Ferguson Blames Rafa For Liverpool Turmoil

Sir Alex Ferguson has
suggested Rafa Benitez must
take a share of the blame for
Liverpool's financial problems.
The Manchester United boss is
preparing his side to face their
arch-rivals on Sunday and
Ferguson has spoken out about
the current monetary issues
troubling Anfield.
Liverpool are currently up for sale
with huge debts having been
piled on by American owners
George Gillett and Tom Hicks.
But Ferguson has questioned
whether the Reds' current woes,
which saw them finish seventh
in the league last term, can be
blamed on money alone.
"I don't know if Liverpool's
current situation is anything to
do with the financial position,"
said Ferguson on the eve of the
Old Trafford clash.
"In the last regime they spent a
lot of money on players, far more
than Manchester United did. They
had a huge squad of players, so I
don't know if the financial
position is anything to do with it.
"I really don't know because I'm
not there. So I can't judge what
the impact of these things is."
Personal
Benitez spent £240m during his
Liverpool reign and recouped
£152m, with a net spend of
£88m. Ferguson's outlay on
players during the same period
was £223m, recouping £165m,
with a net spend of £58m.
Despite the fierce rivalry between
United and Liverpool, Ferguson
said he had always had respect
for his Anfield counterparts
despite a change in relations
during Benitez's tenure.
"I've never been personal," he
added. "You should examine him
[Benitez] not me. I've always
enjoyed a good relationship with
Liverpool's managers.
"Both clubs have always
addressed the situation properly
after games. That changed under
the last regime, but it's not a big
issue for me."