Here is the content of Rafael Benitez's press conference on Friday, where he responds to Sir Alex Ferguson's observations about the Premier League fixture programme.
Benitez sat with a sheet of paper, unfolded in front of him, from which he read a catalogue of grievances against the Manchester United regime.
Benitez sat with a sheet of paper, unfolded in front of him, from which he read a catalogue of grievances against the Manchester United regime.
"I was surprised by what has been said, but maybe they (Manchester United) are nervous because we are at the top of the table,'' he began.
"But I want to talk about facts. I want to be clear, I do not want to play mind games too early, although they seem to want to start.
"But I have seen some facts. On November 1, they played Hull and Mr Ferguson had a two-match touchline ban and a £10,000 fine after confronting Mike Dean, the referee, for improper conduct.
"We started the Respect campaign, and that was when (Javier) Mascherano was sent off (last season) at Old Trafford.
"The referee (Steve Bennett) was the referee when they played against Wigan - he could not see the handball against Wigan by Rio Ferdinand, he did not give a penalty. They won the game and they won the title in this game.
"I think it will be the same referee who will be in charge of their game in hand this season (against Wigan).
"During the Respect campaign - and this is a fact - Mr Ferguson was charged by the FA for improper conduct after comments made about Martin Atkinson and Keith Hackett.
"He was not punished. He is the only manager in the league that cannot be punished for these things.
"Then he was talking about the fixtures. Two years ago we were playing a lot of early kick-offs away on Saturdays when United were playing on Sundays. And we didn't say anything.
"Now he is complaining about everything, that everybody is against United. But the second half of the season will see them playing at home against all the teams at the top of the table, it is a fantastic advantage.
"But at Christmas, United played on the 29th and the rest of the teams played on the 28th. We were away against Newcastle two days after playing Bolton. They were playing about 40 hours later, they were not complaining then.
"And about his behaviour with referees. The Southampton manager he knows how Mr Ferguson works and how he works, he was very clear. I am not playing mind games, just facts.
"If he wants to talk about fixtures, and have a level playing field as you say in England. There are two options if we don't want more problems with fixtures.
"One is the same as in Spain, the draw for the first part of the league is known, everyone knows which weekend. In the second-half everyone plays the opposite, so you all know.
"Sky and Setanta have the right to choose their games and it will be the same for everyone. So Mr Ferguson will not be complaining about fixtures and a campaign against United.
"Or there is another option. That Mr Ferguson organises the fixtures in his office and sends it to us and everyone will know and cannot complain. That is simple.
"We know what happens every time we go to Old Trafford and the United staff. They are always going man to man with the referees, especially at half-time when they walk close to the referees and they are talking and talking.
"All managers need to know is that only Mr Ferguson can talk about the fixtures, can talk about referees and nothing happens.
"We need to know that I am taking about facts, not my impression. There are things that everyone can see every single week.
"Are they under pressure? Maybe they were not thinking that we would be at the top of the table in January. But we are at the top of the table and they are nervous.
"I am not telling the authorities what to do. But I have been here for five years and know how things are going on. I will be watching United's game with Chelsea.
"The result does not matter to us, if we win at Stoke that result does not matter.
"I was surprised United wanted to start the mind games too early, maybe it is because we are top of the table. But I only wanted to explain our position.
"It is a massive difference to play early on a Saturday, say, after a European match in midweek.
"But they will play the second half of the season with home matches against the other top teams, and that is a massive advantage to them.
"They cannot complain about the fixtures after they were playing on December 29 while the rest played on the 28th.
"I have decided that I had a lot of information and I have been watching every single week what has been going on. Then they started talking about us, but every single week we know they will be talking.
"But we want to stay at the top and maybe they will talk about us right to the end.
"To hear someone talking when he has problems with referees every single week, and now complaining about the fixtures and complaining about everything, I think that is not fair.
"You can see every single week how they put (referees) under pressure, we know this. We have seen it before. We have seen players sent off at Old Trafford and we do not see our opponents sent off.
"It is part of the game. But to complain and to always have an advantage is not fair.
"We had a meeting in Manchester with managers and FA about the Respect campaign. And I was very clear, forget the campaign because Mr Ferguson was killing the referees, killing Mr Atkinson, killing Mr Hackett.
"But he is not punished. How can you talk about the respect campaign and criticise the referee every single week?
"You can analyse the facts and come to your own decision and ideas
"There is still no news about my contract, my agent has not received any documents so he is a little bit disappointed. But we will see.
"I would rather not talk too much about this, though, when we have an important game ahead
Hiyo sentensi ya mwisho imeniacha hoi! Ameshaongea weeeeee halafu anamalizi na sentensi hiyo!
ReplyDeleteWakati huohuo, kule Asburton Grove, aka Emirates stadium, professor Wenger amekaa tu anawasikiliza hawa magwiji wawili (ingawa yeye alimuunga Ferguson kuhusiana na fixtures) Professor Wenger anasubiri tuu kuwapiku woooote walio mbele yake - stei tyundi!!
Hahahaha Inapendeza,
ReplyDeleteSasa sijui kosa ni la nani,labda tusaidiane wadau na tusifungamane katika upande wowote juu ya hili maana linawezatokea hata kwenye ligi ya bongo.
Ukweli ni kwamba Fergie kitambo kwenye ligi uk na ni mkongwe tofauti na makocha wengine,so kama anachoongea juu ya marefa nadhani kila kocha huwa anaongea baada ha yali kuwa ngumu na refa kuwa agains timu yake.huyo huyo Bernitez kuna wakati aliwahi kulalamika kuwa wanagandamizwa kutokana na ratiba,kisa yuko juu kwa sasa anaona sawa,Wenger alishawahi kusema ref are agains Arsenal,Mourinho nae pia aliwahi kuwapa kubwa marefa.
Inashangaza Beniterz anaelezea pia kuwa Fergie alipigwa fain na kufungiwa mechi 2,sasa inakuwaje hapohapo anasema hawajibishwi?wadau hii imekaaje???
Ni timu gani ambayo iko tayari kucheza na top 4 mfululizo mwanzoni mwa ligi tena away?na hapo unakuwa umetoka kwenye champs league?huyo huyo Benitez anasema ni ngumu,mbona kama maneno yanamrudia na yeye?au bado hajapona vizuri??
Ni wakati huu wa RESPECT compaign ambapo marefa wamefanya vibaya zaidi ya awali,Magoli ya OFFSIDE ndio yanakuwabali na ya ONSIDE yanakataliwa,rafu za YELLOW zinakuwa direct RED na za direct red mtu anapewa yellow??au ni rafu ngapi za wazi(yellow)lakini mtu hapewi kadi?mfano mzuri Robie Keane walipocheza na Arsenal?
Nisiwachoshe lakini ukweli ni kwamba hali ishakuwa mbaya kwa Bernitez,Wenger,Scolarna Ferguson kutokana na hali halisi ya timu pinzani msimu huu.
Kazi ipo bongo hapo.......!
Mgaa gaa na Upwa......
ReplyDeleteWaazi benitez anaanza kupaniki....tuliiiia tumnyoe nywele mwenzako jpili, tukishinda kila game kanabaki kapoint kamoja...trafford mimba zenu tatu...hii manchesta,tutaliinua tu kombe...kwa kipaji au kubebwa. GO UNITED
ReplyDeleteHuyo ndio Sir Alex kama humjui vizuri muulize Kevin Keegan au Wenger.
ReplyDeleteBenitez kapewa mtego(bait) yeye kauchukua kwa mikono miwili sasa ligi imeanza. Na aombe Mungu Man U wasifanye vizuri katika mechi zake maana wakishinda tu Sir Alex atambonyeza tena ili azidi kulipuka ndio starehe ya Sir Alex.
Unajua meneja ukianza kulipuka inahamia kwa timu.
Utamu mwaka huu!! na ukizingatia hawa ni watani wa Jadi basi loo
Mzawa
Benitez anasema kweli, hicho kibabu(fergie) hakana lolote kimezidi kukoromea marefa halafu hakipewi adhabu ya maana,kufungiwa mechi mbili tu mimi naona sio adhabu anayostahili ilibidi kawekwe benchi miezi tatu kama bongo vile ndio katajifunza,sikapendi wanakaogopa sana.Mwaka wetu huu hata msemeje. LIVERPOOL GO,GO ,GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
ReplyDeleteKumbe ManUtd na Sir Alex Ferguson huko Uingereza ni kama vile Yanga na TFF/CECAFA, hii inaonyesha jambo ambalo halipo Uingereza ni 'kamati za ufundi'.
ReplyDeleteI did not comprehend anything! Perhaps, my brain is empty!
ReplyDeleteBut if you place me on the homefront turf, nitaelewa!
Tunataka mamabo ya Kilimanjaro Stars, Sunderland (Simba) na Young Africans (Yanga)!
Hayo ta man sijui alex ni ya Waingereza, kama wassivyojishughulisha na Simba na Yanga zetu!
Niliwaambia sina akili! Lakini inahitajika mtu asiye na akili, kama mimi, kuyasema hayo!
Hapana! Nina akili! Lakini hata ukinitukana ni kupoteza wakati tu; my brain is not activated!
Even if mtawapigia madebe Man, sijui arsen, sijui madudu gani, ni nani will bestow a deserving diploma kwenu!
Mnapoteza muda bure!
We ka anonymous wa 4:45pm upo sawa kweli?yaani unataka UK kuwe na adhabu kama za bongo,huo si ndio mwisho wa dunia sasa?
ReplyDeleteJamani kwanza lazima watu muelewe nini kinazungumziwa na kwa nani maana hakika hata Benitez mwenyewe sidhani kama ana uhakika kuwa dongo linaenda kwa FERGUSON au FA,ni lazima hapo paeleweke kwanza ndio mjaji sio kuosha vinywa tuuuu
DONGO LINAENDA KWA NANI???ni FA ambao hawawajibiki wanasemwa au ni Fergie anasemwa aache kuwakoromea marefa???
Naombeni jibu Tafadhali Michuzi uwe wakwanza kutufafanulia maana sie wengine kidhungu cha kujumlisha na kutoa
Half-time Stoke City sifuri Liverpool FC sifuri. Kama kawaida yao Stoke City wanategemea mipira ya kurusha, ambayo Delup wa Stoke City urushaji wake ni wa hatari bora muwape Stoke City kona kiki.
ReplyDeleteHali ya hewa ni baridi sana na michezo mingi leo hii imehairishwa.
hahahaaa the mind games worked!! Bwawa la maini limekuwala firigisi leo! kudadaki
ReplyDeleteMpira umekwisha Liverpool Fc sifuri na Stoke City sifuri ktk wanja la Britannia.
ReplyDeleteDakika ya 73 Stoke city wakosa bao baada ya kitson kupaisha kichwa.
Dakika ya 80 Pepe Reina afanya mbembwe ya hatari kwa kumpiga chenga mchezaji wa Stoke City ndani ta boxi.
dakika ya 90 Gerard akosa bao ndani ya box baada ya mpira kugonga mwamba.
Leo kina Ryan Bable, Torres hawakuonyesha makali kabisa na Robbie Keane alikuwa benchi kama mchezaji wa akiba.
Kesho ni kesho asiye na mwana abebe jiwe kwani Chelsea wanapambana na ManUtd
mind games na Fergie walishindwa kina Wenger na Keegan; sasa Rafa naye anaingia mkenge. Haya bwana; subirini kung'olewa kileleni. Ndugu zenu Blues tushawapa kichapo cha goli 3. Tuna mechi 2 mkononi na tuko point 5 tu nyuma!!
ReplyDeleteUNITED V Chelsea H 3 - 0
ReplyDeletePERFORMANCE SPEAKS ITSELF