“I was praising the fans of my club, my team. But I'm here now, it's my club, and I will do my best for them.
“That's my explanation, very easy and very simple. I will try to defend my club, and this is now my club.
“I know how the fans feel. I understand how they feel.
“It's not a situation we can change in one minute. But working hard, winning games, I can improve it. Starting with Fulham.
“If
I have a player that doesn't have the support of the fans, I'd tell him
to stay focused and try to do his job, to not be distracted and
concentrate on his football.
“I understand the feelings of the fans because of my time at Liverpool, where we had rivalry and it was quite difficult.
“But
at the same time I will try to prove I'm here for the right reasons. We
want to win, and we can do that together. I'll try and improve players
and it'll be easier to win games and bring the fans back.”
Rafa: I'm working 12 hours a day
Asked
if he hoped for a kinder reception before Wednesday's home clash with
their West London rivals, Benitez added: “To be fair, I don't know.
“But
I can say that since coming here I've worked really hard, coming in at
8.30am and leaving at 8.30 at night, doing my job, talking to players
and staff and trying to be ready for the game.
“The only thing I can do is try and win their trust working hard and doing my best. Busting his hump from dawn till dusk: New Chelsea manager
Rafael Benitez hard at it with Eden Hazard during 0-0 against Manchester
City
Clive Rose
“I can't worry if I'm upset or not. If it was a player, I'd
be telling him to concentrate on his job. The best way to change things
is to win games.”
After Chelsea picked up just three points from
their last five games – and with the holders on the brink of Champions
League elimination – Benitez needs his first win.
But the Spaniard
– whom many fans believe has been appointed because Roman Abramovich
feel he will be the man to get the best out of £50million flop Fernando
Torres – admitted he cannot be certain the striker will return to his
Anfield performance levels. Not as good as he was: Fernando Torres was 'at his maximum' years ago says Rafa Benitez
Clive Rose
Benitez said: “He's not exactly the same player now, because he was at maximum level at that time.
“But
I think he can come back. How close? I don't know. It depends on the
rest of the team. I'm sure he can improve, but the team has to help him.
“The
first thing is to give him some confidence, in instructions as to how
he can do things in a different way and improve him a little bit
physically.
“If you are conceding goals – we hadn't had a clean
sheet in 10 games – you need to be stronger in defence, regain the ball
easier and then you can create your own chances.
“That will benefit Torres. Players with mobility, quality - we can improve all these things.” -------- Mirror Football
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