Football - Liverpool FC: Purslow dismisses talk of Anfield manager being sacked

Nov 25 2009 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Purslow dismisses talk of Anfield manager being sacked

Football - Liverpool FC: CHRISTIAN PURSLOW has dismissed any notion Rafael Benitez’s job as Liverpool manager is in danger despite his team’s Champions League exit last night.

A 1-0 win in Hungary against Debrecen wasn’t enough as Fiorentina’s victory over Lyon by the same scoreline means Liverpool cannot now qualify from Group E.

The Anfield outfit will instead drop down to the Europa League for the first time under Benitez’s reign, the latest setback of a disappointing campaign with Liverpool already out of the Carling Cup and five points off the top four.

But Liverpool managing director Purslow said: “The fact we are out has no bearing on Rafa whatsoever.

“He signed A new five-year deal four months ago and in those terms he is four months into a five-year journey and you don’t deviate from long-term plans and the way to take the club to the next level because of two late goals against Lyon, and that’s what it boils down to.”

Purslow also allayed fears the elimination will have a major impact on the club’s finances.

Liverpool budget for progress to the first knockout stage of the Champions League, and the anticipated shortfall of £2.4million, would be covered by a run in the Europa League.

“We budget for a level of performance that maybe fans would not like to be at, it’s prudent,” said Purslow. “If we have three home games in the Europa League, we are equivalent to what we budget for in the Champions League.

“We’re very disappointed we are out, but we could have played one home leg, one away leg and been out.

“I like to think we’ll be taking 40 or 50,000 to Hamburg in May and if we get halfway to doing that we will make more money than we would do from one round in the Champions League.

“It’s a missed opportunity financially but it has no effect on budgeted performance, and that’s the key thing. If you budget prudently then you don’t get negative surprises if football doesn’t go the right way.”