Sky pundits strike again as Jamie Redknapp launches unbelievable attack on Rafa Benitez

I was watching the build up to yesterday’s draw at Crystal Palace and if Grame Souness spouting rubbish wasn’t bad enough, Jamie Redknapp decided to get involved..

The Sky pundit begun with questioning whether Benitez is interested in improving his own players, also stating he he’ll have to ‘find a way’ to keep us up if he’s as good a manager as he says he is..

He then added that he must ‘stop complaining’. Something that he’s not actually been doing of late despite having every right to over the past month in-particular (with him not even knowing his budget in January while Mike Ashley left to club paralysed as he was enjoying his holiday in the US).

Here’s what Jamie had to say on Sky yesterday:

“If Rafa is as good a manager as he says he is then he needs to find a way of keeping them up and stop complaining”

Incredible really. Pundits somehow continue to almost side with Mike Ashley in all of this, completely ignoring the fact that Benitez has been dealt a pretty bad hand by the NUFC owner.

Questioning his quality as a manager is unbelievable in the circumstances too. The fact we’re in with a shout with a Championship squad says a lot about him to begin with for me.

And as far as his ability to improve players is concerned, I can’t thinking of a single player whose gone backwards since he arrived. As highlighted below, the likes of Paul Dummett has come on leaps and bounds.

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

11 thoughts on “Sky pundits strike again as Jamie Redknapp launches unbelievable attack on Rafa Benitez

  1. Pundits have to spout ***** or no one would listen, or discuss it as we are…that is how they get paid.
    I never listen to them, I just watch the Rafa and other manager interview, and the game, rest is with the sound off….

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  2. Another nobody spouting about our club, I for one have not heard Rafa say that he is a good manager it’s other people that say it. I wonder if Redknap thinks that he can do a better job ??????? I doubt it that’s why he’s like the all the other muppets that talk a good game on ” SKY “.

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  3. Another mediocre ex player who has got his head to too many crosses in his career. He is in the same category as Jamie Carragher, no intelligence, no constructive comments, just spouts what the TV station expects him to. No experience as a manager because he has not got the guts to do it, prefers to hide behind the position of pundit as a someone who is envious of those with real talent.

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  4. Redknapp stop slagging Rafa off!!! If you are so clever you manage a club for an owner who sews his trouser pockets up. I played against you a couple of times many years ago and you were a weak , whining ,**** footballer who without the help of your dad would have never made it as a professional. You have absolutely no managerial experience along with carragher and Neville (apart from his Spanish holiday complete failure ) and as for souness what can you say other than being a complete and utter ****!!!!

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  5. Jamie is a pillock who was awful at football – and even worse in bed, as his wife left him.

    As a ‘pundit’, he is even worse.

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  6. Sadly, SKY have a bias which totally ignores the views of NUFC supporters. Rarely, in recent history, have the supporters been so united in their support for the Manager (Rafa Benitez) and SKY should recognise this. The question of “vested interest” does raise it’s head. Local supporters can see every week where Rafa has improved our players and also the team and Jamie should respect that.

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  7. Redknapp, Carragher, and Tin Sherwood have NEVER had a good word about anything Newcastle United, the reason they are pundits my friends is because away from football they don’t a brain between the three of them, lest be honest Carragher is still learning to TRY and talk English

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  8. Sourness. …..Hmffff.a complete Tw@.

    Max:
    Redknapp stop slagging Rafa off!!! If you are so clever you manage a club for an owner who sews his trouser pockets up. I played against you a couple of times many years ago and you were a weak , whining ,**** footballer who without the help of your dad would have never made it as a professional. You have absolutely no managerial experience along with carragher and Neville (apart from his Spanish holiday complete failure ) and as for souness what can you say other than being a complete and utter ****!!!!

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  9. I found this from a LFC website talking about Rafa at the time where they had problems with their board members.

    A bit long winded but bang on.

    Rafa Benitez the Facts behind His Liverpool Transfers So Far
    LFC Stats Has taken this from the yanks out website to help spread the word that every faith needs to be kept in Rafa

    In Rafa we believe
    Seems a lot of people want Benitez out because of the “**** players he’s bought” and all the “money he’s wasted on rubbish” when he could have “bought much better high quality players”

    Let’s take a look shall we?

    Here’s the full list of players he’s signed since he’s been at the club (please read the summary below):

    2004/05

    £2m – Josemi: peanuts and was moved on in a swap for Kromkamp 18 months later
    £1.5m – Antonio Nunez: part of the Michael Owen deal and filled a gap for a while. Peanuts.
    £10.7m – Xabi Alonso: Massive success and sold for £30m+ in the summer when he wanted to leave
    £6m – Luis Garcia: Massive success and sold to Athletico Madrid for £4m
    Free – Pelligrino: Stop gap that allowed us to rest Sami for league games, benefitting us massively in Istanbul. Now on the coaching staff.
    £6.3m – Fernando Morientes: Pretty much everyone made up when we signed him, top class, but never settled. Sold for £3m to Valencia.
    £1m – Scott Carson: One the most highly rated young keepers around. Lost out through injury and signing of Reina when Dudek left the club. Sold for £3.25m.

    Total bought: £27.5m

    Free – Marcus Babbel: Released to Stuttgart at the end of his career.
    £2.5m – Danny Murphy: Xabi Alonso signed to fill the role Murphy had in the side
    £8.5m – Michael Owen: Wouldn’t sign a new contract and sold before he left on a free. He’s done nothing since that is a masterstroke with hindsight.
    Free – Stephane Henchoz: Released to Celtic at the end of his career

    Total sold: £11m

    A total of £16.5m net spend in his first year at the club, with the vast majority of that being spent on Xabi Alonso.

    2004/05 net spend: £16.5m

    2005/06

    £240,000 – Antonio Barragan: Kid for the future. Sold for £675,000 to Deportivo a year later.
    Free – Boudewijn Zenden: Signed for nothing and released for nothing. Did a job for us.
    £6m – Pepe Reina: In the top 3 or 4 keepers in the world now and still young. One of Rafa’s best signings.
    £5.6m – Momo Sissoko: Brilliant for a few years, had that eye injury and sold to Juventus when his form dipped for £8.2m. Replaced by Mascherano.
    £7m – Peter Crouch: One signing I did question but proved to be a great bit of business. Turned him from a laughing stock into an international. Sold for £11m.
    Unkown – Miki Roque: Kid bought for peanuts. Sold again for an unknown amount.
    £150,000 – Jack Hobbs: Highly rated 16yr old signed from Lincoln. Didn’t progress as hoped and sold to Leicester for a reported £1.5m, although figure not confirmed.
    £190,000 Besian Idrizaj: No idea who he is
    £1.5m – Mark Gonzales: Cheap player to provide back up for the left wing. Sold for £3.5m to Real Betis.
    Exchange – Paul Anderson: Swapped for John Welsh. Sold for £250,000.
    Exchange – Jan Kromkamp: Swapped for Josemi. Later sold for £1.75m
    £5.8m – Daniel Agger: Blighted by injuries but potentially top class and great signing for the money.
    £250,000 – David Martin: Young reserve keeper
    Free – Robbie Fowler: Pay as you play deal and no risk involved. Scored a few goals. Released in the summer.

    Total bought: £26.73

    Free – Vladimir Smicer: Out of contract and released. Played a small part in Istanbul.
    £3.5m – El Hadji Diouf: The best £3.5m Rafa has ever recieved.
    Free – Pellegrino: Filled the gap in the last 5 months of the previous season, not good enough and released.
    £2m – Alou Diarra: Sold for £2m. One of Houllier’s buys.
    £2m – Antonio Nunez: Bought for £1.5m and now sold for £2m when didn’t work out.
    £6.5m – Milan Baros: A Houllier signing sold at a profit. He’s done nothing since.
    Exchange – John Welsh: Swapped for Paul Anderson
    Exchange – Josemi: Swapped for Kronkamp.

    Total sold: £14m

    2005/06 net spend: £12.73m

    2006/07

    £6m – Craig Bellamy: Good signing and later sold for £7.5m to fund Torres deal.
    £2m – Gabriel Palletta: Played a few league cup games, not good enough and sold for £1.2m
    Free – Fabio Aurelio: Very injury prone but a good player when fit. Great signing for nothing.
    £6.7m – Jermaine Pennant: Second choice after missing out on Alves. Ran his contract down and released. Attitude stank.
    £9m – Dirk Kuyt: Has his critics, but has been brilliant for the money. 15 goals last season from wide and vital to the way we play. Ultimate pro. Great signing.
    £200,000 – Nabil El Zhar: Few cameos last season and improving. Injured now. Promising still. Peanuts.
    £750,000 – Astrit Ajdarevic: No idea who he is, and released on a free to Leicester.
    Loan – Daniele Padelli: Reserve keeper, made one appearance and never seen again.
    Undisclosed – Jordy Brouwer: Young reserve.
    £2.5m – Alvaro Arbeloa: Bargain signing, great service for a few years and sold for £3.5m when running his contract down.
    Loan – Javier Mascherano: Rescued from West Ham, now one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and will probably be sold to Barca this summer for a massive profit. Paid £18.6m for him a year later at end of loan deal.

    Total bought: £27.15m

    £200,000 – Zak Whitbread: Youngster
    Undisclosed – Bruno Cheyrou: Houllier flopped, sold for a reported £1.5m.
    £3m – Fernando Morientes: Didn’t work out. Cut his losses.
    Free – Didi Hamann: Great servant, released at the end of his career
    £675,000 – Antonio Barragan: Paid £240,000 for him.
    £2m – Djimi Traore: Houllier signing and daylight robbery getting £2m for him
    £500,000 – Neil Mellor: Signed as a kid and did a job for a while. Not good enough and released.
    £1.75m – Jan Kromkamp: Nunez bought for £2m, swapped for him, who then sold for £1.75m. Stop gaps at minimal expense.
    £525,000 – Darren Potter: Acadamy lad, not good enough and robbery getting that much for him.
    £1.5m – Steven Warnock: Probably sold to cheap and looks a mistake with hindsight. Good squad player.
    Free – Salif Diao: The clearout of Houllier’s flops continues.

    Total sold: £10.15m

    2006/07 net spend: £17m

    2007/08

    £5m – Lucas Leiva: Brazilian player of the year when signed. Could still go either way but a lot to prove.
    Undisclosed – Krisztian Nemeth: Promising youngster currently out on loan in Athens.
    £270,000 – Mikel San Jose Dominguez: Youngester plays in the reserves.
    £1.8m – Sebastian Leto: Left winger signing but refused a work permit. Sold for £3m.
    £20.2m – Fernando Torres: Bargain of the century
    Free – Andriy Voronin: Free transfer to strengthen the squad. Plays well in Germany, garbage over here.
    £5m – Yossi Benayoun: Took a while to settle but now a key player. Superb signing and an absolute bargain.
    £11.5m – Ryan Babel: Highly rated dutch international. Absolute waste of space. Bad signing on reflection, but nobody knew how he’d turn out. Still got potential but he can’t be arsed.
    Undisclosed – Charles Itandje: Back up keeper signed for peanuts. Now released.
    £1.3m – Emiliano Insua: Youngster who is now a full Argentinian international and massive potential. Bargain.
    £6.5m – Martin Skrtel: Been off form this season so far, but brilliant last year and a good signing for the money.
    £18.6m – Javier Mascherano: Completion of loan deal

    Total bought: £70.7m

    £2.7m – Florent Simana-Pongolle: Houllier youngster sold wanting first team football.
    £100,000 – Daniel O’Donnell: Kid sold
    Free – Jerzy Dudek: Released at end of contract
    Free – Zenden: Released at end of contract
    Free – Robbie Fowler: Released at end of contract
    £4m – Luis Garcia: Wanted to return to Spain. Great service.
    £6m – Djibril Cisse: Houllier signing sold to part fund Torres deal.
    £7.5m – Craig Bellamy: Sold at profit to part fund Torres deal
    £3.5m – Mark Gonzales: Signed for £1.5m and sold when didn’t work out.
    £1.2m – Gabriel Palletta: Bought for £2m but never worked out. Young defender.
    £3.5m – Chris Kirkland: Houllier signing. Injury prone and wanted first team football.
    £8.2m – Momo Sissoko: Great signing, good service, sold when lost his form at a profit.

    Total sold: £36.7m

    2007/08 net spend: £34m

    2008/09

    Free – Philip Degen: Garbage, but free.
    £7m – Andrea Dossena: Italian international left back. Hasn’t settled. Bad signing.
    £3.5m – Diego Cavalieri: Reserve keeper. Only played league cup games so far.
    £1.5m – David N’gog: Young French striker. Promising.
    £19m – Robbie Keane: Everyone made up when we signed him. Didn’t work out and sold back to Spurs for £16m.
    £8m – Albert Riera: Spanish international. Started well but jury still out.
    Total bought: £39m

    £4m – John Arne Riise: Good servant but form tailed off. Snapped their hands off at £4m.
    Free – Harry Kewell: Harry who?
    Undisclosed – Anthony Le Tallec: Houllier youngster finally released. Fee not known.
    £11m – Peter Crouch: Laughing stock bought for £7m. Great signing. Wanted first team football.
    £2.25m – Danny Guthrie: Youngster from Acadamy thought not good enough.
    £3.25m – Scott Carson: Injury prone and Reina now first choice. Sold at profit.
    Undisclosed – Steve Finnan: Sold for a fee believed to be £1m
    £16m – Robbie Keane: Didn’t work out.
    Undisclosed – Jack Hobbs: Young defender that didn’t progress. Sold for believed to £1.5m.
    Total sold: £36.5m

    2008/09 net spend: £2.5m

    2009/10

    £17.5m – Glen Johnson: Big fee, but has been brilliant so far.
    £17.1m – Alberto Aquilani: Injured so far but meant to be a class act. Highly rated in Italy.
    £2m – Sotirios Kyrgiakos: Last minute signing to fill Hyypia’s shoes. Only money we had to spend.
    £160,000 – Daniel Ayala: Young defender, played a few times this season and looked promising.
    Total bought: £36.76m

    £250,000 – Paul Anderson: Youngster that didn’t progess.
    Free – Jermaine Pennant: Out of contract. Poor signing.
    Free – Miki Roque: No idea who he is. Bought for peanuts.
    £3m – Sebastian Leto: Signed for £1.8m but didn’t get a work permit. Had to sell.
    £3.5m – Alvaro Arbeloa: Wanted to leave and out of contract in the summer.
    £30m – Xabi Alonso: Wanted to leave. Bought for £10.7m. Great signing.
    Total sold: £36.75m

    2009/10 net spend: £10,000

    Total Players Bought: £228,976,000
    Total Players Sold: £145,100,000
    Total Net Spend: £83,876,000
    So, that’s a total spend of just over £83m in 5 years at the club. An average of £16.6m a year.

    The vast majority of his signings have been sold at profit, or if still at the club, are worth a lot more than we paid for them. Exceptions being Babel and Dossena, but we’ll still get decent fees for them when sold as they’re full internationals.
    A lot of the signings above have been stepping stones in rebuilding the squad, gradually improving it by replacing players with better ones. Our league positions over the past 5 years and the improvement in our league positions and point’s totals show the progression.

    2004/05: Finished 5th – 58 pts
    2005/06: Finished 3rd – 82 pts
    2006/07: Finished 3rd – 68 pts
    2007/08: Finished 4th – 76 pts
    2008/09: Finished 2nd – 86 pts

    Is it any coincidence that the progression seems to have stopped this summer? Look at the transfer activity above for this year and it might explain why.
    Look at our net spend over the past 2 years!
    We have a wage bill that is the 5th highest in the league. We can’t afford to pay players £70,000 to be sat on the bench like United and Chelsea can.
    Rafa Benitez’ record with signings at the top end of the market is nothing short of brilliant. Robbie Keane being the only flop, but he was sold 6 months later and only a small financial hit taken on that mistake. Rick Parry agreed the fee for buying him in the first place, and common knowledge Rafa wasn’t happy with it; feeling it was far too high.
    Where has this myth come from that he’s wasted money on ***** players? Have a look through the lists above and try to point them out. There isn’t many.
    The ones that haven’t worked out he’s moved on, and not very often has he made a financial loss on them.
    The squad is now worth a hell of a lot more than the one he inherited, and that £83m net spend over 5 years is easily offset by the increased value of the squad. He’d recoup nearly all of that through the sale of Torres alone!
    He’s worked absolute wonders with the money he’s had to spend. Then take into account the massive amounts of money he’s self-generated by reaching the latter stages of the CL every season. Two final appearances, one win. That £83m he’s spent he’s earned the right to spend.
    And when comparing it to what United have spent in the same period is flawed, as they already had a title winning squad and all the foundations in place. They weren’t rebuilding from scratch like we were. It also doesn’t take into account their massive wage bill.

    When comparing to Chelsea, they spent all their money before Rafa came to the club and just topping up an already established squad.
    Man City have spent more than double in the past 12 months than Rafa Benitez has in his 5 year reign.
    Do some people still want to get rid of him? If so, you’ve been listening to Andy Gray and Richard Keys for too much and unable to look at the facts yourself to form an opinion.
    Every manager makes tactical mistakes. Every manager makes mistakes in the transfer market. Despite what the press seem to think; Rafael Benitez appears to make less mistakes than most.
    We’re expected to win the league and European Cup on a budget and wage bill that is entitled to finish 4th or 5th in the league. We’ve been overachieving under Rafael Benitez, not underachieving.
    I’m not even going to mention the environment he’s working in under them two clowns.

    You’ll only miss him when he’s gone…

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