Garcia: Benitez can cope with criticism
Spanish star Luis Garcia has no doubts Rafael Benitez can handle the pressure and abuse which come with the territory as Liverpool manager.
Over the past few weeks Benitez has found himself being questioned by the critics for the first time since guiding Liverpool to glory in the Champions League.
Benitez, as well as the rest of the Spanish imports he has brought to Anfield, have all suffered stinging criticism of late amid claims they do not understand the demands of the English game.
Luis Garcia, top scorer last term, has not been excused the abuse. Of his own form he said: “It is not bad. I am trying to be better and score more, but this has been difficult this season, I accept that.”
But he said of his manager: “I have know Rafa for a long time, I was a player when he was at Tenerife, and for sure he has the character to cope with this.
“He has been in Valencia and in finals and winning titles, he knows a lot about management and handling tha sort of situation. In Valencia it is very hard because the pressure is very strong and people are critical.
“You say in England people are thick-skinned. In Spain it is a similar expression. Rafa can cope because in Valencia the criticism is very tough – if you do not play well it is unbelievable what the crowd say. He has a lot of spirit, he will handle this.”
Luis Garcia, who will be fighting to take Liverpool into the last 16 of this season’s competition with a home victory over Anderlecht, added: “I do not understand how people can say bad things about our manager. If you look at his career you must see what he can do. He is our manager and we know what he is like.
“It doesn’t surprise me the amount of criticism. It is the same in Spain, if you have a bad result it is worse than here.
“But I do not worry about it, next week we may play well and everyone will say good things. They will not criticise because we are foreign players, they will say then that we play with pride for our club.
“Maybe the level of criticism is higher because we are European champions. We are expected to finish in the top four and maybe do something more in the cups.
“People want a lot more from us this season, I realise. But that is good, it means we know we have to be better than last season, that is our incentive.
“I do not worry that people say we do not care about the team, because we know what we can do and although I know what people think about us, I am not worried because I know different.”
