[Great Gooner]

Quote

Rafa Benitez's agent has played down reports his client is being lined up to replace Ciro Ferrara as Juventus coach.

Both men have come under pressure and criticism at their present employers, with Juventus' struggles this season in many senses echoing Liverpool's.

The Old Lady were expected to mount a title tilt this term but like Liverpool are badly off the pace as they currently sit in sixth place.

A 2-1 defeat to Roma at the weekend has only increased the pressure on Ferrrara, with many speculating he is working on borrowed time in Turin.

Benitez is known to be admired in the Juventus boardroom but his agent, Manuel Garcia Quilon, is loath to be drawn into hypothetical scenarios.

On the contrary he claims Benitez is very much committed to Anfield, while at the same time conceding things can change very quickly in football.

"This hypothesis is not correct because Rafa has a four-year contract with the Reds. His figure is very important there, the idols of the fans are Gerrard, Torres and Benitez," he told calciomercato.it.

"At Juventus next summer? I don't know what can happen between now and four to five months.

"In football, everything changes very quickly, but the basic principle is that Rafa has another four-year contract with Liverpool."

My link

Thought I'd post it here to make this place more active...

Anyways, Rafa to Juve, big question mark if he can cut it in seria A, I strongly doubt with his style and tactic.

[Jáck]

Won't happen. There's rumours flying round all the time, ever since he first started at the club. Juve would be the wrong move anyway.

[Great Gooner]

When I first read it, I was curious to read what Pool fans would think of it.

[mass debates]

If there is anywhere Rafa would succeed with his style and tatics then surely it's Serie A. Between now and the end of the season though he is going nowhere and it's looking increasingly likely that Juve are going to stick with Ferrara for at least this season, regardless of how humiliatingly crap the season gets.

[JoshBRFC]

They certainly need a change of manager, and i think Rafa would suit them.

I saw this interview with a guy from the Italian press, that if Rafa would sign in the summer, they want Trappatoni till the summer.

[Great Gooner]

I think juve just might get Rafa. Maybe not this window, but surely during the summer. Juve playing a waiting game, Rafa clearly not happy, especially with results he's getting, it suggests a lot is wrong in his camp and will come out sooner than later. I'd be shocked if he remains a Liverpool manager come this time next year.

[Owzat]

http://www.skysports...5892764, 00.html

That was on s*y this morning, someon on the LFC board I go on reckons Ferrara has got the axe but I can't see it on the website

[mass debates]

Ferrara was always going to get sacked eventually, he seemed particularly clueless and had no diea how to turn Juve around whilst everything around him seemed to be conspiring against him as well. Rafa going to Juve in the Summer is not beyond the realms of possiblity at all, if Liverpool don't get 4th i think he'll go and take up the reigns in Italy. If you look around Europe there aren't many jobs available at the moment, he can't go back to Valencia, i don't ever see him at Barca or Inter, Real don't need him at the moment, neither do Inter Milan and i don't think he's going to get a job at any other English clubs. Perhaps Sevilla would be an option but their not looking like shifting their manager anytime soon so Juve would be the only option if it does go tits up at Anfield. Having said that if the rumoured Suadi takeover goes through and he finishes 4th then i think he'll still think that he can get that League title and will stay.

[Great Gooner]

Quote

Juventus have agreed terms with Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez for him to manage the Serie A club next season, according to authoritative reports from Italy last night.


La Repubblica newspaper reported that the club's lawyers will arrive in England today for talks tomorrow about the release of the manager this summer. Benitez's current contract at Anfield runs until 2014.

Juventus president Jean-Claude Blanc is reported to have "already fixed everything with Benitez and has in his drawer a detailed agreement of his terms and length of contract". Juve are keen to reach an agreement and begin making plans for next season.

The Turin club are also keen to minimise any payment they will have to make to Liverpool, and will be aware of the Premier League club's poor form and rumours that the Spaniard's deal makes him "too expensive to sack".

Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport last night confirmed the arrival of Juve's representatives but insisted that it remains uncertain whether Benitez actually wants to leave Anfield.

Juve dismissed Ciro Ferrara as coach and appointed Alberto Zaccheroni on Friday as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

Benitez has come under fire for a spluttering season and doubts over his future intensified with Ferrara's sacking. Benitez signed a new deal in March 2009, intended to keep him at the Merseyside club until 2014, but an early exit in the Champions' League and FA Cup, along with poor Premier League form, has not helped to quash reports of a premature departure.

On Friday, 50-year-old Benitez rejected talk of an imminent move to Juve, saying he was "proud" to be linked with the Old Lady as they are a "top side in Europe" but adding: "I'm happy here and want to do a job as best I can."

Benitez, whose team defeated Bolton 2-0 at Anfield yesterday, said: "I am not here to talk about speculation because people talk too much. I know they [Juventus] were interested, that is part of the game now in football, but I am not ready to talk too much because I don't want to lose my focus."

Former Milan manager Zaccheroni was revealed as Ferrara's replacement until the end of the Serie A campaign, on the back of Juve losing nine of their last 12 games in all competitions.

Their 2-1 defeat by Roma last weekend was their fifth loss in six league games and left them 16 points adrift of leaders Inter. A 2-1 loss to Inter in the Italian Cup on Thursday proved to be Ferrara's last game in charge.

My link

[Jinky]

Could be a good move I reckon, for Rafa and Juve. As someone pointed out above his style could fit perfectly into the Serie A.

[Vidic15]

Quote

Juventus have agreed terms with Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez for him to manage the Serie A club next season, according to authoritative reports from Italy last night.

La Repubblica newspaper reported that the club's lawyers will arrive in England today for talks tomorrow about the release of the manager this summer. Benitez's current contract at Anfield runs until 2014.

Juventus president Jean-Claude Blanc is reported to have "already fixed everything with Benitez and has in his drawer a detailed agreement of his terms and length of contract". Juve are keen to reach an agreement and begin making plans for next season.


The Turin club are also keen to minimise any payment they will have to make to Liverpool, and will be aware of the Premier League club's poor form and rumours that the Spaniard's deal makes him "too expensive to sack".

Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport last night confirmed the arrival of Juve's representatives but insisted that it remains uncertain whether Benitez actually wants to leave Anfield.

Juve dismissed Ciro Ferrara as coach and appointed Alberto Zaccheroni on Friday as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

Benitez has come under fire for a spluttering season and doubts over his future intensified with Ferrara's sacking. Benitez signed a new deal in March 2009, intended to keep him at the Merseyside club until 2014, but an early exit in the Champions' League and FA Cup, along with poor Premier League form, has not helped to quash reports of a premature departure.

On Friday, 50-year-old Benitez rejected talk of an imminent move to Juve, saying he was "proud" to be linked with the Old Lady as they are a "top side in Europe" but adding: "I'm happy here and want to do a job as best I can."

Benitez, whose team defeated Bolton 2-0 at Anfield yesterday, said: "I am not here to talk about speculation because people talk too much. I know they [Juventus] were interested, that is part of the game now in football, but I am not ready to talk too much because I don't want to lose my focus."

Former Milan manager Zaccheroni was revealed as Ferrara's replacement until the end of the Serie A campaign, on the back of Juve losing nine of their last 12 games in all competitions.

Their 2-1 defeat by Roma last weekend was their fifth loss in six league games and left them 16 points adrift of leaders Inter. A 2-1 loss to Inter in the Italian Cup on Thursday proved to be Ferrara's last game in charge.

http://www.independe...er-1884427.html

[LFCMike]

Rafa Benitez said:

"Contrary to reports in the Italian media this weekend, I want to make it absolutely clear I have no agreement with Juventus and have not and will not be meeting Juventus or their representatives or any other club,"

"I have a long term contract with Liverpool and I'll repeat what I said on Friday that I am happy here and my only focus is to do my job as well as I can to get the team back into to the top four, beginning with the derby against Everton."

[ainsley]

KEEP RAFA IN OUR CITY

[Great Gooner]

Hmmm, I see Juve are doing the "Madrid" style of nicking people, make stories they have already agreed a deal to unsettle them..., way to go if that statement Rafa made is anything to go by.

[liverbird]

Quote

Benitez, whose team defeated Bolton 2-0 at Anfield yesterday, said: "I am not here to talk about speculation because people talk too much. I know they [Juventus] were interested, that is part of the game now in football, but I am not ready to talk too much because I don't want to lose my focus."

That is worrying though - doesn't sound very convincing :(

It would be good for both Juve and him. Not sure about Liverpool, though... Depends on what happens until the end of the season.

[Owzat]

He can hardly get compensation for getting sacked if he agrees a move to Juve while still under contract. Might be a bit of cagey manouevring with one side wanting rid, the other wanting on board but neither wanting to fork out the necessary ££££ that it would take to force the issue

Perhaps his 'style' would suit Serie A more, while we are apparently third in the form table (so someone claimed that I read on the LFC boards I frequent), that does include Stoke, Bolton and Wolves (x2) and we managed to drop four points against them for want of quality/attacking options.

I see no transfer deadline day deals going through for us, might be a sign that purse strings might be tied until the summer and it is clear whether he stays or goes. If the LFC board are hoping to hold out for a big compensation I hope they don't push their luck too much and Juve look elsewhere