Rafa Benitez is currently enjoying time with his family in a quiet suburb of Liverpool, where he has made his home, taking time to work on his recently launched website (www.rafabenitez.com) and being actively involved with the Montse Benitez Foundation, through which, together with his wife who has given her name to the Foundation, he is supporting local charities in the Merseyside area to help a large number of individuals and families in need. And so, for the first time in 12 years, the Spanish coach who won the UEFA Cup in 2004 with Valencia, the Champions League in 2005 with Liverpool and the FIFA Club World Cup 2010 with Inter Milan, is temporarily away from the bench and is waiting for an interesting project to get him back in to competition.

And during his time as ‘manager’ of Liverpool, he was the man who brought in the player Sebastian Leto of whom he has a clear and high opinion which he shares with us in this exclusive interview.

1. What is your opinión of Sebastian Leto as a player? What are his qualities?

When he was with us, and this is what we noticed most of all, he was a player with enormous potential, quite quick, with ability in attacking 1v1 situations,good technique and a good shot. Above all, what stood out was that he was a player who could unbalance a defence and also with good vision.

2. Why did you choose him for Liverpool?

I think the answer to the previous question also answers this one. We thought that he had the necessary potential to mature a lot in a competition like the Premier League which requires special qualities. Mostly due to the physical qualities that he had. He was a player who was really interesting with regard to the future.

3. Why do you think he had no luck and could not stay at Liverpool?

That was something that had nothing to do with us. He played several games for us and he did well. The basic problem was his work permit and the rules they have in England. Let’s just say he wasn’t allowed to stay after the first few months in England and we had no option but to sell him abroad. It wasn’t what we wanted for him but we had to accept the decision as it stood.

4. What do you think of him this year playing as a striker and scoring 7 goals in 5 matches in the Greek League?

I think as I said that he has good ability 1v1 and a good shot, which are the most important qualities for a striker. So he always had the potential to score goals and it doesn’t surprise me that he’s doing it. I am happy for him and I’m glad he is successful. I would like to congratulate him.

5. Do you think he deserves to play in a bigger European league?

That would be a personal decision, entirely up to him. I think the possibility will arise, because it’s clear he has the potential to do so and then he will have to decide.

6. You made sure that it was put in his contract that should he move on Liverpool will get 45% of the fee. Was that because you saw him as a quality player?

Summarising much of what I’ve already said, we knew he could develop, his play gave us reason to believe this and we simply wanted to protect the interests of Liverpool FC, as was our duty. So that’s what we did.

7. Would you have him at your next club?

That would depend on a lot of things, on our options and possibilites. It would depend on the team, the squad we may have, the players we might have in his position…..But I think that it wouldn’t just be me, because I think any coach would consider taking a player with Sebastian’s potential.

8. They say in Greece that a coach can transform a player? How do you think a coach (or in this case Jesualdo Ferreira) has used a player with a talent like Leto?

To be honest I don’t know their relationship. But we coaches always have players who we connect more with and that could be the case here. It wouldn’t surprise me knowing Leto.

9. What is your impression of the Greek League? Would you consider coaching a top team in Greece?

The truth is, although you will hear and read many things, I am analysing all the different options I have for the future, as I am a professional who makes my living like this and I never reject anything until I know all the possibilities and I want to be certain when I decide. Although I am not hiding anything, because I have said it directly and indirectly, that my priority is still to coach in the Premier League.

View original interview: Part 1 Part 2