Barmy Benitez?

Though it goes against the grain to say so, I was quietly pleased regarding Liverpool's victory over Chelsea yesterday. True, a draw would have been better for United, but I'd prefer a closely fought finish to the league (as long as the right team win) so this result has put a bit of juice back into the fruit. But most of all I'm pleased for Rafa. In the Singapore press he's been picking up a lot of stick for losing the plot, which I'm pretty sure echoes the British papers. As if any of these writers could run a kids' team, never mind a top club in the Premiership.

Just lately every manager you can think of, except Sir Alex whose record puts him beyond this nonsense, has come in for massive uninformed criticism (oh, and O'Neill, I suppose, whose brilliant record should do the same, but won't if Villa stumble): Wenger, Scolari, Benitez, who just happen to be managing clubs who are not exactly doing badly. Doesn't it occur to the critics that no manager (Sir Alex included) gets it right all the time? The projection of some sort of omniscience on these ordinary mortals, and then relentless sniping when things don't quite work out, is deeply disturbing.

Of course, it sells papers, which, I suppose, is the point in a culture where everything's for sale. But it reduces the level of informed, sensible commentary on footie - and just about everything else.

Mind you, having said all that, if I were paid the wages of a top manager I'd more than happily accept just about anything that appeared about me in the press.