Tweet
BENITEZ DELIGHTED BY PURSLOW IMPACT
Paul Hassall 14 September 2009
Rafael Benitez and Christian Purslow have today spoken of the burgeoning relationship they believe can lead Liverpool into a bright future. The Reds' managing director has made an impressive impact during his short time at Anfield and has developed an understanding with the Spanish manager that they both believe can help bring the club a new era of success.
"We are working very hard together, very close," said Rafa.
"I would say we have a meeting not just every week but every day. We are on the phone and as soon as I try to do something or want to do something, he is there.
"So we are working very hard here and I think the relationship is good. I am really pleased.
"I think he understands the club. He was telling me about some games and he remembers who scored the winning goals and things like this – so sometimes it's a problem for me!
"He loves the club and he wants the best for the club."
The boss' glowing words are echoed by Purslow, himself a fluent Spanish speaker, who is full of praise for both Rafa the manager, and Rafa the business man.
"An absolutely key part of my job, is to make sure that the business and football side work well together," he said.
"And in people terms that means Rafa and I working well together.
"My view is that we have an extremely close professional working relationship. We speak all the time. We have very specific plans that we work to and stick to.
"I enjoy immensely that part of my work. Again central to success in any football club is the relationship between the leadership of the business and the football manager working well.
"And I couldn't be more pleased three months in as to how that is working.
"And Rafa – he's a pleasure to work with because not only is he a great football manager, he's extremely commercially literate.
"But I wouldn't be too excited about the Spanish – in that Rafa's English is excellent and he constantly tells me that my Spanish is terrible!"
The Reds' new managing director was also keen to point out that he has no intention of getting involved in team affairs and is committed to the 'football plan' he has helped devise alongside Benitez.
He said: "It is entirely the manager's job to decide who he wants in the football club at any point in time and I don't believe that should be second guessed. And it isn't.
"My job is to support that and to provide the financial backdrop to make that possible and that's exactly how it works. So every player at the club today is a player Rafa wants here.
"That's the way it must be and that's the way it will always be between him and I. We work together on that basis.
"And no, he's not going to buy a player because I want him to and he's not going to sell a player because I want him to. He's going to make all of those footballing decisions.
"And where we have to work well is in making sure we do so within a broad framework.
"We call it 'The Football Plan'. That's what we have and that's what we work to. And this summer for the first time we road tested the idea of a Football Plan – of having a list of players to sell or buy for broad values, within an agreed budget.
"And I'm delighted to say that we achieved all of those goals over the summer transfer window."
Liverpool FC now has an official Page on Facebook. Watch exclusive videos, receive news updates and share views and photos with thousands of other fans. Simply sign in to Facebook, become a Fan and join the discussion.
Paul Hassall 14 September 2009
Rafael Benitez and Christian Purslow have today spoken of the burgeoning relationship they believe can lead Liverpool into a bright future. The Reds' managing director has made an impressive impact during his short time at Anfield and has developed an understanding with the Spanish manager that they both believe can help bring the club a new era of success. "We are working very hard together, very close," said Rafa.
"I would say we have a meeting not just every week but every day. We are on the phone and as soon as I try to do something or want to do something, he is there.
"So we are working very hard here and I think the relationship is good. I am really pleased.
"I think he understands the club. He was telling me about some games and he remembers who scored the winning goals and things like this – so sometimes it's a problem for me!
"He loves the club and he wants the best for the club."
The boss' glowing words are echoed by Purslow, himself a fluent Spanish speaker, who is full of praise for both Rafa the manager, and Rafa the business man.
"An absolutely key part of my job, is to make sure that the business and football side work well together," he said.
"And in people terms that means Rafa and I working well together.
"My view is that we have an extremely close professional working relationship. We speak all the time. We have very specific plans that we work to and stick to.
"I enjoy immensely that part of my work. Again central to success in any football club is the relationship between the leadership of the business and the football manager working well.
"And I couldn't be more pleased three months in as to how that is working.
"And Rafa – he's a pleasure to work with because not only is he a great football manager, he's extremely commercially literate.
"But I wouldn't be too excited about the Spanish – in that Rafa's English is excellent and he constantly tells me that my Spanish is terrible!"
The Reds' new managing director was also keen to point out that he has no intention of getting involved in team affairs and is committed to the 'football plan' he has helped devise alongside Benitez.
He said: "It is entirely the manager's job to decide who he wants in the football club at any point in time and I don't believe that should be second guessed. And it isn't.
"My job is to support that and to provide the financial backdrop to make that possible and that's exactly how it works. So every player at the club today is a player Rafa wants here.
"That's the way it must be and that's the way it will always be between him and I. We work together on that basis.
"And no, he's not going to buy a player because I want him to and he's not going to sell a player because I want him to. He's going to make all of those footballing decisions.
"And where we have to work well is in making sure we do so within a broad framework.
"We call it 'The Football Plan'. That's what we have and that's what we work to. And this summer for the first time we road tested the idea of a Football Plan – of having a list of players to sell or buy for broad values, within an agreed budget.
"And I'm delighted to say that we achieved all of those goals over the summer transfer window."
Liverpool FC now has an official Page on Facebook. Watch exclusive videos, receive news updates and share views and photos with thousands of other fans. Simply sign in to Facebook, become a Fan and join the discussion.
Comment