A question for my friend Hermes

[Rafa's Peggy's]

Hermes, it is obvious to everybody that you do not like Rafa. You may deny this, but your inability to show even the slightest bit of trust tells me that you have somebody else in mind that you would rather be manager.

 

So this begs the question, who is it?

 

I have heard rumblings on this website on this subject, and certain people have said they know who you would prefer but don't want to spill the beans because it will embarrass you. So I am giving you a platform to tell us who it is and why you would rather have him. If you are in favour of keeping Rafa, then share with us why you think he is the best man for the job and the things you DO like about him.

 

Skirting around the question is not allowed in this thread, and if you do this you should be made to make a 10 pound donation to HJC.

 

I look forward to your reply.

[Dirk]

It's Kenny D.

[Rashid]

Kenny Dalglish or Houllier back.

[dave u]

I have to say that although I don't know Hermes that well and haven't spoken to him about any of this, my opinion is that he doesn't want Rafa replaced at all.

 

He has consistently said that the only way he should go is if he fails to qualify for the CL two years running.

 

I don't think he is a big fan of Rafa's by any means, but I have not seen anything from him to suggest he wants someone else as manager.

[Hermes]

Skirting around the question is not allowed in this thread

I look forward to your reply.

 

When have I ever skirted around anything? I've been accused by some people (reading this Paul?) of not addressing every point made in a 10,000 word essay.

 

I've also answered the question of who I would have wanted for the job several times (Cruyff, Kenny, not Houllier Rash where the hell did you read that-not in one of my posts?).

 

As for disliking Rafa, I don't and I've posted that several times as well. I just don't think he has made any improvement whatsoever despite spending a fortune on new players. Crap Le Campionat players out-crap La Liga players in. The style of play has also come to resemble the worst of the Houllier years.

 

Positives for Rafa-Istanbul, but the worst league record of any LFC manager since the 1950's casts a big shadow over his reign here. I sincerely hope he achieves what we want. I'm still waiting for a sign that he will. I said at the start of the season that 70 points is the minimum we should expect or questions will be asked-better prepare your questions.

[Uncle Travelling Matt]

When have I ever skirted around anything? I've been accused by some people (reading this Paul?) of not addressing every point made in a 10,000 word essay.

 

I've also answered the question of who I would have wanted for the job several times (Cruyff, Kenny, not Houllier Rash where the hell did you read that-not in one of my posts?).

 

As for disliking Rafa, I don't and I've posted that several times as well. I just don't think he has made any improvement whatsoever despite spending a fortune on new players. Crap Le Campionat players out-crap La Liga players in. The style of play has also come to resemble the worst of the Houllier years.

 

Positives for Rafa-Istanbul, but the worst league record of any LFC manager since the 1950's casts a big shadow over his reign here. I sincerely hope he achieves what we want. I'm still waiting for a sign that he will. I said at the start of the season that 70 points is the minimum we should expect or questions will be asked-better prepare your questions.

 

Some fair points Hermes, my only criticism of your post is that he has signed players this summer who you havn't given a chance yet, to call them crap now is too soon, and also, Alonso crap?

 

Saying that he has the worst league record in 50 years is bollox too, when were we in Div 2? And did Rafa inherit a great side? He has lost some of our better players and brought in replacements, he has also got rid of most of the cr@p we were hoping he would, he has had to try and rebuild the whole squad and he's only really 8 league games into his second season, its all well too soon to judge, we put up with two years of cr@p from Houllier from 2002/03 season to the end of 2003/04, Rafa deserves the same and I aint gonna accept last season as being cr@p, we played poor football in Houllier's treble year but the memories are sweet, last years are sweeter.........

[Captain]

As for disliking Rafa, I don't and I've posted that several times as well. I just don't think he has made any improvement whatsoever despite spending a fortune on new players. Crap Le Campionat players out-crap La Liga players in. The style of play has also come to resemble the worst of the Houllier years.

Your selective way of arguing you points actually resembles Rashid's sometimes.

 

Positives for Rafa-Istanbul, but the worst league record of any LFC manager since the 1950's casts a big shadow over his reign here. I sincerely hope he achieves what we want. I'm still waiting for a sign that he will.

What I want, is to win the Champions League and the Premier League. Rafa delivered the Champions League in his first season here.

 

The fact that you are still waiting for a sign that he will achieve what we want really says it all.

[bri]

There have been one two questionable decsions.

Baros is a far better player than Crouch.

Henchoz is now having a great season at Wigan, we continue to look for cover for sami and have to play Josemi at CB.

Nando hasnt performed but I think the majority of us thought he would.

Alonso / Sissoko Class.

Nunez was a waste but I thoink he could be doing a job on the right this season.

Garcia. Brilliant / frustrating

 

Its proven in the premiership you dont win nothing by changing you manager every couple of years, infact its probably a recepie for disaster.

 

Curbishly at Charlton and Alladyce at Bolton are two men whove been at their clubs for years and done a great job with the resources. Wenger 8-9 at arsenal, Fergie 15 at man u.

 

Hopefully saturday will be a turning point.

[Hermes]

 

Saying that he has the worst league record in 50 years is bollox too, when were we in Div 2? And did Rafa inherit a great side?

 

I'm afraid it isn't bollocks. It's 68 points from 46 games, that is the lowest total from any run of 46 games in 50 years!!!!!!!!

 

No, he didn't inherit a great side but he's spent £50m taking it backwards in league result terms.

[fivetimes]

This 50 million spent arguement is pissing me off now.

 

WHAT ABOUT THE MONEY HE HAS RECOUPED???

[bri]

I think what Hermes is trying to say hes spent 50m on players of his choice despite having sold players to make funds available.

 

If hes spent 50m then hes spent 50m

[Uncle Travelling Matt]

This 50 million spent arguement is pissing me off now.

 

WHAT ABOUT THE MONEY HE HAS RECOUPED???

 

Come on 5times, that would be looking at the bigger picture, we don't do that on here........

 

So Hermes, what are you trying to prove with the Stat of 68 points from 46 games? There are other Stats we could come up with that are positive, possibly others that are more negative, but they are all stats and can be interpreted in anyway you want. Out of curiosity, do you know the last Liverpool Manager that went 11 games unbeaten in the top european competition?

[Uncle Travelling Matt]

I think what Hermes is trying to say hes spent 50m on players of his choice despite having sold players to make funds available.

 

If hes spent 50m then hes spent 50m

 

Yeah but it comes across as £50m spent to improve the team, its not, its the net that is what is supposed to have improved the team/squad!

[Andreas]

He has consistently said that the only way he should go is if he fails to qualify for the CL two years running.

 

 

So Rafa at least got time until 2007 then......

[Hermes]

I think what Hermes is trying to say hes spent 50m on players of his choice despite having sold players to make funds available.

 

If hes spent 50m then hes spent 50m

 

Exactly. he's spent £50m on players of his choice and only two of them can get a regular game-in the team that he picks!!!!. Even Rafa knows they're not good enough.

 

I'm off to work now but keep posting your Rafa excuses here and I'll shoot them all down tonight. :yes:

[Uncle Travelling Matt]

So Rafa at least got time until 2007 then......

 

I get the impression Hermes is saying we didn't qualify for the CL last year so that means he sees his time up in May 2006 if we don't qualify this year........ which of course we will..........in Paris on May 17th ;)

[kop]

Exactly. he's spent £50m on players of his choice and only two of them can get a regular game-in the team that he picks!!!!. Even Rafa knows they're not good enough.

 

I'm off to work now but keep posting your Rafa excuses here and I'll shoot them all down tonight. :yes:

 

Who is that then? Reina and Alonso? Or Garcia and Crouch? Or maybe Sissoko and Morientes?

[bri]

I agree UTM the nett is more like 25m I dont know the exact figure. However you would only sell players or let them go if you didnt think they'd be an improvement on the team.

 

Henchoz and Baros are two players I wouldnt of let go to improve the team. We need cover at CB and cant score more than a goal a game.

[Uncle Travelling Matt]

I agree UTM the nett is more like 25m I dont know the exact figure. However you would only sell players or let them go if you didnt think they'd be an improvement on the team.

 

Henchoz and Baros are two players I wouldnt of let go to improve the team. We need cover at CB and cant score more than a goal a game.

 

I can't disagree with that but we only see the players for their football ability, if Rafa let either or both go for other reasons then thats something we have to support him on even though we may never know. Same goes for Cisse.......

[bri]

totally agree there're obviously personal issues that come into play and probably some players think their something their not.

[liver bird]

I get the impression Hermes is saying we didn't qualify for the CL last year so that means he sees his time up in May 2006 if we don't qualify this year........ which of course we will..........in Paris on May 17th ;)

 

if we don't qualify for the champs league this year which at the moment is defo a realistic possibility gets followed up by another bad start to a league campaign in 2006 ,who can say benitez's job won't be under threat ? either way we all know that benitez has at least 3 full seasons and if things haven't changed or have changed for the worse than we will be looking for a new manager ,however thats the worse case scenerio and I don't think things will get that bad or at I least I hope they don't anyway.

[Nunavut Patrick]

Regarding Baros and Henchoz. Right now it looks like we could use them back, but Baros hardly filled the net and he had the run of the strikers position. I liked Milan a lot but people seem to think he;d be doing the business, and he's not set alight Villa. Maybe he needs his mate Koller.

 

As for Henchoz, he spat his dummy, went to Celtic and was shite. I'm made up for him that Wigan are doing well and he's part of that, but he's just one player playing in a system that Jewell has done a superb job with. If he was here the moan brigade would be banging on aboot Steph being past it, never gets past half, etc.

 

In the end the manager makes the decisions, chooses the formations and tactics. I believe, when I saw the lineup, the team put out was more than enough to take care of Fulham. So that means thaty its either the players who let him down or Rafa's instructions.

 

And back to Hermes- he has always said Rafa has two years. He has named who he would have replace if we didn;'t qualify for the CL for two years. He never said 'qualify through the Premiership'.

[bri]

True Np the grass isnt always greener for players who leave though personal differences.

 

What is interesting though is the form that some players have now shown, Henchoz, Murphy, Baros's unfullfilled potential for me. Which is where maybe man management comes into play a bit more.

[Nunavut Patrick]

True Np the grass isnt always greener for players who leave though personal differences.

 

What is interesting though is the form that some players have now shown, Henchoz, Murphy, Baros's unfullfilled potential for me. Which is where maybe man management comes into play a bit more.

 

Danny is suited to be the top fish there; not every single misplaced ball is going to get the groan and the expectations aren't high, althought they have passed the 'let's just stay up' phase.

 

Somewhere there is a manager, besides the fella that runs thwe Czech squad, that could unlock Baros and turn him into something special. I fucking doubt it's O'Leary, though.

 

I look at the squad now, and for unfullfilled (is that a word??) potential I see:

 

1. Kewell. He has the skills.

2. LeTallec- showed signs of it, but that attitude.

3. Cisse- he's a kimberlite pipe- you know there's a big diamond in there, but where to start, what to polish.

4. Riise- two great season, some great goals and this season it looks like his Viking ship has hit the horse latitudes.

 

 

I think sooner, rather than later, Benetiz will fit the proper pegs into their proper places, or send Krusty out to get new better fitting pegs, with a minder so he doesn;t wnder off and do something else while he supposed to be closing deals.

[MLB]

When have I ever skirted around anything? I've been accused by some people (reading this Paul?) of not addressing every point made in a 10,000 word essay.

 

I've also answered the question of who I would have wanted for the job several times (Cruyff, Kenny, not Houllier Rash where the hell did you read that-not in one of my posts?).

 

As for disliking Rafa, I don't and I've posted that several times as well. I just don't think he has made any improvement whatsoever despite spending a fortune on new players. Crap Le Campionat players out-crap La Liga players in. The style of play has also come to resemble the worst of the Houllier years.

 

Positives for Rafa-Istanbul, but the worst league record of any LFC manager since the 1950's casts a big shadow over his reign here. I sincerely hope he achieves what we want. I'm still waiting for a sign that he will. I said at the start of the season that 70 points is the minimum we should expect or questions will be asked-better prepare your questions.

 

 

I think you're overstating certain things, but overall your analysis is a fair one.