• Premier League

Benitez leaves Liverpool

June 3, 2010

Liverpool have confirmed that manager Rafael Benitez is to leave the club after six years in charge.

Benitez, who took over from Gerard Houllier in 2004, found his position untenable after a disappointing season which saw Liverpool finish seventh in the Premier League, just 12 months after being runners-up to Manchester United.

The club have released a statement on their official website which reads: "Liverpool FC today confirmed that Rafael Benitez is to leave the club by mutual consent.

"Mr Benitez relinquishes his position as team manager after six years and the Board of Directors would like to place on record their grateful thanks for his services and wish him all the best in his future career.

"The Board has now asked Managing Director Christian Purslow, with the assistance of Club Ambassador Kenny Dalglish, to begin a formal search to identify and assess potential candidates for the managerial position.

"No timescale has been placed on the process and Liverpool FC will make no further statement until a new manager is appointed.

"LFC Chairman Martin Broughton said: "Rafa will forever be part of Liverpool folklore after bringing home the Champions League following the epic final in Istanbul but after a disappointing season both parties felt a fresh start would be best for all concerned.''

Rafael Benitez said: "It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts.

"I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager.

"Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone."

Who will replace Rafa?

Martin O'Neill: Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner insisted in May that Liverpool are "not taking" O'Neill away from the club but having enjoyed both success and stability at Villa Park - two commodities that have been rare indeed at Anfield in recent years - and established a legacy of success at Celtic and Leicester City before that, O'Neill has the required stature. He also has experience of working to a tight budget, which may place him in a strong position.

Roy Hodgson: His stock has never been higher after taking Fulham to the Europa League final - something that Benitez failed to do with Liverpool. Hodgson could even be contending with the Spaniard for the vacant Inter Milan job, and is seen as a future England manager, but if a return to Italy is not on the agenda, then Hodgson's vast experience and widespread popularity will make him a strong candidate to take over at Anfield.

Kenny Dalglish: A bona fide Liverpool legend, Dalglish returned to the club in July 2009 to take on a role at the club's academy and act as a club ambassador. As manager of the Reds, Dalglish secured the Double in 1986 and secured further league titles in 1988 and 1990 before announcing his shock resignation in February 1991. Though he won the Premier League with Blackburn in 1995, and had further spells with Newcastle and Celtic, Dalglish enjoys an intimate relationship with Liverpool fans. He will be involved in the process of finding Benitez's replacement, but has a chance himself.

Guus Hiddink: The Dutchman, whose only spell in English football saw him lift the FA Cup with Chelsea in 2009, is an outside prospect given that only recently he was appointed Turkey manager and has already turned down overtures from Inter Milan. Hiddink won the Treble for PSV Eindhoven in 1988 and won six Eredivsie titles in two spells at the club, as well as managing Real Madrid. At international level, he steered South Korea to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup and Russia to the final four of Euro 2008.

Mark Hughes: Another outsider, Hughes will only reduce his popularity among Manchester United fans further if he follows his departure from Manchester City in December by becoming manager of Liverpool. Hughes was used to spending vast sums of money at City before being dismissed for failing to keep the club on the right "trajectory", but under a tight budget at Blackburn he established a reputation as one of the brightest managerial talents in England.

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