Rafael Benitez Discussion Thread

Regardless of Rafa's time here discuss the positives, discuss the negatives, but don't discredit his input in 2005, you wouldn't the players.

Remember there was more than one game that led to the final.

They all played their part.

And lastly.

Were lucky bas**rds.

I agree mate. I will always be grateful to Rafa for helping us win the CL. It doesn't however blind me to his faults or mean that I can't give my opinion or even mean that my opinion is wrong.     

I agree mate. I will always be grateful to Rafa for helping us win the CL. It doesn't however blind me to his faults or mean that I can't give my opinion or even mean that my opinion is wrong.

Not saying it does mate.

But watching supporters of the club (not saying you) trying to take away from an unbelievable achievement in 2005 from all involved, not just Rafa to F***ing point score leaves a very sour after taste, almost 'bitter'.

Not saying it does mate.

But watching supporters of the club (not saying you) trying to take away from an unbelievable achievement in 2005 from all involved, not just Rafa to f**king point score leaves a very sour after taste, almost 'bitter'.

Which is one of the reasons I agreed with 7-King Kenny-7 on the previous page.

I don't want to make up sh*t just to make Rafa or any of our managers look bad. I would like to discuss his time here and his actions just as we would any other player or manager. The good AND the bad.

Come off it, s@int. If that were true you wouldn't be in here each time Mick is in a debate and further sticking the knife in Rafa.

Give it a rest. I never said you said it, i said it's been said by others.

And it's not like those comments would be the worst thing you, Mick or LFCATW would have said about him or his management.

This thread is 310 pages long. If you can find one sentence in it where I slag off Benitez in a personal way I'll show my @rse in the pub window. If you can find one sentence, one post where I've said Benitez isn't a decent manager I'll do the same. If you can find one post where I've said winning the Champions League with Dimi Traore in the team wasn't an amazing achievement, I'll give you a medal.

Even back when I could be bothered to comment on the man all I ever did was disagree on the extent to which he ought to be revered. Please don't make sweeping statements about my input over the years, it's unfair and it's bollocks.

310 pages, go for your life. Obviously the offer is open to everybody else on the forum too.

Tut tut such language.

Nah all I want is to be able to discuss his tenure here without the lying, the abuse and the genuflecting.

Hahahaha F**k off it's the abuse that keeps you coming back for more

Hahahaha f**k off it's the abuse that keeps you coming back for more

Putting my masochistic tendencies to one side for the moment, I just find it a little sad that posters who I think make excellent points in other threads and who's opinions I enjoy reading most of the time (including your good self) feel the need to attack posters in this thread for no more than having a different opinion... usually without letting that opinion be even expressed fully in the first place.

Does it really matter so much to you that I don't praise Rafa as much as you, or that I criticise some of the things he did, that you(meaning those that do) really feel the need to call me a c**t or a tw*t or a gobs***e.

I come on here to have a laugh, discuss the team I love and enjoy myself. I don't expect everyone to agree with everything I post, but even you must see that what goes on in this thread is ridiculous when you are a c**t if you even suggest Rafa may have once, on a very bad day, when no one was looking, made a bad decision.

I try hard not to carry the abuse and ill feeling that others throw at me in here into other threads and for the most part I succeed, but it can be trying at times.   

   

Putting my masochistic tendencies to one side for the moment, I just find it a little sad that posters who I think make excellent points in other threads and who's opinions I enjoy reading most of the time (including your good self) feel the need to attack posters in this thread for no more than having a different opinion... usually without letting that opinion be even expressed fully in the first place.

Does it really matter so much to you that I don't praise Rafa as much as you, or that I criticise some of the things he did, that you(meaning those that do) really feel the need to call me a c**t or a tw*t or a gobs***e.

I come on here to have a laugh, discuss the team I love and enjoy myself. I don't expect everyone to agree with everything I post, but even you must see that what goes on in this thread is ridiculous when you are a c**t if you even suggest Rafa may have once, on a very bad day, when no one was looking, made a bad decision.

I try hard not to carry the abuse and ill feeling that others throw at me in here into other threads and for the most part I succeed, but it can be trying at times.

   

Think you deserve a medal sometimes mate I really do, I couldn't/can't/won't do it which is why I don't express any opinions in here any more. It's no surprise for instance that nobody can find a single post where I've slagged Benitez off, a single line of any sentence where I've abused him, a single time I've had a go at him, one occasion when I've said he's not a decent manager. Even allowing for the "we can't be bothered to look you c***" responses which I'll inevitably get, those that have dished out the abuse (to me and others such as yourself over the years) have been way out of line over the years but I don't expect any retractions.

The fact that I believe our undoubted success under Benitez had more to do with the fact we had IMHO the best attacking midfielder in the World in his prime playing in the team than others do, means I'm a c*** and will do forever more. We won two trophies under Benitez, the Champions League and the FA Cup, and it is my view that were it not for Gerrard we would have won neither. That doesn't mean of course that I hate Benitez nor does it mean that I think he is a c***, it does though mean though that I think one title challenge in six seasons was not THAT GREAT, I think we could and should have done better. It equally means that IMHO two trophies in six seasons was not THAT GREAT, we could IMHO have done better.

Beyond that we/you can debate how he's got on in his various jobs till the cows come home. I won't bother because I can't be bothered, to tell you the absolute truth it's because I could give a flying f*** about his career since he's left Liverpool nor could I give a sh!te about debating football with people who dish out abuse and thinly veiled attacks on my character from the safety of their computer keyboard, simply because I slightly disagree with them about who was the real legend over those years.

They are 100% allowed to disagree with me, but I am 0% allowed to disagree with them. I can accept that and f*** off to debating under those circumstances, but when I see moderators telling posters it's "boring" that he keeps saying his side of the story it's too much, and it's gone on for too long. Then on the same day I see posters casually referring to abuse I've dished out, daggers I've thrust in, disrespect and dishonour I've been guilty of when NONE OF IT IS TRUE, it f**** me off all the more.

It's gone on too long and it's time people behaved themselves.

leave the big wooden spoon at home because although there may not be direct posts disrespecting Rafa there are so many with massive big barbs attached to them.
He is the only remaining living Manager to have won the CL for this club that alone means he is royalty and deserves to be treated like that.
All I know that by enlarge on Merseyside he is still very very fondly thought off and people wish him well. Added to which he has brought his family up for 12 years in Caldy and his wife Monse does immense work for charity locally. I will continue to read this thread and contribute as I see fit.

thought this c**t was banned from this thread. f***in muppet F**k off

If we called him TPPPPM perhaps that would help (just kidding by the way!.. the fact I had to qualify that is also scary)?

I'm personally proud to admit I love Rafa and it's also my personal opinion that he should hold legend status with each every red for reasons much more than just his performance as a manager. For me that side of things matters immensely when I judge someone and it's fair to say that there's a strong possibility that my respect for the man may sway my judgement from anything negative about him.

I think it's only fair to say here that this is not a dig at those that judge his time as a manager differently because I'm quite sure that they not only are better at separating the emotional from the factual but also the football from the rest and I don't suggest for a moment that their opinion of Rafa as a manager has any bearing on their opinion of him as a man outside of management (see why this thread is so emotionally charged, you have to do these things.... )
 
Unfortunately I must admit (perhaps some of you will view it more fortuitously)  that I've found myself beginning posts in this thread many times and simply deleting them because I believe the content doesn't matter too much anymore; opinions are so entrenched and divided that no matter how much sense either side talks the other simply wont or can't agree. There will never be a meeting of the sides and at some point all are either going to have to accept that and move on or this debate will continue ad infinitum.

Happy he stayed. Will be very interesting to see what he can do with them in the next few seasons.

i like Zidane so I'm not particularly bothered those ****s at Real won  - if Atleti had buried their penalty they would have won.

Real always had the quality to win the CL - they will probably be contenders for the next decade. If Zizou could do it you can bet Rafa would have been there or thereabouts - can't think of many managers with a better European record given the teams he has had.

It's no surprise for instance that nobody can find a single post where I've slagged Benitez off, a single line of any sentence where I've abused him, a single time I've had a go at him, one occasion when I've said he's not a decent manager. Even allowing for the "we can't be bothered to look you c***" responses which I'll inevitably get, those that have dished out the abuse (to me and others such as yourself over the years) have been way out of line over the years but I don't expect any retractions.

I agree mate. It seems that what we actually say just isn't enough to support the anger they feel, so they have to make sh*t up to attribute to us, I suppose to in some strange way justify themselves and the abuse they throw around.

Today in this thread I have made a joke post based on the old St Peters square Pope joke... who's that waving on the balcony with Stevie G,  offered my opinion that Gerrard was a good player before Rafa came and that Rafa may have got his original team selection wrong...
Hardly a crippling and devastating attack on Rafa worthy of the abuse thrown my way.  

You can be more critical of Jesus Christ and get less abuse and the sad thing is they would defend that by saying Christ never won the CL.    

And i thought LFCATW had a problem.

So Zidane's UCL win wasn't because of Rafa because it was Zidane managing the team. But '05 wasn't Rafa because it was Rafa managing Houllier's team.

But Zidane used Rafa's tactics and approach to the game whilst Rafa used a completely different system to Houllier.

I love Rafa and he turned us in to a force once again. 99% of people see it the same i reckon. And now the Geordie's will find out too

You have to love it don't you mate the  hypocrisy.....

Complete bollocks from the same bell ends agree with 7K7 sh*t gets tedious running around in circles just delete the sh*t and close the blooming thread once and for all.

So the arm-chair manager really knows whats going inside the club too?

I mean you keep on saying Rafa should've done this and that. Do you really know what went on behind the scenes? You are saying everything on the basis of rumors FFS.

Comparing Danny Murphy and Xabi Alonso?  One of them went on to play for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, while other played for premiere league mid table fodder. Seriously friend, find some other stick to beat Rafa with, as this is a complete joke.

Arm chair manager???...Gill95.... F**k off...  Don't give a flying F**k where they played, that means F**k all...with your kind of thinking we should only go after players who have player  for the giants in Europe...Should never have sign Suarez or Torres, and we should have re-signed Micheal Owen, so yes I will "Comparing Danny Murphy and Xabi Alonso"... who did we have that could come in and do the job that Xabi was doing???.... Child....

Arm chair manager???...Gill95.... f**k off...  Don't give a flying f**k where they played, that means f**k all...with your kind of thinking we should only go after players who have player  for the giants in Europe...Should never have sign Suarez or Torres, and we should have re-signed Micheal Owen, so yes I will "Comparing Danny Murphy and Xabi Alonso"... who did we have that could come in and do the job that Xabi was doing???.... Child....

Oh wait, that offended you? Who's the child then?

What is even the point of the post? Do you even proof check as to what you write?

Assuming stuff on your own their mate. My kind of thinking? Precisely explain as to where have I said that we should not buy from mid table clubs.

Is it hard to read my post? I said where they went on to play, not where they played  before.

Oh wait, that offended you? Who's the child then?

I guess we both guilt of acting like children as you threw the insult and I bit.... Sorry, Bad week and all... I try not to get into name calling

What is even the point of the post? Do you even proof check as to what you write?

... I have stated here on more than one occasion between the use of predictive text,getting excited and not using spell check or proof reading that when I post that they have many mistakes... But hey I thought you would be able to get the gist of what I am saying

Assuming stuff on your own their mate. My kind of thinking? Precisely explain as to where have I said that we should not buy from mid table clubs.

You have not said, but instead implied it... So what If Xabi Alonso when to Real and Bayern... Maybe Danny Murphy got offers too but did not want to leave England or the Premier League

Is it hard to read my post? I said where they went on to play, not where they played  before.

Just as hard as you reading mine I figure... since all I said is that we should have kept Danny Murphy as back up

You have not said, but instead implied it... So what If Xabi Alonso when to Real and Bayern... Maybe Danny Murphy got offers too but did not want to leave England or the Premier League
Just as hard as you reading mine I figure... since all I said is that we should have kept Danny Murphy as back up

No, i didn't implied anything, you are making stuff up, and you compared both players' stats too.

As for the back up option, someone has already posted about requiring the funds for Alonso and Garcia purchases, hence it was never a viable option.

We've moved onto whether or not Danny Murphy should have been kept as a backup?

And to think I get slated for the occasional mention of Brendamort! 

No, i didn't implied anything, you are making stuff up, and you compared both players' stats too.

As for the back up option, someone has already posted about requiring the funds for Alonso and Garcia purchases, hence it was never a viable option.

Here is my original post.....Re: Rafael Benitez Discussion Thread Reply #9156 : May 17, 2016, 11:54:06 am »
 
Quote from Shabs on May 17, 2016, 11:44:49 am
Surprised Rafa ain't getting both barrels for selling Murphy and replacing him with Alonso, but gets both barrels for selling Alonso for Aquilani ....bizarre indeed...
[/quote]

Never should have sold Danny Murphy, Even if you felt Alonso was better (I felt Alonso was a better passer of the ball, But Murphy carried more of a goal threat) what was wrong with Danny Murphy as back up?

compering the stats was merely to back up what i stated about... As for it "never a viable option." It was if Rafa chose to go that way, He did not
PLAYERS IN
Josemi                     Malaga              £2,000,000         26 July 2004
Antonio Nunez             Real Madrid      £1,500,000         17 August 2004
Xabi Alonso             Real Sociedad      £10,700,000         20 August 2004
Luis Garcia                     Barcelona              £6,000,000         20 August 2004
Mauricio Pellegrino     Valencia               Free                  5 January 2005
Fernando Morientes     Real Madrid      £6,300,000         13 January 2005
Scott Carson             Leeds              £1,000,000          21 January 2005
                                                 
                                               TOTAL £27,500,000

PLAYERS OUT
Markus Babbel            Stuttgart              Free                   16 July 2004
Danny Murphy            Charlton             £2,500,000           10 August 2004
Michael Owen            Real Madrid         £8,500,000           14 August 2004
Stephane Henchoz   Celtic                     Free                   28 January 2005

Had he asked for £1.25m for Henchoz and Babble both he could have kept Murphy and still have bought those two clowns Josemi and Nunez...
Rafa's record on selling players is poor, He very rarely got a half decent price for them (Alonso excluded)

Rafa's record on selling players is poor, He very rarely got a half decent price for them

Just a few to prove you wrong.

Antonio Nunez    Real Madrid    £1,500,000    17 August 2004
Antonio Nunez    Celta Vigo    £2,000,000    29 July 2005

Mark Gonzalez    Albacete    £1,500,000    20 October 2005
Mark Gonzalez    Real Betis    £3,500,000    17 July 2007

Momo Sissoko    Valencia    £5,600,000    14 July 2005
Momo Sissoko    Juventus    £8,200,000    28 January 2008

Craig Bellamy    Blackburn    £6,000,000    1 July 2006
Craig Bellamy    West Ham    £7,500,000    10 July 2007

Peter Crouch    Southampton    £7,000,000    20 July 2005
Peter Crouch    Portsmouth    £11,000,000    11 July 2008

Scott Carson    Leeds    £1,000,000    21 January 2005
Scott Carson    West Brom    £3,250,000    18 July 2008

Yossi Benayoun    West Ham    £5,000,000    12 July 2007
Yossi Benayoun    Chelsea    £6,000,000    2 July 2010

Our top 5 highest transfer fee's received are 4 of Rafa's signings.

Suarez
Torres
Sterling
Alonso
Mascherano

Liverpool sign England starlet Raheem Sterling from QPR | Daily Mail ...
www.dailymail.co.uk/.../Liverpool-sign-England-starlet-Raheem-Sterling-QPR.html
27 Feb 2010 - Rafa Benitez has beaten Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham to sign Queens Park Rangers wonderkid Raheem Sterling.

Rafa is proving his class by dropping down a division. Would any other top manager do that? Normally I wouldn't want Newcastle to gain promotion, but out of respect for Rafa, I hope they do.