Rafael Benitez Discussion Thread

@timbolton1: Rafa Benitez has reached seven major European semi finals in 12 years with four different clubs. Ridiculous record.

Not bad.

Absolutely incredible, still people try and suggest he's not a top drawer manager, well in Rafa never doubted you for a second.

Absolutely incredible, still people try and suggest he's not a top drawer manager, well in Rafa never doubted you for a second.

There is no doubt in my mind Luke that Rafa is in the top drawer.

The thing people [even some of our own] forget is he essentially put his reputation on the line in fighting H&G for us.. To do what he did for us at that point under those circumstances [2 CL finals in 3 seasons] was incredible and the fact he was fighting off the pitch, had his reputation damaged behind the scenes by people like Purslow as well and those two cowboys, the media..
He was tired and as affected as us after that period and probably needed longer time off before he took the Inter job.. He probably felt it was best for the club for him to leave in '10 but I don't think his heart ever did and it's a cloud over him.. I personally think he has held off other jobs a couple of times holding out to come back which he has never had the chance.

The media over here didn't like him as a whole because he gave them little time and took on Fergie as well as other media loved managers like fat Sam..

The blokes a genius as far as I'm concerned, he will always have my love and respect. It is possible to do that and have moved on with the here and now but my respect for the man and his record as a manager hasn't altered one iota in the last decade

@timbolton1: Rafa Benitez has reached seven major European semi finals in 12 years with four different clubs. Ridiculous record.

Not bad.

And he was out of work for two of those years.

sh*te isn't he?

And he was out of work for two of those years.

Sh*te isn't he?

On 'Par' me thinks

Love Rafa to pieces for what he brought to us but he's one of the reasons we have such a fu**ed up recruitment process.

Ayre and Purslow scared FSG into believing that one man should never have sole control over transfers, so here we are.

Once again football decisions are being made by non football people and until that changes we'll remain where we are, just outside where we should be with no open invitation to join the top table.

Love Rafa to pieces for what he brought to us but he's one of the reasons we have such a fu**ed up recruitment process.

Ayre and Purslow scared FSG into believing that one man should never have sole control over transfers, so here we are.

Once again football decisions are being made by non football people and until that changes we'll remain where we are, just outside where we should be with no open invitation to join the top table.

I don't think it was really transfers they clashed over Debs.. It was his influence over the football club and the fan base as a whole, his public support of getting H&G out and his support of the SOS... The fact that he spoke out publicly against the owners and made stuff they all felt should be behind closed doors public..
Rafa was right though, if it didn't come public, if he didn't throw his support behind it then the wheels wouldn't have turned as quickly as they ended up doing publicly.
Rafa clashed with Purslow especially behind the scenes and spoke out against both him and Ayre who were both employed by H&G and especially Purslow was a H&G stooge.
Rafa wanted them out so they got him out and even though the first thing fsg did was F**k Purslow off he and Ayre had their ear about Rafa and scared them to death of him and bringing him back

His control over transfers wasn't much beyond his budget like now, it's just there was no budget especially towards the end that Rafa spoke about but that wasn't the major point.. But it was the major point the media picked up and ran with

Rafa just doing what Rafa does.

I don't think it was really transfers they clashed over Debs.. It was his influence over the football club and the fan base as a whole, his public support of getting H&G out and his support of the SOS... The fact that he spoke out publicly against the owners and made stuff they all felt should be behind closed doors public..
Rafa was right though, if it didn't come public, if he didn't throw his support behind it then the wheels wouldn't have turned as quickly as they ended up doing publicly.
Rafa clashed with Purslow especially behind the scenes and spoke out against both him and Ayre who were both employed by H&G and especially Purslow was a H&G stooge.
Rafa wanted them out so they got him out and even though the first thing fsg did was F**k Purslow off he and Ayre had their ear about Rafa and scared them to death of him and bringing him back

His control over transfers wasn't much beyond his budget like now, it's just there was no budget especially towards the end that Rafa spoke about but that wasn't the major point.. But it was the major point the media picked up and ran with

Same reason they dumped Kenny, they don't want anyone who'll challenge them.

Been drawn against the Ukrainian team Dnipro.

A very good chance of not only going through to the final but winning it too.

All the best Rafa.

How fckin unusual Rafa doing well in europe  wonders will never cease .

Rafa is such a beast in Europe.

If only teams could have 2 managers, Rafa would have been so good for us in Europe this year

Always cup blocking Maureen with an inferior budget..... Rafa you legend you.

Wins a European trophy in 6 months for the plastics something the special one has failed to do in 5 years.

Rafa Benitez has reached seven major European semi finals in 12 years with four different clubs. Ridiculous record.

Not bad.

There is another ridiculous record of course.

Rafael Benitez has now gone 11 years without a domestic league championship. This despite a who's who of world class footballers to call upon at 4 massive football clubs, and armed with Euros, Dollars, Pounds, Shillings, and Pence to aid the quest to end his league-winning famine.

Today, he stands 20 points down the table with 21 points still to play for, out of the European Cup spots, and dumped out of the Italian Cup at home, to go alongside his complete failure to get past the European Cup playoffs. The consequences are Napoli looking to find someone else to turn the "not bad" into the "holy grail".

Bayern Munich are a financially doped super squad.

He may not finish 3rd in Italy but Napoli will probably still be in the CL and Rafa would have planned for that.

He probably won't finish third in Italy and may not make it past Fiorentina or Seville as well as Dnipropetrovsk.

Even if he does, there's another qualifier for someone else to negotiate.

Bayern Munich do not have a "financially doped" squad. Bayern Munich are the best run club in the world, and the model for everyone else to follow. Those who don't end up suffering the consequences sooner or later.

If only teams could have 2 managers

We had 2 in 1998. The less said, the better.

There is another ridiculous record of course.

Rafael Benitez has now gone 11 years without a domestic league championship. This despite a who's who of world class footballers to call upon at 4 massive football clubs, and armed with Euros, Dollars, Pounds, Shillings, and Pence to aid the quest to end his league-winning famine.

Today, he stands 20 points down the table with 21 points still to play for, out of the European Cup spots, and dumped out of the Italian Cup at home, to go alongside his complete failure to get past the European Cup playoffs. The consequences are Napoli looking to find someone else to turn the "not bad" into the "holy grail".

He probably won't finish third in Italy and may not make it past Fiorentina or Seville as well as Dnipropetrovsk.

Even if he does, there's another qualifier for someone else to negotiate.

Bayern Munich do not have a "financially doped" squad. Bayern Munich are the best run club in the world, and the model for everyone else to follow. Those who don't end up suffering the consequences sooner or later.

We had 2 in 1998. The less said, the better.

It's gonna break your heart when Rafa wins the Europa League isn't it.

So Rafa is too fat too manage Sampdoria but good enough to give them a spanking.

Idiotic thing to say which got the treatment it deserves.

3 points from 2nd with the possibility of finishing in the champions league lifting the Europa cup.

Hope he achieves his targets.

Now just 3 behind 2nd. Go on Rafa lad!

So Rafa is too fat too manage Sampdoria but good enough to give them a spanking.

Idiotic thing to say which got the treatment it deserves.

the sampdoria president is a rent a quote man but is all well and good until you start making comments about foreign owners at inter

Would have this fella back as OUR manager any time, at least he knows how to win trophies.

Would have this fella back as OUR manager any time, at least he knows how to win trophies.

The only man for us and that's the truth .

The only man for us and that's the truth .

Definitily even with Klopp up for grabs Rafa would be first choice.

Things have turned around at just the right time for Rafa's men. Fiorentina's form has dropped off a cliff, while Sampdoria and Roma, the teams above and below them in Seria A, haven't won in three. Napoli have capitalised and second in the league now looks eminently possible. Not only that but with Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the EL semis, they have a very good chance of getting to the final and making it a season to remember. If I was a Napoli fan, now is about the time I'd be thinking about booking my flights and accommodation to Warsaw...