Considering just how muchwas written about the impact of Pako's departure last season(I seem toremember a few idiots argued that he was actually the real reason wehad even been successful under Rafa) I wonder just how much of animpact Sammy Lee has made as number 2 this season. He's done afantastic job the last 3 games and he's a class act when it comes todealing with the media. It was like listening to a Liverpool manager ofold to hear him on MOTD tonight, he was humble, understated, quietlyconfident and reminded the interviewer what a great club LFC are. ClassAct
Cracking article from the Echo below...
Dec 27 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo
WHO was Rafa Benitez's best signing during the summer?
EvenAndrea Dossena's mum would be hard pressed for making a convincing casefor it being the Italian left back who has endured a torrid time sincearriving on Merseyside.
Robbie Keane was the most expensive but hasstruggled to live up to his £20m price tag and will have to adddramatically to his goal tally if speculation on his future is to goaway.
Swiss defender Philipp Degen has barely been seen because ofinjuries, which his critics believe isn't a bad thing given hisperformances when available.
Diego Cavalieri was brought in as backup to Pepe Reina and has only appeared in three cup games up to now socan't really be judged.
Of all the signings on the playing front,Albert Riera has undoubtedly made the biggest impact as the Spanishwinger has given Liverpool the width they so badly needed and provenhimself to be a far better player than the one English football fansremembered from his loan spell at Man City in 2006.
On the whole, itwasn't Liverpool's most productive summer in the transfer market butthere is one signing which stands out above all others.
When Benitez was on the lookout for an assistant manager Sammy Lee seemed like the obvious choice for the job.
Proventop class coaches with Premier League management experience and theuniversal respect of his peers don't come on the market too often,especially not ones who are steeped in the tradition of LiverpoolFootball Club.
Having been discarded by Bolton Lee was on the marketat a time when the club he supported as a boy was on the lookout for anew addition to its backroom team.
The timing could not have beenbetter for both parties and Lee was able to slot in seamlessly, eventaking in a couple of days training at the end of last season.
Asseveral of the players have since admitted it was as if Lee had neverbeen away as he set up training drills for the squad to take part inand equally importantly added a Scouse accent to the mix of Benitez'sstaff and a knowledge of what makes Liverpool tick which was gainedduring his previous spells at the club as both coach and player.
You can't put a price on such experience and Lee's input since returning to Anfield has been invaluable.
Over the past couple of weeks, the 49-year-old has faced his biggest test since becoming Benitez's number two.
Theillness which laid the Reds boss low and kept him away from first teamduties meant someone had to fill his shoes and the command structure atMelwood made it inevitable that Lee would be that man.
At Arsenallast week, commander Benitez may have been directing operations bymobile phone but it was his understudy who was putting his orders intopractice and the combination was enough to win Liverpool a hard earnedpoint at what remains a difficult venue despite the Gunners'inconsistent league form so far this season.
Benitez trusts Leetotally and enjoys a relationship with him that he probably didn't havewith Alex Miller, the coach whose departure to Japan at the end of lastseason created a space in the Liverpool backroom staff which Lee hasfilled.
He also respects Lee's vast knowledge of Liverpool as a football club and the way it should conduct itself and rightly so.
Havinggraduated from the Kop to go on and play for the Reds, Lee won LeagueChampionship and European Cup winners medals with Liverpool beforecoaching at Anfield under Gerard Houllier.
What Sammy Lee doesn'tknow about Liverpool Football Club probably isn't worth knowing and hisknowledge alone has made him an invaluable member of Benitez's staff inthe short time he has worked with the Spaniard.
The fact that hetalks like a Liverpool coach from a bygone age, a modern day version ofRonnie Moran, is also a huge positive even if it doesn't give press menthe easy headlines they are looking for.
It can be all too easy toget carried away with big four status, particularly with Liverpoolhaving enjoyed their best start to a season in more than a decade.
Butin the press conferences leading up to the Arsenal game, Lee was humbleand understated and refused to take the bait certain individuals wereoffering him in the hope of getting a cheap headline.
On a couple ofoccasions he actually apologised in advance for talking in clichés, buthe needn't have bothered because his routine Anfield speak is exactlywhat Liverpool needs right now.
This is no time for promises thatcan't be kept or for bold statements that could end up making the clublook foolish at a later date. It is a time for feet to be kept on theground and for perspective to be retained and Lee does that doperfection.
That is why Sammy Lee is the perfect man to be RafaBenitez's number two and why he will take some beating as Liverpool'sbest summer signing.
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發表於 2008-12-29 05:14 PM
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