Rafael Benitez Discussion Thread

I see worrying signs already. The "it depends how the players take to Rafas style" and "I'd hate to be in charge of that shower" look like kind of a pre excuse to me, and I find it surprising. Not for the first time, I find myself actually having more faith in Benitez than his died in the wool fan club. I think he's a very capable manager, and surely with the likes of Christiano Ronaldo (by any measure AT LEAST the second best player in the world), Karim Benzema, Tony Kroos, Isco, Luca Modric, Sergio Ramos and all the other f***ers that I can't remember after a few beers he must surely be able to fashion out a decent team.

I absolutely believe he will, in fact f*** me they are a decent team already. They won the Champions League last season and got to the semi's this time, as well as being right up there in the Spanish league, La Ligue or whatever it's called. OF COURSE Benitez will ensure they do well, and his clan needn't worry one single iota I wouldn't have thought, they will do very well under him.

It's funny but when he took over at inter, they predicted World domination on a Fu Man Chu scale. Now it's a little bit more muted, but I'm absolutely convinced Benitez will do very well at Madrid. I think the Barcelona dynasty is fragile, Luis Enrique isn't revered by the players, while Athletico surely can't keep outperforming forever. The time has come for Madrid to prosper, and under Benitez I'm sure they will. Like I said, good luck to the bloke. 

Am I in the jokes thread?

Am I in the jokes thread?

Normally yes.

Normally yes.

Stopped passing out the free ale for +'s mate, now you're actually drinking it yourself, times must be tough.

Don't worry if you fancy a nibble that enormous Rafa chip on your shoulder wont even take a dent if you have a few chomps on it.

Problem is if Rafa wins it's because madrid are expected to win and at madrid you lose alone. That's why achievements of managers like Mourinho and ancellotti are really taken with a pinch of salt. They are just managing teams that win anyway.

I see worrying signs already. The "it depends how the players take to Rafas style" and "I'd hate to be in charge of that shower" look like kind of a pre excuse to me, and I find it surprising. Not for the first time, I find myself actually having more faith in Benitez than his died in the wool fan club. I think he's a very capable manager, and surely with the likes of Christiano Ronaldo (by any measure AT LEAST the second best player in the world), Karim Benzema, Tony Kroos, Isco, Luca Modric, Sergio Ramos and all the other f***ers that I can't remember after a few beers he must surely be able to fashion out a decent team.

I absolutely believe he will, in fact f*** me they are a decent team already. They won the Champions League last season and got to the semi's this time, as well as being right up there in the Spanish league, La Ligue or whatever it's called. OF COURSE Benitez will ensure they do well, and his clan needn't worry one single iota I wouldn't have thought, they will do very well under him.

It's funny but when he took over at inter, they predicted World domination on a Fu Man Chu scale. Now it's a little bit more muted, but I'm absolutely convinced Benitez will do very well at Madrid. I think the Barcelona dynasty is fragile, Luis Enrique isn't revered by the players, while Athletico surely can't keep outperforming forever. The time has come for Madrid to prosper, and under Benitez I'm sure they will. Like I said, good luck to the bloke. 

Is that the barca with Neymar, Suarez and Messi and the Luis Enrique whose about to win the treble.

Sounds like your getting the excuses in mick if he does do well. Each to their own of course.

Is that the barca with Neymar, Suarez and Messi and the Luis Enrique whose about to win the treble.

Sounds like your getting the excuses in mick if he does do well. Each to their own of course.

No excuses needed mate, I think he WILL do well as I've already said. I've also already said that getting their noses in front of Barca won't be easy, Barca are an excellent team right now. I hope he DOES do well, good luck to the bloke. As I said yesterday though, the ups and downs of the season wil no doubt provide ample opportunity for some inter forum banter between those who think he's Jesus re-incarnated and those who think he's merely a mortal but one who happens to be a good football manager.

I don't give a f**k.
I miss having Rafa here.
We had dreams and songs to sing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRllRTMU51s

who was it said "he made us famous again" ?

He did certain things that a Liverpool manager should always do. He kept the media at arms length and he immersed himself and his family into the culture of this city so much so his wife basically refuses to move anywhere else. Remember those wonderful European nights ,the Chelsea game was bonkers the atmosphere as good as it has ever been at Anfield and yes as good as the famous nights of the 70's and 80's.
I dont want him back here under FSG not with their vision of how a football club should be run so I hope he goes to Real and although I have enjoyed watching Luis this season i will be fully behind Rafa if he takes the poison chalice on.
YNWA Rafa

No excuses needed mate, I think he WILL do well as I've already said. I've also already said that getting their noses in front of Barca won't be easy, Barca are an excellent team right now. I hope he DOES do well, good luck to the bloke. As I said yesterday though, the ups and downs of the season wil no doubt provide ample opportunity for some inter forum banter between those who think he's Jesus re-incarnated and those who think he's merely a mortal but one who happens to be a good football manager.

If Jesus was reincarnated then Buddha was right and Jesus wasn't the son of god. So in both instances he was a mere mortal but only one was he a good football manager, clever mick but not clever enough.

As i previously said, i respect the man, he showed passion for the club.

But i'm realistic here, at Napoli he massively underachieved, took a team that was battling for the title, and most importantly, was playing the most exciting football in Italy, to a team that is now boring to watch, didn't manage to get into UCL groups since he's in charge, and made some very strange signings. It's no wonder that in Italy he's not seen with good eyes, he failed at Inter also.
 
I think he's past it, the best job for him could be to manage a national team.

"Poisoned chalice". This is Real Madrid, the reigning European Champions we're talking about, not Newcastle United.

I reckon he could inherit a squad containing Pele, Maradona, Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Zidane and Messi all in their prime and for some it would still be a question of whether they adapted to his methods etc. etc.

Poisoned chalice 

As i previously said, i respect the man, he showed passion for the club.

But i'm realistic here, at Napoli he massively underachieved, took a team that was battling for the title, and most importantly, was playing the most exciting football in Italy, to a team that is now boring to watch, didn't manage to get into UCL groups since he's in charge, and made some very strange signings. It's no wonder that in Italy he's not seen with good eyes, he failed at Inter also.
 
I think he's past it, the best job for him could be to manage a national team.

Juventus pay 110 million in wages, roma 90 and napoli and inter 70 with lazio at 60.
He finished 3rd in first season, won the Coppa italia and took 12 pts in the CL group equal with arsenal and dortmund. Finished 9 pts behind juventus in the season they were 'challenging' for the title and sold Cavani and Lavezzi, the reason they were apparently challenging for the title. In rafas second year they won super cup and got to semis of Coppa italia and EL, and if they finish 3rd would that really be massive underachievement, given the president invested fa funds this year.

I mean they probably should have done the treble on the 3rd best wages in the serie A ~60% of what juventus pay! and having sold their two top players 1year ago. C'mon george even for you that's a stretch.

Juventus pay 110 million in wages, roma 90 and napoli and inter 70 with lazio at 60.
He finished 3rd in first season, won the Coppa italia and took 12 pts in the CL group equal with arsenal and dortmund. Finished 9 pts behind juventus in the season they were 'challenging' for the title and sold Cavani and Lavezzi, the reason they were apparently challenging for the title. In rafas second year they won super cup and got to semis of Coppa italia and EL, and if they finish 3rd would that really be massive underachievement, given the president invested fa funds this year.

I mean they probably should have done the treble on the 3rd best wages in the serie A ~60% of what juventus pay! and having sold their two top players 1year ago. C'mon george even for you that's a stretch.

Rafa was never their manager when they had Cavani and co. I don't think you've got your info well.

He finished 3rd with them, and was knocked out in the playoff by Bilbao.

In his first season in charge, Benítez guided the club to victory in the Coppa Italia, defeating Fiorentina 3–1 in the final, and into the last 16 of the Europa League, exiting after a 3–2 aggregate defeat to Porto. Napoli finished third in Serie A in season 2013-14 and qualified for the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League. They lost 4-2 on aggregate to Athletic Bilbao in the qualifying stages and entered the 2014-15 Europa League.

Believe me that winning the Coppa Italia back then wasn't such a huge achievement, as most top teams are playing their reserves there.

Rafa was never their manager when they had Cavani and co. I don't think you've got your info well.

He finished 3rd with them, and was knocked out in the playoff by Bilbao.

In his first season in charge, Benítez guided the club to victory in the Coppa Italia, defeating Fiorentina 3–1 in the final, and into the last 16 of the Europa League, exiting after a 3–2 aggregate defeat to Porto. Napoli finished third in Serie A in season 2013-14 and qualified for the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League. They lost 4-2 on aggregate to Athletic Bilbao in the qualifying stages and entered the 2014-15 Europa League.

Believe me that winning the Coppa Italia back then wasn't such a huge achievement, as most top teams are playing their reserves there.

I was saying when Rafa joined the year after they were 'challenging' for the league finishing 9 pts off juventus, they sold Cavani and lavezzi. Hardly ambitious George. Put it another way George, in all the leagues in Europe who are winning, the mid range teams or the richest clubs. In England George is it man city or chelsea. In Germany. In Italy. In Spain? Well Spain is the only one where a team out of the top two richest has won in recent times. So george why should Rafa do what no one else is doing. He has done it before granted with liverpool and Valencia. Napoli have not invested since they sold Cavani and lavezzi they are equal third on wages, so george why should he be winning everything ..

Thanks for Istanbul Rafa.

Hope to see you soon.

YNWA

I was saying when Rafa joined the year after they were 'challenging' for the league finishing 9 pts off juventus, they sold Cavani and lavezzi. Hardly ambitious George. Put it another way George, in all the leagues in Europe who are winning, the mid range teams or the richest clubs. In England George is it man city or chelsea. In Germany. In Italy. In Spain? Well Spain is the only one where a team out of the top two richest has won in recent times. So george why should Rafa do what no one else is doing. He has done it before granted with liverpool and Valencia. Napoli have not invested since they sold Cavani and lavezzi they are equal third on wages, so george why should he be winning everything ..

Napoli haven't invested since cavani and lavezzi left, sorry that's bullshit, mertens, higuain, gabbiadini, albiol, callejon etc, yes they can't match juve but lazio haven't spent huge wads of money on the team and nor have Roma. I think he hasn't improved Napoli any more since Walter mazzari left. I like rafa but it needs pointing out that money has been spent.

I was saying when Rafa joined the year after they were 'challenging' for the league finishing 9 pts off juventus, they sold Cavani and lavezzi. Hardly ambitious George. Put it another way George, in all the leagues in Europe who are winning, the mid range teams or the richest clubs. In England George is it man city or chelsea. In Germany. In Italy. In Spain? Well Spain is the only one where a team out of the top two richest has won in recent times. So george why should Rafa do what no one else is doing. He has done it before granted with liverpool and Valencia. Napoli have not invested since they sold Cavani and lavezzi they are equal third on wages, so george why should he be winning everything ..

They spent their money on good players, paid around 40 mil for Higuain only. You're must be joking if you think they didnt invest their money on good players.

Please come home Rafa we need you now

F**k Madrid, come back home Rafa, pretty please 

They spent their money on good players, paid around 40 mil for Higuain only. You're must be joking if you think they didnt invest their money on good players.

They net spent 10 million euros this season alone, Roma spent 45 million. Oh yeah George big spenders, buying leagues for fun were Napole. Spent how much on Higuain? To replace Cavani AND Lavezzi. Your not even on thin ice mate, your on water and unless you Jesus I suggest you stop

10 years on.
No1 in Europe.
As good as it ever got.

Thanks Rafa.

Napoli haven't invested since cavani and lavezzi left, sorry that's bullshit, mertens, higuain, gabbiadini, albiol, callejon etc, yes they can't match juve but lazio haven't spent huge wads of money on the team and nor have Roma. I think he hasn't improved Napoli any more since Walter mazzari left. I like rafa but it needs pointing out that money has been spent.

Mazzari was there for 4 seasons, finishing 6th, 3rd, 5th  and then 2nd and a cup. Rafa finished 3rd and 4/3 this season two cups in two years and semi of the EL.
It depends how you look at it. Roma invested 45 million Euros this season and Napoli 10 million, Npoli pay 80% of Roma's wages. So really Napoil are compeiting against Lazio, who spend 85% of napolis wages although they jsut gave a wage packet to one of there players which pushed them up a bracket.  Whaat I am saying is that why should he be winning everything. No other manager is except Mourinho, Ancellotti and Guardiola and thats because they buy success. Enrique, Pellegrini, Mancini proved that

Mazzari played counterattacking football with Napoli with Cavani and Lavezzi leading the lines. Napoli now play a more possession based game with more variation. Style is subjective thing, obviously Rafas critics will say he's boring. However on balance has Napoli improved between Rafa and Mazzari up to you, but Mazzari did get a promotion to Inter based on his work with Napoil and he is Italian so I Rafa is comparable then he's doing a good job no!