Fall of the Spanish Armada and Benitez

Benitez's Spanish Anfield revolution saw several of his compatriots arrive and excel. And his fall from grace has coincided with the departure of many of those.

Fernando Torres, right, with Jamie Carragher, has failed to fire for Liverpool this season, with the Spanish striker reportedly concerned about off-the-field developments at Anfield.

When the former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez returned to his Merseyside home last week following his dismissal by Inter Milan after just six victories from 15 league games, some Liverpool fans hoped it would trigger his return as Anfield manager at the expense of Roy Hodgson, the man who replaced him.

While Benitez's relationship appeared spent with many at Liverpool, a sizeable majority of match-going fans always supported the Spaniard who brought them the European Cup in his first season at the club in 2005.

Hindsight has shown that Benitez was right to question the ownership at Anfield, but critics pointed out that he spent far more on players than Sir Alex Ferguson in his five years in charge and achieved far less.

Benitez's Spanish Anfield revolution saw several of his compatriots arrive and excel. Xabi Alonso, Fernando Morientes, Luis Garcia and the goalkeeper Pepe Reina were among the first wave of Spaniards soon after Benitez was appointed in 2004. All except Morientes did well.

More big names like Fernando Torres and Alvaro Arbeloa followed in 2007, with the winger Albert Riera in 2008.

Hoping to build a dynasty to match Bill Shankly, Benitez also brought in promising Spanish youngsters like Daniel Pacheco, Miki Roque, Mikel San Jose Dominguez and Daniel Ayala. Spanish flags started appearing on the Kop together with banners in Spanish proclaiming the fans' affection for Benitez.

Liverpool finished second in the Premier League in 2008/09, a season when they recorded a 4-1 victory over champions Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The decline in the number of Spaniards started months later when Alonso and Arbeloa, two key first-teamers and Spanish internationals, left for Real Madrid on the cusp of the 2009/10 season.

The late departures hurt Liverpool, for Benitez had little time to find adequate replacements.

Another loss was the Spanish-speaking Argentinian Javier Mascherano, who was at home in a dressing room where so many players spoke his mother tongue. He left soon after Benitez in 2010.

Of the reserve and fringe players, only Pacheco and Ayala remain, while the striker Torres and the goalkeeper Reina are known to be unsettled in a team whose Champions League chances appear remote.

Along with Steven Gerrard, the pair are two of Liverpool's three top-level talents. They are remunerated as such with pay deals matched in Spain only by Real Madrid and Barcelona's top earners. Yet Reina and Torres, especially, have been mediocre by their own very high standards this season.

Reina, a favourite of fans, is playing behind a defence which has been in decline since 2007. He has settled in Liverpool and regularly talks about his daughter being a Scouser. Torres lives next door and the pair take advantage of the direct flights from Spain to the city's airport.

Among the visitors making the opposite journey have been Reina's best friend, David Villa, and his family.

It will not be lost on the Anfield idols that Villa is playing in the Champions League and starring in victories over Real Madrid, while Liverpool are a declining force.

The biggest question mark hangs over the future of Torres, still only 26. A world-class striker who was prolific in his first three seasons at Anfield, the native of Madrid has looked off the pace and disinterested in 2010, scoring just twice away from Anfield in the league.

Privately, Torres desires investment in the team; he is concerned about the off-the-field developments which saw Benitez leave and the club ownership change hands.

Liverpool's new owners have stated that they want to keep him but would want a transfer free of €40 million (Dh194.5m) if he were to force a move.

In Spain, Sandro Rosell, the Barcelona president, is a known admirer, and it would be unthinkable for an Atletico fan like Torres to join Real Madrid.

The striker has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester City and even United, who would be more likely to go for the Anglophile Reina.

Without the carrot of Champions League football, Liverpool will do well to keep hold of two of their most cherished talents, especially with Benitez no longer around to cajole them to stay.