Opinion | Rafa Benitez’s Chinese adventure is not about the money but everything to do with his love for the game
- Former Newcastle and Liverpool manager eats, sleeps and breathes football and it is always business with him
- A generous and witty man, the Spaniard is going to China to win more trophies and make friends along the way
Dinner with the 59-year-old invariably turns into a tactical masterclass. Within minutes of sitting down, salt and pepper cellars, wine glasses and utensils are used to mark out formations and fellow diners are presented with strategic conundrums.
A couple of years ago, I met Benitez in an Italian restaurant in Central London. The staff were Napoli fans and treated their former manager like royalty. He shook hands and happily signed autographs. After the most perfunctory greeting for his company, he set up the table to pose a defensive question. He wanted to know what I would do in a certain situation.
The problem for amateurs like myself is that every suggestion created another issue. Do you press the wide player or sit off and allow him time on the ball? If you pressurise the ball-carrier, who fills the space the defender has left unoccupied?
What about runners coming from deep? You can never outthink Benitez. He is always a step ahead and working on a dozen permutations. After five minutes, there was only one solution. I knocked the salt shaker over. “I’d foul him,” I said, killing the conversation. Rafa’s face dropped. I’d spoiled the fun.