Riera launches Rafa attack

[Dunny]

20100318

Riera launches Rafa attack

Reds winger points to lack of communication

Last updated: 18th March 2010



Riera: Reds frustration

He's never sorted out a situation with a player by talking with him. He thinks he's in charge and everything else falls on deaf ears. His dialogue with the players is practically nil.

Albert Riera on Rafa Benitez's selection policy
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// A bit of a hack but it works // The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is empty if( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) { $("div#article-sub").remove(); }Liverpool winger Albert Riera has hit out at Reds boss Rafa Benitez over a lack of communication with his struggling squad.
The Anfield outfit have endured a miserable season and their only remaining hopes of silverware hang in the balance as they bid to overturn a 1-0 deficit at home against Lille in the second leg of their Europa League last 16 clash on Thursday night.
Spain international Riera has made just two appearances for Liverpool since January, both of which came in Europe's second tier competition, and he is becoming frustrated by his lack of action.
The 27-year-old, an £8million signing from Espanyol in 2008, does not understand why he is out of the picture and is eager for more action to secure a place in Spain's World Cup squad.
Personal

He told Radio Marca: "When the coach says nothing to you and you are well, with no physical problems and training well, you cannot help but think it must be something personal.
"If I'm doing something badly and you are my boss, and you value me, then you are going to come and tell me what I have to do to play again. This is what hurts me.
"You see that the team are not doing well and there are no changes. It's a little frustrating because you see that you can help.
"I've been here two years and I know how he (Benitez) is. He's never sorted out a situation with a player by talking with him. He thinks he's in charge and everything else falls on deaf ears.
"His dialogue with the players is practically nil."

Offers

Regarding his future, Riera knows his hopes of featuring at South Africa in the summer depend on him playing first-team football.
"I would like to be here for the rest of my career, but players live to play. My objective is to go to the World Cup and for this I have to play," he said.
"Right now the only market open is the Russian one, I have offers from two teams and, looking at my situation, that has made me reflect a lot."

[Me]

Pennant and a couple did mention a similar lack of communication. Who knows.

[Dunny]

Albert Riera suspended for remarks against Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez

Albert Riera was on Thursday suspended and transfer listed by Liverpool after his scathing attack on manager Rafael Benitez, in which he suggested his countryman was in charge of a “sinking ship,” as it emerged that the Spanish international had been ostracised from the club’s first team squad following an altercation with a teenage reserve player.



By Rory Smith
Published: 7:55PM GMT 18 Mar 2010

Sinking ship: Rafa Benitez doesn't speak with his players, according to Albert Riera Photo: AP


The Spanish international has made just one first team start since January after the Liverpool manager was informed of a clash with a team-mate after a training session at the club’s Melwood base.
Riera was fined and excluded from the first team as punishment for the incident, but it is his withering outburst on Spanish radio on Wednesday which will mark the end of his Liverpool career, certainly while Benitez remains in charge.

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The Liverpool manager contacted Riera’s agent to inform him of the club’s swift sanctions, instructing the player to stay away from the club until Monday. Riera is also likely to be fined two weeks’ wages for his comments despite his attempts to defuse the situation in a second radio interview in his homeland.
“I do not want to make trouble with the manager,” he told Cadena Ser. “I am not interested in making Rafa my enemy in the slightest, quite the opposite, but ultimately it is about playing, and if I am not, we have to talk about why not.
“We have not had any talk about why it is. I played all of last year, and sometimes if I did not play so well in one game, I would still play the next week. But this season I have not played at all. When that starts happening, you have to assume it is something personal, rather than professional.
“I believe in these situations it is better to talk about it and try to fix it, or at least make sure everyone knows where they stand. I have no problem talking to people.
“I am delighted to play for Liverpool and if I was playing, I would love to stay, because it is a brilliant place to play football. But if I am not playing I have no chance of going to the World Cup, so I am trying to solve the problem so I at least have a small chance.”
That solution is likely to be Riera’s immediate departure for either CSKA or Spartak Moscow after the Russian transfer window was extended to April 8.