| Many have cited the way Rafael Benitez | | | | look for new talent. As a coach, Benitez has |
| handles his strategy as unorthodox but | | | | one goal; and that is to continually improve |
| brilliant (as the two are so often linked) | | | | his team. That cannot be done, he argues, |
| and, while few are as willing to take the | | | | without trying to find who is available and |
| chances he does, all have to admit that his | | | | see what they can do. This thinking is simple |
| particular brand of thinking suits him well; | | | | but aggressive, and marks him suite different |
| leading him to an impressive record. But what | | | | than his fellow coaches. |
| makes him seem so strange when compared to | | | | |
| other coaches? What earns him so much debate | | | | He places an emphasis on team, rather than |
| and admiration? It is quite simple, really: | | | | one player. Many teams will have a definite |
| he refuses to stay content. | | | | "star" and try to build strategies around |
| | | | that individual. Benitez does not. Instead, |
| Yes, yes, we know: all coaches want the best | | | | he calls for team effort and support. No |
| for their teams and will seek it out. But, at | | | | footballer is to rank above another (whether |
| the same time, there is a certain level of | | | | he's a star player or not), simply because |
| complacency that occurs when a team becomes | | | | this does nothing to help the overall goal of |
| successful. Players and coaches alike will | | | | becoming better. Players work best together, |
| believe their method has been perfected and | | | | not separated by rankings of who is |
| that they should do nothing to change it. | | | | supposedly the best. And this type of |
| After all, why tamper with something that has | | | | thinking borders on the shocking in the |
| proven to work? | | | | sports' world, because so few will dare to do |
| | | | it. |
| They will refuse to look at other ideas | | | | |
| because they are worried of destroying the | | | | But, in truth, Benitez offers a common sense |
| success they have created. | | | | approach to football: a team cannot think |
| | | | themselves perfect; there is always room for |
| Benitez is the opposite of this. He willingly | | | | improvement; no player is guaranteed to be |
| seeks out change. There is no one who boasts | | | | safe to change; and no player puts himself |
| a roster that is more constantly updated, | | | | above the good of the team. With this, he's |
| fixed or completely reorganized as he does. | | | | managed to create a strategy that works... |
| And there is no one who will more actively | | | | and succeeds. |