Rafa Benitez is what he is; an excellent cup manager. He proved this yet again on Thursday, when his Napoli side blitzed past Europa League favourites Wolfsburg by four goals to one on the Germans' home turf. But despite managing some of the continent's most established clubs since leaving Valencia just over a decade ago - Liverpool, Inter, Chelsea (albeit on an interim basis) and Napoli - he has amassed a grand total of zero league titles. Benitez famously guided Liverpool to the Champions League in 2005 as he enjoyed cup successes . Benitez remains popular at Anfield, but when he left there were few regrets over his departure . Donovan Chandler is a Liverpool fan writer on 90min.com . At Anfield, we will be eternally grateful for the Champions League trophy he delivered in 2005, in spite of possessing what was, on paper at least, our worst accumulation of players in recent history. Djimi Traore, Antonio Nunez, Milan Baros and Igor Biscan - cult hero that he was - were all part of that unfathomably successful squad. All four were dispensed of either that summer or the one that followed. Two years after Instanbul, Benitez was (almost) at it again with a side that better resembled the one he would have wanted, though it wasn't quite good enough to overcome an improved AC Milan side on this occasion. For all the Spaniard's successes, he also brought in the hapless Djimi Traore and Czech forward Milan Baros . And although we ran Manchester United a close second two seasons after that, we actually ended up further away from the Premier League title than we had been in a number of years during his final campaign (2009-10) - a failure that signalled the end to an Anfield tenure that also yielded our last FA Cup. In between, he lumbered us with the Josemi's, Albert Riera's and Phillipp Degen's of this world; none of us had many regrets over his departure - except, of course, that it was the catalyst for our introduction to Roy Hodgson. Benitez won the FA Cup with Liverpool in 2006 on penalties against West Ham . With Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard playing well together, Benitez got close to the title, but never won it . And for all his moments, I fully believe we are on the right track again under Brendan Rodgers, even if we can't quite clutch that final Champions League spot this season - or miss out on the FA Cup. That's why, if Rafa returns to England again in the summer - as is being speculated due to Napoli's Serie A shortcomings this season - it will receive little more than a shrug from large sections of the Kop. His league failings mean he is unlikely to be sworn in at any of our top-four rivals, unless Manchester City need someone to keep the seat warm for their dream conquest Pep Guardiola. Liverpool's failure in the Premier League means that Benitez will always be remembered as a cup specialist . As far as my uneducated eyes can see, someone like West Ham would be the best place for your money, if you're that way inclined. A sudden influx of largely Spanish-based signings would bring (mostly temporary) excitement and they'd probably do well in the cups - enough to banish memories of the Big Sam years at least. That's where Rafa excels; Europa League success at Stamford Bridge and triumph in the Coppa Italia last term are further testament to this. But a threat to us and where we want to be? It would only be a result of our own self-destruction. Good luck, Rafa. And thanks for the memories.
Rafa Benitez won the Champions League and FA Cup with Liverpool . But the Spaniard is little more than a cup manager, lacking league titles . Liverpool fans are grateful to Benitez for his successes . But the Kop faithful won't mind him coming back to England with new club .