This seemed to be the case under Rafa Benitez!
Pepe Reina’s new autobiography is set to be a very good read. A lot of insight into Liverpool under the Rafa Benitez era has been revealed in this book. Pepe explains to us the biggest argument he ever had with Rafa and funny enough it was over a beer.
Reina then goes on to explain how Rafa not having been a big time player in his days, failed to understand the pressures that playing at the top level involve.
Pepe writes this in his book:
“The biggest argument I ever had with him was about a beer.
“We had lost 2-1 at Besiktas and not played too well. I decided to have a beer.
“I don’t see a problem with that, because for me it is healthier to do that than it is to have a glass of Coca-Cola or a drink like that.
“Suddenly, the bartender turned up and said, ‘The club doctor, the medical staff and the manager have made it clear to me that they do not want you to have a beer.’
“I asked Rafa what was going on and he said I was forbidden from having a beer.
“I still don’t know why this was the case but, whatever the reason, I was fuming.
“I grabbed my bags and stormed off to my room without even having my dinner. That is how upset I was.
“For me, Rafa was in the wrong on that occasion. It suggests the manager does not trust you to look after yourself in the right way.
“As a player, you have to know when the time is right to relax and when it isn’t, and I like to think that I have that balance.
“He [Benitez] saw it differently and maybe if he has a small weakness as a manager it is that he did not have a massive career as a player before he moved into management.
“I used to wind him up about this all the time and he would get angry when I reminded him that he had not played at the top level.
Continue reading to page 2 of post
