Transcript of Benitez’s Brilliant Press Conference Tantrum

By: Daryl | November 23rd, 2007

Rafa Benitez press conference tantrum Rafa Benitez may be a magician, but he can’t magic money out of thin air. So when Liverpool owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks refused to promise him money to spend in December and suggested he works with what he’s got, Benitez threw a bit of press conference tantrum. The conference was apparently delayed for 35 minutes while Rafa was on the phone to his gaffers, getting the bad news about his pocket money. What followed was a bit like a Samuel Beckett play. To various questions about his relationship with Liverpool’s owners and what his long term future was, Rafa answered “As always I am focused on training and coaching my team” or a variation thereof, about 14 times.

During the conference, a clearly pissed off Benitez also made this veiled threat: “Maybe I could be [Steve McClaren's replacement] if I improve my English … I was being serious. You never know what can happen in the future.”

Great stuff.

Though it all seems a bit petulant I actually think Rafa is a very smart man who knows exactly what he’s doing. He hasn’t technically said anything bad about his employers, but he’s made his feelings pretty clear. Benitez also knows that despite his recent rotation shenanigans, he’s got the majority of Liverpool fans on his side. Hicks and Gillett would have some very angry Scousers to deal with if they sacked Liverpool’s Champions League winning manager, particularly over an argument where he’s asking them to spend more money on the team and they’re basically saying no.

The complete transcript of the hilariously repetitive bit of the press conference is available at the Liverpool Daily Post online, but it’s also copied and pasted below for your reading pleasure. It’s quite long, and most of the words are the same, but that’s really the genius of it. Feel free to act it out at home as a two man play. One person draw a little goatee on their chin and sit in front of a microphone, the other sit opposite with a notebook and/or Dictaphone.

PRESS: Do you know how much you will have to spend from the American owners in January?

RB: As always I am focused on training and coaching my team.

Have you had any assurances you’ll have what you want?

RB: As always I am focused on training and coaching my team.

What about your long-term plan?

RB: My plan is training and coaching the team.

Is there anything upsetting you?

RB: As always I am focused on training and coaching my team.

Do you have anything to say?

RB: As always I am focused on training and coaching my team.

It’s clear something is up…

RB: You have my answer.

You’re very different from normal…

RB: You have my answer.

It’s clear that something is up, though. How can you focus on your training and coaching?

RB: I was preparing the training session before this Press conference. So I am always focused on training and coaching.

It’s not always possible, though…

RB: Yes, it is for me.

You said after the story linking you with Bayern Munich you were happy to stay here for a long time, is that still the case?

RB: As always I am focused on training and coaching my team.

We’re not going to tease it out of you, are we? You’re not normally late for a Press conference. You were obviously preoccupied by something…

RB: Because as always I was focusing on the training session.

Is there anything you would like to say?

RB: As always I am focused on training and coaching my team.

You always say you are focused on training and coaching, but you usually give answers to our enquiries, so how come it’s changed suddenly?

RB: Nothing. I’m just focused on training and coaching as always.

You did kind of suggest to the TV people that you were open to possibility of the England job. Is that something we should treat seriously?

RB: It’s your decision. You never know what will happen in the future.

Were you serious when you answered it?

RB: I was serious.

It would be dereliction of our duty not to point out that one day you say you are looking to stay here a long time, then the next day you are saying who knows about England for the future. Isn’t there a contradiction between the two?

RB: The future is the future. Now, as always I am focused on training and coaching my team, so I cannot say anything else. Just to keep preparing for the next game.

You’ve always said you wanted to stay here for years and years and talked about the future here?

RB: That is true.

So, what you’re saying suggests that perhaps the future here is in question?

RB: I am focused on training and coaching my team.

So who knows?

RB: As always I am focused on training and coaching my team.

Are you being allowed to do that as you wish?

RB: I am focused on training and coaching my team.

Does everyone associated with the club share that opinion?

RB: As always I am focused on training and coaching my team.

End scene.