There can only be one winner

So there is another outburst from yet another Liverpool player regarding the way Rafael Benitez manages the club and players. This time the player in question is Albert Riera.

Lets look at this from one perspective. Whether his allegations are true or not, that we don't know. We don't know what is actually going on in the dressing room, but what we know is this: Riera is behaving unprofessionally.

He claims that he does not play enough games this season. Does he forget that he's been injured for a good part of the season?

He says Rafa thinks he's in charge. Excuse me Albert, it's bleeding obvious that Rafa Benitez IS in charge.

He also claims that Benitez never talks to him. Everybody knows that Benitez does not graduate from the Harry Redknapp's School of Man Management. He is indifferent and dismissive to all the players, it's the way he works. Not saying that his way is correct, but as a professional you have to deal with it. Not everybody likes their bosses, it happens in other professions too.

Who does he think he is? If those allegations were made by, say, Steven Gerrard, or Fernando Torres, or Jamie Carragher, or Pepe Reina, or Javier Mascherano, they would at least have some credibility. Riera has been here for one and half season. While his performance sometimes convincing, he lacks in consistency and certainly not a power figure in the team. It's a shame he has to make his feelings public, I've always thought he's a good option on the left.

So he's saying that the lack of playing time is jeopardizing his chance to be included in Spain's World Cup squad? His solution to this is thrashing his manager on Spain's national radio. What a way to get back in the manager's good books. Here's an idea: why not do the talking on the pitch? I'm sure there are lots of ways to make yourself good in Rafa's eyes again. 1) You can train hard 2) Get fit. You've been injured for long 3) Why not get some games with the reserves like Pennant used to do, it will help with your match fitness.

Take Yossi Benayoun for example. He wasn't a regular before last season, yet he never bad-mouthed his manager in public. He tried hard to earn his place in the starting eleven. Now look where his effort and professional conduct get him. I'm not a fan of Ryan Babel too because of his history of thrash-talking the gaffer on the media and his infamous tweet episodes, but he's been playing well of late, so I'll give him credit where credit is due. Robbie Keane has never been Rafa's best buddy, worse still Rafa ends his time at Liverpool prematurely, yet he never talks bad about Rafa to the press. You're a professional, you've got to behave professionally. If a doctor talks like this about another doctor, lets say his superior/supervisor, he could be sued for this.

Oh, I think I need to mention that his agent has been shamelessly trying to get Barcelona to sign him since last season. I mean, like seriously??

If he thinks his outburst would better the situation, he's wrong. In this Albert Riera vs Rafa Benitez battle, there can only be one winner, and it's certainly not Albert Riera, because you Riera does not matter.


Disclaimer: This is not me showing blind faith to the manager or what, this is just me thinking that Riera's behaviour is unacceptable and, quoting Drogba, "fucking disgrace". So don't bombard me with anti-Rafa sentiments. Peace no war. YNWA.