Ronnie Whelan: "Sack Rafa"

[Glen C]

Liverpool Pies: Ronnie Whelan: "Sack Rafa"

In Liverpool legend Ronnie Whelan's opinion, Rafa Benitez is NOT the right man to take the club forward and guide us to our long-awaited 19th league championship.
And wait for it, the man he wants to see take the top job at Anfield is none other than the 'ever-popular on Merseyside' Portuguese manager, Jose Mourinho. Hmmm, with my index finger raised to my lips, I say Ronnie shhhhhhhh.
The ex-Republic of Ireland international who played for the Reds from 1981 until 1994 believes the fact that Rafa has not delivered a trophy this season signifies a time for change. Really Ron?
Talking to Gulf News (don't ask me why?), he said:
"Everything needs to be looked at now. We don't know if the American owners will be there next season or if the Dubai group [Dubai International Capital] will be the new owners.
"Whoever is there will need to decide if they have confidence in Rafa. Personally I don't.
"I doubt the supporters will mind who the owner of the club is as long as they are winning trophies. If they give money to the manager and the manager spends it wisely, that's all the fans care about.
"I think Mourinho would be very good. Look at the players that he brought to Chelsea. He spent the same amount of money that Rafa did and those players are in the Champions League final now.
"He might be a bit unpopular with some people, but if your team is winning, you don't care if a few people don't like your manager."
Oh dear. I don't think any real Red worth his salt would wilfully accept Mourinho into the club. And for a legend like Whelan to suggest it makes me wonder what must be going through poor Ron's head.
Okay, I think everyone would agree that this season's Premiership fourth place finish was ultimately a disappointment, but in the end the team only lost four league games and would have finished a lot closer to the top three if a few of the draws could have been turned into wins. And another plus saw us beating our big local rivals Everton to Champions League qualification with plenty left in the tank.
And then there's Europe. One goal away from yet another European Cup final and a third in four seasons is in my book a tremendous achievement. All this in a season massively overshadowed by the huge cloud of discontent on the terraces with the farcical action of our American "custodians".
If we could somehow resolve the boardroom squabbles - preferably by welcoming new owners who actually know a bit about football and the values of our club - and also turn some of our success in Europe into a sustained challenge for the league title next season, you're unlikely to find many Reds at Anfield complaining about Rafa's management.
Maybe in future, before Ron starts publicly questioning Rafa's ability he should take a look at his own less than impressive track record in management and think again. After all, Rafa is the "special one."

[rondeco]

He's been hanging around with ray houghton too much

[Carra_is_legend]

He can fuck off.

[navbasi]

Too much sun in the gulf... he needs to come indoors and cool the fuck down.. twat.

[rebel23]

very ill informed commnets, anyone got a list of the players Mourinho actually bought? it was very unimpressive.

[coop]

Cant think who would agree with every word of that then again yes i can he will be along in a minute.

[woo-lfc]

Can someone take ronnie to the vet and get him put down?

[Glen C]

Yeah i have to say i was pretty stunned by it. Whelan is a knob of the highest order and has obviously been hanging out with Ray houghton.

[Mr T]

"Look at the players Mourinho bought in", "Spent the same as Rafa".

You couldn't get more clueless.

[drewy]

I love the way he talks on behalf of the supporters;

'I doubt the supporters will mind who the owner of the club is as long as they are winning trophies'

Cheeky twat.

[philyburkhill]

People have every right to question Rafa. But fucking Mourinho? No way Jose.

[El Quico]

The ex-player syndrome strikes again.

[hamstrung]

Oh dear, Ronnie.

[gkmacca]

He's probably exhausted. According to the website 'Chins For Africa,' Ronnie has just donated his 100th chin for use in the area. 'I've been growing extra chins ever since the late 1980s,' Whelan told the media, 'after watching this documentary on how some little kids in Africa are either born with no chins or else their chins just fall straight off their heads without warning. I think because of the heat or that there malnutrition thing. So I remember turning to Rushie, me roommate at the time, and saying, "Jaysus, Rushie, mate, that's awful, that, truly terrible. I feel like I was meant to see that programme. Truly. It's a sign. Like Geldof and Live Aid. I, Ronnie Whelan, am going to start growing new chins for them there Africans!" Rushie just snored, the lazy fecker, but I was true to me word - I had a second chin firming up nicely for the start of the 1989/90 season, and then there was no stopping me. The other lads thought that I was a bit mad, like they do, but I was religious about it. Finish the match, open the Guinness, get the chins going. It's never been a burden. I see it as a privilege. To see an African running about with one of my chins...well, it makes me thirsty'.

[Richie T]

Tut Tut Tut how the mighty have fallen.

[hamstrung]

gkmacca is an underrated genius. Rep the man for pity's sake.

[Liquid football]

just because he's wrong, doesn't mean he deserves abuse. He only wants us to do well.

[Bourbon]

I went on a work's lads piss up to one of those sponsored Ex Players After Dinner's at The Olympia with Whelan, Joey Jones and Big Rowdy.

Yates was all you imagined, respectful, dignified, all Shanks etc,

Whelan was a show - the first thing he mentioned was how he always loved Machester United and how it was always his boyhood dream to play for them - repeatedly through his segment. Shocking and embarrasing. Was partly booed off.

Jones come out as a finale, to a riotous rendition of his chant, doing his popeye arm thing and directly retorted ;

"All I ever wanted to do in my life was play for the Club I love, Liverpool Football Club" .

The place went up.

[Faustus]

I've got nothing against people who want Rafa gone as long as they can articulate themselves well and make constructive points. For instance, my dad and grandad both think that Rafa should go but I respect their opinions because they make a decent, constructive argument.

That, on the other hand, from Houghton is just a load of tosh. "Spent the same as Mourinho????" Where the fuck did that come from?

[aws]

Footballers aren't very bright people as a rule. The fact that generations of footballers have ended up with Andy Gray as the undoubted guru of footballing knowledge rather proves the point.

[Mendoza]

Originally Posted by Liquid football