a penalty shoot-out, or sarcastically telling journalists he’s ‘focused on training and coaching my team’ Rafa Benitez is an emotional bloke. Today in 2004 he was pouring his heart out to a press conference in Spain, as he announced he was quitting Valencia to take up the vacant Liverpool job following Gerard Houllier’s departure.

Benitez’s pre-Liverpool career had more ups and downs than a night on the tiles with Paul Gascoigne. After failing to make the grade at Real Madrid as a player he turned out for Castilla CF, AD Parla and CD Linares before he hung up his boots to concentrate on management.

By the time he took over at Valencia Rafa had managed eight sides, working his way through various Real Madrid youth and B-teams before being sacked by Real Valladolid and Osasuna. His persistency started to pay off eventually though, as Rafa would achieve promotion success in his next two jobs at CF Extremadura and CD Tenerife.

This earned him a three-year spell as Valencia boss where he would bring the club their first title in 31 years in his maiden season in charge. Another La Liga title followed in 2004, along with the Uefa Cup, but tensions were beginning to appear between Rafa and Jesus Garcia Pitarch, the club’s director of sport.

Wanting control over new signings, Rafa’s pleas for more money to reinforce the squad didn’t go down very well. “I asked for a table and they bought me a lampshade,” was how he put it at the time. See, it’s not just outlandish American owners that he can pick a fight with.

Rafa then handed his notice in and blubbed his way through a press conference to announce his departure. Turning on the waterworks, he told us that “Valencia will always be in my thoughts and in my heart,” before leaving the press room in tears as it all turned a bit reality TV.

And Valencia were certainly in his thoughts a month later when they sued the new Liverpool manager for failing to honour his contract, but Rafa would respond with his own claim for outstanding salary and bonus payments.

After a successful, European Cup winning start at Liverpool, Rafa has managed to upset his bosses again, criticising the club’s Statler and Waldorf-alike owners. A fragile truce is currently in place at Anfield, but we’d be surprised if Rafa doesn’t earn himself some more headlines over the coming months. Join us tomorrow for a tale of fiery South Americans, but until then enjoy this comedy clip of Rafa ‘The Magician’ Benitez.