Thursday, June 17, 2004
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Rafael Benitez says he is excited and proud to be leading Liverpool FC into a new era and added his main objective is to win things.
The new Liverpool manager has revealed he wants to land major prizes with Liverpool and believes everybody at the club needs to want the same thing and be heading in the right direction. Benitez said: "We need to improve how to do the right things and I need to talk to the players and staff to know how the Premiership mentality is. "I've noticed the players here fight and have spirit. I've spoken with my friend Steve McClaren and asked him 'how do you obtain this spirit?' He said 'we just have it' but in Spain it is different. "I hope the players at Liverpool like us think it's possible for us to win more things, but I'm not going to say it will take one, two or three years. The most important thing is to be a team and for every player to know what they have to do on the field. "It means a lot of hours working with and talking with players - it's what is best for the team that matters not what is best for the player. "I didn't come here to learn English, I've come to win and I want the players to have the same mentality - if not it's impossible to play against other teams. "I am a very, very proud man because all the coaches in Spain like to be at the best club. We know Liverpool are one of the most important clubs in the world. "The feeling when you come here to Anfield and see all the supporters is wonderful for a foreign manager. I know the history of Liverpool Football Club. It is big, wonderful. "I am young and I want to win a lot of matches and I want to win in the right way. I want the supporters to be proud of the team, of the manager, the players and the club. It is a dream to come to one of the best leagues in the world, one of the best teams." Benitez says Liverpool are well known to people in Spain and says the club has an outstanding reputation. Benitez said: "My assistant at Valencia told me when he was younger he wrote letters to Liverpool tellingthem he needed some shirts for his village team. Liverpool sent him the shirts. "Always when we see the Premiership on TV we see Liverpool and it is wonderful. I hope to be here a long time and this is a big challenge for me." Benitez also said decisions about his coaching staff will be finalised shortly. |
