There is just no time to dwell on this

May 24 2007 by John Thompson, Liverpool Echo

SO RAFAEL Benitez’s wife Montse won’t be getting a new watch from her husband this season after all.

But if she has to forego the handsome gift that always accompanies any trophy won by her spouse, then referee Herbert Fandel might find the timepiece which the Reds boss had been keeping on hold for her, is suddenly tossed his way instead.

Clearly, the German referee’s own watch was running very fast last night as he followed the announcement that there’d be a minimum of three minutes added time – and then a substitution which should have added a further 30 seconds – by blowing the final whistle just 2 minutes 45 seconds into stoppage time.

Benitez was understandably furious at the premature, inexplicable ending to the match as Liverpool sought to write another desperate, late escape story in Athens.

But to be fair, he calmed quickly enough to put it to one side, offer his congratulations to AC Milan and stress in his post match comments that his team had been given almost 90 minutes to achieve what they might have hoped to do in those few extra, last-gasp seconds.

Benitez did his club proud by losing with dignity and good grace when two years ago, he had beamed with pride and ecstasy after that incredible victory over Milan in Istanbul.

The pain of last night’s defeat was etched on his face and told us that here was a born winner, struggling to hide his upset as much for his players, his staff and the Reds’ magnificent, unrivalled travelling supporters, as for himself.

Refreshingly, he appeared not for one second as a bad loser, like too many of his so-called peers can frequently seem these days.

Benitez was right not to let himself get all het up over a matter of time. Because he and the new board of Liverpool Football Club do not have any of it to lose right now.

And in suggesting Liverpool need to take more than one step at a time with their ambitions, he knows so much work in progress is stamped ‘urgent’.

This rueful, hardly-deserved defeat must be quickly consigned to the history books. The wounds can be licked only briefly and must not be allowed to fester at Anfield for a second.

Perhaps that is already widely understood by fans and the reason why, back in Liverpool city centre as well as in Athens, so many supporters refused to drop their heads or their hearts at the end of this strange game.