Football - Liverpool FC: Next two months vital in shaping Liverpool’s future, Rafael Benitez

Mar 11 2010 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Football - Liverpool FC: RAFAEL BENITEZ admits the next two months will prove crucial in shaping Liverpool’s immediate future – both on and off the field.

Monday night’s dreadful defeat at Wigan Athletic has cast serious doubts over the Anfield outfit’s chances of securing Champions League qualification for next season.

It was the latest setback of a difficult campaign in which Liverpool’s financial struggles have started to impact on Benitez’s attempts to bolster the squad and contributed to an air of uncertainty surrounding the club.

Managing director Christian Purslow, working on behalf of co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, has still to attract the investment of at least £100million required to begin work on the much-vaunted new stadium on Stanley Park.

The club’s income could be further affected by failure to qualify for the Champions League, which could also call into question the Liverpool careers of a number of players.

And when asked if the final two months of the season could greatly determine the future of the club, Benitez said: “I agree with you.

“We talk about investors, we talk about the new stadium, we talk about all these same things for maybe one or two years now.

“Everybody is waiting for something to happen and expecting something to happen. The main thing for me is to try and concentrate on the football and get the best out of the players.”

Benitez added: “We have had in the past a situation that wasn’t very clear. Now we have to do the same as we did then.

“We need to stick together and work hard. We have to concentrate on things on the pitch and for the players it will be easier if they think of one game at a time and not the future.

“I have more information and maybe a better picture. But again, when I decided to stay I decided to fight, and the best for the club is for me to be concentrated on football and to try to get the best from the players.

“That’s something I can do, and something I have to do for the fans and the club. Inside the club, I will talk to the people who have a responsibility and we will try to do our best.”

Liverpool will seek for a much-needed confidence boost in tonight’s Europa League round of 16 first leg in Lille.

The competition represents the only silverware the Anfield outfit can win, and Benitez has not given up hope of a top-four finish and European glory.

“I have confidence we will progress in both competitions and do the right thing,” he said. “If we cannot, everybody will say it’s a bad season. But all clubs have a bad season. We would have to then move forward and prepare for the future.

“We are already doing that, with young players coming in, and we will continue to do the same.

“I have to do the right things for the fans. But at the same time I have to do the right things inside the club for the people who make the decisions.

“Every club has a bad season at times, and you have to manage. You see clubs who haven’t won trophies in the last few years, and who haven’t won anything in the last 20 years.

“It’s a question to analyse carefully. We need to know what is going on, what the future will be and do the best for the club.”

Yossi Benayoun didn’t travel to France yesterday evening after being ruled out by the ankle injury he suffered during Monday’s 1-0 defeat at Wigan.

With Maxi Rodriguez ineligible, both Albert Riera and Ryan Babel are pressing for a first-team recall.

Daniel Agger, who suffered from sickness over the weekend, has recovered, while Glen Johnson could make his first start since December 29 after coming through a second-half substitute appearance at the DW Stadium.

TONIGHT’S officials are from Norway, with Claus-Bo Larsen the referee.