- Homepage
- Football
- Premier League
- La Liga
- Serie A
- Transfers
- Tables
- Champions League
- Europa League
- International
- Women
- Tennis
- Cricket
- Rugby Union
- Formula 1
- Olympics
- More Sports...
- Hot Topics
- Novak Djokovic
- Football Transfers
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Useful Links
- Subscribe to Feed
- Subscribe by Email
Was Benitez disrespectful towards Barry?
Last week, Liverpool’s disgruntled manager Rafa Benitez laid out his opinions on Manchester City’s new signing, Gareth Barry.
It was a move which the Spaniard described as ’100% for the money.’
Of course Barry was a long-term target for Liverpool. Last summer Liverpool and Barry flirted with the possibility of a move, with the former Aston Villa skipper eager to make the switch to Anfield.
He was eager to play with Europe’s elite in the Champions League and also have a chance of winning a Premiership medal, but the two clubs failed to agree a deal for the player.
Liverpool were unwilling to meet Villa’s valuation, and Barry slowly slipped out of Benitez’s grasp. The England midfielder was left to mend burnt bridges at Villa Park.
One season later, Barry opted to sign for Manchester City ahead of a switch to Anfield. Of course his motivation behind choosing Eastlands over European football at Liverpool led to intense scrutiny from the football world.
Benitez, who is no stranger to venting his anger to the media, unleashed a scathing attack on Barry.
“Maybe it’s just me but in this market – the top level -I don’t think money is the most important thing,” the Liverpool manager said.
He added: ”At this level everyone earns big money. The question is do you make the right decisions and do what is best for your career? If it’s just for money sometimes you will make mistakes and I’ve been surprised by some decisions this summer – like Barry. I won’t say too much but it was clearly 100% for money. The most important thing for me, though, is the passion of the players”
One can understand Benitez’s frustrations. His two key defensive midfielders, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, have both been heavily linked with moves to Spain.
Barry would have provided Benitez with a perfect replacement should he have lost either of his two midfield dynamo’s. Yet Barry chose to embark on new adventure with Manchester City as the mega rich club prepare to launch an attack on the Premiership’s settled big four.
‘Greedy’ Gareth Barry, today hit back at the Liverpool manager’s slurs, branding the Spaniards comments as ‘disrespectful’.
He also criticised Liverpool’s approach to signing him, lamenting that he never really felt wanted by Liverpool. This was not the case with the Manchester City manager and staff.
“The difference was that City made me feel wanted. Liverpool had a chance to buy me last season but failed to pay the money, and only found it this year when they knew someone else had reached an agreement.”
He rejected any suggestion the move to Eastlands was motivated by money and reiterated his desire to be part of something big at Manchester City.
“I’ve been in the Premier League for ten years, more, and the money I’ve been paid is phenomenal compared to your average, everyday working man. You live and work away from normal life anyway, so money’s not a big factor.”
It is another foe for Benitez to add to his ever-growing list. He has had public spats with both Sir Alex Ferguson and Sam Allardyce in the past.
I think Rafa was spot on, Barry said the reason he wanted to leave Villa was to play European football. So why go to Man City for anything other than money? He’s going on 30 years old and won’t be playing Euro football this year. I don’t imagine they’ll crack the top four at the first attempt so he won’t be playing champions league the season after. Season after that he’ll be 31 maybe 32 and probably won’t be first team at City. So he told the Villa fans a pack of lies. As a Pool fan i never wanted him. Alonso is a million times the player, and if Alonso goes taking Barry would be a step backwards. I want Snjider or Aquilani who again are far better (and younger) than that money grabbing liar.
you cant be disraspectful when tell like it is
i totaly agree with paul above money talks and thats all that barry wants at the end of the day i hope villa finish above city and show money grabber what a mistake he’s made his career will be all but finished by the time city breaks the top 4 his career will all but be over city are gonna need time to gel they all think its gonna happen this year but they have a big shock in store!!!!!! mid table at best
Of course Rafa was disrespectful!
1. He should have given him a 120k weekly just slightly above SG, 4x Mascherano, 30K more than Xabi.
2. After all he was doing LFC a big favour filling up the midfield (the weakest spot in LFC) in Champions League.
3. He was adding th ‘Barry’ factor to LFC. The club would be enhanced by his royal presence.
Barry is the kind of nice guy which wanted to come to LFC to fulfill his Champions League ambitions – not monetary reasons – far from it. He would donate 50% to charity, the rest to LFC fans.
But alas Rafa did not stump the paltry sum of 18 million last season and although he could muster the 12 million this time…. poor Barry – we could not afford his wages.
Another O’Neill??????
lol who the hell is squirrel32 talking about sure isnt barry lol anyone would think he’s a saint pmsl
if it was not for money what was it for? cl football? same as tevez from man u to city, not money come on lads you live in your own little world, give your head a wobble barry
I think that Rafa in the first place shouldn’t have even bother to make any comment at all. I mean after all, who the hell is Barry in the first place. He’s nothing but a 30 year-old riding out his last few years in the EPL. He has never even played and probably does not possess any cup winning side ambition. That goes for Man City as well and I doubt he’s going to make much of a difference to them. I honestly don’t think that we can’t perform just because we don’t have him. Thank God and Martin O’neill that we had saved $18m last year which could have been put to better use as I’m sure there at least 10 other better players we can choose from for that price if not cheaper. Long live the KOP. Rafa, pls let it be as the Beatles had sung.
paul&sean get used to it the blue army is taking over !!! cant stop laughing over other fans like you two who are more intrested in the super blues than your own team !
super blues hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Barry is being disrespectful by talking bull and insulting the intelligence of every football fan that has followed this saga. He thinks M.C. will be up there among the top 4? Man City will win nothing with Hughes in charge and they will finish mid table like last year,the guy is a mercenary like Tevez that moved purely for the money.
table end of season
1.liverpool
2.man united
3.arsenal
4.chelsea
5.aston villa
6.everton
7.man shity
7th at best city dreamers
Barry went for money
Tevez went for money
Adebayor will go for money
only Roque Santa Cruz will go because of Hughes.
If Barry is not going for money let him tell us how much he is getting paid, and how much Liverpool were offering,
How much has Mancity won lately.
AS for Tevez, not wanting to join a team with a bitter rivalry with the Mancs.
Adebayor, demanding £170k a week.
mid table at best ? is it red nose day coz u gotta b avin a larf ! wot do u do with the couple a minutes each day your not worrying about city ?
It is plain for all to see that Barry, Tevez and Robinho all joined City for the money…nothing else. All a case of no guts and no glory!
It’s all too easy for City to simply buy success but then again when you haven’t got a history or a packed trophy cabinet to entice players then forking out loads of money in wages is the only way.
After all, it worked for Chelsea who are in the same boat. They may have won a couple of prem titles but they still have no history or class – only arrogance, hence the reason they think they have a god given right to win the CL.
We won it five times!!!
it must be red nose day if you think city are gonna break top 4 becuase thats the funniest thing ive herd all year in fact im gonna make a donation hahahaha
you say it worked for chealsea but they had a half decent team to start money is going to all the fans heads you may have a point in a year or two but not a chance yet money is going to fans heads aswell how silly are you gonna look when you win nowt this year and are playing intertoto cup
The media always pick on Rafa for his outburst, but the man just simply tell it like it is. Just as was his outburst against SAF about man u getting the benefits of the EPL fixtures awhile back. The truth is most people in the business do agree with him but don’t have the balls to come out & say it (except for Wenger). And his spot on about Barry this time as well. So “Was Benitez disrespectful towards Barry?” HELL NO!!! Barry deserved to be condemn. Personally i’m glad LFC didn’t get Barry even without our two midfield maestro of Masch/Alonso i’d prefer to see anyone else but Barry wearing the Red shirt.
it’s funny to see how many people mask their jealousy by talking such bullcrap.
Robinho, Tevez and Barry all came to City not just of money, but also becuase of unprofessional behaviour from other clubs… Robbie was devastated that he wasn’t released from international duty by real madrid and Chelsea messed up a deal to take him – City really was the only feasable choice, Tevez was upset with Fergie and could have gone to Chelsea or real Madrid but chose to stay close to home and Barry got screwed by Liverpool last year. I think some of you muppets forget the backlash Barry got from Villa after it emerged he was being approached by Liverpool. Barry’s intentions last year may have been to play CL with Liverpool but situations change.
Talking of situations changing… you better get ready for a change in English football beacuse City will break the top four in the next two years. I just hope Everton get billionaire backers to build a great team and knock Liverpool fans off ther high and mighty perch.
Barry has made himself look ridiculous. He has left Villa in search of Champions League football, and joined a club with ideas above its station. One that has loads of money but little else to offer. Manchester is a dump with awfull weather, so WAGS will soon be hacked off and want any ‘mega star’ partners to go to a more fashionable place.
Barry is even richer but has lost all self respect.
Naturally every player at the rags, grievers, arse and chelski play for the love of the club and don’t draw a wage. Likewise every glory hunter at each of those clubs would refuse to move jobs for an increase in salary out of loyalty to their current employers.
FFS grow up you bunch of hypocritical mongs …..
For MCFC to play catch up to the cartel that is the mythical ‘big 4′ of course they have to offer serious money. They also have to have a vision and offer something that represents a challenge ….. something that is lost on supporters who support simply to follow success …..
Perhaps for the likes of Barry, Tevez, RSC and Adebayor instant success is boring ….. after all when you leave one of the 4 your instantly derided as shit so why not go somewhere where your achievements will be appreciated rather than taken for granted.
Ha ha ha keep dreaming Kerry.
Why on earth would Gareth Barry and two footballing stars join a small trophyless club like Man City if it wasn’t for the money?
City probably will do well in the next few years but then again that’s inevitable if you decide to take the easy option and buy success – because that’s simply all they’re doing.
I’m more concerned about football in general and the negative effect that City’s money money money approach will have on it.
Kerry one thing you’re right about is the player’s situation changed esp Tevez’s and Robinho’s situation but Barry got screwed not by Rafa or Liverpool instead MON stuffed it up for everyone by raising Barry’s value far to high. Just as well we didn’t get Barry because it’s now shows Barry’s true colour and to think we almost lost our best player last season because of him!!!
Barry is not a winner he’s never won anything in his life just as man city will never ever see the light in playing in the champs league and will be forever fighting for places to play in the average UEFA cup. But year in year out Liverpool FC not only be playing the highest level of champs league but we always try to win it. Hell we won it FIVE ( 5 ) times already. What has man city won? not even a UEFA cup….how sad.
rafa was spot on although probably not a good idea to say it. Im pissed off with city now; I mean its easy to get jealous when liverpool are tight and city are flush but if LFC where acting like city id be pissed off. Although they have acquired some talent i just dont think M Hughes has what it takes tactically to make the top. He will get the sack. City’s squad is a mess.. if they get Ade from the gunners they will have 9 strikers. That is just laughable..city will buy any big name player that will come to them it seems… but a manager like rafa or fergie can mold a machine of team… i found it funny city finished worse off last year than when sven was in charge … they will have good games but a good organized team will rip them apart more often than not…hahaha
Just a few point to add to this.
As a LFC supporter for 30+ years, I cannot understand the jealousy thrown MCFC’s way. Good luck to them, and they are entitled to buy who ever they like. It may be hard for football purists to take, but it’s hypocritical of supporters to have a go when for the past 40 years other clubs have been spending big money. The only difference is that big money has been spent steadily, and MCFC are doing it in a hurry to play catchup, ditto Real Madrid. Experience would suggest this shopping spree is utimately likely to fail, simply because a team takes time to gel and is not just 11 good players but a team that wins.
As for Barry, he is the ultimate hypocrite. A lot went on between Rafa and MON last year. The facts are the deal was leaked by a Birmingham reporter but MON blamed Rafa for underhand tactics. Thereafter MON kept the issue going in the media while Rafa refrained to comment in public. Through this course of events Barry’s head got turned, for which most Villa fans blame LFC and Rafa. There was a big gulf in the valuation which caused most of the angst. Throughout this, Barry only had to submit a transfer request (and therefore forgo some loyalty bonus) and would have got his move to LFC. Instead he was far happier to play for Villa for another year and move (FOR MONEY) to MCFC. Let me be clear, this is no fault of MCFC, they have every right to throw good money after bad, but let there be no doubt that Barry is a money grabber.
As for those who say what would us mere mortals do in our own job situation, and I agree we would all jump ship for more money. The key difference is that the amount of money for us could maybe upgrade our Ford Mondeo to possibly a BMW. Barry already had all the luxuries one needs to sustain a 5 star existance at Villa. As Rafa rightly says, all the EPL players earn big money – one weeks salary is equivalent to what most of us earn in 2-3 years. So Barry’s choice was a good chance to win trophies with LFC or a 12-1 chance with MCFC (no disrepect intented to MCFC but those are the official odds).
Good luck MCFC but as we found out with Owen, a club is based on heart and sole players of which Barry is not one. And in my humble opinion, the majority of other big MCFC money buys also come into the mercency bracket.
If people start thinking sensibly and see how the media tries to make a big meal out of different interviews. It is about time people stopped moaning about decisions of players. If Barry picked City then fine! He had his reasons to do that so leave it at that. I am getting fed up with all this media BS and how they are trying to make a meal out of everything. I am a Liverpool fan and I just dont give a fudge!
mark h
City do indeed have 9 strikers but again establish facts before you spout BS ….. before the window even opened Mark Hughes stated that no contracted player would be allowed to leave before players were brought in. If you really think the likes of Benjani, Bojinov, Evans and even Bellamy are going to be regular starters you are quite clearly deluded. Perhaps we should try the LFC model of only two Premier League class strikers despite having 60+ professionals on the books?
Anon
Some fair and valid points but I would argue, with some justification, what have LFC won when compared to rags and chelski over recent years? Personally I think you screwed your only real chance at the title last season and unless you invest more wisely than £18 million on a full back (Barry would have cost you less in wages and a fee) then you will struggle again this season.
Before my head is bitten off ….. MCFC won’t be title challengers this season. Perhaps they will push the overhyped 4 but the stated aim is top 6 and that is achievable.
Also worth highlighting why IMO you are all pissed off. The City strategy is a simple one. Strengthen at your opponents expense. Arsenal. Liverpool, rags, chelski, Everton and Villa all pissed off with our transfer policy. Work it out for yourselves.
Andy, just to add:
I see a great amount a similarity in the Barry/LFC saga last year to the Alonso/Real Madrid saga this year. Villa and LFC are both playing hard balls to keep key players. Both players had the opportunity to hand in transfer requests but failed to do so. This resulted in LFC not meeting Villa’s valuation for Barry, and now RM not meeting LFC extortionate valuation for Alonso. The difference it seems is that Alonso has kept his dignity in public, not done a rant, and whatever he has to say to the manager it has been done behind closed doors. Hence, were he to stay even at this late stage, he would do so without having upset the LFC supporters.
Unlike the majority of fans who follow their clubs blindly, I like to encourage and support LFC, but also am ready to accept critique where it is due. Personally I never understood Rafa’s pursuit of Barry, I just never understood where and how he’d fit into the LFC system, since he’s not a touch on Alonso. And it’s a blessing in disguise that MCFC have forced Rafa to look elsewhere.
If any of the rumours are true, we may end up with Sneider, Negrado, Silva and Saviola in exchange for Alonso and Arbeloa. That may be the shrewded piece of business if Rafa pulls it off, and may add to the bench strength that we lacked last year.
As for LFC, what might seem like a lost opportunity last year in reality should be a stepping stone to the title this year (at least I hope :-). At the beginning of last year, I like most realistic LFC fans was only hoping we weren’t out of the race by XMas. And indeed we put up a stirling effort until the end. Ultimate analysis suggests the dropped points at home to both MCFC (1-1) and Arsenal (4-4) is where we actually lost out technically, despite the earlier home dropped points with the likes of Stoke, Fulham etc. That and the 10 game MUFC’s 1-0 winning streak.
The most important thing is that the lack of change in the LFC squad is a good thing for team stability, as demonstrated by all the great teams in the past. They took their time to win the title, often going 3-2-1, but once they got to 1, they stayed there for a while. At the end of the season, for a brief moment I agreed with Andy that we may have wasted our best opportunity to winning the title. But after a lot of calm reflection, I truely believe we needed to go through that heart ache to harden ourselves for the true title challenge this year.
no axe to grind against city or their fans always liked them because they have always had common sense so please don’t let the money change you. face it Barry has made himself look a fool following his champions league outburst last season and a greedy one at that. YNWA
Villa fans know what he went for, and Benitez just pointed out the fact. At least he speaks his mind, which is something nobody else is willing to do these days. Fergie and Allardyce are scheming and manipulative with the media — as shown by the treatment Fergie gave to TEVEZ. What a lying prick.
Barry used the Champion’s League and “higher ambition” as an excuse to ultimately weasel his way out of Villa and into a big-money contract at City.
He’s a fine player, but two-faced as a person..
Anon, good post. To be honest, I don’t understand the obsession that Rafa has with Barry. I don’t see how he could improve our starting 11. He’s no where near the standard of Alonso, he doesn’t have as much composure, or the passing range. Like Alonso, he’s also very slow.
I think it was definitely a blessing that we didn’t manage to sign him last year. We would have lost Alonso, and would have had to pay an extra 4m in exchange for Barry. Instead, we now have Alonso who had one of his best season who was the main reason for us to be challenging Man U last year. Now Alonso looks like he will be on his way out but at least we could gain get around 30m for him!
Thank god we didn’t sign the money grabbing Barry! Man City will do well but hopefully in a couple of years time, by which time they would have spent big to get someone else in leaving Barry to rot in the reserves. haha
you don’t get many (if any) articles defending barry, so i decided to write one here:
http://thebleacherbums.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/barry-the-traitor/
money was NOT the primary factor. and if you were offered that type of money to play in a team with such potential – you wouldn’t take it? i’d take a lot less.
you cant be disrespectiful when saying the truth.simple!
