Well, after reading that article it seems to me like Rafa didn't like the facht that Pako was gaining more power and felt threatened by this?.
Rafa doesn't do himself any favours by admitting in the interview that he thought Pako wanted more and more power, not exactly convinced then was he?. Condemnation on thought is hardly the action of a balanced man, condemnation on conviction on the other hand, more plausible.
We've got Chelsea in a couple of hours and i've been working all night so i'll have a rest from this thread for a bit mate.
I'll leave with this parting shot.
Rafa was a great manager, i love Rafa, he is one of us, he is a part of Liverpool Football Club and always will be. If he'd come in during the Summer and been given a £60 million war chest ready for next Season i know he would have delivered the title.
The acid test was when the funds were stopped and he had to f**k with the cock he had. He had no answer to the midfield conundrum and persisted with a defensive midfield partnership that was ultimately his downfall. I felt he underestimated the supposedly weaker teams in the League and i felt he treated the domestic Cup competitions with disdain.
The true test of a manager is when he has to adapt his style, formation, tactics, belief or whatever anyone wants to call it. It's the ability to recognise what you want doesn't quite work so you have to deviate to compensate. Rafa was so stubborn in his beliefs that he failed to do this, i feel he saw change as a form of weakness, he was too proud to admit this.
Whether people like it or not, Pako Ayesteran leaving was a massive blow, not only for our Club, but for Rafa too and i don't think he ever recovered.
It's very very rare indeed that Rafa opens up, he reminds me so much of my father, he has to be strong as he is the leader of the family. When Rafa says it is a wound that still hurts be sure of this, he means it.
P.S. Thanks for posting the article.
