Rafael Benitez Discussion Thread

Would you like to post where I repeat that Rafa protested the debt?...

I'm not wading through the thread mate, but the posts are in this thread if you care to look. I know because when I could be bothered I pulled you on it.

I'm not wading through the thread mate, but the posts are in this thread if you care to look.

Wade through the post, you made the accusations now back it up...

Me too mate

Right by Jabba's side

**joke**

you also have to remember that towards the end of his time here he was having a hirearchal battle with two toads from across the pond.

I think that is a ridiculous statement to make.

So are you arguing that coaches usually don't suffer the consequences of their team going down?

The hierarchical battle was his choice. Nobody forced him into it, in many ways it wasn't his business, and surprise surprise he lost. He's now doing the same up there, and Ashley isn't really someone you want to confront and issue ultimatums to. But that's his choice.

That league next year is going to be very hard to get out of, it's 8 more games for starters, and takes 90 odd points just to get automatic promotion. And it isn't exactly the right environment for patient, tiki-taka football either, more traditional English kick and rush. That's before you see many of their current fatcats abandon ship over the summer.

When Sunderland last relegated them in 1989, it took them 4 years to get back up. It's a long old slog down there.

So are you arguing that coaches usually don't suffer the consequences of their team going down?

Not after a 10 games no.

So no, I don't think he should count his lucky stars for not being sacked.

The hierarchical battle was his choice.

To be fair mate they first tried to bring Klinsmann in to replace him, then they took away his role in transfers and then forced him into taking sides as the split with Parry became more apparent.

You can't really blame him for any of that as that effected his role as manager.

The Parry/ Purslow feuds obviously he played a big part. Won one lost one. 

When Sunderland last relegated them in 1989, it took them 4 years to get back up. It's a long old slog down there.

When Newcastle got relegated last time they went straight back up. When West Ham got relegated they came striaght back up. When West Brom were getting relegated every other season, they were getting promoted between each relegation. If you keep hold of your best players, you have a great chance of going straight back up.

Funny how you missed these out...

When Newcastle got relegated last time they went straight back up. When West Ham got relegated they came striaght back up. When West Brom were getting relegated every other season, they were getting promoted between each relegation. If you keep hold of your best players, you have a great chance of going straight back up.

Funny how you missed these out...

how about Burnley?. He has a lot of stuff missing mainly between his ears

how about Burnley?. He has a lot of stuff missing mainly between his ears

Sill has his 'I heart Rafa' tee-shirt that he wears whilst he cries himself to sleep tho.

One month you're arguing Rafa can't be give credit for number 5, the next month he gets full credit for taking Newcastle down. I think they may need to adjust your medicine, check the straps on your jacket and make sure the padding on your walls is soft enough.

To be fair mate they first tried to bring Klinsmann in to replace him, then they took away his role in transfers and then forced him into taking sides as the split with Parry became more apparent.

You can't really blame him for any of that as that effected his role as manager.

We were talking about towards the end of his time here, at which point he had full control of transfers and the academy, which is why he signed the new contract.

On that issue, I lost count of the amount of contract offers he got and rejected, and how long it took. I believe it was the 5th offer or so before he signed it. And he sold Owen/tried to sell Gerrard for taking too long to sign their own...

When Newcastle got relegated last time they went straight back up. When West Ham got relegated they came striaght back up. When West Brom were getting relegated every other season, they were getting promoted between each relegation. If you keep hold of your best players, you have a great chance of going straight back up.

If indeed. And it's a big if when you've gone down.

Yes they did get up the last time, but for every Newcastle who made it, there's a  Nottingham Forest. For every West Ham, there's a Wolves, and for every Burnley, there's a Blackburn, or a Blackpool, or a Wigan, or a Fulham, or a Charlton, or an Ipswich. 46 games is a lot, and you can easily get marooned in that division for years on end.

We were talking about towards the end of his time here, at which point he had full control of transfers and the academy, which is why he signed the new contract.

On that issue, I lost count of the amount of contract offers he got and rejected, and how long it took. I believe it was the 5th offer or so before he signed it. And he sold Owen/tried to sell Gerrard for taking too long to sign their own...

If indeed. And it's a big if when you've gone down.

Yes they did get up the last time, but for every Newcastle who made it, there's a  Nottingham Forest. For every West Ham, there's a Wolves, and for every Burnley, there's a Blackburn, or a Blackpool, or a Wigan, or a Fulham, or a Charlton, or an Ipswich. 46 games is a lot, and you can easily get marooned in that division for years on end.

We still reap the rewards of the overhaul at the Academy thanks to Rafa...Kenny Dalglish attested to that fact recently.

Granted the championship is a swamp for some clubs to dig themselves out of but let's say for arguments sake Rafa fails to get Newcastle up at the first time of asking but gets Newcastle into the playoffs  .....

would you bet against a Benitez team in a final play off?..I certainly wouldn't.

/tried to sell Gerrard for taking too long to sign their own...

Get to f**k lad. Gerrard wanted to leave because he didn't feel appreciated enough by the club because they were taking too long offering him a contract, that isn't down to the manager, the manager isn't the one in control over contracts, that would have been that tool Rick Parry dealing with that. Just like it wouldn't have been Rafa who accepted the offer Chelsea made for Gerrard. There is no way in hell Rafa would have tried to sell Gerrard.

Nice try though. I suggest you leave it there because you are clutching at more straws than ever before and making yourself look more and more stupid and like you really do have an agenda.

“I knew he had some issues with Rafa and twice it looked like he might leave Liverpool for Chelsea.

“Rafa wanted him to leave – I think he thought he could buy three or four players with the money – but, deep down, Stevie didn’t want to go.”

http://www.givemesport.com/757800-jerzy-dudek-claims-rafael-benitez-wanted-steven-gerrard-to-leave-liverpool

Chelsea fail in £32m Gerrard bid

They made Gerrard the biggest contract offer in the club's history - a two-year extension to his current deal, which already has two years to run, on £100,000 per week.

They were told he would go away and sleep on the deal - but he told Parry on Tuesday he wanted to leave.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has made it clear the club do not need to cash in on their prize asset to fund other deals.

"We don't need more money - we don't need to sell Stevie," he told www.liverpoolfc.tv.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4651003.stm

“I knew he had some issues with Rafa and twice it looked like he might leave Liverpool for Chelsea.

“Rafa wanted him to leave – I think he thought he could buy three or four players with the money – but, deep down, Stevie didn’t want to go.”

http://www.givemesport.com/757800-jerzy-dudek-claims-rafael-benitez-wanted-steven-gerrard-to-leave-liverpool

that's opinion not fact.
http://www.thisisanfield.com/2015/11/ballad-steven-gerrard-rafa-benitez/

It's not a cult - it's about sticking up for a good honest man who did his all for the club.

If you don't understand the emphasis that Liverpool supporters put on the character of the manager and whether he connects with the communitarian mindset of the fanbase, then it begs the question as to whether you truly understand what it means to support the club.

Chelsea fail in £32m Gerrard bid

They made Gerrard the biggest contract offer in the club's history - a two-year extension to his current deal, which already has two years to run, on £100,000 per week.

They were told he would go away and sleep on the deal - but he told Parry on Tuesday he wanted to leave.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has made it clear the club do not need to cash in on their prize asset to fund other deals.

"We don't need more money - we don't need to sell Stevie," he told www.liverpoolfc.tv.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4651003.stm

See if the boot was on the other foot here mate people would be wading into you and having a pop for posting an article. They'd be saying you were a "disgrace" etc etc.

As It is though I don't think anyone will give you stick, as you've simply posted an article which offers an alternative slant on Dudeks opinion. It's for individual posters to form their own opinion, and when they've done that if they haven't already, it's OK!

Then when you get to SOAG's post you realise that if you don't agree with him and his interpretation of events in their entirety, you actually don't "understand" the club at all, and perhaps you shouldn't support them in the first place. It's not a "cult" though, not at all  .

My own opinion on the last few pages for what they're worth (and I know the answer is "f*** all" in many peoples eyes).

I do believe that Benitez sold Owen, and I don't give a f***. I don't think he had much choice as the little f***** only had a year left on his contract, he'd been ridiculously allowed to run it down prior to Benitez's arrival. 8 million quid on it's own was a fair enough price under the circumstances, although 8 million quid plus Nunez was a bit of a rip off to be honest.

I do believe that Benitez at the very least seriously considered letting Gerrard go for the right money, and it has to be said 32 million quid back then was a "Bale" type fee today. I think he considered Gerrard contrary to the style he wanted to implement, and at that stage was merely one of the best midfielders in Europe as opposed to probably the best attacking midfielder in the World which he became as he matured.

I do believe that he and Gerrard never really got on, and my take on it is because it was a clash of egos. Of course once Gerrard said he was staying, Benitez had little option but to make it clear he never "really" wanted to sell in the first place. I'm not sure he ever "really" did either, but knowing how he conducted himself at Liverpool over the six seasons I'd be staggered if he hadn't seriously considered the possibility of the sale and what he would do with the cash.   

My own opinion on the last few pages for what they're worth (and I know the answer is "f*** all" in many peoples eyes).

I do believe that Benitez sold Owen, and I don't give a f***. I don't think he had much choice as the little f***** only had a year left on his contract, he'd been ridiculously allowed to run it down prior to Benitez's arrival. 8 million quid on it's own was a fair enough price under the circumstances, although 8 million quid plus Nunez was a bit of a rip off to be honest.

I do believe that Benitez at the very least seriously considered letting Gerrard go for the right money, and it has to be said 32 million quid back then was a "Bale" type fee today. I think he considered Gerrard contrary to the style he wanted to implement, and at that stage was merely one of the best midfielders in Europe as opposed to probably the best attacking midfielder in the World which he became as he matured.

I do believe that he and Gerrard never really got on, and my take on it is because it was a clash of egos. Of course once Gerrard said he was staying, Benitez had little option but to make it clear he never "really" wanted to sell in the first place. I'm not sure he ever "really" did either, but knowing how he conducted himself at Liverpool over the six seasons I'd be staggered if he hadn't seriously considered the possibility of the sale and what he would do with the cash.   

Fact - Parry had been trying to get Owen to sign a new contract throughout the previous 12 months, was blagged off by Owen with plenty of excuses every single time - that was before Rafa even turned up at Anfield!! Real Madrid wanted him a year later on a free contract, Rafa called their bluff got £8million and Nunez.

First time was all on Gerrard - he wanted to leave in Summer of 2004 for Chelsea to win the Premier League, he wasn't sure we were in a position to challenge etc. His dad, agent and missus spoke to him that night and changed his mind (again F**k all to do with Rafa - obviously not being from Merseyside Mick you weren't aware of the gangster sh*te that was pushed by the press as a reason why Gerrard chose to stay with Liverpool - threats etc and of course all bullshit.

Second time was the infamous sorting of his contract (Parry wanting to get away on holiday) Gerrard wanting his contract sorting etc - again Chelsea come calling. The club assures Gerrard that we still want him, Gerrard signs new contract.

That simple really!

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...