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Rafas stubborness and controlling nature
Could it ultimately cost him his job? (this goes on a bit, but what the fuck)
Steve Heighway won the fa youth cups in 2 successive seasons, which is the ultimate thing to win at that level, and seemed to be doing all he could with the kids to bring them up to the age when they would then either move on to the 1st team fringes, or go elsewhere. Despite our kids being the best in the country at that age group, rafa was unhappy as to how the academy was being run. Heighway despite being successful and highly thought of by all the players who made the grade, owen, carra, gerrard, etc, was let go because he could not see eye to eye with rafa. It was rafas way or nothing, so he brought his own man in.
Paco, his trusted lieutenant, and a man with whom rafa has been alongside throughout most of his successful managerial career also fell by the way side earlier this season. According to whats Ive read, Paco although not given a free reign as a coach, had a big big input behind the scenes. Most of the fitness regimes were designed by him, and he also had some input into tactics, and was also a person who rafa could bounce ideas off and was a friend and someone he could trust. The full reasons why rafa and paco fell out may not ever be fully known, but If reports were true, then it started with an interview paco had last summer with a potential athletico madrid chairman who wanted paco as manager if he was voted in. The potential chairman wasnt voted in and subsequently pacos chance as manager were gone, but rafas annoyance at him potentially leaving were clear. Rafa took some of pacos responsibilities, minimising his input to tactics, and taking a far more hands on approach to the fitness regimes also. Rafa said the players tough training regime in the summer of 07/08 would be punctuated with more days off, as he felt our poor start to the 06/07 season was contributed to by players tiredness. His thinly veiled blame towards paco for our start the year before meant the 2 mens relationship slid yet further and it was only a matter of weeks before paco felt he had to resign. Paco had been by rafa side for years as a friend and trusted colleague for years and no doubt contributed alot to his teams sucesses, but rafa just promoted one of the junior coaches and insists he does not need to recruit a number 2. Has he taken on too much? Would he benefit from another trusted lieutenant to bounce his ideas off and help him out? Alot of us think yes, but rafa insists he knows best.
Houllier before Rafa had an initial period of success, but in the summer of 2002 made a catastrophic series of signings which ultimately cost him his job. As if his signings of Cheyrou, Diao, Diouf, etc were not enough, it was his dogged insistence on stubbornly sticking with them, despite their poor showing contributing to the team dropping points and ultimately slipping further behind the leaders, losing the players and alot of fans support before losing his job. Roll on a few years and rafa seems to now be dogged by a similar stubborness over certain issues. Rafa has bought a few players which have not worked out in the past, but he was quite quick in fixing that and getting shut (josemi, morientes, etc). Last season Kuyt had a useful debut season scoring a few goals, etc, but this season, hes been dogshit. If he doesnt feel he should sell him, fair enough keep him and hope he comes good, but at least take him out the firing line for now. Hes playing cack, creating and scoring little, but rafa is praising his workrate, effort, etc each week and keeps giving him starts. On the flip side, he refuses to give crouch hardly any playing time, even when torres was out, despite him looking more dangerous, and despites kuyts inability to hold the ball up and play as the main man upfront when required.
Rotation and rafas insistence on 2 holding midfield players. I know the media have a field day with this one, but it is another valid point. We have drew 8 league games, and lost 2, and I honestly believe that we would have won at least 4 or 5 of our drawn games, and won 1 of the lost games if we would have played a strong side and gone for it a bit more in those games. I was particularly annoyed with throwing in the towel at reading away with a CL game 3 days later. I know its rafas policy, but it looks to have failed us this season. We have rested players to keep them fresh for later league games, but at the rate we are falling behind the leading pack the last couple of months league games will be played at testimonial pace as we struggle to motivate ourselves for a 4th place at best finish. The players are proffesional athletes for fucks sakes, why rest them because you are worrying about them tiring? Give them a break when they are tired, not to prevent it happening. We were top of the league with a game in hand at beating derby 6-0 then the next 2 games against pompey and birmingham we rested key players, dropped points, and have never recaptured our early momentum.
The saga with the yanks over transfers. Some of it seems to have been down to a lack of communication, but stemmed from rafas frustration in not controlling every aspect of transfer activity. Agree with rafa or not, and I do and did on that issue, the way he handled it was not great. He was told on the phone to wait, and although the situation was not idea, his very public spoilt kid routine, stubbornly repeating the same phrase countless times was not very advisable. We should back rafa in the transfer market and I went on the march from the sandon with a few thousands others when his job seemed to be on the line, but rafa didnt seem help matters with his conduct.
All in all their is a bit of a vicious circle developing. The media frenzy regarding benitez is fueled by disappointing form, rising doubts from some fans, a lack of public by the owners, and the more rafa is backed into a corner, the more stubborn he is danger of becoming.
I dont want to see rafa doing a houllier and talking about shots on target, most corners, I want to see him turning the corner by getting our form back and us going on a roll ending up in glory in moscow keeping his job and winning number 19 next season.
Can he do it? I believe he can. For all the gripes ive pointed out about my own personal opinion of rafa, I also know he has done plenty of fantastic things for the club. The squad now, is as strong as its been for donkey years and CL, FA cup and League cup and CL runners up, speaks for itself. His tactical prowess in europe and knockout competitions in general is legendary, and some of the finest young talent from across the globe has come to us largely because of him. If we want to take that next step and become the biggest and the best in our league I reckon rafa needs to be less stubborn and privately accept he needs to tinker with his policies just a bit. Get in a world class number 2 to ease the burden, I reckon hes taking on too much at present and needs a sounding board for his tactics and ideas. Let the leash off against lower teams, at home especially. No need to play 2 holding players and 1 upfront against dung teams at home. Drop players who arent performing and use players who are, even if they seemed to have pissed you off (crouch!)
If we stop shooting ourselves in the foot we can drag ourselves from our current doledrums, save our season, and save rafas job.
RANT OVER!!
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