Benitez unleashes on Ferguson

i doubt he'll give too much of a response. i don't think he would want to be drawn into an out and out war of words but we'll see.

I'm guessing united and liverpool fans are going to have very different views about who'll benefit from this.



"I was surprised by what has been said, but maybe they (Manchester United)
are nervous because we are at the top of the table.

"But I want to talk about facts. I want to be clear, I do not want to play
mind games too early, although they seem to want to start.

"But I have seen some facts. On November 1, they played Hull and Mr Ferguson had a two-match touchline ban and a £10,000 fine after confronting Mike Dean, the referee, for improper conduct.

"We started the Respect campaign, and that was when (Javier) Mascherano was sent off (last season) at Old Trafford.

"The referee (Steve Bennett) was the referee when they played against Wigan - he could not see the handball against Wigan by Rio Ferdinand, he did not give a penalty. They won the game and they won the title in this game.

"I think it will be the same referee who will be in charge of their game in hand this season (against Wigan).

"During the Respect campaign - and this is a fact - Mr Ferguson was charged by the FA for improper conduct after comments made about Martin Atkinson and Keith Hackett.

"He was not punished. He is the only manager in the league that cannot be punished for these things.

"Then he was talking about the fixtures. Two years ago we were playing a lot of early kick-offs away on Saturdays when United were playing on Sundays. And we didn't say anything.

"Now he is complaining about everything, that everybody is against United.
But the second half of the season will see them playing at home against all the
teams at the top of the table, it is a fantastic advantage.

"But at Christmas, United played on the 29th and the rest of the teams played
on the 28th. We were away against Newcastle two days after playing Bolton. They were playing about 40 hours later, they were not complaining then.

"And about his behaviour with referees. The Southampton manager he knows how Mr Ferguson works and how he works, he was very clear. I am not playing mind games, just facts.

"If he wants to talk about fixtures, and have a level playing field as you say in England. There are two options if we don't want more problems with fixtures.

"One is the same as in Spain, the draw for the first part of the league is
known, everyone knows which weekend. In the second half everyone plays the
opposite, so you all know.

"Sky and Setanta have the right to choose their games and it will be the same
for everyone. So Mr Ferguson will not be complaining about fixtures and a
campaign against United.

"Or there is another option. That Mr Ferguson organises the fixtures in his
office and sends it to us and everyone will know and cannot complain. That is
simple.

"We know what happens every time we go to Old Trafford and the United staff. They are always going man to man with the referees, especially at half-time when they walk close to the referees and they are talking and talking.

"All managers need to know is that only Mr Ferguson can talk about the
fixtures, can talk about referees and nothing happens.

"We need to know that I am taking about facts, not my impression. There are
things that everyone can see every single week.

"Are they under pressure? Maybe they were not thinking that we would be at
the top of the table in January. But we are at the top of the table and they are
nervous.

"I am not telling the authorities what to do. But I have been here for five
years and know how things are going on. I will be watching United's game with
Chelsea.

"The result does not matter to us, if we win at Stoke that result does not
matter.

"I was surprised United wanted to start the mind games too early, maybe it is
because we are top of the table. But I only wanted to explain our position.

"It is a massive difference to play early on a Saturday, say, after a
European match in midweek.

"But they will play the second half of the season with home matches against
the other top teams, and that is a massive advantage to them.

"They cannot complain about the fixtures after they were playing on December
29 while the rest played on the 28th.

"I have decided that I had a lot of information and I have been watching
every single week what has been going on. Then they started talking about us,
but every single week we know they will be talking.

"But we want to stay at the top and maybe they will talk about us right to
the end.

"To hear someone talking when he has problems with referees every single
week, and now complaining about the fixtures and complaining about everything, I think that is not fair.

"You can see every single week how they put (referees) under pressure, we
know this. We have seen it before. We have seen players sent off at Old Trafford and we do not see our opponents sent off.

"It is part of the game. But to complain and to always have an advantage is
not fair.

"We had a meeting in Manchester with managers and FA about the Respect
campaign. And I was very clear, forget the campaign because Mr Ferguson was killing the referees, killing Mr Atkinson, killing Mr Hackett.

"But he is not punished. How can you talk about the respect campaign and
criticise the referee every single week?

"You can analyse the facts and come to your own decision and ideas

"There is still no news about my contract, my agent has not received any
documents so he is a little bit disappointed. But we will see.

"I would rather not talk too much about this, though, when we have an
important game ahead.''
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I've seen that as a transcript if anyone wants it.
 
Excellent

won't shut the drunken old bugger up though, he gets away with far too much but we all know that anyway
 
Fergie not wanting to get drawn into a war of words? :D

What Benitez has done is exactly what Fergie's done constantly down the years. Fergie's always complaining about how hard done by Utd are with either officials or oppositions trying harder against Utd, not because he believes it but because he hope it will make a difference in the future.
 
not like that he hasn't. I haven't seen ferguson pull a piece of paper out of his pocket to enable him to make his points. FACT.

it's good how you kick started the respect campaign with Mascherano as well lol

;)
 
It'll have the same effect so whether he's got a bit of paper or not makes no difference and i'd imagine when Rafa said 'we started...' he was talking about the EPL rather than Liverpool dan ;)
 
what effect do you think it will have? and obviously there is a difference when you come up with answers as a direct response to a question compared to pulling a preprepared script out of your pocket which kind of gives the game away that something has got to you enough to do that surely?

i don't know what the effect will be but it'll be interesting.
 
Mascherano was sent off at the beginning of the Respect campaign after CASHly Cole went mental at a referee against Spurs if i remember. Benitez is correct to outline the 'facts' because Fergie starts these mind-games at the same time every year. I think Fergie has met his match now though with Benitez because if there's anyone who can pull a stat off the top of his head, defend his team and deflect attention away from his players it's Rafa.
 
Regarding the badgering of the refs, Man U have always done that. They've calmed down a lot since the late 90's, early 2000's, but they still do it. Especially if things aren't going their way on the field.

All teams are capable of doing it, but they seem to make it part of their game plan. I think its right that its been highlighted, though I don't expect anything to change really.
 
Anders0n said:
Is this really necessary? Just get on and play the games...

Glad to see it's wound up the mancs though, that's never a bad thing.
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Other way round mate - Benitez is obviously rattled, he has completely lost it going by that press conference. I don't see them finishing above Utd or Chelsea. Utd fans just think it's hilarious.
 
He didn't seem rattled going by that press conference. He was speaking very calmly and just made it as clear as possible, for those who can't see, that Fergie talks ****.
 
dirtydog said:
Other way round mate - Benitez is obviously rattled, he has completely lost it going by that press conference. I don't see them finishing above Utd or Chelsea. Utd fans just think it's hilarious.
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Did Fergie say anything about Liverpool in his interview, if not then Benitez has bit and needs to chill out and worry about the team and just win every game and they will be champions...simple.
 
BaZ87 said:
Fergie not wanting to get drawn into a war of words? :D

What Benitez has done is exactly what Fergie's done constantly down the years. Fergie's always complaining about how hard done by Utd are with either officials or oppositions trying harder against Utd, not because he believes it but because he hope it will make a difference in the future.
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no your wrong, Benitez talks facts whereas the lush talks bull ...
 
hahahahahahahahahaha

I'd love it if we beat them, I'd love it........

:D

Someone is feeling the pressure, if Liverpool don't go on to win the league now Benitez is going to look like a bigger tit than he already is.


Benitez talks facts....

hahahaha
 
'Benitez has lost it like Keegan'

What a load of complete and utter drivel. Keegan had clearly lost the plot as it was all said in haste, post match. You can see Rafa has clearly thought about this, and his timing is perfect. He calmly delivers facts, takes the pressure off his skipper and piles pressure on United and the officials for Sunday.

Job well done and the comment on zonal marking the United officials was gold.
 
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