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Benitez hangs fire on Anfield squad cull

Mar 29 2005

By Andy Hunter, Daily Post

 

Rafael Benitez

RAFAEL BENITEZ insists he will reserve judgement on his Liverpool squad until his debut season in the Premiership has drawn to a close.

The Anfield manager (left) is expected to implement widespread changes to his playing staff this summer as he hastens his own rebuilding programme.

Several high-profile stars, such as Harry Kewell and Milan Baros, have been linked with an Anfield exit while Dietmar Hamann, Vladimir Smicer and Igor Biscan will be out of contract at the end of this campaign.

Reports in Italy yesterday claimed Liverpool are lining up an exchange deal between Kewell and Inter Milan's Kily Gonzalez, who played under Benitez at Valencia.

But the Liverpool manager, who could have the Australian international back in full training this week, insists the team's continuing Champions League and Premiership ambitions take precedent over individual fortunes.

And even with only eight league games remaining, Benitez admits there is still time for players to cement their place in his long-term plans.

The Liverpool manager said: "This season is about improving the level of the team. We need to keep working hard and working properly and then we can improve all the time.

"In the summer we will look for different things and then we will make our decisions, that is normal.

"For me the most important thing now is that a player tries hard and gives his best. If they do that then I cannot ask for anything more as a manager."

Talks on a contract extension for Hamann are currently on hold, a situation that has alerted Bolton, but are expected to resume towards the end of the campaign while Biscan last week announced his likely departure when his contract expires.

The Liverpool manager, meanwhile, will have Luis Garcia available to face Bolton on Saturday providing the Spanish international comes through tomorrow's World Cup qualifier against Serbia and Montenegro unscathed.

Garcia made his international debut in Spain's 3-0 friendly defeat of China at the weekend to confirm his recovery from the ankle injury suffered against Everton.

 

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