So you’re a highly-rated winger currently plying your trade in one of the best leagues in the world and gaining International recognition. What would be a bad career move?
Going to Liverpool, under the guidance of the serial player-destroyer-in-chief, Rafael Benitez is arguable top of that list. However when Albert Riera moved from Espanyol to Liverpool, most thought it was a shrewd move for both. They spoke the same language, Riera was just the sort of player Liverpool needed.
Things however, did not go to plan. For Riera at least. A promising first few games were followed by the typically Benitez tactic of removal from the team and the well-trodden path to career-obscurity was soon the only road ahead for Riera.
Today he has spoken out at Benitez. There are the usual complaints about Benitez not talking to his players, not giving them any reason for their not featuring in games – in short all the things everyone else already knows and criticises the Liverpool manager for.
Particularly cutting was this line,
“He thinks he’s in charge and everything else falls on deaf ears. His dialogue with the players is practically nil.”
Just as they’d turned the corner too…
