"IT TAKES two" sang Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston back in 1967 (if you’ve still got your own teeth, substitute Tina Turner and Rod Stewart, 1990).
Shankly had Paisley, Clough had Taylor, Harris had Orville. Great partnerships all.
Are we about to see another founded at Anfield, with the mooted arrival of Sammy Lee to become Rafa’s right-hand man?
Ever since he was unceremoniously dumped by Bolton, speculation that Sammy might return to Anfield has always been around, particularly as Rafa didn’t move to replace his long-standing associate, Paco Ayestaran, when he left suddenly at the start of the season.
The circumstances surrounding Paco’s departure seemed strange indeed, Benitez clearly feeling betrayed that his side-kick had allegedly been touting around for other jobs, and demanding more influence over life at Anfield.
Given the acrimonious parting with Steve Heighway, there were many around who saw this as more evidence that Rafa was becoming increasingly autocratic, refusing to countenance any contrary opinion and ridding himself of troublesome gainsayers. During the season, there were many times when you felt that Rafa needed a strong man, whose loyalty was unquestioned, whispering in his ear when single-mindedness bordered on stubbornness, urging adventure when caution was unwarranted.
Just how much Alex Miller was able to play this role is pure speculation on my part; but if he was, there were times last season when he should have been shouting, not whispering.
Just as Rafa would benefit from an occasional challenging viewpoint, so might the players respond to another strong presence about the club.
Ronnie Moran and Reuben Bennett were typical ‘sergeant-major’ types in their day, refusing to let egos get out of control and treating complacency as the devil’s own work.
You got a similar feeling about Ayestaran, as he drilled the players in their pre-match warm-up; he certainly scared me when he got too close to the Centenary Stand touchline.
By contrast, the current occupant of that role, Paco de Miguel (yes another Paco – is this Spanish for ‘assistant’?) looks about as threatening as Droopy the cartoon dog.
I know these guys are millionaires, but they’re not immune to a metaphorical (or, in Ronnie Moran’s case, literal) kick up the backside.
Do you honestly think all the players were straining their every sinew during the height of the backroom unrest which undermined Benitez?
And there’s another reason to suppose that Rafa would benefit from a strong right-hand man; while he’s clearly a master of the Champions League cat-and-mouse style of play, he’s openly admitted that he finds the Premier League more of a challenge.
The unique nature of league football in this country sets its own problems, and you need to be steeped in it to really know when to think your way out of a problem, and when to just get stuck in and scrap your way out. Arsene Wenger has Pat Rice; Avram Grant and Mourinho before him had Steve Clarke.
Rafa needs just such a lieutenant to help him appreciate this. His tendency to over-think situations has led to undue caution in a number of league games, encouraging the opposition when a more adventurous approach might have blown them away.
So is Sammy Lee such a man? He’s known to be well-respected as a coach both at Anfield and within the England set-up, and there’s also little doubt he’s his own man.
There can be few who know the Premier League as well, and he won’t be daunted by coming back to Anfield. More Bulldog than Basset Hound, he could have a galvanising effect on both players and on Rafa’s thinking at crucial times. As Marvin and Kim would have you believe, one can wish upon a star, but two can make the dream come true.
