There is a reluctance in football to give Rafa Benitez any
undue credit. Alex Ferguson mocked the Spaniard for talking about his CV so
much, but a quick gander shows that the former Valencia and Liverpool manager
has an awful lot to gloat about – 2 La Ligas, 1 Champions League, 1 Uefa Cup, 1
FA Cup, 1 Club World Cup – and could add the Europa League to his collection.
The feeling prevails that Benitez is a grinder, someone with
a preference for effective efficiency rather than electrifying entertainment. So
the old joke goes: why does Bentiez play two holding midfielders? Because he
hasn’t got three.
There is some truth that Benitez prefers containment over
openness, but his record shows he is a very good manager. Look where Valencia
and Liverpool are now for starters. At Chelsea he was never going to be a fan’s
favourite. From day one the fans were waiting for the day their old adversary left,
and even a top 4 finish and a European trophy will do little to endear him to
the masses at Stamford Bridge.
A closer look reveals Bentiez is a manager of no little
skill. His tactics might be dour, but the way he has led the Blues through
Champions League and Europa League campaigns, culminating with the final in
Amsterdam, to the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and League Cup, and into pole
position to finish ahead of Arsenal and Tottenham in the race for the remaining
CL places is something to be admired. Chelsea have played 65 games this season,
with four left, and yet they look the freshest out of the London trio.
Juan Mata has played 60 times this season. John Terry,
blighted by injury and subject to Benitez’s rotation policy, has still played
26 games. Frank Lampard, perhaps no longer of the parish next season, has made
47 appearances. For the players to put in such effort for so long is
commendable, but for their manager to rotate the team so successfully,
especially with only two misfiring strikers, is simply astounding.
With only Demba Ba joining in the January transfer window,
and Daniel Sturridge leaving for Liverpool, Benitez was not even afforded more
resources, let alone players he personally wanted. The interim appointment was undermined
at every step but still Chelsea are competing and, more importantly, winning.
There are numerous examples of managers who have failed to
rotate successfully, and even more who have fallen foul of their players
because of the team selections. Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham team notoriously hit
the buffers in the latter third of last season, while Barcelona’s fatigue was exposed
by a ruthless Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Real Madrid have plenty of
disgruntled stars and have fallen short in European and in La Liga, while
Roberto Mancini appears to upset a different Manchester City player each week.
Benitez has not. The Spaniard has even managed the egos of
Chelsea stalwarts Terry and Lampard, and while those two and others may simply
be biding their time until a new man is at the helm, lesser man have felt the
wrath of the dressing room leaders.
He may not be the man you want in charge of your club, but
there is no doubt that Rafa Benitez is an accomplished and successful manager. He
will toe the party line when it keeps the fans onside, or at least off his
back. While other managers struggle to compete on more than one front, Benitez
rotates his way to success, and it is a shame that his management skills are
not recognised properly.
No comments:
Post a Comment