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Frm ESPN soccernet dated 25/2/09
Bookies suspend betting on Rafa to leave Anfield

Britain's top bookmakers have suspended betting on Rafael Benitez leaving Liverpool.
Both Skybet and William Hill have taken large sums of money on the Spanish manager to depart since Tuesday evening forcing them to stop taking bets on Wednesday morning.

William Hill reported that they were forced to drop the odds on Benitez being the next Premier League manager to leave his job, either sacked or through resignation, from 20/1 into even money before they suspended the market. And Skybet saw a flurry of bets on Benitez not to be at Anfield at the start of the 2009-10 season before reinstating that market at odds of 2/5.

Rumours circulating on Tuesday afternoon claimed Benitez would leave the club before Saturday's trip to Liverpool though it was clearly business as usual ahead of the Champions League trip to Real Madrid with the manager walking with the players and continuing preparations for the Round of 16 tie.

The odds on former boss Kenny Dalglish returning as their next manager have been shortened to 3/1.

Fans may question the timing with Liverpool at the Bernabeu. Real have been strongly linked with Benitez for some time and with his Anfield contract wrangle no nearer a conclusion the rumours are sure to intensify.

Benitez has been in discussions over a new contract on Merseyside for months but has failed to reach an agreement with his current deal running out next summer. It was reported at the weekend that the 48-year-old has rejected four separate drafts of the contract.

Benitez dodged questions about his future during Tuesday's press conference in Madrid.

The main sticking points have surrounded control of transfers and the club's Academy, with Benitez wanting full responsibility for the direction the club is taking.

It appears owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are reluctant to rubber stamp a move which would marginalise the position of chief executive Rick Parry.

Benitez is a hugely popular figure among Liverpool fans and his departure would cause great anger, no matter what the circumstances, though at present there is no concrete evidence that Benitez will walk away from Anfield.


SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE RUMOURS COMING OUT FROM UK REGARDING RAFA'S ISSUE. DUN KNOW HOW TRUE IT IS BUT IT IS A WORRYING SIGN ON THE EVE OF THE BIG MATCH. LET'S HOPE THAT THE AMERICAN OWNERS GIVE WHAT RAFA WANTS & OFFER HIM THE IDEAL CONTRACT, OR NOT HE WILL JUST WALK OUT FROM LIVERPOOL.