Soccer

Benitez seeks contract talks

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is eager to avoid a repeat of the contract problems that forced him to quit Valencia

Sun Nov 02 2008 - 00:00

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is eager to avoid a repeat of the contract problems that forced him to quit Valencia. With 18 months now left on his Anfield contract, Benitez does not want to walk away from another work in progress.

Benitez won a second La Liga title and the Uefa Cup with Valencia in 2004 and had compiled a list of targets including the likes of emerging talents Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba, but the Spanish boss walked out on the final year of his contract to take charge of Liverpool after broken promises over a new deal.

"I left Valencia because there were problems with my contract and other situations that meant I decided to leave," he said. "It wasn't my idea to leave because I had a list of names in place that would have improved the team. I believe Valencia would have gone on to win more trophies."

Benitez has led Liverpool to two Champions League finals, winning the top European crown in 2005, and this season the Reds look like genuine Premier League title contenders.

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The 48-year-old feels Liverpool are on the verge of creating a dynasty at Anfield and he is eager to commit his long-term future to the club now that co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks claim to have healed their boardroom rift.

"I spoke with George Gillett in London last week but there was nothing about a new contract," Benitez added. "That is OK because I want to concentrate. But if the owners ask to talk about a new contract that would be good also.

"If not, I will continue to do my job for as long as I can and then we will see. I really want to stay at Liverpool and hopefully in the future the squad will be even better.

"I would like to be here a long time so I am waiting. After improving the squad for the last five years I know we are very, very close to having a fantastic team and I want to be part of their future.

"I am also sure that this Liverpool team, with the staff I have also, will get better every year," he told the Sunday Mirror."The contract situation does not put me under more pressure to win either the title or the Champions League because in my mind I am just thinking about winning every game.

"I think we are close to having the team I want, but if I start thinking 'we have to win this trophy' it is possible to lose focus."