Rafa - Liverpool sold Torres on the cheap

[FoxForceFive]

Fernando Torres was worth £70m, says Rafael Benitez

Former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has revealed a £70m deal for Fernando Torres was mooted last year, and that he would like to manage the club again.
Striker Torres joined Chelsea on Monday for a British record fee of about £50m, but he had been valued even higher.
"I think last year we were talking about £70m," Benitez said in an interview for the BBC's Football Focus.
The 50-year-old Spaniard also said he would be keen to manage the Anfield club again at some stage in the future.
Torres moved to Chelsea on transfer deadline day, although the Blues had reportedly made a bid in May 2010. Despite a knee injury at the end of last season, he featured in Spain's World Cup-winning campaign.
"People were talking about maybe you receive an offer from another club. They were talking about £70m," added Benitez.
Of Torres' transfer deadline day move to Stamford Bridge, Benitez said: "He was not playing at the same level the last time, but he is still a very good player. It is big money but could [have been] even better."

Benitez was sacked by Italian side Inter Milan in December only six months after it was announced he had left Liverpool by mutual consent following six years in charge.
He guided the Reds to Champions League success in 2005 and an FA Cup win the following year, and was in charge when Torres signed from Atletico Madrid for £20m in the summer of 2007.
Roy Hodgson was appointed as successor after Benitez's departure from Anfield, but he only lasted six months before Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish was drafted in until the end of the season.
With Liverpool's form improving under the Scot, and the club's owners spending the Torres cash on strikers Andy Carroll (£35m) and Luis Suarez (£22m), Dalglish looks set for a longer stay.
But Benitez said: "To be manager of Liverpool is a dream for me. This time, I know that Kenny is doing really well.
"I have to wait and keep watching games, but if you say to me in the future would you like to be manager, for sure, no doubt about this. When, that is the question. I have to move forward, anyway."

Link includes video clip:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/9387118.stm

Watch the full exclusive interview with Rafael Benitez on Football Focus, BBC One, Saturday, 1215 GMT

 

[dee]

So what he said is - the press were suggesting he'd receive an offer of £70m but didn't.

We've got Kenny - move on.

 

[themn]

I love seeing Rafa doing keepy-ups.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

We got a good fee Rafa ... and you'll always deserve our respect for the good you did at Liverpool, but your time has come and gone. As you say, move on ... Get back on track and I hope you win La Liga with whoever gives you your next shot. Walk on.

 

[spider-Neil]

move on, rafa.

 

[mark1975]

Nice words there about Kenny anyway, no animosity. And he obviously still loves the club. Fair play.

 

[Rosco]

How many times has he said he wants the job again now? Jog on Rafa, FSG would never put up with your bullshit.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=44039.msg1277829#msg1277829 date=1296811298]
How many times has he said he wants the job again now? Jog on Rafa, FSG would never put up with your bullshit.
[/quote]

Sounds a bit desperate doesn't it?

 

[Richey]

If we had sold Torres when Benitez was here though that money would have just gone into debt repayment and we'd have had no decent replacements.

We got the best fee we could have hoped for - and even if we had got more that would have just ended up inflating the asking prices of our targets even further

 

[Woland]

 

[LeTallecWiz]

ha ha ha ha

 

[Judge Jules]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=44039.msg1277839#msg1277839 date=1296811497]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=44039.msg1277829#msg1277829 date=1296811298]
How many times has he said he wants the job again now? Jog on Rafa, FSG would never put up with your bullshit.
[/quote]

Sounds a bit desperate doesn't it?
[/quote]

I feel sorry for the man. He never wanted to leave, and it's going to be doubly hard for him now that the whole family are back in Liverpool and seem likely to stay. He's not coming back and that's as it should be, but I hope he finds a way of reconciling himself to the idea.

 

[juniormember]

Hahaha

 

[Modo]

LOL@Torres

I think some of you are being disrespectful to Rafa.
He did a lot for the club, and some of you act like he's Hodgson.

I'm happy Dalglish is the manager but if Dalglish wasn't offered the job in January I would have been delighted if Rafa took over.

 

[Rosco]

I always judge people by their actions rather than words. Is it fair to say that negotiating deals with Juve and Inter, was evidence that he was looking to leave?

 

[Rafiagra]

That picture is class.

No way could we have sold Torres in the summer. If H&G had done it, we'd have seen none of the cash. If NESV had done it, it would have been suicide coming in and selling the prize asset as the first thing they do.

That said, I do think we were a bi railroaded into selling Torres this Jan. Even if he'd stayed til summer, we could have got £50m then. If Chelsea really wanted him now they should have paid a premium.

As for not wanting an unhappy player, Torres form had picked right up recently and I could have put up with that for a few more months.

 

[justdoit]

why did we need to insert the £50m clause in first place? we knew man city would always drive up the price. we lost the bargaining power for no reason.

 

[Sunny]

LOL@ Krump pic

 

[Fallon]

[quote author=justdoit link=topic=44039.msg1277861#msg1277861 date=1296812441]
why did we need to insert the £50m clause in first place? we knew man city would always drive up the price. we lost the bargaining power for no reason.
[/quote]

I'd imagine to help with the signing of a contract, especially since we haven't won anything since Torres came and he renegotiated at least once.

As for Rafa, I do still like the guy and wish him well, and I appreciate what he did for us, but he was detrimental to this club in the end (and IMO for some time before most started wanted him out) and had to go, for this reason alone I would never have him back. I think the city job sometime down the road (assuming Mancini doesn't forge out a long successful tenure) would be a good move for him and his family.

 

[FoxForceFive]

[quote author=justdoit link=topic=44039.msg1277861#msg1277861 date=1296812441]
why did we need to insert the £50m clause in first place? we knew man city would always drive up the price. we lost the bargaining power for no reason.
[/quote]

Reading between the lines based upon what journo's were tweeting & MarkMc & the other 'ITK' posters around said, I think it's safe to say had we not have done so he'd have left, & for less than we got now.

 

[Woland]

[quote author=FoxForceFive link=topic=44039.msg1277873#msg1277873 date=1296813318]
[quote author=justdoit link=topic=44039.msg1277861#msg1277861 date=1296812441]
why did we need to insert the £50m clause in first place? we knew man city would always drive up the price. we lost the bargaining power for no reason.
[/quote]

Reading between the lines based upon what journo's were tweeting & MarkMc & the other 'ITK' posters around said, I think it's safe to say had we not have done so he'd have left, & for less than we got now.
[/quote]

Yeah, but like, how? I mean he was under contract to us and everyone knew his value.

Not that I know shit. I can't believe they paid 50 for him.

 

[Molbystwin]

To make a semi-shit stirring headline from what is a perfectly fine interview by a former manager is a bit rum IMO.

He never said Torres was sold on the cheap he just said that earlier on it was being motted for 70M.... the press should behave themsleves more sometimes.

 

[Holle]

Rafa, you should really move on.

Trying to get a job might help you doing that.

 

[King Binny]

He should check up his facts before commenting/comparing, shouldn't he?

How can you compare his valuation then and now? After the dipped in form, injuries suffered, our worst league start for yrs etc. He would've probably fetched 80m after his debut season with us - if Man City were already taken over then.

 

[Holle]

[quote author=Binny link=topic=44039.msg1277888#msg1277888 date=1296814430]
He should check up his facts before commenting/comparing, shouldn't he?

How can you compare his valuation then and now? After the dipped in form, injuries suffered, our worst league start for yrs etc. He would've probably fetched 80m after his debut season with us - if Man City were already taken over then.
[/quote]

But that's how he does transfers too, isn't it?

Paying over the odds is not new to Rafa.

 

[King Binny]

[quote author=Doped White Mouse link=topic=44039.msg1277889#msg1277889 date=1296814561]
[quote author=Binny link=topic=44039.msg1277888#msg1277888 date=1296814430]
He should check up his facts before commenting/comparing, shouldn't he?

How can you compare his valuation then and now? After the dipped in form, injuries suffered, our worst league start for yrs etc. He would've probably fetched 80m after his debut season with us - if Man City were already taken over then.
[/quote]

But that's how he does transfers too, isn't it?

Paying over the odds is not new to Rafa.
[/quote]

Argh, he forgot the other side of the business. I wished he'd sold over the odds more often instead.

 

[kingjulian]

[quote author=Binny link=topic=44039.msg1277888#msg1277888 date=1296814430]
He should check up his facts before commenting/comparing, shouldn't he?

How can you compare his valuation then and now? After the dipped in form, injuries suffered, our worst league start for yrs etc. He would've probably fetched 80m after his debut season with us - if Man City were already taken over then.
[/quote]

Wow...80 mil? That's 1/4th of what NESV paid for the club.

Kenny said no body is bigger than the club, but that comes pretty darned close!

 

[FoxForceFive]

Well if I remember correctly for approx two weeks there he was in Spain & 'off the radar' & shitloads of rumours went round that we was leaving & negotiating with other clubs.

As our owners at the time were cunts & were well in the financial shit there's no way clubs would've got to 50m, they KNEW if they came in for him H&G would go for a lower figure.

 

[justdoit]

[quote author=FoxForceFive link=topic=44039.msg1277893#msg1277893 date=1296814980]

As our owners at the time were cunts & were well in the financial shit there's no way clubs would've got to 50m, they KNEW if they came in for him H&G would go for a lower figure.
[/quote]

LOL it seems this was the only thing H&G were good at......... "REFUSE to sell anything for for a lower figure"

 

[King Binny]

[quote author=FoxForceFive link=topic=44039.msg1277893#msg1277893 date=1296814980]
Well if I remember correctly for approx two weeks there he was in Spain & 'off the radar' & shitloads of rumours went round that we was leaving & negotiating with other clubs.

As our owners at the time were cunts & were well in the financial shit there's no way clubs would've got to 50m, they KNEW if they came in for him H&G would go for a lower figure.
[/quote]

What's more, we get to spend the money under FSG. Under G&H, it would've gone to the bank for loan/interest repayments