Money-grabber Barry has put cash ahead of his career, says Liverpool boss Benitez
by JOHN EDWARDS
Rafa Benitez labelled England midfielder Gareth Barry a money-grabber yesterday in an outspoken attack over the player's decision to join Manchester City instead of Liverpool.
Barry almost became a Liverpool signing last summer and looked bound for Anfield again this year until City won him over with a five-year contract worth £100,000 a week
The former Aston Villa skipper, who cost City £12million, insisted his change of heart had been influenced solely by the promise of more big-name arrivals at Eastlands, but Liverpool manager Benitez angrily rejected his claim and accused him of putting cash before his career prospects.
Speaking at a press conference for right back Glen Johnson's £17m arrival from Portsmouth, Benitez reflected on how Barry had forfeited a Champions League campaign by spurning Liverpool.
He said: 'When you are a player thinking of moving to a new club, you have to make sure it is for the right reasons, because, if it is just for money, you may make a mistake, like Gareth Barry did.
'I don't want to say too much about that, but some decisions this year have been shaped by those considerations and his was one. It is 100 per cent clear that it was down to money.
'If a player is motivated more by money than success, then maybe it is not a bad thing to miss out on him. I believe passion should be the main factor when you are signing a player.
'Maybe it's just me, but I have this idea that everyone in football at this level earns big wages and that money should not be the main thing. You have to enjoy your career, strive to improve and look to play at the highest level you can.'
Benitez admitted the transfer market had gone 'crazy', adding: 'It is all money, money, money now. We had to pay big money for Glen but we were signing a good player, an England player, and that is very positive. He had good offers from other clubs, but I could tell from talking to him that he wanted to come here because he felt he could improve.
'He knows we will work him very hard, concentrate on making him an even better player and guarantee his place at next year's World Cup finals. He has many attributes, but there are areas to work on, like making him a better defender.'
Benitez delivered a blunt message to midfielders Xabi Alonso, a target for Real Madrid, and Javier Mascherano, who is wanted by Barcelona, and made it clear there would be no easy way out of Anfield for either player.
He said: 'We signed Xabi from Real Sociedad when nobody had really heard much of him outside of Spain and renewed his contract two years ago, and Javier needed picking up when we brought him from West Ham.
'Both players owe a lot to this club and the fans who think so much of them. They owe a debt of loyalty and they know that.'
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by JOHN EDWARDS
Rafa Benitez labelled England midfielder Gareth Barry a money-grabber yesterday in an outspoken attack over the player's decision to join Manchester City instead of Liverpool.
Barry almost became a Liverpool signing last summer and looked bound for Anfield again this year until City won him over with a five-year contract worth £100,000 a week
The former Aston Villa skipper, who cost City £12million, insisted his change of heart had been influenced solely by the promise of more big-name arrivals at Eastlands, but Liverpool manager Benitez angrily rejected his claim and accused him of putting cash before his career prospects.
Speaking at a press conference for right back Glen Johnson's £17m arrival from Portsmouth, Benitez reflected on how Barry had forfeited a Champions League campaign by spurning Liverpool.
He said: 'When you are a player thinking of moving to a new club, you have to make sure it is for the right reasons, because, if it is just for money, you may make a mistake, like Gareth Barry did.
'I don't want to say too much about that, but some decisions this year have been shaped by those considerations and his was one. It is 100 per cent clear that it was down to money.
'If a player is motivated more by money than success, then maybe it is not a bad thing to miss out on him. I believe passion should be the main factor when you are signing a player.
'Maybe it's just me, but I have this idea that everyone in football at this level earns big wages and that money should not be the main thing. You have to enjoy your career, strive to improve and look to play at the highest level you can.'
Benitez admitted the transfer market had gone 'crazy', adding: 'It is all money, money, money now. We had to pay big money for Glen but we were signing a good player, an England player, and that is very positive. He had good offers from other clubs, but I could tell from talking to him that he wanted to come here because he felt he could improve.
'He knows we will work him very hard, concentrate on making him an even better player and guarantee his place at next year's World Cup finals. He has many attributes, but there are areas to work on, like making him a better defender.'
Benitez delivered a blunt message to midfielders Xabi Alonso, a target for Real Madrid, and Javier Mascherano, who is wanted by Barcelona, and made it clear there would be no easy way out of Anfield for either player.
He said: 'We signed Xabi from Real Sociedad when nobody had really heard much of him outside of Spain and renewed his contract two years ago, and Javier needed picking up when we brought him from West Ham.
'Both players owe a lot to this club and the fans who think so much of them. They owe a debt of loyalty and they know that.'
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