WHILE all is well around Liverpool right now, The Reds will soon have a reminder of when heads were in different places in different times. Both Brendan Rodgers and Rafa Benítez split fan opinions during their time at the club, and to this day their reigns are remembered in different ways by different people.
Despite having a European Cup and an FA Cup to his name, plus an 86-point Premier League points haul that has now been surpassed by the Liverpool class of 2019, Benítez got a toxic ta-ra from a faction of fans who believed his time was up.
The end days of Rafa were pockmarked by infighting, arguments and spiky press conferences as Rafa locked horns with the board and fans did the same with each other. For Rodgers, a rollercoaster title chase inspired by Luis Suárez, Daniel Sturridge, Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling among others was too quickly followed by mediocrity in terms of results and signings.
On this day in 2004, Liverpool appointed Rafa Benitez
A true gentleman who happened to win the Champions League and FA Cup to boot pic.twitter.com/tvDgmP7ArQ
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) June 16, 2017
Many felt he should never have been given the Liverpool job due to a track record lacking in top-level silverware. Now, both men have an opportunity, however backseat, to potentially influence the Premier League title race this season for Liverpool and perhaps change how they are perceived among the red hordes.
Benítez has already played a part, the Spaniard folding his glasses and putting them in his top pocket as he always does post-victory after his Newcastle side beat Manchester City 2-1 in January.
It was a result celebrated as feverishly on Merseyside as it was on Tyneside. The Reds go to St James’ Park on Saturday night but any suggestion of a ‘favour’ from Benítez is nonsense.
Nevertheless, as the man himself has said, it’s a game he “can’t win”. Liverpool win and some will make the suggestion that Benítez is complicit. Liverpool lose and even some of those that love him might point a finger. An incessant charge for the title coming to a halt at the hands of Rafa would be tough to take.
Newcastle 2-1 Man City
Newcastle 3-2 Everton
Rafa is a red pic.twitter.com/sirlURosVP
— View of the Kop (@ViewOfTheKop_) March 9, 2019
Manchester City, meanwhile, play Leicester City in the televised game on Monday. And with Liverpool desperate for a team to lay a glove on Pep Guardiola’s side, eyes will be on Rodgers. First and foremost, he has a job to do for himself and for Leicester. A win would do wonders for the standing and reputation of both.
But victory in Manchester could also hand the title to his former employers. For all that the ending was not how he would have wanted it, Rodgers had some good times at Liverpool and spoke with genuine affection about the club.
Like Rafa, he eventually became embroiled in internal politics that were messily played out through the media. But that doesn’t take away from the team he managed to 84 points and second place in the Premier League – a team that produced some wonderful stuff to watch.
Brendan Rodgers will win the title for Liverpool. pic.twitter.com/vvx6z7revy
— FF (@Follow_Follow_) April 24, 2019
They were so close to greatness and it seems a shame it is a campaign that is largely remembered for all the wrong reasons. So what a delicious plot twist if Rodgers were to emerge as the unlikely Liverpool hero now – something he undoubtedly once believed he would be.
In the build-up to Monday’s game Rodgers will likely say all the professional answers to all the obvious questions. But inside it must surely be an extra motivation.
As stories go, a season where Liverpool finally win a title after 29 years while the team they went head to head with loses to three teams bossed by former Reds managers is a good one.
Here’s to it becoming reality this weekend.
