Rafael Benitez Discussion Thread

Whilst on this subject,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/8535368/Real-Madrid-midfielder-Xabi-Alonso-admits-he-left-Liverpool-after-feeling-unwanted-by-Rafael-Benitez.html

Spanish steps: Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso has said he returnmed to his homeland after compatriot Rafael Benítez said he wanted to replace the player with Gareth Barry.


http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jamie-carragher-failed-convince-rafa-3010286

JAMIE CARRAGHER has revealed how he tried and failed to convince Rafa Benitez to bring Michael Owen back to Liverpool FC in the summer of 2009.

you mean Rafa didn't listen to Owens best mate.

You forget to mention who wanted his bessie mate and international roomie at the club.

You may want a mistress, doesn't mean you want your wife to leave. 

Anyway News up here fresh out of Newcastle is, he's agreed to stay at the club.

You may want a mistress, doesn't mean you want your wife to leave. 

you mean you can't have 4 wives?

 

kidding!

You may want a mistress, doesn't mean you want your wife to leave. 

Rafa didn't want Alonso to leave, not when he did anyway, it was Gerrard who had Rafa's ear over Barry.

Rafa didn't want Alonso to leave, not when he did anyway, it was Gerrard who had Rafa's ear over Barry.

In all honesty the season before his last one, Alonso had a bad one. It was the fact that he had probably his best season and was then sold that caused the uproar and the pain.

I don't think you can blame Gerrard for Alonso going. He wanted Barry, but that doesn't mean he didn't still want Alonso.

I also don't believe Rafa would be influenced to any real extent by what his players wanted.

Nah for me, Alonso had a bad season fellout with Rafa and Rafa decided he would "freshen up" the team, offered him around and no one came in for him. Juventus bought Poulsen instead of Alonso  Arsenal would only offer £16million so Alonso had to stay for another year. 

The following year Alonso had a great season and decided to go. The tax and exchange rates change suited him, he felt aggrieved with Rafa and was sold.   

I don't think you can blame Gerrard for Alonso going. He wanted Barry, but that doesn't mean he didn't still want Alonso.

Not saying you can mate, just saying there was more at play than simply Rafa's fault he pursued Barry.

I also don't believe Rafa would be influenced to any real extent by what his players wanted.

You sure mate as I remember Carra and Gerrard being heavily influential in Fowlers return.

You sure mate as I remember Carra and Gerrard being heavily influential in Fowlers return.

Please see Owen for further details

“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

Dudek claims though mate, who is also very bitter recently about not being 1st choice when Pepe arrived.

Dudek claims though mate, who is also very bitter recently about not being 1st choice when Pepe arrived.

I know that mate. Not saying that his opinion is the truth, just that its perhaps not as cut and dried as some might think.

Please see Owen for further details

Rafa was keen to bring Owen back, just not at the fee Madrid wanted, Owen couldn't sit tight in Madrid another season and made the decision for us.

If you mean when he went to the Mancs, he'd have only been providing competition for the treatment table.

Rafa was keen to bring Owen back, just not at the fee Madrid wanted, Owen couldn't sit tight in Madrid another season and made the decision for us.

If you mean when he went to the Mancs, he'd have only been providing competition for the treatment table.

What I was meaning was that there is no way that Rafa would be influenced by Gerrard / Carra as to which player he signed. The best they could hope for would be to as influential as a scout and I doubt they would have had even that much influence in truth.

Any manager that lets his players pick the players he signs won't be a manager very long.

Whilst on this subject,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/8535368/Real-Madrid-midfielder-Xabi-Alonso-admits-he-left-Liverpool-after-feeling-unwanted-by-Rafael-Benitez.html

Spanish steps: Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso has said he returnmed to his homeland after compatriot Rafael Benítez said he wanted to replace the player with Gareth Barry.


http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jamie-carragher-failed-convince-rafa-3010286

JAMIE CARRAGHER has revealed how he tried and failed to convince Rafa Benitez to bring Michael Owen back to Liverpool FC in the summer of 2009.

While were on the subject, how much were we paying to service the debt G and F***ing H had lumbered us with?

So I'm sure the money we received from Real Madrid was used to pay that off!

Meaning Gareth Barry had precisely F**k all to do with the situation!!

Dudek claims though mate, who is also very bitter recently about not being 1st choice when Pepe arrived.

As if anyone gave a F**k what Dudek claimed at the time.

Inconsistent Keeper replaced by better Keeper, in a nark shock!!

As if anyone gave a f**k what Dudek claimed at the time.

Inconsistent Keeper replaced by better Keeper, in a nark shock!!

Amazing really just how many players Rafa managed to piss off

So I'm sure the money we received from Real Madrid was used to pay that off!

We did pay our interest following Alonso's sale which was around £30m.

We also dealt with clubs who owed us money and the fee's were in instalments.

2+2=4

Amazing really just how many players Rafa managed to piss off

and how many he helped to improve

cracking night on BT showing our CL run in 2005-2009 what a period in our history and all I know is the crowd loved it .

cracking night on BT showing our CL run in 2005-2009 what a period in our history and all I know is the crowd loved it .

That's what almost get overlooked when people talk about Rafa. He didn't have the finances to compete in the league and CL, compared with Chelsea and Utd, let alone Arsenal and later City. He did though, we were the best team in Europe in that period and we qualified for the CL in all but the last year and finished with a record points total, in the league, 2nd and third. It is really amazing how his success is used to beat him with for not winning the league in that time nor the CL in 2007. Its crazy!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3595446/Rafa-Benitez-agrees-stay-Newcastle-United-manager-begins-work-list-transfer-targets.html

What on earth is he thinking, staying with them.

Surely there are going to be opportunities this summer for a big club that he could manage. 

Newcastle, in the Championship?!

Come on Rafa....

What on earth is he thinking, staying with them.

Surely there are going to be opportunities this summer for a big club that he could manage. 

Newcastle, in the Championship?!

Come on Rafa....

He's got a project in the UK to be close to his family.

He's not getting the Arsenal, Spurs, LFC or any of the Manc teams.

I think he'll build something there and the Geordies will love him.

Good luck to him he obviously wants to spend more time with his family which is understandable.

Maybe like at Valencia he wants to build something from the bottom and sees the potential at Newcastle, they are a big club who have been mismanaged for a long time.