RAFAEL BENITEZ paid tribute to the Liverpool fans, players and staff after being voted Merseyside's Sport Personality of the Year by ECHO readers last night.
Then he revealed that speaking to the star-studded audience at the city's Crowne Plaza Hotel was more difficult than his half-time team talk in Istanbul!
Benitez collected the evening's top award - from a shortlist which included footballers Tim Cahill and Steven Gerrard, Britain's top gymnast Beth Tweddle, rugby league's Man of Steel Jamie Lyon and golfing sensation Nick Dougherty.
Receiving the prize from ECHO sports editor John Thompson, he said: "I'm very proud to be here collecting this award.
"But speaking to this room is even more difficult for me than my half-time team-talk in Istanbul!
"I share this trophy with my wife, Montse, my staff and my players. Without them, I would not be here.
"There is a difference between the fans in Spain and here. In Valencia the fans were fantastic, but here it is different.
"Earlier in the evening, while I was sat here, a fan came over and told me that what we had done last year made him proud to be a Liverpool fan. That made me very proud.
"I'm proud to be the manager of Liverpool for our supporters."
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