Rafael Benitez Discussion Thread

There's no need to dress it up as anything other than a shocking and unacceptable result. I haven't watched the match as it was on the same time as ours but by all accounts Barca were completely dominant and could have had more.

So there are no excuses and Rafa will have to take the criticism for a very poor performance on the chin, whether it's enough to see him out the door I'm not sure but one thing that does seem disturbing is the number of rumours seemingly being leaked about player unhappiness.

Do agree with Dave that Rafa has never quite been the same since he lost Pako, that I think is pretty much backed up by the results pre and post too. Gutted for him but sometimes you have to accept responsibility for a shocker and that's what this was.

I can't see that the one player Rafa has played .. Casemiro stayed on the bench for 90 minutes .. even while Madrid surrendered the midfield. Rafa would never do that. Also Danilo was getting slaughtered and he didn't bring on Arbeloa.. really .. Rafa ... Benitez. I think yesterday was a concession to the president and fans to see what their galacticos are capable of .. which is not tracking back and not scoring.

I can't see that the one player Rafa has played .. Casemiro stayed on the bench for 90 minutes .. even while Madrid surrendered the midfield. Rafa would never do that. Also Danilo was getting slaughtered and he didn't bring on Arbeloa.. really .. Rafa ... Benitez. I think yesterday was a concession to the president and fans to see what their galacticos are capable of .. which is not tracking back and not scoring.

Showing their fans?.... Not a chance in hell. They are spoiled and dumb as F**k(Most of them atleast).

Showing their fans?.... Not a chance in hell. They are spoiled and dumb as f**k(Most of them atleast).

Yeah its crazy that whistling and handkerchiefs after 10 seconds without possession. What must have they thought of YNWA being sung at halftime when we were 3-0 down to AC Milan in CL final.

I don't believe Rafa would allow ANYONE to influence his team selection. I do however believe that he would use the media to try to influence people because we have seen that many times before.

He picked a team that lost to one of the best teams in the world ... sh*t happens, accept it and move on.

The one thing you can guarantee where Rafa is concerned is that there is never a lack of people searching for excuses for him.

I don't believe Rafa would allow ANYONE to influence his team selection. I do however believe that he would use the media to try to influence people because we have seen that many times before.

He picked a team that lost to one of the best teams in the world ... sh*t happens, accept it and move on.

The one thing you can guarantee where Rafa is concerned is that there is never a lack of people searching for excuses for him.

But you have to admit, he's been there 12 games. They are already qualified for the knockout in the CL. They are 2 games off Barca and apparently all the squad bar a couple don't want him and want Ancellotti back

And Ancellotti finished 3rd and 2nd with a fully united squad and got flogged 4 0 by Atletico yet the players love him. It's interesting how the two big squads he's managed turn on him very quickly. It's interesting facet to his methods. I think he'd be better in a German club right now or England. Or F**k Ronaldo, Ramos and any other lazy f**ker and build a team around Casemiro. Even when Mourinho got flogged 5 0 never a real hint of dissent. Rafa has a real problem with public opinion in the bloated squads. Zidane must be crapping himself they are going to promote him

If he doesn't get the bullet tonight I'll be shocked:

https://twitter.com/OliverKayTimes/status/668764427404079104

And Ancellotti finished 3rd and 2nd with a fully united squad and got flogged 4 0 by Atletico yet the players love him. It's interesting how the two big squads he's managed turn on him very quickly. It's interesting facet to his methods. I think he'd be better in a German club right now or England. Or F**k Ronaldo, Ramos and any other lazy f**ker and build a team around Casemiro. Even when Mourinho got flogged 5 0 never a real hint of dissent. Rafa has a real problem with public opinion in the bloated squads. Zidane must be crapping himself they are going to promote him

The whole situation is ridiculous. Ronaldo was complaining about Rafa before a training session had even been taken at the start of pre-season. He's just a spoilt f**ker who needs to be put in his place. Whilst I love Rafa, I love seeing that pr**k lose. No player should ever have the power to dictate to the club that a manager should be sacked or hired, it sets a dangerous precedent.

If he doesn't get the bullet tonight I'll be shocked:

 

I second that.   

If he doesn't get the bullet tonight I'll be shocked:

https://twitter.com/OliverKayTimes/status/668764427404079104

Probably a bid accepted for Ronaldo, I doubt very much they would sack Rafa.

The one thing you can guarantee where Rafa is concerned is that there is never a lack of people searching for excuses for him.

This is very true.

And Ancellotti finished 3rd and 2nd with a fully united squad and got flogged 4 0 by Atletico yet the players love him. It's interesting how the two big squads he's managed turn on him very quickly.

And that probably says a lot about him as a leader and motivator, no? That's part of his job by the way.

Or f**k Ronaldo, Ramos and any other lazy f**ker and build a team around Casemiro.

Yeah sure, F**k one of the best goalscorers in the history of football and one of the best defenders on Earth and build a team around an average piece of sh*t called Casemiro. That's a great idea.

If he doesn't get the bullet tonight I'll be shocked:

I think he will be o.k. until the end of the season when I expect Ancelloti to return. Obviously if Madrid win the CL this season Rafa will stay (and maybe Ronaldo will go)

And Spanish outlet El Chiringuito has claimed that Perez has backed Benitez over Ronaldo.
Perez supposedly met with Benitez after the game and told him that he had faith in the Spanish coach and gave him his full support.

Perez could be set to turn his back on Ronaldo.
And, incredibly, he told him that he didn’t have to play any of Madrid’s major stars.
And El Chiringuito presenter Josep Pedrerol claims that Perez said: ‘If you need to drop Ronaldo, drop him.’


Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/23/cristiano-ronaldo-clear-to-make-manchester-united-transfer-as-real-madrid-president-florentino-perez-backs-rafa-benitez-reports-5519531/#ixzz3sJtr1j7p

This is very true.

And that probably says a lot about him as a leader and motivator, no? That's part of his job by the way.


Yeah sure, f**k one of the best goalscorers in the history of football and one of the best defenders on Earth and build a team around an average piece of sh*t called Casemiro. That's a great idea.

Rafa has always done well with average players and made them look better than they actually are.

Starting with no DM against the worlds most fearsome strike force was a recipe for disaster.

Press conference tonight announced : would be shocking even for Real to get rid of Rafa this soon.

http://www.realmadrid.com/en/news/2015/11/official-announcement-3

Oliver Kay ‏@OliverKayTimes  2m2 minutes ago
.@GuillemBalague & @BumperGraham saying Perez press conf tonight will be to give Benitez (dreaded?) vote of confidence -- not to sack him

I think he will be o.k. until the end of the season when I expect Ancelloti to return. Obviously if Madrid win the CL this season Rafa will stay (and maybe Ronaldo will go)

And Spanish outlet El Chiringuito has claimed that Perez has backed Benitez over Ronaldo.
Perez supposedly met with Benitez after the game and told him that he had faith in the Spanish coach and gave him his full support.

Perez could be set to turn his back on Ronaldo.
And, incredibly, he told him that he didn’t have to play any of Madrid’s major stars.
And El Chiringuito presenter Josep Pedrerol claims that Perez said: ‘If you need to drop Ronaldo, drop him.’


Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/23/cristiano-ronaldo-clear-to-make-manchester-united-transfer-as-real-madrid-president-florentino-perez-backs-rafa-benitez-reports-5519531/#ixzz3sJtr1j7p

Interesting.

Must be something for a presser to be called, though. I wonder.

Barcelona have won 5 of the last 7 titles with Villanova, Guardiola and Enrique coaching with a 2nd under Martino and Guardiola. Whilst Madrid have finished 2nd and 3rd and won once, under Pellegrini, Mourinho and Ancellotti.

This last happened to Real when Perez once before stacked the team with Galactico's and resigned his tenure in 2006 ..."Florentino Pérez resigned last night as president of Real Madrid, effectively admitting that his policy of filling the team with high-profile attacking players - galácticos - had been a failure.

Statistics prove the point: Real have not won a major trophy since 2003, sit 10 points behind their great rivals Barcelona in the league after defeat to struggling Real Mallorca at the weekend, were knocked out of Spain's domestic cup competition in a humiliating 6-1 thrashing by Real Zaragoza and lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final first leg last week. "

You have jumped on the bandwagon too soon my old mate. The article decrying Rafa was written to take the heat off Perez .. i.e. to buy him time.
Rafa probably made a mistake going their, definitely if you see the line up he played. Rafa never would play without defensive solidity. now he will be made a scape goat by Ronaldo and Perez. I don't believe for a second that he would not be able to make that squad hum. Whether he could beat BArcelona to the league this year.. probably not. Could he win the CL .. definitely. However, to do that he would need to solve the Ronaldo problem and that is tricky.

It's incredible how in the space of three months this task has morphed from the dream job where Rafa would silence all his critics and dominate the world, into a poisoned chalice that no manager on earth could be expected to succeed in.

Player power always destroys clubs and tears very good teams apart. Always. Ronaldo has always existed with a chip on his shoulder at being no.2 to Messi and it's times like this when it really shows.

You'd never see Messi and co. shrug around putting in abject performances like that. Could you image Messi, Suarez and Neymar stropping around and getting thrashed 4-0 because they don't like their manager? Never in a million years.

I love Rafa to bits, but he's just in a no-win situation here. The Madrid fans are F***ing spoiled moronic cu*ts looking for an easy blame figure, and there are too many egotistical little shits who think the world revolves around them in the side.

Modern football at its worst is Real Madrid. At its best? Barcelona.

It's incredible how in the space of three months this task has morphed from the dream job where Rafa would silence all his critics and dominate the world, into a poisoned chalice that no manager on earth could be expected to succeed in.

Unbelievable isn't it.

It's been a pretty decent start to be fair, Rafa has had his injuries to deal with too but there are plenty games to go yet.

top of their CL group and the best GD in la La Liga. Lets be clear this is like managing chelsea only with  real stars in the team.Its clear the Players or rather Ronaldo didnt want Rafa and I am pretty sure Rafa new what his future was when he joined them.

Unbelievable isn't it.

It is. It's already in terms of excuses being made beginning to resemble the Inter Milan experience. There he took over a team which was reigning European champions and had won the domestic title five seasons on the bounce. Much "dominance" was predicted, six months later the squad were "all drawing old age pensions", there were "injuries", a "lack of signings" and the whole thing was "mission impossible".

I actually think the excuses are being made too early here. I cannot believe that given the quality of player at Real Madrid that they won't win something, and I firmly believe that if they stick with Benitez even after this admittedly awful result they will.   

It's incredible how in the space of three months this task has morphed from the dream job where Rafa would silence all his critics and dominate the world, into a poisoned chalice that no manager on earth could be expected to succeed in.

It's a poisoned chalice regardless Mick, you can win the lot with Madrid & still get fired, ask Carlo,Cappello,Del Bosque even Jose.

Asking Rafa to silence his critics 15 games in is a bit goo much no? Give the man the till the season end before you judge him, possibly by them he could have a league title,double or treble to back his case.

Rafa has always done well with average players and made them look better than they actually are.

Starting with no DM against the worlds most fearsome strike force was a recipe for disaster.

Sounds like a plan then: get rid of world class players and replace them with average ones, because Rafa has always done well with average players

If he can't work with big names then he's not the man for Real Madrid - and as bigmick has said, it is funny how it has turned from "Rafa proving all his doubters wrong" to "poor Rafa it's an impossible job".