Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann says Rafa Benitez is the right man to take the Reds to Premier League glory, downplaying media hype that the Spaniard is set to be sacked by the club.

The Reds have undergone a tough run of form with five league defeats already this season and Champions League campaign hanging by a threat.

But Hamann, who was part of Benitez’s side that won the European Cup in 2005, says Rafa is the only man to turn fortunes around at Anfield.

“People calling for Rafa’s head are being very premature,” he told BBC Sport. “He has been there five years and has improved them every season.

“Rafa has got everything a top-class manager needs, he will turn it around.”

“There are still another 27 games left in the league and while I don’t think they can win it after the start they have made, there is plenty of time to get into that top four.

“The team is good enough to pull through. They were pretty unlucky at Fulham – they could have been ahead at half-time and both the sendings off were harsh, sometimes things just don’t go your way.

“But all they need are a couple of good results and a couple of key players to be fit again and once they’ve won once or twice everything will be fine again.”

  • Michael Bruckner

    He should know what he is talking about. After all, he was one of the key players for us, especially in that one wonderful night. It was only when he played that Gerrard could go forward and create havoc for opposition defences. We must believe and give Rafa the time to get us there.

  • Michael Bruckner

    He should know what he is talking about. After all, he was one of the key players for us, especially in that one wonderful night. It was only when he played that Gerrard could go forward and create havoc for opposition defences. We must believe and give Rafa the time to get us there.

  • Rome 77

    Odin See you didn’t bother doing that research then.
    But ill humour you Who would you have as manager.
    By not getting the managers name right which you probably
    think is clever makes you look about 10 year old.

  • Rome 77

    Odin See you didn’t bother doing that research then.
    But ill humour you Who would you have as manager.
    By not getting the managers name right which you probably
    think is clever makes you look about 10 year old.

  • Odin telamon

    If you read my piece you’ll see that I personally would like to see king kenny back at the helm as regards to doing your research on this site I am still navigating myself around so slowly I’m am looking but the relevance is surely missing as I am like you to my own opinion as regards to the name do you point out the proper name of the yanks or is that ok for the name calling,also I’ll humour you what would you rather that everyone on here sung the praises of rafa (or Jaffa) and blame everything on the owners (which I do agree should take the money and let the new owners rebuild this club in a more realistic way. Which is the traditional Liverpool way) then this would be a pretty boring site I respect your opinion but I don’t have abide by it sadly we all want the best for our team but we have all got different thoughts on how this should be gained, one of the sadest things I witness here is the continuing ridicule of certain fans who don’t accept the view of others for example your not a true fan if you don’t participate in the SOS march I really do wish them luck but I don’t agree with some of the views ie that rafa is faultless and the yanks are to blame for everything. Rick parry and David moores sold out to the yanks for what £8 million extra than what dic offered. Sameer al ansawari (forgive if I have spelt his name wrong) was and is a real Liverpool fan and would really have love sheik Mohammed to have bought this club and would have made us an ultimate force but we have to accept that this never happened and try to become the power we once were.anyway I may not like the manager at the moment because were all annoyed that we are not performing as we should but I still wish him and the lads good luck tonight but for all the fans I hope we can have the best team,the best manager and the best investment because lfc really do have the best bloody fans in the world

  • Odin telamon

    If you read my piece you’ll see that I personally would like to see king kenny back at the helm as regards to doing your research on this site I am still navigating myself around so slowly I’m am looking but the relevance is surely missing as I am like you to my own opinion as regards to the name do you point out the proper name of the yanks or is that ok for the name calling,also I’ll humour you what would you rather that everyone on here sung the praises of rafa (or Jaffa) and blame everything on the owners (which I do agree should take the money and let the new owners rebuild this club in a more realistic way. Which is the traditional Liverpool way) then this would be a pretty boring site I respect your opinion but I don’t have abide by it sadly we all want the best for our team but we have all got different thoughts on how this should be gained, one of the sadest things I witness here is the continuing ridicule of certain fans who don’t accept the view of others for example your not a true fan if you don’t participate in the SOS march I really do wish them luck but I don’t agree with some of the views ie that rafa is faultless and the yanks are to blame for everything. Rick parry and David moores sold out to the yanks for what £8 million extra than what dic offered. Sameer al ansawari (forgive if I have spelt his name wrong) was and is a real Liverpool fan and would really have love sheik Mohammed to have bought this club and would have made us an ultimate force but we have to accept that this never happened and try to become the power we once were.anyway I may not like the manager at the moment because were all annoyed that we are not performing as we should but I still wish him and the lads good luck tonight but for all the fans I hope we can have the best team,the best manager and the best investment because lfc really do have the best bloody fans in the world

  • Rome 77

    Odin Sorry i didn’t notice you said Dalglish,got as far as (jafa)
    and didn’t really think it was worth reading after that. Now Dalglish
    would be a option as i value his opinion ( which incidentally is pro Rafa.)
    but only as a stop gap untill the end of the season,should Rafa decide
    to walk into another job where he doesnt have to beg 1.5 mill for a CB.
    But come next season which top manager would come and work for G&H
    I honestly think the only reason Rafa has stayed is because he believes
    G&H will sell eventually and he’ll finally get the backing he deserves
    The articles i mentioned are about injuries to key players it explains
    a few team selections. Dig deeper you’ll find out why certain players
    were signed when better one’s were available.
    But ultimately that will lead to G&H.
    PS How can you find it sad that certain fans are ridiculed but
    not the manager.

  • Rome 77

    Odin Sorry i didn’t notice you said Dalglish,got as far as (jafa)
    and didn’t really think it was worth reading after that. Now Dalglish
    would be a option as i value his opinion ( which incidentally is pro Rafa.)
    but only as a stop gap untill the end of the season,should Rafa decide
    to walk into another job where he doesnt have to beg 1.5 mill for a CB.
    But come next season which top manager would come and work for G&H
    I honestly think the only reason Rafa has stayed is because he believes
    G&H will sell eventually and he’ll finally get the backing he deserves
    The articles i mentioned are about injuries to key players it explains
    a few team selections. Dig deeper you’ll find out why certain players
    were signed when better one’s were available.
    But ultimately that will lead to G&H.
    PS How can you find it sad that certain fans are ridiculed but
    not the manager.

  • Odin telamon

    Because were a club in crisis and no one should be above blame in the running of the club and I don’t think the fans should be ripping holes out of each other when the mind games between rafa and the owners are tearing the basic values of lfc we should get rid of the owners no doubt but we can’t because at the end of the day we were conned into believing that something special was going to happen but it hasn’t and now I do fear the prospect of being a future Leeds united

  • Odin telamon

    Because were a club in crisis and no one should be above blame in the running of the club and I don’t think the fans should be ripping holes out of each other when the mind games between rafa and the owners are tearing the basic values of lfc we should get rid of the owners no doubt but we can’t because at the end of the day we were conned into believing that something special was going to happen but it hasn’t and now I do fear the prospect of being a future Leeds united

  • Rome 77

    Odin We seem to have some common ground i’ve since read
    your comments on another article about G&H and more than
    likely you’ve read that Tomkins link about some of the “myths”
    Will we become the next Leeds put it this way if it wasn’t for the
    cash cow that Rafa is we’d have all ready been half way there.
    Finishing in the top 4 and all the money that brings,as been the
    only reason we haven’t been wound up.
    By the way if we hadnt had these injuries starting with the Carra
    and Skirtel incident on the first game of the season.And still found
    our team in the situation it’s in today i’d probably want Rafa to go.
    But it wouldn’t lead to childish name calling.

  • Rome 77

    Odin We seem to have some common ground i’ve since read
    your comments on another article about G&H and more than
    likely you’ve read that Tomkins link about some of the “myths”
    Will we become the next Leeds put it this way if it wasn’t for the
    cash cow that Rafa is we’d have all ready been half way there.
    Finishing in the top 4 and all the money that brings,as been the
    only reason we haven’t been wound up.
    By the way if we hadnt had these injuries starting with the Carra
    and Skirtel incident on the first game of the season.And still found
    our team in the situation it’s in today i’d probably want Rafa to go.
    But it wouldn’t lead to childish name calling.

  • Odin telamon

    Granted I’ll stop calling names but because the team should be the issue and finding ways to discuss the problem without name calling is uncalled for

  • Odin telamon

    Granted I’ll stop calling names but because the team should be the issue and finding ways to discuss the problem without name calling is uncalled for

  • Odin telamon

    Rome 77 am I out of order for thinking because we may be out of cl action this may actually be a possible blessing where we could now concentrate on building a solid run in the league and maybe still mounting a challenge

  • Odin telamon

    Rome 77 am I out of order for thinking because we may be out of cl action this may actually be a possible blessing where we could now concentrate on building a solid run in the league and maybe still mounting a challenge

  • Rome 77

    While there is still a chance we could qualify for the next round i
    think the blessing is more of G&H panicked into selling at a realistic
    price hopefully before January because if they wait untill the end of
    the season and if we dont finish in the top 4 how much will
    the club be worth then and how much will they have to put in.
    I liken them to a cancer the chemotherapy and surgery it
    takes might be painful but to get rid of it its worth it in the
    long run.

  • Rome 77

    While there is still a chance we could qualify for the next round i
    think the blessing is more of G&H panicked into selling at a realistic
    price hopefully before January because if they wait untill the end of
    the season and if we dont finish in the top 4 how much will
    the club be worth then and how much will they have to put in.
    I liken them to a cancer the chemotherapy and surgery it
    takes might be painful but to get rid of it its worth it in the
    long run.

  • Odin telamon

    Or the downside could be that they kick their heels in and decide to stay and watch fall without no investment to kickstart the team maybe they could lean to something similar to mike Ashley but I think our saving grace is that we are a big club and so investors will always be waiting

  • Odin telamon

    Or the downside could be that they kick their heels in and decide to stay and watch fall without no investment to kickstart the team maybe they could lean to something similar to mike Ashley but I think our saving grace is that we are a big club and so investors will always be waiting