Benitez has a duty to put England first

[Cunny]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...amp;ito=newsnow

Benitez has a duty to put England first

 

Sir Bobby Robson

 

Rafa Benitez is one of the best examples of how the relationship between top foreign managers and English football has benefited everyone. We've learned from their tactical ability and professionalism, they have become enthused with our passion for football.

 

Rafa has brought many good things to Liverpool but he would be the first to accept England has also been a very good home, allowing him to earn great money to work in the most exciting league in the world.

 

That is why his attitude towards Steven Gerrard playing for the international team has begun to alarm me. He seems to be making comments that can only disrupt Steve McClaren ahead of two absolutely vital qualification games.

 

I know the pressure managers at big clubs are under — I was in charge of Barcelona, arguably the biggest — but when you work in England, like Rafa does, you also have a duty to help the national team when you can.

 

When Gerrard fractured his toe last month, he played for Liverpool a few days later against Chelsea and then pulled out of England's friendly versus Germany.

 

It was a clear case of putting club before country.

 

To be fair, it was only a friendly, so I am sure McClaren gritted his teeth and got on with it, while Gerrard said his withdrawal was to help him play for England in the games that matter, against Israel and Russia. Now Rafa is suggesting maybe Gerrard should only play in one of the qualifying games rather than both and is warning England to be careful.

 

Why is he making such a statement? Surely it is up to the England doctors, in conjunction with McClaren, to decide.

 

All Rafa is doing is putting his player — who I am sure is desperate to play for his country — under more pressure.

 

If Steve's foot isn't up to two games in five days, it is partly Rafa's responsibility anyway — after all, he selected Steve in the Liverpool team just a few days after the original injury because it suited the club. If it is OK for Gerrard to have an injection to play in a big match for Liverpool, why shouldn't it be OK for him to do the same for England?

 

Given the horrific injury list McClaren faces anyway: no David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville, Aaron Lennon, Dean Ashton and possibly Frank Lampard, it is all the more important that those who can play, should play.No longer can England boast one of the largest squads in the world.

 

There will always be club-versus-country conflicts because there will be differing interests at stake. But what is happening now is taking it a step farther, because a club manager is intimating one of his star players should miss a key qualification game, not just a friendly.

 

If this continues, international football will become a second-class citizen in this country and that is very short-sighted.

 

I am speaking not just as a former England manager, but as a fan of the game.

 

The Premier League relies on a good England team for its own long-term health.

 

England might not have won a major trophy since 1966, but we always qualify for the finals of major tournaments and produce nail-biting matches — too many of which we lose on penalties, of course! If we don't qualify for Euro 2008, it will have a major detrimental effect not just for the Football Association and the England team, but for Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and other clubs, too.

 

Players like John Terry,Wayne Rooney and, yes, Gerrard will be desperately unhappy to watch the other big nations play in a major tournament while they are on holidays.

 

They will be embarrassed to see Sweden out there, for example, and not England.How can that happen with our history and our league?

 

We have to come to a decision in this country: do we want a successful England team which challenges for the major trophies?

 

If the answer is no, we will drop out of contention for winning anything and the new Wembley will be a huge white elephant. If the answer is yes, and I hope it is, we need co-operation from the club managers without quibbling. That is why Rafa should be doing what he can to encourage Gerrard to play, not rush him into games for Liverpool and then claim he might not be 100 per cent for England.

 

The obvious weakness in McClaren's squad named on Friday is up front. Last week, I asked if it was time to leave out Michael Owen. I'm sure if his rivals were in form and scoring goals, it would be a distinct possibility.

 

The trouble is that hardly any of our top strikers are playing, let alone scoring.

 

Of the five forwards picked by McClaren, Owen, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch have not been first-choice strikers this season, while another — Alan Smith — is being played in midfield. The only striker who is a regular No 9 for his club is Andy Johnson and, unfortunately, his form at Everton has been hot and cold.

 

While we have a surplus of quality centre-halves and some cover in midfield, the lack of strength in depth up front is a big worry, even against sides like Israel and Russia that we would normally beat.

 

In the first game particularly, I think it's important to play as many attacking players as possible for goal options. Ideally, I would like to see Gerrard and Lampard both in the side because they are capable of scoring at any time.

 

It was a surprise for me that Jermaine Jenas was left out of the original squad because he has been in good form for Spurs. If Lampard doesn't make it, maybe Jenas can be called up because he can at least thread his way from midfield into the opposition penalty area better than Owen Hargreaves or Michael Carrick.

 

Because we have problems up front,we need players in the team who are capable of scoring goals, and Gerrard comes highly into that category. He could even play as a second striker.

 

This is a major test for Steve McClaren, there is no doubt about it. He has enough injury problems without the best of our club managers adding to his

 

Does he f*** by the way.

Gerrard didn't play today, which at best must make him doubtful for Wednesday.

LFC pay his wages, he is LFC's captain and best player and Rafa/LFC have to ensure he is fit for LFC and the injury is not made worse.

It's not our fault there are other injuries. If this was the mancs there would be no way the player would be going on international duty.

[dorgie]

[Redwire]

"If we don't qualify for Euro 2008, it will have a major detrimental effect not just for the Football Association and the England team, but for Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and other clubs, too."

 

Will it f*ck.

[stonty]

I like the "we", f*ck England, to me its "they"

[Barnes' left foot]

Is this article from the same Bobby Robson that wanted Nobby Solano to give up playing for Peru so he could concentrate on playing for Newcastle when Robson was the manager there?

 

"international football will become a second-class citizen in this country and that is very short-sighted"

 

People in glass houses, Robson.

[Archangel]

Agreed - Liverpool have no obligation to England whatsoever.

[Guest JV]

Garth Crooks is the only one in the media who i've seen side with us on this.

[Mascherano]

I am English but have become disillusioned with 'Team England'. It is BORING.

 

I was really pissed that Michael Owen seemed to see his England place as a priority even when he was at Liverpool. He played in the WC before last even though he wasn't fit, they kept him going through the tournament and what followed? More injuries throughout the next season and f*** you LFC.

 

England have a complete baffoon in charge, a Brian Robson type football management failure. I don't want Gerrard in his team and I'm glad that Carra has closed the door on it.

 

Steve Gerrard would be better off retiring from international football.

 

And I quote, "Players like John Terry,Wayne Rooney and, yes, Gerrard will be desperately unhappy to watch the other big nations play in a major tournament while they are on holidays."

 

Well, I would be loving the fact that he was on holiday having some rest after a long season and ready, in the best possible shape to lead this club the following season.

[slapnuts]

without reading that robson can f*** off

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

he has a duty to Liverpool FC first. His wife & kids second

[Benitez]

Rafa can also work in any fecin league he likes, such is his talent, so I'm not sure what Sir Bobster is going on about like the prem is somehow the ones doing the favour in giving him a job.

[slapnuts]

Now its Rafas fault crouch isnt playing so he isnt ready for england

[gkmacca]

Robson is a decent bloke, but, like all managers, he has a selective memory. He never seems to mention Fergerscum holding back players, he ignores the cack-handed way he dropped Keegan, he ignores his own squabbles with would-be international players (i.e. Paul Walsh) and he feigns ignorance of certain injuries (St Lineker retired due to a toe injury incurred, originally, while playing for Bobby Robson).

[Bo Benn]

I echo the sentiments that Robson seems to be a good man but he is just soooo way off in a lot of the things he says in that article.

 

Rafa has brought many good things to Liverpool but he would be the first to accept England has also been a very good home, allowing him to earn great money to work in the most exciting league in the world.

 

He is employed by Liverpool. Is he suggesting he should put the England national team ahead of his employer?

 

I know the pressure managers at big clubs are under — I was in charge of Barcelona, arguably the biggest — but when you work in England, like Rafa does, you also have a duty to help the national team when you can.

 

There's no such duty

 

The Premier League relies on a good England team for its own long-term health.

 

What kind bulls*** conclusion is that?

 

England might not have won a major trophy since 1966, but we always qualify for the finals of major tournaments and produce nail-biting matches

 

Erm... 1974, 1978, 1994?

 

If we don't qualify for Euro 2008, it will have a major detrimental effect not just for the Football Association and the England team, but for Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and other clubs, too.

 

Again, how the hell can you say that? In what possible way could for instance we, Liverpool be worse off if England did not qualify? I certainly cannot see how.

 

Players like John Terry,Wayne Rooney and, yes, Gerrard will be desperately unhappy to watch the other big nations play in a major tournament while they are on holidays.

 

Their unhappiness will therefore make them loose the will to play football again when they return for pre-season training for their clubs which will make the clubs worse off? In that case it will be a freakin' disaster if Spain didn't qualify!!

 

They will be embarrassed to see Sweden out there, for example, and not England

 

That's just offending you fecking racialist!!

[Boca]

Erm Bobby, the FAI pay your wages now, so how about shutting the f*** up about England and trying to actually attend an Irish game? Thanks.

[So Cal Red]

Robson's comments come across as ridiculously naive... what a joker!

[The Invisible Man]

Who exactly pays Gerrard's wages??

And another thing. Currently we have arguably the best right winger and best centre back in England who Mclaren seems to think should be behind the likes of Alan Smith, Ashley Young, David Bentley, Ledley King and Wes Brown in the pecking order. We would have been happy to let them play if you'd given them a chance instead of pissing about with Carra and overlooking Pennant.

Hopefully the only Liverpool playing in the England game on Saturday will be Yossi, and I hope Israel win.

[MFletcher]

As a Northern Irishman, I have nothing but contempt for the England team and the media-frenzy that surrounds it. Liverpool pay his wages and why he thinks the Premier League is doing Rafa a favour by allowing him to work here...

 

The guy is blinded by patriotism. That's all fair and well, but he wanted Nobby Solano to stop playing for Peru. Is that because Peru isn't as important as England?

 

The article is filled with false information and inaccurate assessments. I like Bobby, but he's talking complete and total nonsense there.

[windy city red]

I know this is abit out of context, but how can anyone think that the exclusion of Jenas is a "surprise"? Might be just me but I think he's not very good.....

[New York Red]

Oh give him a break. He's a silly old sod. He's not playing with a full deck now.

[fyds]

Sir Bobby Alzheimer misses the point entirely, in that Liverpool supporters don't generally care much about England - be they English or something else. Most of us perceive 'Eng-er-lund' as a media-powered southern, London based yobs club that has little or nothing to do with us - I'm sure many Everton, United, City, Newcastle etc fans feel similarly. Our Irish fans generally seem to give a damn about the Republic's fortunes, which is up to them - but the Republic doesn't carry the same heinous baggage with it that Team Eng-er-lund does.

 

On a more factual basis, we pay his wages, and club football with it's Champions League, UEFA Cup, league titles, FA cups etc could survive quite nicely without Internationals, but not the other way around - International football depends on Club football - not vice versa. For many years, anyone with eyes to see with can understand that International football's main purpose is to raise revenue for FA bodies to keep Blatter and Platini etc in the manner to which they have become accustomed at potential high cost to clubs, little to the goevrning bodies.

 

Of course that may change with the South African world cup, which I believe certain people even in the heirarchy feel is going to be a feck-up on a major scale...we shall see.

[Stevie H]

yes, liverpool pay his wages, and yes, (most) liverpool fans couldn't give a crap about england, but mad old uncle bobby is spot on about gerrard not wanting to miss the party next summer. he'll play both england games probably drive them to wins in both and i hope to hell he doesn't worsen his injury,

[Flight]

I am English but have become disillusioned with 'Team England'. It is BORING.

 

And I quote, "Players like John Terry,Wayne Rooney and, yes, Gerrard will be desperately unhappy to watch the other big nations play in a major tournament while they are on holidays."

 

Well, I would be loving the fact that he was on holiday having some rest after a long season and ready, in the best possible shape to lead this club the following season.

 

 

[Flight]

yes, liverpool pay his wages, and yes, (most) liverpool fans couldn't give a crap about england, but mad old uncle bobby is spot on about gerrard not wanting to miss the party next summer. he'll play both england games probably drive them to wins in both and i hope to hell he doesn't worsen his injury,

 

 

To be honest mate, if he does play both England games I don't think Rafa will pick him for a game or two after Xabi and Masch's perfomance in the centre yesterday; that'd make him re-evaluate his England commitment.

[Guest Johnie82]

Completely agree Steve H.The point of this Gerrard club vs Country story is that Gerrard wants to play for England vey very much and obviously thinks it's a big deal for him.He doesn't see it like us do even if we're right about who pays his wages and stuff like that.