Peter Crouch has backed Rafa Benitez to become the latest Tottenham manager and praises the Spaniard’s attention to details.
Reports have named Benitez as one of the managers who could become the next Spurs’ boss.
The former Liverpool head coach has been a free agent since he left a managerial role in China.
He led Liverpool to win the Champions League in 2005 and the FA Cup in 2006 among other trophies.
He won the UEFA Cup and La Liga with Valencia before coming to England and also won the Europa League with Chelsea.
Benitez is a successful manager and one of the most detail-oriented in the game.
However, his team doesn’t play the most attractive brand of football and that is one thing that could stand against him.
Nevertheless, Crouch who was his striker at Liverpool says the Spaniard isn’t the worst candidate that Spurs can name as their next manager.
In reply to a fan’s email on his column on Mail Sport, he wrote: “I could not have any more admiration for Rafa than I do, Graham.
“The man is a football obsessive and when I see pictures of him walking his dogs, I expect them to be in formation! His attention to detail is exemplary and he devotes every second of every day to the game.
“I’ll never forget the look on his face when he asked Jermaine Pennant one day at Melwood, Liverpool’s old training ground, if he’d watched a Champions League quarter-final the previous night. Jermaine, bless him, had no interest in watching football and replied: ‘No — who was playing?’
“Rafa was absolutely dumbstruck. The moment those two particular worlds collided will stay with me for ever! In terms of Tottenham, it wouldn’t be the worst shout. He’s proven at the highest level, his CV is superb – there are worse candidates, for sure. Until next time, stay safe and well.”
Who’s top of the Brazilian league? Can he speak English? Bring him in🌚
Players also spoke of Poch’s double training sessions too, decent managers aren’t pushovers and demand standards. It’s just the way you go about it, and if those methods still chime, almost 20 years on…
After al these years?
Dele is 25, Winks is 25 Dier is 27 and Sanchez is only 24. Whatever you think of them I wouldn’t say that their career durations will have exactly diminished their powers. Three of them aren’t even at their peak years yet.
I know full well that I sound like a broken record, but Poch got top four with a small spend compared to those we were competing with. Mainly because of a collective approach with a young team.
I honestly think he’s going struggle to recreate that very easily or very quickly again. Levy’s not going to give an established manager older quality players to work with so its a complete Catch 22…
Me too, not mad on either to be honest but Potter seems promising and has worked his way up well recently. Might be the right time for him more than Rafa.
He’s going be competent, the style of play might be an issue and with the younger age group of the transfers we generally bring in, `potter actually feels more compatible.
That’s what Potter is doing with Brighton.
In all fairness, I think several sh-t players got a PL medal under Jose.
Winning trophies is the best form of man management. I don’t really believe the trope that Jose is a horrible fu–er who just falls out with people. No one would be willing to play for him, much less put in a league-winning effort, if that were the case. I also remember several players speaking about Benitez’s harsh methods, but we’ll see what comes of that, if anything.
I would slightly disagree with your appraisal of those 4 players…Alli thinks he is far better than he is, which isnt helped by the media who portay him as the messiah…, Dier & Sanchez lack consistency despite on paper appearing to be a good fit & Winks may do well at say Palace, but I’d put him in with the Tom Carrolls & Josh Onomahs of this world… players who are ok, but maybe because of the youth team they have come from, and/or being English think they are better than what they are, and simply arent good enough for a team challenging for a champions league place…Maybe we should consider sending Winks out on loan…
In terms of style I agree, but Rafa’s man management is far better, he is definitely more used to getting a tune out of average players. He got Djimi Traore a Ch Lg winners medal!
What he did at Newcastle was a minor miracle.
you can’t get any more from those players for different reasons, dier and winks love the club but have the combined footballing ability of a blind man. where as sancheZ and Alli both have the ability but not the application if any get to play next season for spurs they are lucky. unfortunately I feel all will
You wouldn’t get many Scousers or Geordies discrediting Rafa. His attention to detail is meticulously excellent, he prepares his teams exceptionally well. With it though comes a pragmatic style of football. With very good players, like Mourinho, his teams play great football. Anyone spot the stumbling block?
The problem you describe is what helped sack Jose – people think the manager should be getting more out of Dele, Winks, Sanchez and Dier. Really? After all these years?
Fair point about the Championship – hard to imagine any of these managers staying on for the 46-match slog. On the other hand, I’ve just read some quotes from Benitez on why he left Newcastle. He described Ashley as “a businessman who I don’t believe really cares about his team”.
So that’s another off the list.
There is no way Jose, Pep, Klopp, Tuchel, Conte or anyone on that scale would have got Newcastle promoted from the championship… I would say he gets more out of average players than all the others in this list. A major problem regards Spurs & their fan base is thinking the current sqaud are better than what they actually are. I mean How many of yesterdays starting 11 would get into say the Chelsea first 11? 3, maybe 4.. The biggest issue is our midfield as against fluid teams we’re simply out of our depth unless we play the old Jose way, but that didnt go down too well either…🤔
I want an attacking manager so that if we do go down at least we go down playing our hearts out, regardless of the opposition. Mighty THFC shouldn’t be frightened of anybody. No more of this tactical suicide like we had from Mourinho. I much prefer Rednapp’s style of play tbh. Even if we’re 3-0 up we should go looking for more. Like under Poch then teams will be scared of us. Under Mourinho it was the other way around, and he wasted the talent that is Bale.
Please no. I’d rather potter than him (I think)
I just don’t see a difference between him and Jose – maybe just his stint at Newcastle, where he did relatively well for a time, but his credentials are the same as Jose’s; the only exception being he’s won less.
I expected him to be brought in until end of season when Mourinho was fired…bearing in mind our financial constraints I tend to agree with Crouchy…we could do a lot worse.. but ultimately if his remit is top 4 he’ll also fail… I just dont see how any incoming manager is going to achieve that with a net transfer spend of say 50 million, bearing in mind Liverpool, Chelsea, Utd & Citeh will all strengthen their sqauds this summer
Yep another defensive minded coach brings experience but he hasn’t done so well since leaving Liverpool, apart from that short stint at Chelsea
Experienced, wins stuff, attention to detail and doesn’t always play the nicest football. What could possibly go wrong?
Oh hang on…