SOCCER NEWS: RAFAEL BENITEZ laid bare his anger at the disruption to Liverpool's transfer strategy yesterday when he accused Gareth Barry of joining Manchester City "100 per cent for money" and demanded greater loyalty from two potential departures, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano.
The Liverpool manager remains livid with Barry for favouring City’s ambitions above Champions League football at Anfield, having spent 12 months attempting to lure the England international from Aston Villa.
Benitez was caught cold by Barry’s €14 million move to City as soon last month and, despite the midfielder’s protestations that he wanted to avoid a repeat of last year’s saga with Liverpool, believes the decision was based entirely on the offer of €151,000 a week.
City’s package is at least €35,000 a week more than Barry would have earned at Anfield and, Benitez argued, tempted the former Villa captain to make the wrong career move. “Maybe it’s just me but in this market, the top level, I don’t think money is the most important thing,” the Liverpool manager said.
“At this level everyone earns big money. The question is do you make the right decisions and do what is best for your career? If it’s just for money sometimes you will make mistakes and I’ve been surprised by some decisions this summer – like Barry. I won’t say too much but it was clearly 100 per cent for money. The most important thing for me, though, is the passion of the players.”
Barry’s transfer was beyond Benitez’s control but he is determined to dictate the futures of Alonso and Mascherano, coveted by Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.
Liverpool have not received an offer from either of the Spanish giants for their midfield pair, despite almost daily declarations of intent from the Bernabeu and Camp Nou, and Benitez is adamant he will not be forced into a sale either by his players or their suitors.
Liverpool’s hardball stance could change if they receive a staggering offer or a transfer request from Alonso or Mascherano in the coming weeks. Benitez, however, is aggrieved at the uncertainty surrounding two influential players.
The Liverpool manager said: “When you are the manager of a top side you can tell players that they are staying. We have to be strong enough and, if we have to be, we will be. Both players are under contract and we are really pleased about that.
“We signed Alonso from Real Sociedad when nobody knew about him and we renewed his contract two years ago, so he was happy then, and you know what happened with Mascherano at West Ham before we brought him here. Both players owe a lot to Liverpool. They owe Liverpool some loyalty and they both know that.”
Glen Johnson yesterday revealed himself as a boyhood Liverpool fan and insisted he was not swayed by Chelsea and Manchester City ahead of his move to Anfield. The 24-year-old insisted it was Benitez’s promise he “will make me a better player” that was the key to his €20 million move from Portsmouth.
Johnson, who claimed there was very little chance he would have returned to Stamford Bridge, also clearly had doubts about Manchester City’s big-money drive to buy their way into the Champions League places. Johnson said: “There were other clubs in for me but I didn’t really come close to going back to Chelsea. Once I spoke to Rafa (Benitez) and knew what he wantedfrom me, it was an easy decision.
“The key was that he was keen to help me improve and turn me into a better player. I kept hearing and reading about other clubs interested in me, and Manchester City was one. I am coming here to win a few trophies.”
Guardian Service
