Jon Mcleod
Andrew MacdougallRafa or Fergie - Who is winning the mindless ‘mind games’?
So Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez have buried the hatchet – squarely between the shoulder blades in each other’s backs.
Psychological warfare, ‘mind games’, propaganda or just plain banter they are all in full flow as the season nears its conclusion.
THE DOSSIER
The propaganda machines at Anfield and Old Trafford cranked into life at the turn of the year. The press - the Don King promoter figure in it all - were summoned to Anfield where Benitez, in front of an anticipant audience, unveiled THE secret dossier on the injustices of recent times, the tyranny that Old Trafford holds over the regulating FA and the need to fight back against these heinous crimes. In translation it read: Man U are so mean, it is all unfair and by the way Ferguson is a little shite.
(Liverpool attempted to rock United and reassert their place at the top of the Premier League….)
THE RESPONSE
Ferguson laughed it off – how could he, an amiable OAP with a new-found lust for life, be capable of such things? The pressure is getting to Benitez and he is going mad, Ferguson intimated. The dossier was a sham, it had been ‘sexed up’ and it was all a conspiracy to unite the football community behind an out-and-out war on Old Trafford.
(Ferguson turns the emphasis back on Benitez, attempts to belittle him and his team and invokes the infamous ‘siege mentality’)
It is all too much for the delicate minds of the Liverpool players. They join Robbie Keane as basket-cases and go on a shocking run of results.
THE PEACE
A hiatus lasts for much of February and March as Liverpool’s title challenge falters. But fighting on five fronts, United take their eye off the ball – several times in Nemanja Vidic’s case – as United lose to Liverpool at Old Trafford and they let their rivals back into the race. Complacency appears to be entrenched in the United psyche as they follow defeat with defeat, this time against Fulham.
(Had Benitez been playing the long game, lulling them into a false security and confidence – could he claim a PSYCOLOGICAL VICTORY?)
Well the race was getting tighter and nerves were being stretched beyond their elastic limit.
FERGIE’S ATTACK
As Liverpool close the gap, Ferguson goes offensive. This time the fearleass Glaswegian bares his teeth, prepares for war and launches a ruthless attack on his rivals (manly staring down Rafa through a camera lens whilst hiding behind Sam Al(LARD)yce). Ferguson dismissed Benitez as arrogant - aka ‘Me, the great Alex Ferguson would not do such a thing’ - and says his sideline actions were ‘beyond contempt’ - aka ‘I like mind game as much as the next person but that was going too far’.
(Triumph - ‘Ferguson is scared’ or Ferguson attempts to unite teams against Benitez to ensure they ahve tough end of season games as well as riling the Spaniard and taking his eye-off game against Arsenal. He also proves he has way more friends than Benitez - he so has. Meanwhile, Benitez marvels at his sophistiction by introducing sign language to the war of words.)
RAFA’S RESPONSE
Benitez unleashes scouse attack dog Sammy Lee (probably a Terrier) to refute Ferguson’s “arrogant” calims (it is a job only worthy of a minnion and not the great Rafa Benitez). Besides Benitez has “business meetings” to attend, insists Lee before baring a note signed by a Mrs E Benitez.
Lee gives a stirring defence of his master. ‘Are you starting on my boss?’, ‘Mr Benitez, the all-conquering King of Anfield and all of Liverpool - as we affectionately call him - is certainly not arrogant’.
( Liverpool attempt to show it is Ferguson who is the deranged fantacist in this league. And wait, could Benitez be about to invoke the dreaded seige mentality?)
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger watches on longingly. He can remember the times when he was on the end of Ferguson’s vile rants and innuendo. Where had those heady Spring days gone? How their special relationship has disappeared? Now Fergie only has eyes for Rafa.
As for Guus Hiddink, he is reassuringly Dutch about it all as he refuses to get involved in any confrontations.
Alas, Liverpool draw with Arsenal and the verbal jousting and mind controlling techniques are set to be shelved for the summer.
For all the bravado these are sensitive souls. And for all the hyper babble it seems the poor, single brain-celled players are the biggest victims in this all. For pity sake, think of little Stevie G!
