Mascherano: Rafa could replace Mourinho

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano believes former coach Rafael Benitez would be the ideal man to replace Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan and could follow him to the San Siro.

Benitez's six-year stay at Anfield ended by mutual consent on Thursday and speculation is rife the Spaniard is set to take over the reigns at Inter. Reports suggest Inter president Massimo Moratti is set to meet Benitez in Sardinia and a deal could be sealed in the next 48 hours.

"Only Benitez could take the place of a coach like Mourinho," said the Argentina international. "He is a great coach. He has charisma, personality, a winning mentality."

He added: "Moreover, he will find himself brilliantly in Italy because of the tactical game. Rafa studies everything on the table and directs the team from the bench like a orchestra conductor.

"Inter have made a good choice. After Mourinho, he is the only man capable of continuing Inter's winning run."

Mascherano has spent the past three years at Anfield but contract negotiations have currently been put on hold.

The 25-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona last summer and admits he could soon leave Liverpool.

"Would I follow Benitez? I don't know," he said with a shrug. "At the moment I really know little about my future.

"But of course with Benitez at Liverpool I experienced three incredible years. His football is my football."

I know we should be moving on. But, this goes to show reports of a dressing room disharmony are bullshine. I don't expect anything from Gerrard or Carra, because its been well documented that they want no distractions. Well said masch.

Mascherano really has been Benitez' Little Chief on the pitch.

Wouldn't surprise me at all to see him follow Rafa.

It's quite clear that if we don't get a manager who is going to take us forward and the club isn't sold soon, Masch is going to be off. If he does go, then all I can say is thanks for everything Masch and all the best in the future

One of Rafa's loyal followers. I'm guessing he feels he owes Rafa because Rafa saved him from his nightmare at Upton Park.

Really wished he would stay and bring the club forward, though with Maxi who recently came and all.

However, there's been stuff about his family being unable to settle, so, wouldn't surprised me if he left.

Masch is gone already!!!!!...... That's obvious!!!!....... I live him, but I don't blame him!!!!..... We need to bring in someone soon to steady the ship and get down to work!!!!!....... Please not Sven!!!!!

Masch loves Rafa. If Rafa goes to Inter I think he'd follow him. Would Rafa look at us for new players?

That's one thing i don't want to see, Rafa helping asset strip the club.
Havent the S**t houses in the boardroom done enough damage,without further agony being endured, that really would leave a bitter taste in the mouth.
Still without going off topic- I would be very much surprised if Masch was at Anfield next season

That's one thing i don't want to see, Rafa helping asset strip the club.

I think Rafa would show more respect to us fans.

One of Rafa's loyal followers. I'm guessing he feels he owes Rafa because Rafa saved him from his nightmare at Upton Park.

Really wished he would stay and bring the club forward, though with Maxi who recently came and all.

However, there's been stuff about his family being unable to settle, so, wouldn't surprised me if he left.

If you were in his shoes mate would you stay? He's seen his mentor treated disgracefully by the owners and I'm certain that would only entrench his loyalty.
Mascherano would find it entirely untenable to remain at Anfield, besides which the owners will be eager to cash in on the increased fee he could command relative to what we paid for him-which can be credited to the manager they have sacked.
On topic - Rafa could replace any manager end of.

To be honest i am getting fed up of Masch, cast your mind back when you at West Ham son going nowhere. You now keep moaning that you want a move and that your wife cant settle because she cant speak English. Errrr come on pal I work ten hours a day and find the time and money to follow LFC around the world. Your Mrs has been here for over 3 years and cant be bothered to learn English. Get over yourself and don't kid yourself that Destroying midfielders are hard to find son. 

If Masch is still here at the start of next season I'll be very surprised. He has been hinting that he wants to leave since last season, and at the minute Inter are a more attractive proposition than us. If he does go I only hope that its after the new owners have come in. That way we might get to see some of the transfer funds reinvested. Loyalty doesn't seem one of masch's strong points unfortunately.

I don't want mascherano to leave but i fear he will and he is my favourite player at lfc

If Masch is still here at the start of next season I'll be very surprised. He has been hinting that he wants to leave since last season, and at the minute Inter are a more attractive proposition than us. If he does go I only hope that its after the new owners have come in. That way we might get to see some of the transfer funds reinvested. Loyalty doesn't seem one of masch's strong points unfortunately.

If the bas**rds we have for owners do what they do best Masch is gone. They will want to cash in on his increased fee as soon as, pocket the major part and give whatever manager is there at the time a pittance for a replacement.
Mascherano has a loyalty to Rafa it is unthinkable that you could associate the word  loyalty with Hicks and that is the problem we face - players know what is going on and are unwilling to commit to a club which the owners are taking apart piece by piece.

Well if Mascherano loves Rafa so much why was he stalling over his new contract?
Why would his wife be anymore at home in Milan than Liverpool after all they don't speak Spanish there, at least to the best of my knowledge?
Another f**ker who needs to cut the bullshit and pin his colours to the mast

Well if Mascherano loves Rafa so much why was he stalling over his new contract?
Why would his wife be anymore at home in Milan than Liverpool after all they don't speak Spanish there, at least to the best of my knowledge?
Another f**ker who needs to cut the bullshit and pin his colours to the mast

The fact is mate we are not talking about Rafa he is gone as is the club we all love it has been destroyed by people who have no concept or emotional ties with Liverpool Football Club and deserve no allegiance.
You can't condemn Mascherano for having reservations about committing himself to a club that bears no resemblance to the side he signed for, he was persuaded to sign in no small part by the fact that Rafa was manager now he is supposed to prostitute himself and act like nothing has happened.
I don't think so.

I don't blame Mascherano, I just don't like the way he is conducting himself in the media these days so obviously angling for a move

Well if Mascherano loves Rafa so much why was he stalling over his new contract?
Why would his wife be anymore at home in Milan than Liverpool after all they don't speak Spanish there, at least to the best of my knowledge?
Another f**ker who needs to cut the bullshit and pin his colours to the mast

1. Maybe because we ain't winning a damn? We are not even looking like improving, but the opposite. I don't think he'd follow Rafa to f**king Willem II, but I think it's quite understandable for him to leave to a team that has won several leagues in the last years and a UCL a few days ago.
2. This is a no-brainer. First, Italian is much closer to Spanish than English. I've been to Italy myself without knowing a damn of Italian and managed to communicate quite efficiently. Secondly,  Italians are much closer to latinos than Englishmen. I've been to England too and the difference is quite noticeable. Italians are much warmer and effusive as persons. I think his family would adapt much faster. Finally and most importantly, Inter has a lot of Argentinians players. Zanetti, Cambiasso, Milito...

I think you should at leasy try to answer the questions you're asking before posting something like that, just attacking Masch senselessly. The mast is on f**king fire, and he owes a lot more to the captain of the ship, who is jumping off (or being tossed by pirates) than he owes to the ship or the goddamn yanks pirates.

I don't think he's the one who needs to cut the bullshit really. He's not supposed to be standing in the middle of so much sh*t, it's just not his duty to sacrifice himself like that.

Italians are much warmer and effusive as persons.

I actually wasn't gonna post in this thread because in all honesty I couldn't care less who people think would be a good manager for Inter Milan. I'm more concerned with who is a good manager for Liverpool Football Club.

But I am posting in reply to this quote, which is total F***ing bollocks. There isn't a city in the world where the people are more welcoming than Liverpool. Scousers make everybody feel welcome, we give players the privacy they deserve. We don't harass them every two seconds, we leave them be by and large. Maybe if Masch's missus bothered to learn Scouse rather than moaning about being unable to speak England every other weekend, then she might just find that out.

And if Masch feels more loyalty towards Rafa than he does towards Liverpool Football Club, then he can F**k off. As can anybody else with similar feelings. He plays for Liverpool, not for Rafa Benitez FC.

DLS is spot on there.

DLS is spot on there.

No he's not. I've never been to Liverpool so I don't know how welcoming they are. Still. aparently Masch does not feel like DLS, nor his family. It's much deeper than just being 'welcoming', really. My german friends are welcoming, but they only shake hands and so. As I said, it's a whole different thing, on a whole different level.

And I think lots of Liverpool fans suffer from some kind of mental blindness. Liverpool is not it's F***ing past, and most people don't seem to get over it. He plays for Liverpool, and Liverpool pays him. What a great relationship. Most talented players will want something called success or a least some kind of stability for their careers. I don't think LFC is able to offer him that. So I guess that if he 'fucks off' he wouldn't be blamable at all.

No he's not. I've never been to Liverpool so I don't know how welcoming they are. Still. aparently Masch does not feel like DLS, nor his family. It's much deeper than just being 'welcoming', really. My german friends are welcoming, but they only shake hands and so. As I said, it's a whole different thing, on a whole different level.

As I already stated, Liverpool fans, especially Scousers, respect their players much more than most clubs. We don't invade their privacy, we give them space to enjoy themselves.

And I think lots of Liverpool fans suffer from some kind of mental blindness. Liverpool is not it's F***ing past, and most people don't seem to get over it. He plays for Liverpool, and Liverpool pays him. What a great relationship. Most talented players will want something called success or a least some kind of stability for their careers. I don't think LFC is able to offer him that. So I guess that if he 'fucks off' he wouldn't be blamable at all.

Yes he can be blamed, he's contracted to Liverpool not Rafa Benitez. And there's obviously many players who feel the relationship between themselves and the club is good enough which is why so many lads, not from Liverpool, continue to live in the city and have a great affection for the club. Yet again proving the point of how the people of Liverpool treat the players.

There's one way to ensure stability to our club, our key players committing to the cause like a certain Pepe Reina did. Like Rafa wanted to do only to be ousted by the yanks.

I think everything is going against us at this moment as for Mascha he isn't from this part of the world so he wont really feel any affinity towards us other than having been part of Rafas team, he will lean more towards Rafa than us but that don't mean he didn't enjoy his time on Mersyside. I think others may want out as well and it hasn't anything to do with the city but more to do with the owners. From the players point it could be years until we get any where near to be challenging for anything, it's almost a certainty that this situation will get worse before it gets better and you have to take into account a players career is only 10 years long. Some players will also feel aggrieved at the way Rafa was pushed by those inside the club meaning Broughton and Purslow who both look like they have their own agenda. What a mess.

Think we all know who Rafa's first signing is going to be then...