Liverpool star Xabi Alonso has backed Rafa Benitez to come through the 'tug of war' at the club.
Benitez is yet to sign a new contract at Anfield as the behind-the-scenes battle for control at the club rumbles on.
The Spaniard wants a more hands-on approach when it comes to transfer dealings and the running of the club in general, but thus far the club's American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks - who themselves remain at loggerheads - are yet to agree to Benitez's demands.
But Alonso is fully confident that Benitez will be given the deal he wants to stay.
"The owners and Rafa seem to be involved in a tug of war," Alonso told The Sun.
"Even if they are trying to resolve it for the better of the club, there is no question in my mind when you have the right man for the job, securing his continuity is important.
"We've been through our bad moments but constant change, or change for the sake of it, isn't a good thing at a club like this.
"It's a subject between Rafa and the owners and the team must not let it affect us at any cost, but my personal bet is Rafa will stay with Liverpool.
"When he came here, Liverpool had a massive history but they had lost competitiveness compared to the other European greats - and had spent a long time without winning major trophies.
"From his arrival to now, you can feel the progress and that he's put Liverpool back where they once were - amongst Europe's greats and aspiring to win everything we enter."
The Spanish international also played down fears that Liverpool's season could be set to come off the rails after they were dumped out of FA Cup by Everton and Steven Gerrard was ruled out for at least three weeks with a hamstring injury.
He added: "The fact is right now we probably aren't playing as well as we were a month ago when we were a bit fresher and our level of play was much more fluid.
"These are the normal ups and downs of a season - no way are we in bad shape. Maybe what is concerning us a bit is when teams just line up in massed defence against us.
"It's costing us a bit more to unlock them and we have to make sure such games aren't as complicated as we seem to be making them.
"Since I moved to Liverpool this is still, without question, our best chance to win the league title. This squad has the necessary players for the task, there's a good feeling in the club. And I still believe things are looking good.
"We know who our key rivals are, with United and Chelsea being the stand-out opponents.
"Okay, we need to start playing better and winning but the three points against Chelsea were very important. Rafa has made us into a team which stays compact and firm and which moves the ball with quick intelligence.
"We've got quick-moving and quick-thinking players throughout our side and when we play good football our speed is our key."
Alonso's own future was in some doubt over the summer when it seemed he would be sold to Juventus or Arsenal to make way for Aston Villa's Gareth Barry.
But the 27-year-old Spaniard insists he does not want to leave Liverpool before his contract expires in three years.
"I don't like it when people seem to think contracts count for nothing," he admitted.
"I've got three years more with Liverpool and so do most of the key players around me. If you love football, then Liverpool is the club for you. This is football at its absolute, its purest - the people, the club, the stadium, the tradition.
"I know that when, eventually, I return to Spain it will be with Liverpool in my blood and as an out-and-out Reds fan.
"But I insist this - I've got three more years here and I expect to fulfil them."
0 comments:
Post a Comment