The whispers were that Liverpool's 4-0 destruction of Real Madrid in the Champions League last week was Rafael Benítez's version of a job application. The whisperers, though, assumed Benítez's pitch was to the Bernabéu suits, rather than Anfield's. They were wrong. What has seemed like a never-ending saga has finally been put to bed after Benítez signed a new contract to stay at Anfield until 2014.
While the Spaniard has been far from happy with the club's warring American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, he has maintained that he would stay with Liverpool. But what does his signature mean for his role at the club now? Benítez has long craved full control of which players he brings into the club – a privilege denied him last summer when the board balked at paying £18m for Aston Villa's Gareth Barry – and may well have that freedom now.
Despite the uncertainty, Liverpool are flying high, having crushed the giants of Real and Manchester United in the space of a week. Will this new contract provide them with the impetus to go on and topple United's lead at the top of the Premier League, or win Benítez's second Champions League? Manchester United fans have mockingly expressed a desire for Benítez to remain with Liverpool in the belief that their arch rivals will never win the league under his stewardship, but will their taunts come back to bite them?
Maybe not this season. But if Benítez can finetune the already impressive squad he has at his disposal, could next year be their moment?
Is it good news for Liverpool that the Spaniard has now signed the contract? Or could it be perhaps that Benítez is what stands between Liverpool and that elusive 19th title?
Whatever it is, have your say below ...
