RAFFA EXPECTS TO GET SACKED?

[MLB]

Erm, isn't there a possibility that this is just the old story being recycled to fill newspaper space on the eve of a big game?

[StevieH]

They were also going on about how we made a PR mistake by not offering cash-strapped Luton any £. Why should we bail solely bail them out when they have wasted £ by offering bungs to agents.

[Thants]

Originally Posted by MLB Erm, isn't there a possibility that this is just the old story being recycled to fill newspaper space on the eve of a big game?

Replace 'possibility' with 'fact' and you'll be warmer.

[TommyW]

big game with Luton, where we'll probably rest the big names?

not so sure myself

[05 Milan]

The article is basically just confirming what Dave has said for a long time. Does Dave have similar motives as NOTW, like "filling newspaper space"?

Those quotes from a friend are from Benitez himself. I wonder what you'll all say when he does get the sack.

[davelfc]

Big game? There's probably not a smaller game we'll play all season but this. Potential banana skin? It's the FA Cup 3rd round, it's famous for upsets. But I think they all happened yesterday.

I'm back off to bury my head in the sand, it's much easier.

[Dirk]

Originally Posted by 05 Milan The article is basically just confirming what Dave has said for a long time. Does Dave have similar motives as NOTW, like "filling newspaper space"? Those quotes from a friend are from Benitez himself. I wonder what you'll all say when he does get the sack.

There appears to be two broad categories of people that deny or downplay these stories:

Those that aren't arsed if Rafa is sacked.

Those that rarely ever accept any bad news in relation to the club.

I know this is an oversimplification.

[Mr T]

Originally Posted by 05 Milan The article is basically just confirming what Dave has said for a long time. Does Dave have similar motives as NOTW, like "filling newspaper space"? Those quotes from a friend are from Benitez himself. I wonder what you'll all say when he does get the sack.

If Benitez gets sacked before we can get the Yanks out then the club is finished. We'll have a club full of sycophants and snakes and a good man run out of town because he's called the Americans out on their lies.

[Stefan]

G&H are arseholes. I gave them the benefit of the doubt untill they decided to fuck the new stadium design of, after that decision I can't stand them. wankers

[Mr T]

Originally Posted by Dirk There appears to be two broad categories of people that deny or downplay these stories: Those that aren't arsed if Rafa is sacked. Those that bury rarely ever accept any bad news in relation to the club. I know this is an oversimplification.

I just wish people would wake up. This is make or break time.

[Cardie]

Wonder if Rafa knows it's not just the yanks with the knives, supposedly, out for him.

[TheHitman]

I caught that Rob Shepard spouting his disinformation what an absolute cunt the pure hatred coming from the mans mouth is a joke. I think even some of the other hacks were embarrassed at his rant bitter little bastard go and cry in the corner with John Terry....

[Thants]

Originally Posted by Dirk There appears to be two broad categories of people that deny or downplay these stories: Those that aren't arsed if Rafa is sacked. Those that rarely ever accept any bad news in relation to the club. I know this is an oversimplification.

I believe he may go. I don't believe there's any new news today on the matter.

[Cardie]

I'm still waiting for the imminent sacking.

[redrosetints]

Originally Posted by Hermes Let's see Rafa deny this, the yanks got enough stick for failing to respond to media speculation. I'm not holding my breath, he's desperately begging for somebody to save his arse and doing it via "a close friend".

Not news though is it ? Bascombe reported this for Rafa a month ago. If Rafa gets Madrid will he care ?

[real red]

Originally Posted by 05 Milan The article is basically just confirming what Dave has said for a long time. Does Dave have similar motives as NOTW, like "filling newspaper space"? Those quotes from a friend are from Benitez himself. I wonder what you'll all say when he does get the sack.

Maybe you know something I don't, but I don't think this particular set of "friend" quotes are from Rafa. For one thing it talks about Mascherano being the one not willing to sign a deal, rather than it being the club not willing to agree to one. If the owners had offered Mascherano a deal and it was him stalling you can guarantee we'd know about it through either a direct statement or from Parry leaking it to the Beeb or the Echo.

The NOTW story comes from someone other than Bascombe, a guy who also writes for Reuters so I'm guessing he's a freelance.

I doubt those quotes are from anyone really in the know. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't mean the story itself is without foundation. Rafa could have been having a good moan to a club employee who spiced up what Rafa told him, but I doubt they are from Rafa or anyone close.

That said, we all know that Rafa knows he's going to be sacked if the owners stay. They don't care, really they don't. If they sold up tomorrow they'd still make a profit, and that's their first concern. Their second concern is to minimize the criticism they get from staff to avoid giving more ammo to the rest of their pissed-off employees around the world. I expect that when Rafa goes he'll be given whatever pay-off he's entitled to, but as part of that pay-off he'll have to sign something telling him to keep quiet, like Thommo did all those years ago.

[Dirk]

Another thing that fucks me off is people bleating about results and shit but I'm yet to read more than a couple of posts from people questioning Gillett and Hicks for unsettling and disrupting things. This whole fucking mess is destabilising the club, like