In fact, long enough to make the world stand on its head and make anything said two days earlier of no consequence at all.
Remember his observations at Middlesbrough on Wednesday night? When he accused the Chelsea board of making a massive mistake in appointing him only interim manager?
As for criticising Chelsea supporters, that was a cunning plan to get them behind him and the team. To ensure everyone was 'sticking together'.
Or that the club are far from impressed with Benitez wandering so far off message on Wednesday and then, without clearance, recording an interview with the BBC?
Yet he told us he had no problems with the board or Abramovich or chief executive Ron Gourlay or technical director Michael Emenalo. Or the players. In fact, some of the Chelsea squad had actually THANKED him for the outburst.
He walked into his Press conference, bade us all a good afternoon, spoke for half an hour (though with copious repitition), rose from his seat, said "Cheers" and disappeared off into the mid-afternoon of the Surrey commuter belt.
It had been a bizarre 30 minutes. So bizarre you felt you had just been an extra in some scene from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.
He went on: "In my head, I am the manager. I have to manage the team. The title doesn't matter. The Champions League is a big title. I just concentrate on my job.
He said: "If you analyse carefully what I said, what I was trying to explain is that we will have 11 games to play, 33 points. If we stick together behind the team, it will be easier to get points.
"In some games, the fans have been really important for the team — games like the Arsenal one with everyone behind the team, pushing and pushing, sticking together.
He said: "I don't have any problem with the board. I don't have any problem with Emenalo. I don't have any problems with Roman Abramovich. Or with the players.
Benitez said: "I want to do the best for the team and the club. I have trained and coached for 26 years. I've always had principles, respect and education. That's how I've achieved what I've achieved.
"We've 11 games to play. If we stick together, it will be easier and we'll get more points and everyone will be happy at the end of the season.
He went on: "You'll have your opinion about how I'm doing but Chelsea don't have at the moment some of the big names they had in the past.
"We have new players who need to settle in the Premier League. It is a team in transition. Good young players, a lot of talent, but they need experience. Some games we did well in and we'd have won if the players had that experience."
Benitez did, though, confirm he would be leaving in the summer, adding: "I said that because I don't want to be a distraction. What everyone has to do now is support the team. We have to stick together."
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