OT - Benitez has a breakdown

Rafael Benitez on BBC Radio 5 live:

BBC Radio 5 live reporter Alastair Yeomans: "What was a difficult first half for you in the end turned out OK?"

Rafael Benitez: "Yes, it was difficult, normally in the FA Cup it's always difficult but I thought our team was doing well, it was a professional performance, a lot of players doing well. I was really pleased with Nathan Ake [who made his full debut] and really pleased with Paulo Ferreira because they showed they are good players and fantastic professionals. So for me, a great performance of the team and I am really pleased with the result."

AY: "What was your thinking about making eight changes for this game, because we saw the other week when Arsenal maybe didn't play their full team against Blackburn they lost. What was your thinking about that?"

RB: "I had a lot of confidence in the players because I can see them training every day and they were doing really well, so I was really pleased, I could see in the training sessions and was really pleased, so to play them, no problem."

AY: "And first half, the tempo, was that quick enough for you, was that good enough for you?"

RB: "I think that they were pushing so they were working hard so it was not easy but they were doing their job."

AY: "How important is this FA Cup to you now? You go to Manchester United next so there are no givens."

RB: "I think for us every game, every trophy is really important. I have been manager for 26 years, I have won the Fifa Club World Cup, the Champions League, FA Cup, a lot of trophies and I'm really a little bit disappointed with some fans, a group of fans singing and I think they are not making any favour to the team.

"They have to support the team instead of wasting time doing banners or singing songs. What they have to do is support the team and create a good atmosphere in Stamford Bridge. If we cannot achieve the target that we are looking for, to be in the Champions League... If they continue singing and talking and talking then I think they are not making any favours. They have to support the players, they have to support the team, I have experience as a manager, I will do my best until the last day.

"They gave me the title of interim manager, it's a massive mistake. I am the manager and I will manage the team until the end, every single minute.

"If they want to carry on wasting time with these things because they have an agenda, they have to take responsibility if something is wrong. It's not just 'I will blame this one, I will blame the other one', what they have to do is to support the team and then everyone has to stick together and we can achieve what we want to achieve - that is the Champions League. Simple.

"If not then next year they can carry on singing but we will be in the Europa League so they have to realise that they are not making any favour - to the rest of the fans and also to the players."

AY: "When you made the comments that they are talking about, some of them, you were fighting for Liverpool. There was a big rivalry with Liverpool and Chelsea, you'd expect you to say those things, is that what you're saying?"

RB: "I am a professional, I am doing my job and I will do my job. What I want to do is, I want to win every single game for Chelsea Football Club. But, if they don't understand this, at the end of the season, because I am interim, I will leave. They don't need to worry about me.

"What they have to do is to support the team, to support the players. And it's a group of people and they have an agenda. They have to realise that the rest of the fans, they want to see the team the next year in the Champions League. It's not 'I am right or I am wrong', you have to see the team in the Champions League and they have to support the team, that is the main thing.

"At the end of the season, I will leave. They don't need to be worrying about me."

Rafael Benitez speaking to the written press

After talking to BBC Radio 5 live, Benitez continued on the same theme in his post-match news conference. Here are the selected highlights:

Speaking about Chelsea supporters, he said:

"If we cannot achieve what we expect to achieve, that is to be in the top four and be in the Champions League for next year, I will leave; they will stay in the Europa League."

"Again I will say, a group of fans, they don't realise - the rest of the fans, they want to see the team in the Champions League.

"This group of fans, they have an agenda, they say 'We are right'. They can be right at the end of the season, it's simple."

"They are damaging the image of the club and the rest of the fans because people think all the fans are the same.

"The Chelsea fans are really good, they support the team, but if they continue with their agenda, I don't think they do any favours to the team."

"I am the manager, I am professional and I want to clarify: I will do my best until the last minute, but if they carry on with this agenda, they are damaging the club, they are damaging the team and next year, if we cannot achieve the top four, they have to take a little bit of responsibility."

On whether he was hurt or surprised by the fans protests, he said:

"No. I am surprised, I have won nine titles, all the titles you can win at club level in three different countries so I have enough experience and have quality as a manager - but hear a group of people with an agenda carry on...

"They don't realise I will leave at the end of the season, they don't need to worry about me, they need to support the team. If they don't and we are not in the Champions league they can blame whatever they want but next year they will see the Europa league at Chelsea."

On being given the title "interim manager", he said:

"It was a surprise for me. Someone decided. I think it was a mistake, it's very clear. I don't know who decided that, but it was a mistake.

"I am the manager and I will be the manager until the last minute until someone decides, 'No, you are not'."

"Everybody is interim because after you, there is another one. But in this case, they didn't have anyone, so why put 'interim'?

"It's just to say to everyone, 'Because he was in Liverpool and just in case, we will put interim and then we will wash our hands'."

"Was the title a mistake from the start? Yes, 100%.

"I didn't know about the title. Obviously, you have an agent, they have to talk in Spanish-English translation, and I was surprised.

"But I couldn't change things because it was done. I thought it was a mistake, but still I couldn't change anything."

On how the Chelsea hierarchy will respond to his outburst, he said:

"I think they will know that I am trying to do my best, that's it."

 

I'm not a Rafa lover at all, but the way that the Chelsea fans have slated him since his appointment leaves me hoping that they get everything that they deserve!

 

His rant about fergie was the best interview I've ever seen in my life. He just turned up and ripped into him that quote that Rafa said "I'm talking about facts" As he said how Fergie gets away with everything and Man United get decision after decision. So true as well.

 

I agree (on both counts). I just found it amusing and rather tragic that he was asked how important the FA Cup was to him, and he went off on a rant about the abuse from fans and being called an "interim" manager

 

His therapy is counting his dosh.

 

He's a ****. In 6 months he turned Inter from the best team in the world at the time into a shower of **** all because he couldnt cope with the players' love of Jose.

 

Maybe Chelsea fans should support their team, Rafa will be gone soon anyway

 

Chelsea fans have never got over Jose, the only way for them to move on from him would of been to bring Guus Hiddink permanently.

 

Apparently they have been chanting for Di Matteo more than they did for Mourinho

Edit - I'm sure I read that somewhere this morning, but cannot find the source now

 

Off topic but cant you change your signature line to say Baresi? It makes me feel ill to see the world's greatest ever defender misrepresented!

 

He obviously means the one and only Franco Boresi and not the no mark you harp on about.

If you don't know who Boresi is I'd keep it to yourself.

You'll just end up looking like a clueless ****.

 

Have to say I didn't even notice, apologies.

 

Its responses like that which continue to see you remain my favourite poster

 

I was only pissing about - you didnt really need to a) change it or b) apologise!!

 

I didn't notice myself and if I had I would of changed it either way! So you helped me out it's fair to say

 

Why the **** Di Matteo was sacked in the first place, we'll never ****ing know... it just made absolutely no sense.

Abramovich is a bit of a ****.

Hiddink won him the FA Cup and lost only one game in his half-season there, and has the best win% of any Chelski manager, but not good enough in Roman's eyes.

 

I think Hiddink was the one they really liked and wanted to keep but didn't he have another deal somewhere in Russia or something?

 

Di Matteo shouldn't of bee sacked, Abramovich never wanted to give him the job he wanted any excuse to sack him and even when he did, he didn't have a real excuse. That doesn't make it right for the Chelsea fans to take it out on Rafa it's just ridiculous, who do they think they're helping.

 

Apparently he was managing the Russian national team at the same time, so I assume that is why he wasn't kept on.


Edit:
Actually, not just Roman, but the entire Chelski board are all dicks.
I seriously hope Frank Lampard breaks the goals record and then ****s off to a rival, because it will really piss off those in the board who said he shouldn't get a new contract as he 'isn't good enough anymore'.