Rafa looks to the future

RAFAEL BENITEZ’S decision to commit his future to Liverpool has thrown down the gauntlet to his current playing staff to prove they can be part of his vision for Anfield.

Weeks of fears over whether the Spaniard was willing to devote the best years of his management career to the Merseysiders have been swept aside with an improved contract and major new finances for team building now promised.

And the events of this week will not have been lost on a Liverpool dressing room facing nine vital Barclays Premiership games starting at Newcastle tomorrow and an FA Cup quarter-final at Birmingham two days later.

Benitez insists "things will be completely different next season" and with the board assuring him of major rebuilding funds, that dressing room will look a very different place come August.

Just who survives the changes depends very much on how Liverpool finish their current league campaign and whether they can progress to the FA Cup final.

Benitez's words are meant not only for fans now, but also his squad many of whom already proudly own a Champions League winners medal.

But you sense that will mean little as Benitez builds for a future he believes can see the club challenging Chelsea.

The Spaniard explained: "For me to see the team progressing this season is enough, next season will be completely different.

"If we finish second it will be good for confidence, but then the season will end and it will be different next time, certainly financially.

"At the moment it is enough to see my team playing against the top sides with the chance of winning, but if you cannot beat them you need to know why.

"You must find what the difference is if you want to progress, and that means you must sign the players you need to improve in different positions. And, of course, we must work harder in terms of our tactical work to achieve our aims."

Benitez can expect around £20 million to spend this summer and if he can offload some of the players out on loan and senior stars still at Anfield that kitty will be increased substantially.

The likes of Fernando Morientes and Djibril Cisse could head the departures but for now Benitez wants to see a concerted effort to the end of the season to try to secure runners-up spot, as well as a place in the FA Cup final.

Benitez, who will have Xabi Alonso back in the squad at St James' Park after suspension, said: "Before the Fulham game I made it clear we had to win to have any chance of going for second spot.

"Now we must wait to see what happens this weekend to us and Manchester United.

"But we must keep going because of the teams who are chasing us, you must not just think of what United are doing all the others are important too in the quest for a top-four finish.