Rafael Benitez has paid tribute to legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly on the 50th anniversary of his appointment as manager, labelling him "ahead of his time".
The visionary Scot was appointed as the new manager of the Reds on 1 December 1959 and arrived at Anfield a fortnight later and Benitez, the current Kop boss, is amazed at the legacy Shanks left which is still talked about to this day.
He said: "He was a man that had such a close bond with the fans. He changed everything about the club and his relationship with the supporters was simply amazing.
"I have to admit that when I was in Spain I didn't know too much about him. People spoke about Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish, John Aldridge and Alan Hansen. You knew about past players but you didn't hear too much about the managers and the history.
"But since the day I arrived here people have been telling me about Bill Shankly. I decided to read some books about him and came across a lot of his quotes.
"I am miles away from him in terms of what he did for this club. He was someone who changed everything. He knew everything about the club and I am still learning.
"Bill Shankly was the man who put this club at the top of English football and set us on the road towards being one of the best in both Europe and across the world. Everyone associated with this great club is really proud of what has been achieved and it is no exaggeration to say that it is all thanks to him."
Click Liverpool will be marking the 50th anniversary of Bill Shankly's arrival on Merseyside with a week of exclusive interviews from Monday 14 December 2009. For more information visit: http://www.clickliverpool.com/sport/liverpool-fc/126822-50-years-of-bill-shankly.html
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