THEY say that sharks can smell blood from up to a mile away.

Your average Great White, however, has nothing on our national sports media, whose nasal proficiency in this respect can extend up to 200 miles and beyond.

The howls of indignation that Rafa Benitez is still in a job have been deafening, and every tuppence-ha’penny pundit granted airtime or column inches can’t wait to express their incredulity that the Spaniard is still occupying the Liverpool manager’s seat.

Their disgust is often disguised as concern for our great club, sugared with the patronising opinion that the ‘Premier League needs a strong Liverpool’.

Well thanks very much for your concern boys, but I suspect your fury is more to do with exasperation that the club refuses to run their business at the behest of the hysterical media, and resentment that your numerous ‘Rafa for the Sack’ headlines have proved premature.

Some of the vilification aimed at Benitez has been nothing short of disgraceful, with those voices clamouring for his dismissal belonging to the same critics who bemoaned the treatment of Mark Hughes at the hands of his Emirati bosses.

Apparently a Spaniard who has been to two Champions League finals is due less respect than a Welshman who has won nothing.

At times like this, Liverpool supporters’ natural reaction is to circle the wagons, and defend our own; amply illustrated by the reception accorded to Rafa at the Stoke game.

The fans’ affinity with their managers is undoubtedly stronger at Liverpool than any other club.