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Rafa talks. The Spanish coach had been waiting for this win for months - the FIFA Club World Cup topped the list of Massimo Moratti's requests. Rafa knows Inter got in touch with six, seven coaches and talks are still going on. After so much listening it's time for him to reply. And it's the talk of a very proud man.
"I did ask for three new signings in the summer, Inter board said yes but in the end no one was signed. The previous summer they had spent €80 million.
"We need to program things properly. Otherwise every week there will talk of two or three new coaches coming here.
"So far I have been painted as the culprit of everything. Due to the Walter Samuel injury I need four new signings [the three I had already asked plus a centre-back], if the answer will be again negative Inter can talk to my agent. No problem".
Clear enough: I am not staying here any longer to be used as a sacrificial lamb in order to hide the inadequacies of Inter's board. I am not a puppet and I am not letting fans down, someone else must put his face to explain this change of policy.
Moratti's view is that squad is thin because of the absurd amount of muscular injuries and Benitez's training methods are the reason - "Benitez should change the training regime instead of asking for new players".
Benitez's defence here is more analytic than expected. "Me and my staff have studied carefully and scientifically each player situation. I can say that all Inter players are in danger of muscular problems: 15 of them are over 30, in the last two years they have experienced muscular injuries to biceps and quadriceps.
"These players had been playing for two years without training in the gym. Some of them did it privately, and I know they are still doing it. There was no specific muscular training program. Here I want to have a complete control of the squad situation in order to check and program properly otherwise Inter are never going to win again".
The Spanish coach's post-Mazembe talk annoyed Inter's president. "Benitez asked for support? It's not the moment to ask" was Inter president only comment. A very weird situation - Inter on top of the world but still in a mess. The cold war between Moratti and Benitez is coming to a sour end.
Benitez has certainly made some mistakes but too often he's been used as a convenient scapegoat to hide someone else' shortcomings. Maybe timing was wrong but Rafa was right and brave to speak like that.
 
Comments
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Posted by Sam on 12/19/2010
I cannot disagree with you more. Benetiz's rant was ill timed and completely without basis. This is his standard method for forcing things through. He did the same at Liverpool, produced poor results, fought with the board and blamed everyone else for his failures. He was always offered plenty of money to buy new players but so often lacked the nous to scout players who were any good. He expenditure was one of the highest in the PL but he still had the gall to state that he was not getting any support in the transfer window. He basically destroyed that squad and now he wants to do the same to Inter. Look at the teams he beat, were would they be positioned in the Serie A? Is this achievement that great. Not really.He has shown himself completely inadequate in the league and CL and the club should rid themselves of him.
Supporters of Inter cannot let this minor triumph mask his results. He must be sacked immediately so a new coach can come in and work with the teams over winter.
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Posted by Benson II on 12/19/2010
Benitez thinks and believes that he is the smartest person in football. He is trying to get fired...this way he gets his money and blames everyone else again. For me, I want him gone now.
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Posted by Justin on 12/19/2010
Wow, whatever you think about Rafa, that took some big brass balls to say that. This talk of "training methods" is a little funny too. What coach would knowingly slit his own throat by throwing his players into training situations that would end with the players being unable to perform? None, I would say. They are an old squad and Rafa is right to look to shore them up at this point.
On the flip side, he has not inspired this group of players to support him. Many players (Sneijder, Milito, etc.) continue to credit Jose for the good and blame Rafa for the bad. While I doubt that Benitez is wholly to blame for this situation, that clearly is the players take on it. Not a good sign that he can't win them over, without their support, he is bound to be fired.
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Posted by Joseph Carter on 12/20/2010
@Sam
Your comments show how little knowledge you posess.
It is perfect timing. When you tell people what is wrong with the place and they don't listen because they are high from before, you give them a wake up call after you have put silverware on the table.
Then they listen.
2 years without gym work? What a joke!
Anyone who lauds Mouinho and his boring hit and run tactics is a fool being misdirected by his antics in the press.
He spends all your money on the finished articles and legs it like a thief in the night. The players he buys are fast approaching their sell-by-date and the mess is clear to see for anyone with intelligence.
You people blame Rafa because you are media zombies, you praise whistle-blowers in your parties and slaughter them in the press.
Go do your research on Rafa's REAL statistics then talk or zip it, you have already proved you are a fool.
Now you see the cr*p that was in place at LFC and what happened after he left. Now you see what happened at Valencia.
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Posted by Sam on 12/20/2010
Joesph Carter, you wouldnt be another Liverpool supporting Benetiz apologist who hasnt seen Inter play this season would you? This sasn Inter has had some 42 individual injuries, mainly muscle related, whilst last year we had around 12 in total. The players, who last season won everything including mainy individual awards are now playing as if they are not sure exactly what they should be doing.
In terms of your 'spending on finished articles' the proceeds he got from the sale of Zlatan (some 40 million) we bought Sneijder, Motta, Milito, Lucio plus got Eto'o in the deal. All these players from Zlatan, good business? I think so.
What about poor Benetiz at Liverpool? He recieved millions from the owners and who did he buy of note? Lucas? Voronin? Keane? The list goes on. He burnt Millions on players not up to standard, leaving a team that languishes in mid table. He won the CL with someone elses team and took the credit whilst he ruined your club. I hope he doesnt do it to mine.
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Posted by antirafa on 12/20/2010
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Posted by opeoluwa on 12/20/2010
sam,let me tell you what you don't know.Rafa took over valencia,he won the league,uefa cup league and people were tipping valencia as the favourite to win cl but what happen they sack him,immediately he went to liverpool took them to cl and won it for them.that year liverpool is not the favourite to win cl that season but he won it.look at lfc now fter leaving them.when mourinho came to inter the first season he won only one trophy and lost cl to man utd.everyone started complaining,they interview him in espn and he said what he wants to do now is that he wants to change their philosophy.so let Rafa too change inter philosophy.
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Posted by Rafa Benitez on 12/20/2010
I am leaving inter, thats why i said it. Inter dont want to spend Money. the congolese National team has approached me to coach them. I have a 4 million dollar contract plus the money inter will pay me. Rfafa benitez the best
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Posted by Eamon on 12/20/2010
@sam
It obvbious that it is your bias that is blinding you. I have to admit that Benitez is not perfect but your failure to look at the good as well as the bad show that your judgement is flawed. You listed down Benitez poor signings at Liverpool yet never list any of the great players he did manage to sign. You mention about how much he spend at Liverpool but again, left out that majority of that expenditure is spent replacing and improving the squad and that net spend wise spread over all the season that Benitez was at Liverpool, Liverpool spend alot less then their rivals yet achieve better league positions.
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Posted by Pietro on 12/20/2010
@ everybody but Sam
Sam here is the only Inter fan you all keep speaking about lfc He spoke about Inter and you lot reply only about lfc memories... And Sam Inter under Rafa are a complete failure but it's not due to his work many players played against him. His speech timing is questionable but he couldnt do anything else cos he knew he was already out as Inter are signing Zenga or Capello. he couldnt delay..
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Posted by Nathan on 12/20/2010
Is it football writers or Italian football writers that are incapable of letting go of a narrative regardless of all evidence to the contrary? Apparently Inter can be the most successful team in Italian history and a "mess" at the same time. Let us leave aside the obvious logical problems with this claim and just focus on empirical data. Compare Inter to Chelsea and Milan over the last five years. Has Inter employed more managers during this period? No. Has Inter won more trophies? Clearly. Odd that some still cling to the perception that the Inter front office is somehow out of sorts when it is this ostensibly dysfunctional group that has brought in Julio Cesar, Maicon, Sneijder, Chivu, Samuel, Lucio, Cambiasso, Eto'o, Pandev, Milito, Stankovic, Coutinho, and Thiago Motta. What club in world football has a more successful hit rate?
What Benitez had to say should have been conveyed in private. He is essentially putting a Do No Hire me sign around his neck.
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Posted by kl on 12/20/2010
Typical Benitez. Blame everyone else, and in the meantime continue to fail with HIS own methods. Basically the same team that won all last season, look where they are at now. Well done. And the CWC? No disrespect to them, but how does beating Seongnam and Mazembe equate to greatness?
If you can't do anything to improve the situation, shut up and find a way. Talk only when you've actually achieved something at Inter.
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Posted by terry on 12/20/2010
Hi. I've been following Inter since the Mancini days but mainly more now because I'm a Liverpool fan and I'm partial towards all Liverpool coaches (good or bad in the eyes of the media).
In football there is always the small element of luck, and I'm in awe that Jose has bundles of it wherever he goes. Whichever system a coach employes there's always a bit of luck. Guardiola of Barca with their flowing style also needed a bit of luck to beat Arsenal when they won the CL.
Maybe Inter was unlucky in some of the Serie A matches. Maybe there is some truth in what Rafa is saying. Maybe there is truth in what Moratti is saying. For me I believe the truth is what lies in between.
Having said that, I truly wish Inter can continue winning more matches again. The whole organization whether its Rafa, Moratti, the players etc has to always put Inter first in their hearts and believe in the best for the team.
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Posted by Chris on 12/20/2010
I wonder why a proven failure could have been signed as coach of a great club like Inter in the first place, Benitez and Mancini have very similar characteristics. Both are simply mediocres.
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Posted by Mark on 12/20/2010
This guy is a complete fool, and anyone with a brain can see he is just mouthing off because he knows the sack is coming and wants to go out looking like a man, rather than the piddling failure that he is. Forget the media, this is e-facts.
I accept that Inter have had injuries. I accept that they did not add any senior players in the summer. I also accept that their squad was very complete and was in no way drastically different than the team that conquered Europe last season.
Benitez displays a shocking lack of accountability. Were Keane, Babel, Pennant, the fullbacks including Johnson, Crouch, Aquilani, Bellamy and a whole host of terrible youngsters all someone else's fault too? Add up their fees, and their wages, and their bonuses, and there you have the money that G&H never gave you, Rafa.
Now, even the injuries from his training are Jose's fault. Yah, im sure a group of treble winning 30 year olds never trained. Glad Moratti has called time on this joker's charade.
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Posted by Mark on 12/20/2010
By the way, the argument about "luck", Jose having it and Rafa not?
Think back to 2005. I would say it was pretty lucky that a goal from Luis Garcia was given as good, allowing Rafa's Liverpool to advance to the final of the CL, and Jose's Chelsea to be knocked out. But wait, that would go against what has been said. Bah, if only there was a director of football or owner to blame for this flaw in the argument.
Liverpool's CL triumph, while pretty compelling, had many elements of luck in it. Not saying all of Rafa's achivements have been down to luck alone. But I think with Jose at his fourth club, and enjoying success like he has before, is no accident of fate.
And FYI, it was not Guardiola's Barca that overcame Arsenal in 06. It was Rijkaard's. While the current iteration of Barca have enjoyed luck of their own, both teams can rightly be called among the best in recent history.
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Posted by Eoin on 12/20/2010
4 months in charge... RB won two trophies out of three... not too bad...
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Posted by Mike on 12/20/2010
4 months in charge...RB has taken the defending Italian and European Champions and put them in a position where they may not even qualify for next season's UCL. Their chances to continue their reign as Italian Champions are slipping away fast. That's a trophy Mourinho never failed to win during his time at Inter. And while RB's Inter did manage to squeak into the UCL round of 16, they were far from impressive.
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Posted by ope on 12/20/2010
what i have to say is that inter will have to change their ageing player they needs to bring some fresh young player.if mourinho is stil there he might encounter the same problem.inter were lucky last season against barca,if mourinho still use the same inter squad against barca now they will loose and perform badly.i think is time for them to change their ageing player before is too late or else they will face what AC Milla faced for the past two season.some player too are playing against Rafa.
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Posted by tubilove on 12/21/2010
@****** Sam and antirafa!
You guys are sooooo daft, u refuse to see what inter is doing to Rafa, thank God he has won two trophies now! I luv Rafa cos he has Balls! Am a liverpool Fan and the saddest day of my football life was when Rafa left us! The useless LFC tried to mess Rafa up and he left. I just luv him! The players they claimed he used to win CL, were 3 goals down at half time, it takes a COACH to turn things around at half time not PLAYERS!! Rafa is a man of records please check them out and stop whinning! I'll rather he leaves Inter before they mess him up.
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Posted by tubilove on 12/21/2010
****** Mark,annoying Mike and disgusting Chris! myopic fools, U guys are not supposed to be here, no objectivity at all!!! thumbs up Ope.
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Posted by Goran MKD on 12/21/2010
Fellas, Benitez will be sacked in the next several days. Inter will find a temporary replacement during the Winter break whose only goal will be to to qualify for the CL. In the Summer, Mou is coming back. If you look at the big picture, it is quite clear. Inter said that it would invest EUR 100 mil. in the Summer 2010, but nothing happened, and why? Because Mou left. The money is still there, but the Inter board held it back. Since yesterday, Moratti is in Madrid having talks with Jose, and I assure you that it is not about the snow that is causing the air-traffic delays. It is evident that Mou is not happy in Madrid, and his relation with Perez is more or less on the edge. The Spanish media speculate that Perez will sack Mourinho at the end of the season regardless of the results(recall the del Bosque case). If take a step back and look at the big picture, Jose only left to win Primera, and have the three major European leagues under his belt, before making any long term commitment.
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Posted by alvin on 12/22/2010
you guys seem to forget mourinho didnt sign them at inter, the board did.
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Posted by Megan Annamalay on 12/22/2010
Jose has been lucky, he has had money to spend, Chelsea, Madrid..
The squad he had at Inter are aged, Rafa inherited this squad, that plus injuries, the world cup and their exploits at the world club cup has indhered their performance domestically. Rafa will do great at a small club if given time and a good budget..
Jose is special one as long has there is money to throw away..
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Posted by Gianni - Update on 12/22/2010
1. Rafa Benitez is still Inter coach only because Moratti is trying not to pay a fixed compensation.
2. Leonardo should be the immediate replacement.
3. Under Mourinho Real Madrid have won 12 home games out of 12 but still not enough to conquer Madridistas' heart. Mou has sensed that and he's started sending messages to Inter and England.
PS Sam your view is not shared by some here but Moratti looks determined to please you [and himself]
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Posted by Sam on 12/22/2010
Thanks Gianni. I guessed that many did not share my views. Beauty of a good blog though huh. It incites discussion on a topic that many people are so obviously happy about. It seems clear that Benetiz is about to go, leaving him somewhat in limbo. It will be a tough ask for him to find a club that will fulfill his demands on the transfer front. After all this is the third club in a row that he has fallen out with the owners because of percieved lack of support. Clubs or managers problem? I will let you decide that! Not sure how Leonardo will do, I would have liked Spaletti myself. Did a great job at Roma on a limited budget and seems to be doing great things at Zenit. Cant see him coming though to be honest. Inter will def need to strengthen in January and hopefully with a new coach reinvigorating the team and a couple of new players they can finish top three, win the coppa and make the last four in the CL. That would be a good effort after the start we had!
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Posted by Scorose on 12/24/2010
Sam & Anti-Rafa.
The least said about u chaps the better.Your comments are antediluvian and u do not know how to even put cogent thoughts together.Rafa Benitez did not deliver at Inter and in his last season at Liverpool there were major probs.However he is a damn good coach and why do i get the funny feeling that u chaps would not be able to distinguish a turnip from a soccer ball? I am sure u get ur freak on by bashing Rafa.Nincompoops!!
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Posted by IchundSie on 08/28/2012
has moronio gone do-lally or wot, or is it just a lack of foaobtll intelligence.How can anyone who is supposed to have foaobtll knowledge come out with stupid statement saying Liverpool are not a big club. Myself personally i think hes a bit afraid of what liverpool have the potential to do with financial backing,after all we won numerous trophies everyone available in europe on limited funds (besides the prem which will come very soon i assure you). Moronio is quoting recent times but let us not forget we have won apart from the prem every trophy home and abroad this millenium, making us not only the most succesful club in british history but also the most trophy winners of this millenium. If Moronio wants to see some trophies guided tours of Anfield run 9-4.30 daily.
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About
Gianni Serra is a European football journalist. He currently writes for lechampions.it, covering international club competitions such as the UEFA Champions League, the Copa Libertadores, the CAF Champions League, the O-League. You can follow him on twitter: @gianniserra20
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