Chelsea's manager ... Rafael Benitez vows to see out his contract.Source: Sang Tan / AP
Under-fire Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez insists there is no chance he will be forced out before his contract expires at the end of this season.
Benitez has faced renewed calls for his dismissal after he launched an astonishing attack on the club's fans and the Stamford Bridge hierarchy following his side's 2-0 win at Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday.
The 52-year-old, despised by many Chelsea fans following his spell with their rivals Liverpool, risked the wrath of Blues owner Roman Abramovich by asking why the club insisted on making him an 'interim' manager when he replaced the sacked Roberto di Matteo in November.
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
1
Man United
27
22
2
3
33
68
2
Man City
27
16
8
3
26
56
3
Tottenham
27
15
6
6
15
51
4
Chelsea
27
14
7
6
25
49
5
Arsenal
27
13
8
6
22
47
6
Everton
27
10
12
5
7
42
7
West Brom
27
12
4
11
2
40
8
Liverpool
27
10
9
8
15
39
9
Swansea
27
9
10
8
4
37
10
Stoke
27
7
12
8
-6
33
11
Fulham
27
8
8
11
-5
32
12
Norwich
27
7
11
9
-14
32
13
Newcastle
27
8
6
13
-10
30
14
West Ham
27
8
6
13
-10
30
15
Sunderland
27
7
8
12
-7
29
16
Southampton
27
6
9
12
-11
27
17
Wigan
27
6
6
15
-18
24
18
Aston Villa
27
5
9
13
-26
24
19
Reading
27
5
8
14
-18
23
20
QPR
27
2
11
14
-24
17
Benitez's outburst sparked speculation that his position was in immediate danger, but the Spaniard took training as scheduled on Thursday as the European champions began preparations for Saturday's league game with West Bromwich Albion.
And, asked during an interview with the BBC's Football Focus program, if he might be axed for his outburst, Benitez was adamant he retains a good enough relationship with Abramovich to be allowed to stay.
"No (I won't be sacked). They know how we work and what we are trying to do. The players are really happy in what we are trying to do. Sometimes you win, sometimes you cannot," Benitez said.
"The atmosphere in the club is really good. There are no issues in the team. In terms of what we do the players are fully behind the methods."
Abramovich is regarded as one of the most demanding owners in world football and the Russian billionaire has notched up a series of high-profile sackings during nearly 10 years in charge at Stamford Bridge.
But Benitez talked positively of his rapport with Abramovich and insisted there had been no rows between the duo.
"My relationship with Roman Abramovich is very good," he said.
"When I meet with Roman Abramovich we talk about football, we talk like normal people and share our passion for football.
"My relationship with the staff and people at the club is really good."
Benitez has faced opposition from a core of disillusioned Chelsea fans ever since he arrived at the club and during his post-Middlesbrough rant, he accused those supporters of having unrealistic expectations about the current squad.
But he was in more placatory mood during the BBC interview and tried to at least partially fix their fractured relationship by calling for a united front to help third placed Chelsea reach their goal of qualifying for next season's Champions League via a top-four finish.
Blow-up ... Rafa Benitez lets loose after Chelsea's FA Cup win.Source: Paul Ellis / AAP
Rafa Benitez has turned on Chelsea supporters, remarkably hit out at Chelsea for referring to him as 'interim' manager and confirmed he will not be at the club next season.
In an astonishig outburst, Benitez turned on the section of fans who continue to vent their frustration at the Spaniard.
While Benitez rounded on the fans, he also revealed that he knew nothing about being appointed as interim boss and feels that was a mistake by the Premier League club.
"I have a title, someone decided the title would be interim. Why? Just in case," he revealed.
"OK fine, if they want to blame me for everything that is wrong and then they said they would put interim just in case. Fine, that is your decision, I don't agree but that is your decision, and now everybody has to take responsibility.
"If we are in the Champions League I will be the happiest man in the world but the next year I would leave anyway because I finish my contract so they don't need to worry about me. They have to concentrate on supporting the team.
"I have a contract until the end of the season, that's it, so they don't need to worry about me.
"It was surprise for me, [the title] interim. I have a contract to the end of the season, I said before I have to do my job, that's it but this group with [their] agenda they carry on and I think it is wrong because it is bad for the team.
"Someone decided and I think that was mistake. It's very clear, I don't know who but it was mistake.
"Everybody is interim, because after you there is another one. In this case they didn't have anyone so why did they put interim? It's just to say to everyone that he was in Liverpool and then just in case we will put interim and then we wash our hands.
"I can't change the titles and the perception so it doesn't matter now. What I have to do is be sure that I give 100 per cent every single day. They will know I am trying to do my best.
"The manager is the manager, one month, three months, seven months it doesn't matter.
"I think the reason why the group of fans is not happy is because I was Liverpool manager, we played in the Champions League, massive games, that's it. You cannot change that, they were really good, we were really good, it was a confrontation at this stage.
"Now I am the manager, and a professional. I want to clarify I will do my best until the last minute but if they carry on with this agenda they are damaging the club and the team and next year if we cannot achieve the top four, they have to take a bit of responsibility.
"I didn't know about the title, I have an agent and I was surprised but they couldn't change things because they announced that. I thought it was a mistake but I still couldn't change the interim [title]."
Benitez insists that the fans are not showing him the respect he is due.
"I have been in charge in football for 26 years, I won the Champions League, I won the FIFA World Cup, the FA Cup, the Italian Super Cup, the Spanish league twice, nine trophies - all the trophies you can win at club level so this group of fans are not making any favourites with the team and they are singing and wasting time preparing banners," he said.
"And it is because someone made a mistake - they put my title interim manager, and I will leave at the end of the season so they don't need to waste their time with me, they have to concentrate on supporting the team, that is what they have to do, they are not making any favours to the club and the rest of the fans and the players, so every game if they continue singing and they continue preparing banners, they are wasting time.
"What they have to do is support the team, if we cannot achieve what we expect to achieve which is to be in the top-four and Champions League for next year, I will leave and they will stay in the Europa League and they have to take responsibility too. If they put players under pressure or they did not create a good atmosphere in Stamford Bridge they are making a big mistake as the rest of the fans would like to see them in the Champions League next year.
"So it would be much better for everyone to support the team and back the players, I am the manager and will manage the team, I like to manage players and not names, and I will make decisions and at the end of the season I will leave anyway as I am interim, as they say, they are wasting time.
"I have proved in these last months I want to win every single game, I am professional and if we win I will be the happiest in the world but if a group of fans continue with their agenda and wasting time it is their decision.
"I am really pleased here, I have a top side and a good group of players who work hard and it is a top club, it is not a problem - the problem is a group of people who can say what they want but they have to support the team and they don't need to worry about me as I will leave at the end of the season. I will do my job and try and win every game until the last minute.
"I am surprised, I have won nine titles, all the titles you can win at club level in three countries so I have enough experience and have quality as a manager - but if a group of people with an agenda can carry on, they don't realise I will leave at the end of the season, they don't need to worry about me, if they do that and we are not in the Champions League they can say what they want but next year they will see the Europa League.
"A group of fans, they don't realise - the rest of the fans want to see us in the Champions League, this group have an agenda they put the title interim so why do they have to bother, they should just carry on supporting the team.
"It is a team in transition - in the past you had Drogba, Essien, Kalou - a talented team with experience and now we have a group with talent but it is a time of transition, they need to realise that when I came here the team was not in the Champions League and will do my best until the last minute. They are damaging the image of the club and the other fans because people think that is all the fans.
"I will do my job and I will try to do my best. It will be easier at Stamford Bridge and have the fans supporting the team instead of thinking of what can we do, what can we say."
Asked how long he would be in charge, he insisted as far as he knew it would be June, when his deal runs out.
"I will be manager until the last minute when somebody decides no, you won't be here in June," he continued.
"I will do my job, no problem, to manage is to decide the team, the subs and everything until the end. I did it for 26 years with nine titles and lot of trophies in different countries, so I think I have enough experience. So if they want to sing and prepare banners, they have to take responsibility too.
"They have to decide what they want to do. What I've said is what I've done in my life as a professional and what I want to do in the future, hopefully win trophies too.
"A group of fans have an agenda. I will do my job until the last day, and after I will be really pleased if we can win trophies or be in the top four, three, two. I will do my job until the end."
Bust-up ... Rafael Benitez denies any issue with senior Chelsea players.Source: Paul Ellis / AFP
Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez has dismissed media reports of a row between himself and some of his senior players in the aftermath of Sunday's 2-0 Premier League loss at Manchester City.
British media reports claimed there had been a flare-up involving Benitez and a posse of players led by captain John Terry, but the Spaniard insisted there had been nothing untoward.
Benitez, whose side visit Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday, said: "This was a normal meeting between players and technical staff, which happens after every game. It was normal talk, nothing else. You show your disappointment, that is normal.
"I can understand the frustrations of Terry. He is an important player for us and has been injured with his knee.
"It was very brief exchange of ideas, and that is it, nothing else. It is just a team talk after a defeat.
"We had a meeting on the pitch with my players and technical staff, which is part of our business.
"Now we have to move on and start thinking about Middlesbrough.''
Asked about his relationship with the Chelsea players, Benitez said: "It is fantastic. I have no problem.''
Chelsea's loss at the Etihad Stadium left them seven points behind second-place City in the Barclays Premier League and they were bumped down to fourth place on Monday following Tottenham Hotspur's 3-2 win at West Ham United.
