He hasn't been appointed yet, but Rafa Benítez
is the favourite to be named Real Madrid's new
manager, an opportunity the 55-year-old has
been waiting for all his life.
His approach and sometimes prickly personality
may not be everyone's cup of tea, and his looks
might not aid his cause, but there can be no
doubt Benítez is a winner. His medal collection is
not to be sniffed at.
Benítez has reinvented himself many times. In
Spain he is seen as too results-driven,
defensive-minded and cerebral, but at Napoli he
will be remembered for his cavalier risk-taking.
In England, meanwhile, he is regarded as a
modern, chameleonic, continental coach and a
master strategist.
First and foremost, Benítez is methodical. He is
all about order. Tactics. Organisation. Devising
solutions. Videos. Statistics. Control. He loves the
spirit of English football, the subtlety of the
game in Spain and the tactical battle in Italy.
His inspiration as a youngster was always Arrigo
Sacchi's Milan. One of the things that most
maddens him is when people say or write that
his teams care more about defending than
attacking. It infuriates him. Last term he led
Napoli to Coppa Italia glory and a place in the
Champions League play-offs and they scored
104 times along the way, while his crowning
season at Liverpool yielded 109 goals.
The story has it that the first computer at Real
Madrid's training ground belonged to Benítez,
back during his time coaching in the youth
academy. His hard drive is overflowing with
knowledge, both about his teams and about
opponents he's faced.
[via Marca]