Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has set his sights on improving every aspect of the Anfield club after signing a new long-term contract. The Spaniard finally put an end to speculation over his future yesterday evening when he put pen-to-paper on a five-year deal. With his own future resolved, Benitez is eager to agree new contracts for key players such as Daniel Agger and Dirk Kuyt and tie his backroom staff to fresh terms.
"It was a very easy decision for me to take because I only ever wanted to stay at this football club," he told the Liverpool Echotoday. "My priority now is to do the deals for my staff and for the players who will be important for this club in the future.
"We want to improve in all departments - the squad, the mentality - everything that we possibly can.
"We want to be successful and to bring trophies to this club for the fans."
With Benitez rejecting the initial drafts of his new contract from the club's hierarchy, speculation increased that he could be set to turn his back on Merseyside outfit.
But while the former Valencia boss admits the negotiations were tense at times, he never envisaged leaving Anfield.
He said: "Because of the uncertainty it was a difficult time. The conversations went on for a long time and because of that I was a bit worried.
"But I never thought of leaving and in the end it has all been sorted out thanks to the hard work of everyone involved.
"From the very beginning everyone knew that I wanted to stay here.
"But it took a bit longer for everything to be concluded because there were certain issues that we needed to be clarified."
Signing the new long-term deal has set the seal on a memorable spell for Liverpool, with Benitez's commitment coming after their Champions League thrashing of Real Madrid and last Saturday's 4-1 win at Manchester United.
But the Spaniard, who moved to Merseyside in June 2004, is already looking to the future and is eager to add more silverware to the Anfield trophy cabinet.
He said: "For me and for my family it has been a fantastic week. My idea is always to win trophies, not just games.
"But to beat Real Madrid and Manchester United and then sign the contract makes this a perfect week. But now we must look ahead, not back."
Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks insists he was "never worried" about Rafael Benitez's long-term future at the club.
Benitez ended months of bitter wrangling over his future by signing a new contract on Wednesday night that will keep him at Anfield until 2014.
Internal politics had led to doubts about his position at the club but Hicks believes there was never a real possibility of him leaving.
"I was never worried we would lose Rafa Benitez," Hicks told Sky Sports News. "These things are complicated. A five-year contract is complicated, so I'm just relieved we finally got it done.
"From the supporters' point of view, to have it done on top of such a great week on the pitch is great."
Hicks played down long-running reports that the delay was down to a power struggle - and in particular wrangling over transfer policy.
"That was in the media but it was never really true," he said."I sat down with Rafa a couple of months ago and he made it very clear that he knows a manager can't have control over transfer budget.
"He has had his frustrations over the last five years and those are well chronicled but he will make the recommendations about which players we sign and the new CEO, the owners and the board will make the final financial commitment. And that is the way it needs to be."
The American is happy with the Reds' improvement in the Premier League and added: "We have a chance to catch Manchester United. It's not a great chance, but it's a chance."
