Tommy Smith: Benitez's spending myths are rightly torn down
MANY a pundit has lambasted Rafa Benitez for the 'massive amounts' of money he's spent over the last few years building a squad which isn't delivering.
So well done to the supporter who this week examined the facts, to coin a certain phrase, showing just how much Benitez has won and lost in the transfer merry go round since his arrival.
It makes fascinating reading and concludes that the Reds boss has, in net terms, spent an average of just £16m per season.
There is one other inevitable conclusion. And it's this.
Whether you're a fan or not of the Reds manager, he is not the wild and bungling spendthrift that some poorly informed pundits would have us believe. In fact, the opposite is true.
No one wanted Xabi Alonso to leave - but when he chose to go after five seasons Liverpool made a £20m profit on him.
Peter Crouch was sold for more than he was bought, while Rafa also made a profit on players like Momo Sissoko, Antonio Nunez, and Alvaro Arbeloa. He even got most of the money back for Robbie Keane.
Perish the thought, but if Liverpool ever decided to cash in on Fernando Torres - it won't happen of course as the Anfield MD Christian Purslow made clear - then Rafa's net spend over six seasons now would be virtually zero.
Of course he's entitled to be criticised for some of his decisions and no one is happy right now. But the club and the fans are dead right to stick by the manager.
His critics are entitled to their opinion. But they shouldn't be allowed to get away with perpetuating myths about how much he has blown.
Thank heavens someone has nailed it.
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Well Said. Just Wish Ronnie 'The Moron' Whelan would have read that article (and remebered the Liverpool way) before shouting his mouth off in such a disrespectful manner.
Whelan's comments were disgusting. Have a go if you want against a manager about his tactics etc but to explicitly state that he is being underhanded against the fans and the club by trying to secure a job somewhere else is beneath contempt. The only person Whelan shamed was himself with those comments
i watched ronnie whelan give his rant live on rte..i've lost all respect for him, he's obviously trying to boost his media status by following the lies that have been reported as truth...dont let the facts get in the way of a good rant ronnie...think irish lfc fans should boycott and watch the games on british tv til whelan gets the message he's no longer a red!
fair play to ronnie whealan a true red he has nothing to gane from saying wat he said others just cant see it or just dont want to
I cant believe that Tommy Smith falls for a biased report like that.
Benitez has spent more than 120m NET in the 5 seasons of rubbish football...which is the second most of any team in the premiership.
Only chelsea have spent more.
yea his record in the transfer market is like the clubs success under his stewardship, made nothing , won nothing, yea yea we mugged Milan a while back.
Lew
Rafa had 5 years to bulid a winning team but he failed. He is not an accountant to balance sheets. He has failed Liverpool.
Affraid this club is in the verge of becoming next leeds utd and newsastle utd !!