Rafa and Chairmen blow out continues...

Mourinho tops Kop list
Exclusive by Chris Bascombe

RAFA BENITEZ will be sacked following his latest tirade against Liverpool owner Tom Hicks.
And former Kop hate-figure Jose Mourinho is the shock front runner to replace him.

Liverpool's American owners were already preparing to ditch the Spanish boss (left) after tiring of the constant behind-the-scenes bickering but this week's developments have sealed his fate.

It's now a matter of when not if the Spanish boss leaves Anfield and that's expected to be sooner rather than later.

Despite his epic Anfield bust-ups while at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho tops a wanted list already being assembled by the owners.

An approach will be made once Benitez's departure is confirmed.

The Portuguese boss may have his enemies on Merseyside, but he's recognised as one of the best and most sought after coaches in Europe.

Benitez showed no sign of ducking a fight with his hierarchy following yesterday's 3-0 win over Newcastle, despite knowing his job was on the line.

"It's clear Mr Hicks wants the best for the club. So do I," he said.

"We have been here for a long time and we know what the passion of football means and what the transfer market in Europe means.

"It's not a draft system. We have free players available now. I'm not talking about players that cost money.

"We need to talk to the agents now, if not we will lose targets. In the summer, the players will be more expensive. I have not been talking about spending but doing the opposite. We have brought money back. We brought in £26m this year and you can see the value of the squad.

"We had a meeting on the day of the Arsenal game which was really positive. After this, something changed."

They told me to be focused on coaching and training because Rick Parry will be looking after signing players."

Swing

Benitez won't walk away, adding: "I have passion for this club. The fans who were with me in Istanbul know what it means to me."

With no resignation on the horizon, Hicks (left) and Gillett are now ready to swing their axe regardless of Liverpool's league placing or Champions League progress.



THOUGHT I WOULD POST THIS AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THE PRESS SEEM DETERMINED TO MUDDY THE WATERS.IS IT TRUE? WE WILL NOT KNOW UNTIL EITHER THE 'WORST CASE SCENARIO' OCCURS OR THE CLUB / RAFA RESPOND.

THIS SIMPLY DOES NOT HELP THE MORALE OF OUR TEAM AND OUR OBJECTIVE OF WINNING THE TITLE.

LET'S SEE HOW THIS ONE DEVELOPES....

Im hearing thatthe papers are full of stories today more or less saying RAFA WILL BE AXED!! How has it come to this?

1) what has rafa done wrong? Ask for money
2) why have the board reacted so badly? Do they not have the cash to give him that they promised they would
3) when did Liverpool FC start washing there dirt in public?

And number 3 is the worst part of the lot. We are going to make ourselves a laughing stock

How about give rafa the cash in Jan and if he doesnt deliver in May then pull him up over not in November when we are well placed to challenge for the league. F**k sake poxy board could blow this on us as if 17 years aint been long enough!!

what papers exactly?

Well according to sky the majority of them. Havent seen any papers yet today but Sky were saying one article by Chris Bascombe said rafa will be axed. Now I know papers say anything to sell themselves but isnt Bascombe supposed to be well in at Liverpool?

Its News of the World.
I think you know what that means.

Its News of the World.
I think you know what that means.

Yeah I agree but as its Bascombe it might carry a bit of weight unless he's under pressure as a new boy since he defected to the  News of the World (Sun on Sunday) to come up with some juicy insider knowledge and this is an elaboration on his part to look good?

I think the worry is that Benitez might walk if undermined too much. However I think the papers are trying to squeeze some gossip out of this for their own sakes.

Apparently it isn't anything to do with 'money'.

This was from the Mail after yesterday's game:

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez wore a satisfied smile after the 3-0 victory over Newcastle as he set off back to Merseyside having lifted the lid on his difference of opinion with owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

The Spaniard was yesterday told to concentrate on the players he already has after voicing his frustration over the club's transfer policy approaching the January window, but after seeing his players deliver once again, he stated his case publicly.

Benitez, who pointed to the £26million he has brought back into the club in the last year, said: "It is clear Mr Hicks wants the best for the club and we want the best for the club.

"Because we have been here for a long time, we know what passion means in football in Europe.

"We know what the transfer window market means, we know what it means to sign free - and I insist free - players now. I was not asking to spend money, I was asking to do things with free players.

"They know the manager needs to manage the squad and prepare the squad for this year and for the future.

"We had a meeting the day of the Arsenal game and the meeting was really positive.

"After that meeting, something changed. I tried to explain my ideas, but they said to me 'Rafa, keep focussing on coaching and training because Rick Parry will be in charge of buying and selling players'.

"I tried to explain to them and now, it is simple: they say, 'Keep focussed and Mr Parry will keep working in the transfer market'."

sh*t Stirring Chris 'Sell out' Bascombe.

oh that makes perfect sense


 get rid of Benitez as he's difficult to work with and replace him with that level headed diplomat Mourinho 

I refuse to believe any of this. 

If there is an inkling of truth then clearly Hicks and Gillett are both off their rocker.

LOUD SUPPORT for Rafa on Wednesday thanks very much.

What would the scumbag press write about if Liverpool fc did not exist. Now england have won themselves a two year  in the wilderness all inclusive holiday, yet again the press has turned  its attention to the most successful football team this has country has seen. That t*t bascombe should know better. i wonder if he will use some of his silver on christmas presents the judus.

LOUD SUPPORT for Rafa on Wednesday thanks very much.

Spot on Koolkidda. This is vital on Wednesday RAFAS name to be sung even more passionately and noisier then ever and not just the kop the whole ground especially the main stand in and around the directors let them know how we feel about Rafa

Im hearing thatthe papers are full of stories today more or less saying RAFA WILL BE AXED!! How has it come to this?

1) what has rafa done wrong? Ask for money
2) why have the board reacted so badly? Do they not have the cash to give him that they promised they would
3) when did Liverpool FC start washing there dirt in public?

And number 3 is the worst part of the lot. We are going to make ourselves a laughing stock

How about give rafa the cash in Jan and if he doesnt deliver in May then pull him up over not in November when we are well placed to challenge for the league. F**k sake poxy board could blow this on us as if 17 years aint been long enough!!

1) Rafa has all the rights to get new players as we could clearly see that there are a few departments that requires urgent attention if we want to push the teams above us towards the finishing line. On the other hand, Rafa may have to sell first before he can buy and i think he's mature enough to understand that and toe the line. So where's the problem??? The management is just kicking up a storm.

2) The management is plain greedy, perhaps they expect to see immediate returns, after the so called 50 million pounds spent on new players. Someone please go tell the greedy Americans that what they have spent is peanuts compared to Chel$ki and Mancs. Ask them to concentrate and revamp their "overseas business unit" or whatever they may call it as we could see the Mancs are selling much more merchandise and getting much more sponsorships from this part of the world where i come from and that itself would allow the club to purchase a couple of world class players. The management should just simply shut - up and don't bark up the wrong tree.

3. I've said it all along what the management did is unprecedented in the club's history, you don't run to the neighbours and complain that you just had an argument with your wife. We're the laughing stock in the world of football at the moment and it makes us look so stupid and cheap. We just simply can't put our on house in order. Don't the Yankees feel ashamed of what they have done? I'm amazed.

And lastly,

4.  From where i come from,  we don't trust people with curly hairs and the management expects him to buy players for Rafa. He doesnt train players nor decides on the tactics but Rafa does. This is the greatest joke. Believe me, if what the press says is true this is one below the belt to get Rafa out of the club. Next, Rafa resigned because he wanted a sofa but they got him a lamp shade instead.

Someone pls. do something about it before Rafa throws in the towel. I've slated Rafa before but i can't imagine how much we would miss him if he really does abandon ship.

I'm truly concern and worry.

Spot on Koolkidda. This is vital on Wednesday RAFAS name to be sung even more passionately and noisier then ever and not just the kop the whole ground especially the main stand in and around the directors let them know how we feel about Rafa

I'll be doing just that thousand of miles away and in the wee hours of the morning. Count on me eventhough my voice will not be heard on the grounds.

RAFA  RAFA  RAFA

Boo Boo to the Americans.

Long Live RAFA.

YNWA

http://www.anfield-online.co.uk/editorial/2007/11/25/editorial-a-disgrace-to-liverpool-fc/

Could someone please explain to me why Rick Parry would be in charge of signing new players isnt Rafa the Manager?? The coach should surely have the right to sign new players as he is the Football coach not Rick Parry he is a F***ing accountant for christ sake. This has all the hallmarks of being blown so far out of proportion its sickening from those statements above Gillet and Hicks are undermining Rafas position in my opion, and the press have jumped on it like a pack of wild hyenas at a carcuss. Why is it those bastads seem to get so much gratification from this crap. Hicks needs to come over NOW and him and Rafa need to have a press conference together NOW to show some unity, this is getting well and truly out of hand now.

Why is Rick Parry maintaining such an UN-diplomatic silence.

Has he been the one that has grassed-up Rafa to the Yanks?

Since when does a CEO manage signings? That's the Director of Football role that Rafa does in conjunction to coaching and trainning.

I really don't like the way this is going...

This is Valencia CF all over again...

Rafa will walk - I tell you - HE WILL.

Not good.

Rick Parry come out and clear this mess up NOW.

I told you that! That's just what it means when you sell a team. And it's so stupid. They have to give Benitez time & power to shape up this club for some years...look at ManU!!!!!!! They did it right!

Sad to see one of the greatest clubs go down by Americans . Please, all the fans who can go to Anfield: Shout for Rafa and against these bas**rds of U.S., make clear that there's a certain border for Liverpool fans.

Liverpool co-Chairmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks have today released the following statement:


"Despite speculation in today's newspapers, there is nothing new to say.
 
"We had a good win yesterday and have got some very important games coming up starting with Porto on Wednesday, followed by Bolton and Reading, before Marseille and Manchester United in a few weeks.
 
"Both of us, together with Chief Executive Rick Parry, plan to meet with Rafa when we come over mid December to make decisions on the team's requirements at that time."


www.liverpoolfc.tv

Thanks Watt!

I suppose it's better than nothing but at least there's some noise coming from the club. I think it would be a benefit to everyone involved with Liverpool FC if they brought forward the meeting though. Things need to be discussed. One thing would be how this sort of stupid situation can not happen again.

News of the World hate mongering bollox gutter press doing what they do best yet again. This is chip paper tommorrow and thats a fact.

News of the World hate mongering bollox gutter press doing what they do best yet again. This is chip paper tommorrow and thats a fact.

And Bascombe doing it on their behalf. Which makes it a bit more sickening.

Liverpool co-Chairmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks have today released the following statement:


"Despite speculation in today's newspapers, there is nothing new to say.
 
"We had a good win yesterday and have got some very important games coming up starting with Porto on Wednesday, followed by Bolton and Reading, before Marseille and Manchester United in a few weeks.
 
"Both of us, together with Chief Executive Rick Parry, plan to meet with Rafa when we come over mid December to make decisions on the team's requirements at that time."


www.liverpoolfc.tv

Not sure what, if anything to read in to that.

Let's hope it's all media bullshit.  Glad Liverpool have actually came out and said something otherwise I may have had trouble getting some kip tonight.

Still sounds like they're fobbing Rafa off.  He made it clear he wanted 'action' now - we don't play United for 3 weeks.