Rafa Upset Liverpool Did Not Call Him This Summer

Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez says that he was surprised that he was not approached about the vacant manager’s position at Anfield this summer.

Launching a new book called Champions League Dreams, which recalls how Liverpool challenged for European honours during his time there, Benitez, who is currently without a club, said it was ‘strange’ to be overlooked in favour of Brendan Rodgers.

Talking to the Irish Independent, he said:

“It was strange not to be approached,”

“We know the club, the players, the Academy and we have even more experience now…the fans were positive about the idea.”

Benitez left Liverpool by mutual consent in 2010 after Liverpool finished seventh in the league, missing out on a Champions League place.

While Rafa was surprised not to receive a call from Fenway Sports Group I am not. Simply, he is not their type of manager. FSG would have heard about Rafa’s public outbursts against Liverpool’s previous owners and that is not the confrontational style of management that John Henry likes.

Other than a quick cup of tea at Inter Milan after Liverpool, Rafa has been on the outside looking in at managerial jobs,. Chairman and owners don’t like it when an employee, nee manager, calls them out, and Benitez is paying the price for those public outbursts while as Liverpool manager.