Rafael Benitez Discussion Thread

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".

Well he has proven he can work with both world class or average players working with both Rafa has won trophies at Valencia,Liverpool,Inter,Napoli & even a 6 month stint at those plastic cu*ts Chelsea.

and the same old same old cant wait to get a dig in at Rafa. Same usual quotes not attributable to anyone. RM is a vipes nest ask ALL the managers that have been there and been sacked. Ronaldo is clearly annoyed at RAFA being there whilst Bale who seems to like him has been injured. Rafa will be sacked and he knows this its just a question of when not if. Rafa does not massage players EGO's thats well known so it is interesting to consider why RM gave him the job unless they feel the players have not delivered enough over the years compared to Barca who clealry have a wonderful team ethic even with the Stars it has. Ronaldo plays for Ronaldo FC and nobody else.

Well he has proven he can work with both world class or average players working with both Rafa has won trophies at Valencia,Liverpool,Inter,Napoli & even a 6 month stint at those plastic cu*ts Chelsea.

He should have no problem with one of the best squads on Earth then! And for the record, I do think he might win something - I'm a big fan of Rafa and they have quality in abundance. I just find it funny how every single one of his failures is followed by (and in many cases, even preceded by) an incredible amount of ready-made excuses.

Real Madrid is a tough job. And that's why I, and many others, have been saying that winning this game or that game, or having a high GD, or being top of a UCL group, etc, mean barely nothing at Real, despite the attempts to play up those details. Only trophies will qualify as success.

(Playing up that trophy won at Inter against an African quasi-amateur side is funny as hell too!)

I think Rafa's time is over at Real Madrid.
How he lined the team up was against how he did when at Liverpool.
Attacking lineup with no DM against Barca?
Never in a million years at LFC.
That seems against what would have been Rafa's principles at Liverpool.
Stop them playing first. Then try to win.

As we've seen with plenty before when you start to compromise and go against your beliefs it is the end.

The fact that they have to hold a press conference to announce their support for the manager when they're currently in second and are top of their Champions League group is embarrassing. The players need to get a grip and stop being immature spoiled idiots.

The fact that they have to hold a press conference to announce their support for the manager when they're currently in second and are top of their Champions League group is embarrassing. The players need to get a grip and stop being immature spoiled idiots.

I think the press conference is more about Perez & Ronaldo than Rafa to be honest, there were calls after the game from supporters calling Perez to stand down, retaining Rafa with a view to allowing Rafa to get on with it in Rafa's own way may buy Perez extra time till season ends.

There are rumours it was Perez who wanted all the galacticos on the pitch, Rafa went along with it exposing the problem with such a line up.

You may see Ronaldo more on the bench till he starts acting like a team player than individual.

I think the press conference is more about Perez & Ronaldo than Rafa to be honest, there were calls after the game from supporters calling Perez to stand down, retaining Rafa with a view to allowing Rafa to get on with it in Rafa's own way may buy Perez extra time till season ends.

There are rumours it was Perez who wanted all the galacticos on the pitch, Rafa went along with it exposing the problem with such a line up.

You may see Ronaldo more on the bench till he starts acting like a team player than individual.

Have there been other instances of Ronaldo not getting on with managers? I know he got on pretty well with Ferguson, but I don't follow Spanish football as a rule.

Have there been other instances of Ronaldo not getting on with managers? I know he got on pretty well with Ferguson, but I don't follow Spanish football as a rule.

him and Mourinho did not get on at all either.

Surprising that. I remember when they won La Liga they seemed to get on pretty well then, Mourinhos reportedly very interested in taking the preening ponce to Chelsea too.

Surprising that. I remember when they won La Liga they seemed to get on pretty well then, Mourinhos reportedly very interested in taking the preening ponce to Chelsea too.

Not surprised there Mick as both share the same agent Mendes who's daughter has been seen out with Ronaldo.

I think the press conference is more about Perez & Ronaldo than Rafa to be honest, there were calls after the game from supporters calling Perez to stand down, retaining Rafa with a view to allowing Rafa to get on with it in Rafa's own way may buy Perez extra time till season ends.

There are rumours it was Perez who wanted all the galacticos on the pitch, Rafa went along with it exposing the problem with such a line up.

You may see Ronaldo more on the bench till he starts acting like a team player than individual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zt9qkXuvj4

I think Rafa might disagree.

Not surprised there Mick as both share the same agent Mendes who's daughter has been seen out with Ronaldo.

That's what I mean Shabs, it's genuinely the first time I've ever heard the rumour that Ronaldo and Mourinho don't get on. In all honesty, whatever anyone can say about Ronaldo I've never had the impression that he's anything other than the sort of player who tries his heart out every single game. I don't like the preening, posturing and the bollocks that go with him but there's no doubt about it he's a fantastic player. You don't get to be World player of the year in front of Messi unless you put a shift in.

I'd even go as far as saying that 50-60% of the job at Real Madrid is simply to ensure you get a decent relationship going with Ronaldo. If you do that, you'll win a lot more than you lose that's for sure. In any case there's no absolute confirmation that he and Benitez have fallen out, it's just press speculation at this stage. 

That's what I mean Shabs, it's genuinely the first time I've ever heard the rumour that Ronaldo and Mourinho don't get on. In all honesty, whatever anyone can say about Ronaldo I've never had the impression that he's anything other than the sort of player who tries his heart out every single game. I don't like the preening, posturing and the bollocks that go with him but there's no doubt about it he's a fantastic player. You don't get to be World player of the year in front of Messi unless you put a shift in.

I'd even go as far as saying that 50-60% of the job at Real Madrid is simply to ensure you get a decent relationship going with Ronaldo. If you do that, you'll win a lot more than you lose that's for sure. In any case there's no absolute confirmation that he and Benitez have fallen out, it's just press speculation at this stage. 

Ronaldo off field does plent of good charity work with children which I respect him for, on the pitch he is a beast of a player on his terms but since the arrival of Bale & Perez wanting Madrid built around Bale Ronaldo has thrown his toys out.

Bottom line is Perez wants to sell Ronaldo & re coup some money back, Benitez has been caught in the middle.

Thank f*ck we got Klopp before they did!

Ronaldo off field does plent of good charity work with children which I respect him for, on the pitch he is a beast of a player on his terms but since the arrival of Bale & Perez wanting Madrid built around Bale Ronaldo has thrown his toys out.

Bottom line is Perez wants to sell Ronaldo & re coup some money back, Benitez has been caught in the middle.

Shabs, be honest mate: Even if Madrid were 10 points behind Barca you would probably just ratchet up the Ronaldo excuse, Florentino's meddling and the all-round "impossible" nature of the job until it bridged the gap between the Rafa in your mind and the Rafa doing the job. I would say that what happened at Inter confirmed that there are essentially no limits in this regard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zt9qkXuvj4

I think Rafa might disagree.

He's smoking the same stuff they get at Emirates....

Shabs, be honest mate: Even if Madrid were 10 points behind Barca you would probably just ratchet up the Ronaldo excuse, Florentino's meddling and the all-round impossible nature of the job until it bridged the gap between the Rafa in your mind and the Rafa doing the job. I would say that what happened at Inter confirmed that there are essentially no limits in this regard.

Press conference in an hour, so we will discover the reason for such a call but in my opinion & you can look back on my post when Rafa got the Madrid job, I posted if he fails to win Madrid anything with the set of players he has then Rafa will have no excuse.

Thank f*ck we got Klopp before they did!

Yup.

Thank f*ck we got Klopp before they did!

Absolutely, don't be surprised though if we lose a match and Benitez is out of work if there aren't none too subtle hints from some forum dwellers about replacing the current manager with him. Your point about the Inter Milan "no limits in this regard" are on the money too. For some on here it goes far beyond "wanting him to do well" and the like, for some it's practically a cult worship whereby there are absolutely no circumstances whasoever where their man could be even 1% to blame for anything.

Rafa's just been given the dreaded vote of confidence from Perez.

Absolutely, don't be surprised though if we lose a match and Benitez is out of work if there aren't none too subtle hints from some forum dwellers about replacing the current manager with him. Your point about the Inter Milan "no limits in this regard" are on the money too. For some on here it goes far beyond "wanting him to do well" and the like, for some it's practically a cult worship whereby there are absolutely no circumstances whasoever where their man could be even 1% to blame for anything.

ther biggest load of trouble making bollox I have ever seen on this forum complete and utter sh*t stirrer

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.

1 league title in 7 years and 1 CL in over a decade .. No manager really has mick.

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.

1. He finished 3rd and second behind two rookie managers at barca and got pumped 4 0 by atletico .what does that say about him as a motivator

2. I was not being literal about Casemiro Diego!

Rafa is not a motivator, he expects players to work hard and do their job. Madrid players obviously have different mentality so it will be difficult for him.